Hagel has no idea where the sequester comes from

It was not the most sensational gaffe of the day, but the most consequential. Former Sen. Chuck Hagel, under questioning by Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO) in his confirmation hearing for the post of Secretary of Defense, did not know that the Budget Control Act of 2011 established the sequester that will cut billions in defense spending.

As laid out by Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Carl Levin (D-MI), Hagel’s view on the sequester was one of the most important criteria against which he would be judged: “Senator Hagel’s views today on the continuing resolution and the sequester will be of great interest to this committee and to the nation.”