If Democrats Chose Gore and Republicans Chose Hagel

[babylonsister]

If Democrats Chose Gore and Republicans Chose Hagel
by Brent Budowsky | Nov 16 2007

snip//

The heart of what has gone wrong is our disrespect and devaluation of our democratic values, procedures, discourses and debates at home, which have led to gravely unwise disasters and our failure to remember our highest values abroad, which has led to policies such as torture, most recently enabled by a Democratic Senate, that create enemies and terrorists and loses the battle of ideas, which by far is the most important battle we must win, and are now losing.

snip//

Regarding Al Gore, having been an advocate, supporter, friend, whatever, for a very long time, I reserve the right to say this:

It is a damn shame that he feels he has more important things to do than be president of the United States and leader of the free world with our country engulfed in divisiveness and our world threatened with a planetary emergency that will not be solved by prizes, awards or venture capital funds.

Those who believe in him the most are reduced to being virtual beggars (a position I will not take, which is why I have simply written him off for 2008 after my best efforts have come to naught).

In my view, no candidate was even remotely as right for the times as Gore in 2008, and no result is more tragic for the times than the fact that he concluded he was above participating in American democracy in the one way that matters the most.

Gore can win the Oscar, the Emmy, the Nobel and win every award except being named the manager of the New York Yankees, and join every venture capital fund and private equity fund and make important documentary films, but the planetary emergency, the crisis of $100 oil, the evils and dangers of this, are about power and powerful forces that create these dangers and corruptions. Those powerful forces are now laughing and mocking and feeling great relief that one more threat to their power structure, a president who understands the danger and solution the most, has chosen to watch from outside the one arena that truly matters.

How sad and symbolic: for us, for him, for our democracy.

more...

http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/11070

[Emillereid]

1. A Gore/Hagel ticket would be a real 'grown-up' ticket -- it would

be totally unbeatable. Maybe they could run as independents which would reveal the shallowness of the two corporate parties.

I saw Hagel on Bill Maher a while back and I was astonished by his no-nonsense rebuke of Bush and his war -- I remember thinking -- the democratic party needs people of his courage and candor.

[TwilightGardener]

2. Proof that the cream does not always rise to the top. A Gore-Hagel contest would

have been good for America, but neither of them want to run--what can you do? (Although I think an Obama Presidency would still be the BEST for America!:) )

[movonne]

3. I'm not sure I would like that combination...that would probably mean

hagel would president after gore...I like hagel on his war stuff but I don't like the rest of his politics...he would be to conservative for me..

[TwilightGardener]

8. I didn't suggest it as a ticket--just agreeing with Budowsky that if Gore

were the Dem nominee and Hagel were the R nominee (since he's pretty much the best the GOP has to offer), the country would be better off for it--if Gore won, great--can't go wrong there. If Hagel won, we at least wouldn't have a neocon whack-job in office (and would get some good foreign policy). Both men clearly love and want what's best for this country--I think that's what Budowsky's getting at--he's not suggesting a ticket either.

[FreepFryer]

4. NO WAY! Hagel lied about his large ownership of the ES&S Voting Machine Co. (who counted his votes)

No way this guy is going to rehabilitate his image in my eyes with his mere claims of moderation.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0301/S00166.htm

Gore should (and will) steer well clear of Hagel. And Hagel should be replaced by someone who was actually voted into office by American voters, not 'selected' by some backroom ES&S programmer.

[babylonsister]

6. I don't really think that was the main point this writer was trying to make.

I think he's just bemoaning the sad state of politics in America when the best and the brightest who could do some good choose not to at this moment in history when someone with vision is so desperately needed.

"Can we agree that there is something very poisonous and wrong with the state of the union when our finest leaders choose not to seek the highest office in our land, even at a time of danger and crisis, while 70 percent of the nation has lost all confidence in virtually everyone in Washington?"

[FreepFryer]

7. Considering Hagel an 'acceptable' Republican is a grave error. That's my point.

The OP reads:

Chuck Hagel is one of the great (sic) senators who walks the floor of that chamber, which is no longer what the Founding Fathers intended, which is not nearly what it used to be, a man of enormous credibility (sic), patriotism and respect from both sides of the aisle, who has an extraordinary reach of admiration from those who opposed the Iraq war the strongest (sic) to those who have served our country the most bravely, who view him, correctly, as a great and true champion of active-duty troops and American veterans.

The author claims with precious little evidence that it's somehow a given that Hagel is one of the Good Guys. He's not.

Hagel doesn't belong on an independent Gore ticket. At all, in any way, ever.

[babylonsister]

10. If you mean my OP, that's because DU rules determine how much

of an article can be posted. I have to snip somewhere.

The author may have been suggesting two 'dream' candidates, Gore for the Dems and Hagel for the rethugs. I don't know. It'll never happen so I'm not too worried about it.

[FreepFryer]

11. I wasn't talking about you. And any 'dream Republican' automatically gets my firm opposition.

(n/t)

[TwilightGardener]

9. LOL! Hagel will be replaced by Mike Johanns, a Bush clone. Is that OK with you?

Do you feel better now? Frankly, even if it was true that Hagel rigged his wins (and I will never believe he did), I'd be glad he did it. We need him now as a crucial anti-war voice and vote. I don't take him for granted at all--I'm glad he's my Senator.

[FreepFryer]

12. You may consider electoral fraud less important than being 'anti-war'... I certainly don't.

weinerdoggie said:
"Do you feel better now? Frankly, even if it was true that Hagel rigged his wins (and I will never believe he did), I'd be glad he did it. We need him now as a crucial anti-war voice and vote."

Wow. I certainly don't feel better after reading that. You may consider electoral fraud less important than being 'anti-war'... I certainly don't. In any case, he's your guy so enjoy him, and maybe you folks will actually vote in (and support) a Democrat next time.

In the meantime, should you change your views about 'never believing', do some research on his ownership of ES&S for yourself.

[TwilightGardener]

14. I know every angle of the ESS thing, thanks. Nebraskans know

Hagel's in office because they put him there. If that's good enough for us, it should be good enough for internet election-fraud conspiracy theorists, but it won't be--it's far too much fun to entertain the existence of nefarious secret plots than to pay heed to the fact that there is absolutely no evidence of a rigged election after almost 12 years.

on edit--there won't be a Democrat elected for Hagel's seat in '08. This is Nebraska.

[FreepFryer]

15. If a candidate lies about owning the voting company that counted his votes, that's not a conspiracy.

It's just fraud.

You're welcome to your opinion and your Senator, but don't pretend it didn't happen by calling people 'conspiracy theorists'.

[mitchtv]

16. anti choice , anti gay

what luck

[TwilightGardener]

17. What did you expect from this state? Lincoln Chaffee? Even Ben Nelson's pro-life.

[mitchtv]

5. I like Gore, but

with Hagel on the ticket, I'd vote third party. I DON"T VOTE FOR PUKES

[FreepFryer]

13. Exactly. There's a difference between us and them - they're incompetent, greedy, rich bastards...

...whereas we're not rich. ;)

(yes before I get flamed - that was a joke)