So why is Chuck Hagel leading the Opposition to the War Splurge???

[spanone]

I thought, foolishly maybe, that the democrats were elected to help end this travesty.

Chuck Hagel seems to be at the forefront of this 'confrontation with congress'. Is this the 'Arlen Spector' solutions?


Get a big Republican to lead the opposition, then drop the opposition when the White House makes a call.

[WI_DEM]

1. Strategically it might be helpful to have a Republican leading the effort

because it looks more bi-partisan that way.

[spanone]

5. If that's the dems strategy, I think it totally sucks.

This is why the democrats got elected. I don't care how unpopular the MEDIA makes them look. It's THEIR mandate.

[WI_DEM]

7. who said it's there strategy--there's plenty of democrats out there saying

the same things Hagel is saying but the media is focusing on him because he's a Republican. When the resolution passes it will be overwhelmingly with Democratic votes.

[BurtWorm]

23. If I were Harry Reid, I might be thinking it's good to have Republican disharmony over Iraq

on the airwaves front and center. People assume (wrongly, unfortunately) that Dems are anti-war, anyway. I don't see any downside to having a Republican being anti-war and in the spotlight. It makes the case and it might even make more Republicans join the cause.

[havocmom]

2. Or, get a big Repbulican to follow the pulse of the nation

in hopes of keeping the White House for more years.

Don't trust a guy who sold the nation electronic voting!

[BOSSHOG]

3. I think he has a degree of novelty about him since he is a republican

I also think Hagel has a lot more integrity then Specter. Phone calls from the white house relative to bush's intentions will not sway Hagel, in my opinion. I appreciate his loud and boisterous opposition to the criminal in the white house.

[Avalux]

4. He only stands out because he's a Republican.

That's why he's getting so much attention - his stance is a complete break with his party. I think this is a personal issue for Hagel and not some planned strategy by Republicans.

I love it that Pelosi and Murtha are in Baghdad today; Democrats have certainly not let up in their opposition.

[lancdem]

8. I think it's personal, too

Hagel is a Vietnam vet.

[Norquist Nemesis]

10. Bingo! And not just a Republican, but a "leading" Republican

I've often heard him described as a moderate, but his voting record doesn't back that up. IIRC, it was Rep. Ted Poe (R-TEXAS) who was one of the first to go on the floor of the House proclaiming opposition to the Iraq adventure. Barely a blip or soundbyte on that one. Then, when Rep. Freedom Fries came out against it saying that he really thinks it was likely we were "lied into this war"...well, that got about 18 hours of the 24-hour soundbyte.

But, when Hagel speaks they take notice. Probably a lot of it has to do with his seniority and the committee chairmanships he's held.

[Swamp Rat]

11. I agree

His crappy repuke voting record aside, I believe this is a personal issue for Hagel. Maybe after seeing limbless soldiers at Ramstein and Landstuhl he had an epiphany?

[Windy]

20. He was in Vietnam and a ground soldier. He doesn't need an epiphany. n/t

[blm]

22. The media ALWAYS gives most attention to GOP mavericks anyway.

I certainly hope Pelosi and Murtha return to us safely.

[BuyingThyme]

6. It's Hagel vs Lieberman.

:crazy:

[Bucky]

21. I believe in the lesser of two evils. If the 08 election were Hagel-Lieberman...

I'd vote for Joe. Seriously. Not that we'll ever come to such a choice, but if hell froze over and Lieberman got our nomination, he'd still be better than Hagel on 90% of the issues and we'd have better chances petitioning the right decisions out of a Democratic president on the other 10%.

Lieberman is a pol, but he at least has said up front what he believes in on the war. Hagel only flipped from quiet concern to outright opposition to the surge after the election told him which way the wind was blowing.

[NYCGirl]

9. Because "Only Nixon could go to China." NT

[Bucky]

14. Only Carter could formally recognize China

Nixon/China is bullshit. Dems need to grab the mic on this topic. This is out issue. Hagel is just running with the rats (not "the 'rats", but the actual figurative rodents hopping off the sinking neocon ship). He sees the political drift and is grandstanding to help his candidacy. He expressed some qualms about the policy before the election, but since the election he's suddenly got the fire in his belly.

That's not leadership; that's opportunism.

I think in a democracy you need to have representatives who whore it up a little bit. When the people want something, a legislator ought to give it to them. But if that's the case, it ought to be OUR congressmembers following the people's will, not theirs after they spent three years ignoring us.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

19. It will not be a good state of affairs if the Republican nominee is out in front of

the Democratic nominee in terms of reversing and ending this occupation.

It needs not to be just Murtha and Webb, at least one of the 'viable candidates' for the nomination should be as outspoken on this most critical issue.

"The President took us into this war recklessly." -Sen. Jim Webb

[tandot]

12. Hagel ponders White House run

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16818186/from/RS.3/

<snip>

Hagel said in a wide-ranging interview this week that he is discussing his options with his family and other confidants and he will make a decision in the next six weeks.

He said one possibility is forming a presidential exploratory committee and -- despite his outcast position within his party -- seeking the Republican nomination. Or he may seek a third Senate term. Then again, he might take a more creative path.

<snip>

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

15. Ya, McCain has the "Republican Bush Sycophant/Clone" vote locked down.

It might be a losing effort in either case, but Hagel would certainly do much better with independent and crossover voters with this stance. Question is would the Republicans nominate an "anti-surge" candidate. I guess we may find out.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

13. 1. He believes in what he's doing in principle 2. He's using this to position himself for an '08 run

or

3. Both.

[RaleighNCDUer]

16. I have trouble with the concept of principles coming from a guy

who owned the company that counted 80% of the votes that elected him.

[librechik]

17. He's the only living Rape-ublican with a lick of common sense

and he sticks out like a sore thumb cuz of that

[emulatorloo]

18. Dem's are leading, Media captivated with a republican though

It makes better copy and sounds more sensational

[Ganja Ninja]

24. Perhaps it's genuine concern or perhaps he knows ...

which way the wind is blowing. Expect to see more and more of this in the coming months from republicans.

[wiggs]

25. Here's what will happen...

Surge happens....after a period of time that includes much violence and death, Iraq and US announce its success and 30-40000 troops come home, Iraq says its own forces are now in control....Bush and Maliki are all smiles...another Mission Accomplished moment happens. Remaining forces stay in Iraq for the long term, reports of Iraq violence are stifled or minimized. Embassy is finished, oil flows.

Bush, McCain and Lieberman: up. McCain/Lieberman in 2008.

Hagel and dems: down.

In other words, Iraq will not be a failure because the adminitration will spin it as a success. McCain knows this...there's no way otherwise that he would stake his political career and his presidency on this surge.

[Bobbie Jo]

26. He heard the voters in November, and he wants to be president.

Trying to appeal to the more sensible wing of the GOP who either didn't vote in November, or crossed over to the Dems out of frustration. In other words...he found a niche. Smart move if you ask me.