Responding to a viewer's question during a 2009 interview on Al-Jazeera, former Sen. Chuck Hagel agreed that the United States needs to change its image as "the world's bully."
"Well, her observation is a good one and it's relevant. Yes, to her question, and again I think that's all part of leadership," Hagel said during the March 2009 interview.
Hagel was nominated by President Obama to succeed Leon Panetta as secretary of defense Monday and is facing criticism for his social and foreign policy positions while in the Senate, and controversial record during his tenure as top official of the USO.