One small fact about Hagel...

[cynatnite]

according to Congressional Quarterly, he voted with the White House more times in 2006 than any other senator.

As much as I love the quote below:

"I think all 100 senators ought to be on the line on this," he said. "If you wanted a safe job, go sell shoes."

There is no forgetting he is as RW as they come when it comes to everything from abortion to stem cell research.

Oh, and the source from this article in Newsweek.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16841355/site/newsweek/

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

1. With that kind of record, he needs to get front and center on Iraq.

In addition to that "distinguished" title, he voted FOR the IWR and apparently he had so much more information than the Dems, judging by his GQ interview.

I saw his stint on the Today Show. He's saying the right things, but the tone seems a little off. MKJ

[cynatnite]

3. I do think he's speaking from the heart about Iraq...

and no matter how well he does it, it's important to not forget he's as RW as they come on most issues.

[Just-plain-Kathy]

2. Thanks for reminding us that Hagel is truely a republican...

I must admit...I was starting to like the guy, only because he honestly seems to want to get our troops home.

I wish the MSM would give some democratic senators air time...it would nice to see dems looking as strong with such conviction.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

4. No one is suggesting that he should be the Dem nominee in 08. Not ME, anyway LOL.

[cynatnite]

5. I know...

just want to make sure people keep Hagel in perspective. I do think that his anti-war stance and conserv views might be rather appealing to a lot of repubs who are disenchanted with the current regime. If he runs, I think he'll do well in the repub primaries. This is the one to watch out for because he could beat McCain in debates on the Iraq war and get a jump in the polls.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

7. If Repubs like Hagel and Brownback can actually be a threat in the R primaries, being against

the "surge", I think this is a GOOD GOOD thing for us and the country for a variety of reasons, regardless of what happens.

[Captain Hilts]

6. He voted against the increase in the minimum wage. nt

[Sal Minella]

8. He's voted against a LOT of things we hold dear.....

http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Chuck_Hagel.htm

[chookie]

9. Sorry he's not "pure" enough for you guys

He happens to be one of the most passionate and eloquent members of Congress on the subject of Iraq.

In case you didn't notice, he's the guy getting Republicans behind him on ending the war. Murtha got a foot in, and now Hagel has kicked down the the door. He is going to be instrumental in ending the war. Will you still hate him if he accomplishes this, or feel no gratitude to him?

He very well may have the ability to influence Congress -- and that includes our dear Democrat hawks who happen to be social liberals, which seems to be the litmus test around here -- and wake up their irresponsible asses who have been too afraid to mew against His Chimperial Highness these past 6 years and were stupid or cowardly enough to allow the war to start.

Imagine -- getting a bipartisan force together to end the war. Sounds good to me. But it seems that some are rejecting and pushing away Republicans who are against the war, simply because they do not go along with a pure progressive agenda.

We're not going to end the war, or stop the next one, without Republican support, guys.

I, for one, intend to be part of a mixed coalition to end this war. In my view, if we don't stop this war, and prevent the imminent one in Iran, all of the fave progressive causes will be moot. Using a strict progressive litmus test in a time of crisis -- and we're talking about carnage on a massive scale in size and degree -- just doesn't make sense to me.

No matter WHAT one's political philosophy is, one would HOPE that Democrats would have learned from the Republicans' success of the last 2 decades that we need Message Discipline -- to focus on the most vital issue, and not dilute it by trying to get all one's fave unrelated causes.

You'd be surprised to find out who have been some of the most passionate and powerful and effective voices against Bush, and against this war. Many of them are not Democrats. But "progressives" just dismiss them out of hand. Too bad. We need allies.

"Swiftboating" is not just aimed at Democrats. It can, and has, also be used against Republicans and paleoconservatives. I denounce swiftboating of Senator Hagel. He's put this neck out, and it looks like he's going to be stabbed in the back by both parties. This is regrettable.

I respect and embrace everyone who is opposing this war, and who are backing Bush against the wall, at long last.

In spite of my view that stopping the war in Iraq, and preventing WWIII should be America's top priority, I acknowledge that there are many urgent domestic matters that sane Americans must confront and solve. Until we stop hemorrhaging our national attention and treasure to preventable wars on foreign shores, we will NEVER be able to focus on critical domestic issues. America First.

[cynatnite]

10. It's not a matter of purity...

I'm all for Hagel being Hagel as far as the war goes. I even quoted him because I loved what he said.

