Elizabeth McKelvy

WMAL.com

WASHINGTON – KT McFarland, Fox News Channel national security analyst, told WMAL Wednesday that she’s known Ashton Carter since graduate school, and shared the unique way she came to the conclusion that he will get the official nomination as Secretary of Defense.

“In the past, every time I’ve emailed him, he’s emailed me back within five minutes,” McFarland said. “Last week, I emailed him to say ‘Hagel is leaving, are you in consideration?’ I haven’t heard a thing back! That’s always the telltale Washington sign.”

Ashton Carter is the former second-in-command at the Pentagon, where he served as the deputy to the current Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel. Carter has held other positions at the Pentagon, one of them being the top acquisition official, where he was resonsible for buying arms for the U.S.

“He’s actually a really good choice,” McFarland affirmed.

The national security analyst outlined skill sets necessary in a Secretary of Defense; all of which, she said, Hagel lacked. They include an ability to cooperate with both parties, command respect of the military, and be the face of the Defense department both internationally and within the country for the American people.  

“Most importantly he needs to have the confidence of the President. He needs to have the ability to override the micromanagers on the National Security Council,” McFarland told WMAL. “And not be fired for doing so.”

She also said that they are hammering out the details and the official nomination will come soon.  

Copyright (c) 2014 WMAL. Photo via foxbusiness.com.