WP: Hagel ponders White House run
Criticism of Iraq war raises his profile
By Shailagh Murray
The Washington Post
Updated: 4:55 a.m. PT Jan 26, 2007
His Republican colleagues regard him warily. The White House barely speaks to him. He is reviled by his party's conservative base.

Looks as though Sen. Chuck Hagel is on a roll.

Both parties have their Iraq war contrarians. For the Democrats, it is Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, whose steadfast support for President Bush nearly cost him his seat last year and forced him to run as an independent. The Republican version is Hagel, a career maverick from Nebraska and the only GOP senator to call for an end to the war.

Hagel's sharp criticism of the war has placed him squarely in the mainstream of public opinion on Iraq and revived long-dormant speculation about his presidential ambitions. Hagel has been eclipsed by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), a leading contender for his party's presidential nomination who vigorously endorsed the president's war policies.

But with McCain appearing increasingly isolated on the issue as public opinion has turned overwhelmingly against the war, Hagel is acting like a politician who believes his stock is climbing. In other words, he is considering a White House run.

WP: Hagel ponders White House run - washingtonpost.com Highlights - MSNBC.com

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Although Hagel is a GOPer and I am a Liberal, it is fair to say that I would not vote for The Honourable Chuck Hagel. But it is fair to say if there were a possibility that he were elected as president, I could sleep very comfortably with him as my president. He is a person that "shoots from the hip", you know where he stands, and he has more respect for the military as a former vet.

Living in the Washington metro. area, I've had the benefit of meeting John McCain, Max Cleland, Ben Nighthorse-Campbell, John Kerry, and Chuck Hagel as they all sat on the board of "No Greater Love" (I lost my only brother in Nam). I have also sat in front of those named, as the IAFF has lobbied for greater protections for FRer's because of occupational hazards, and to build DoHoSec.

Senator Hagel is not a so-called maverick, but a Conservative who appreciates the importance of a strong defense, good benefits for veterans, and a balanced budget. Sadly, I think the Honourable John McCain's "Straight Talk Express" has become derailed, and he is playing to the RR. There are a number of Liberals (believe it, or not) who are excited about the possibility of Senator Hagel as the GOP canidate, because he would be a formidible canidate and give the Democratic nominee a run for their money, sans a "below the belt" campaign.

I think that many mainstream GOPers would not feel a sense of feeling "disenfrancised" with the GOP, considering what happened with the last mid-term elections. The Honourable Chuck Hagel would be a nominee, and possible president, who could restore the honour of what the GOP is all about.

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I didn't know what Hagel looks like so I got a picture of him on the internet.



I think Hagel has already destroyed his prospects of winning the nomination, by opposing Bush in Iraq. The conservative base really doesn't like that, IMO. Not only will that augur against him in the Republican primaries, but even if he got the nomination, the conservative base would not be motivated to vote for him in the election.

McCain and Giuiliani have the star power, and are the favorites. I think McCain is trying to restore his confidence among the conservative base, and he may be compromising his maverick image to do so.

Guiliani may have the "star power" of a strong leader after 9-11, but he comes with alot of baggage that the religious rightwing of the GOP may find objectionable, from Bernard Kerik to 3 marriages to 3 different women, and he was the cheater.

McCain comes with the cachet of "Viet Nam War Hero", but even people in the GOP and the religious right are questioning his siding with the president, regarding this "surge of troops" into a war without any excit strategy.

Hagel is "walk the walk, and talk the talk" Conservative who believes in a strong defense, and a balanced budget. He would be someone I would see as a true threat running against any Dem., because he possesses the "Russ Feingold common sense" of running a clean campaign, but one that cuts to the issues. And this Liberal can tell you that I have sat in front of him in sub-committee testimony, that he is one who is always wanted direct answers as we testified. He and Senator Daniel Akaka D., Hawaii are two tough cookies who expect you to come to the Hill with all your facts at hand, or they will come down on you for wasting their time, believe me.

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He is chasing his dream and he will say and do whatever possible to gain his support. Do you want a leader that chances his principles to suit his situation? Of course, I am speaking of all politicians, I guess.

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I don't think he is chasing a dream and as a Vet, who was in Nam with his brother Tom, he may be the GOP's "Silver Bullet". People across this country appreciate the fact that Saddam was taken out of power, but it is up to the Iraqis to "settle their business, politically" instead of American blood being shed for them. We are not wanted in that country, and many Iraqis have made that known with the number of casualties we have suffered there.

Sadly, this is "Deja vu all over again" and we need to go into Afghanistan and attack those poppy fields which are aiding the Taliban in their resurgence. Can anyone imagine if the Taliban were successful in the Peshawar area of Pakistan and they aided those who are sympathetic to their thinking in the northern section of Pakistan, and they toppled the Musharraf government? They would have access to Pakistan's nuclear weapons. Is that what we want?

And our country is not safe, we have "sleeper cells" in our country now. I live 1 hour from The Port of Baltimore, and 1/2 hour from Washington D.C. There is no port security there, because millions were spent after 9/11 to train port security at FLETC in Glynco, Ga. only to have them RIFed when this administration saw how much it would cost to have those protections. I guess it's better to spend $1 Bil. a week in Iraq to wage war and re-build their country, than protect our country.

Hagel thinks it is more important to protect this land and go after the Taliban, than to wait for the Iraqis to take over their land with a political means. The American people realize that, too; just look at the polls. I think McCain is losing favour with many in this country by backing the "Surge". He definitely has lost my respect. The "Straight Talk Express" has been de-railed.

My Brotherhood of The IAFF backed this president when he wanted to go after Osama-been-Forgotten, we lost 343 brothers on 9-11 and we were with this administration. Sadly, we have become disillusioned by this war in Iraq because many of the promises made to FRer's have been broken. Remember those promises to replace the Nextels that F.D.N.Y. used on 9-11, and communications were broken because the lines were overloaded? They are still using those Nextels, they have yet to be replaced. My dept. recieved 400 Bio-chem suits, but we have yet to recieve the "wash-down" trucks to exit those suits, and money has been spent hand-over-fist for constant training instead. How can one exit those suits safely, without the trucks?

Hagel knows all of this and does not fear being called on this waste. McCain will be called on by my brotherhood, and will not have answers for supporting a troop surge instead of protecting the American people at home. This is the reason I see Hagel as a more formidable canidate in 08.

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True. I think McCain vs Guiliani is interesting, but in the end, McCain's solid conservative voting record will put him over the top.

Yeah, but who's the base gonna vote for? Is the base more or less likely to agree or disagree with Bush? They are more likely to agree with Bush, IMO. So McCain is safe then.

McCain's conservatism bothers me, but I do like his maverick reputation of calling bullshit on his own party. I like his bi-partisanship. I would not be ashamed if he were President, unlike now.

But have you even read up on him? Are you just saying he's a shitty politician because that is your general belief or because you have a specific reason for saying so in this case?

@ Sherri: So, what is your Iraq policy? Leave right now?

What I like about Hagel is, unlike McCain, he is not afraid to question and place this administration in the cross-hairs for direct answers about this war.

YouTube - Hagel Chastises Colleagues

This is one of the most impassioned contemporaneous speeches I have ever seen on Cap. Hill.

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Saving a life is oh, so sweet - Me

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