The fact remains he's as RW as they come. Anti-choice, against gay marriage, against raising the minimum wage and more.

IMO, he's someone to watch because I think there is a very strong chance he'll get the repuke nomination. Whoever is the dem nominee will have a time of it against him.

Being in agreement on ONE issue doesn't make him a champion of the left.

[fujiyama]

11. There is not a chance in hell of him getting the nomination

The simple fact is, the republican base is made of the 30% that loves Bush. Hagel's foreign policies are not neocon friendly, and you can bet the bloodthirsty fools making up the party will not be happy when he makes his opposition to an Iran invasion clear.

You give the republicans too much credit by saying republicans will vote for him. He hasn't a chance.

[cynatnite]

12. Maybe I do...

but I do think he can have a lot of appeal to more than just the repuke base given how outspoken he's been.

I'm wrong about a lot of these things and if I am, I'll say it :)

[fujiyama]

14. Hey, if I'm wrong...I'll admit it

:)

I just don't see them putting up someone that has been so critical of Bush and the war. If they did, I'd be pretty impressed with them. I still think a lot of them still don't want to admit the war was wrong. Notice even though a few republicans are criticizing Bush on the war, a large majority of republicans still back him and the surge.

But if he somehow gets the nomination, he has a very good chance in winning.

[ConsAreLiars]

13. He abandoned his support for the Invasion and Conquest strategy of PNAC only after

Big Money decided that the promises of the neocons were BS and that they (corporate imperialism) were losing position big time, and pulled their support.

While Chimpy and the fantasy gamers pushed ahead toward the abyss, Hagel decided that gaining favor with those who had initially backed the neocon game plan and had put them in power meant that he had an an opportunity to change his position to correspond with theirs again demonstrate his loyalty to their cause. He did so by becoming an advocate for their revised views and staking out a strong position against the "brute force, kill them all and we win" stupidity that had led to the catastrophe.

He is not an honest person, he changes his stripes to please the powerful. People should not be fooled.

[fujiyama]

15. Hagel has been fairly critical of Bush's foreign policy

for many years now - even before the '04 election. http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20040701faessay83407/chuck-hagel/a-republican-foreign-policy.html

He's not a progressive. No one is arguing he is (and if they are, they are unaware of his record).

But I think it's great that someone is hitting Bush on this. He's been a pretty consistent critic of Bush on this.

[ConsAreLiars]

16. His "critique," as I understand it, was that more troops were needed to achieve

military domination of the Middle East, not that the goal was insane and evil.

A dispute over tactics, not objectives.

If you agree that imperialist conquest is a good thing, then you are on his team and should continue to praise him. His recent changes of views are based on realizing that that goal is no longer achievable by military means alone (as the Baker corporatist commission declared), not a matter of a suddenly awakened conscience or a change in objectives.

[fujiyama]

17. I actually don't think he's a neocon

He was fairly skeptical of the evidence the administration laid forth as well before the war. His criticism is not recent though and strikes me as sincere and not opportunistic. There is no evidence to suggest he backs a war with Iran either. Hell, I remember reading TNR bash him a while back because of his critical stance on foreign policy.

I'm not making excuses for him. Legislatively he's given the administration whatever they have wanted. He talks a good talks, but usually votes in favor of the administration. Maybe that's changing though and that can only be considered a positive step.

[ConsAreLiars]

18. By the record, he's an orthodox fundie Con, who has sided with Big Money all his life, and still

does. They (watch Gergen change his posture over the past few years) have decided that Chimpy/PNAC is a loser and turned against him/them. Hagel has remained loyal to Corporatist power. I don't see that as a a virtue. That said, when imperialism faces a crisis, divisions appear and some of them can be used to the advantage of the people. But that does not mean that their agents are our friends.

[fujiyama]

20. He has a very conservative record

and I agree it would be naive to consider him a "friend".

[ConsAreLiars]

21. We agree on that.

See this thread to learn who his real friends are;
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=46017

[pnwmom]

19. Hagel is a real threat to any candidate we put up.

He's the new McCain, extremely conservative, but perceived as independent because he has been willing to stand up on Iraq. Many DU'ers think he'll never make it through the primaries, but I think he has a good chance. We underestimate him at our peril.

[alittlelark]

22. Hagel is the Corporatist 'dark horse' in the race

They see the writing on the wall and are grooming his message to be 'electable'...


ES&S anyone????????/