In 2012, Hagel co-wrote an opinion piece with a bipartisan group of former congressmen and military leaders on stopping Iran from getting a nuclear bomb.

CNN: A reality check for Chuck Hagel bashers

The Italian election, in contrast, is taking place after a two-week opinion poll blackout, amid mounting investor anxiety that former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and maverick outsider Beppe Grillo, leader of the Five Star Movement, may make a strong showing.

WSJ: Post-Election Inaction Could Reawaken Crisis