About Chuck Hagel...

[cynatnite]

His voice of outrage about Iraq and the actions of the bush regime concerning this war has probably been one of the loudest and most critical of just about any other senator. He doesn't hold back at all from what I've read and seen on TV.

I know he's positioning himself for '08 and I do think some of this is to gain attention and support. A lot of it, I believe he is very outraged as many of us are over the conduct of bush and his cronies. He's sounding more like the anti-war republican. (shocking even to me to read those words together)

The rest of his stances on issues such as abortion and other RW pet causes do have my concern. I keep a mistrustful eye on him because of that.

So if he runs for president do you think he has a chance at the repub nomination? How do you think the RWer's will receive him?

[DURHAM D]

1. I think he will have to run as an Independent.

Will that help or hurt the Dems?

[Unperson]

2. I don't trust him because of the "vote rigging" incident.

[Quixote1818]

3. His outrage looks real. I have to say I admire him for that! He is a real leader! nt

[liberalpragmatist]

4. His brother is a very liberal college professor from Ohio

His brother is his closest confidante and a fellow Vietnam Vet and is a very liberal Democrat English professor in Ohio.

I remember reading that in a profile of Hagel about a year ago.

I still probably wouldn't vote for him for president - I disagree with him on too many fundamental issues. But I respect him and he's doing a great service with his stand on Iraq - which he didn't just adopt since Nov. 7, 2006 - he's been on Bush about Iraq for quite some time, and he's said much more sensible things about foreign policy and the Middle East than most Democrats. He was one of the only members of Congress, for example, to loudly call for a ceasefire in the Israel-Lebanon War last summer (remember even most Democrats jumped on the "don't-criticize-Israel bandwagon." And he also says, far more loudly than most Democrats, that a war with Iran would be a really bad idea.

[cynatnite]

7. Thanks for the information...

I wish he was more moderate, but with what I've been seeing I wouldn't be surprised to see him get the Repub nomination. He'd give whoever got the dem nomination a real run for their money, IMO.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

5. the freepers hate him, calling him a DemocRAT over at that nut house

I don't know what mainstream America thinks, but I am
greatful for his courage.

Things must be worse than we know, and most of DC doesn't
have the balls to go in and stop W.

Hagel knows the danger and refuses to just sit there
and wait for someone else to do something.

Expect W to try anything and everything, hes bonkers.

Rabid.

But Hagel is getting negative hits from the far extreme
right wingers.

[LSK]

6. Bush's base has already painted him as a traitor im sure

[Ameridem]

8. About Chuck Hagle

You want something to think about. Al Gore/ Chuck Hagle independent ticket. Or Gore and Hagle running on independant. Now that would turn the conventional D.C. pundits upside down. I would love to see a Gore/Fiengold Dem or Ind. ticket myself.

[cynatnite]

11. Don't see that happening...

Al Gore is a dem to the core. I don't see him going independent at all. I would seriously give Hagel a second look if he were more moderate on issues such as abortion, the environment and education. He gets high marks from the christian coalition.

As much as I support what he's doing in regards to the war his record indicates how RW he is.

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

[Ameridem]

14. Liberman changed the rules.

Al gore is the most qualified person to be president. I would not be surprised at all to see him run ind. Gore is smart, I don't see him as a spoiler but if he thinks he could win it I believe he would run independant. I have heard some rumors here in Tn. Envision this secenario, Gore win oscar and during acceptance speech he announces independant run for pres. Talk about a jaw dropper.

[cynatnite]

16. RWer's would love for him to use that venue...

Al Gore and the anti-american Hollywood. They'd be all over that like white on rice. They wouldn't stop talking about it. You know how much they hate Hollywood. I like Al Gore and I would like to see him run, too, but I really don't want him to announce like that if he decides to run. He'd be better off announcing on the Daily Show, IMO.

on edit: Welcome to DU :hi:

[newyawker99]

23. Hi Ameridem!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Cleita]

9. Do you think the present Repuke establishment would back him?

Maybe he's taking a stab at running as an independent. Worked for Joementum, didn't it?

[tnlefty]

10. I've been telling my husband for the past 2 weeks that he needs to

be more concerned about Hagel than McCain. To the more sane repukes, he's looking like the maverick, the stand-up guy, and he's addressing their outrage over Iraq while being a conservative.

I could be wrong, though.

[roamer65]

12. If Chuck Hagel promises an immediate Iraq pullout as an independent candidate for Pres?

He's going to be a problem for BOTH parties.

[Tin Man]

13. Considering how f'd up Iraq is, and will continue to be, I'd say Hagel's gonna be in prime position

Republican voters are gonna be so sick of this war by 2008, that Hagel is gonna look like the Messiah.

[StoryTeller]

15. Well, I think Nebraska likes him.

We keep electing him, anyway. Regardless of how he got in to begin with, most people I know here really respect him. I'm VERY glad to see him not just speaking out about Iraq but actually following through by how he votes. That is a new thing for him, as in the past he maybe would speak out about something and then still vote party line. So I think the Iraq thing must be genuine with him, or he wouldn't cross lines on voting.

I don't agree with his position on a lot of things, and I really get frustrated with how he often has said one thing and then voted the other way. But he's one of those people whom I just want to BEG to please show more integrity and stand up to the wrong things in his party. I think he has the potential to do that, if he just would go for it. He's got a lot of dignity, and he seems a lot more thoughtful and insightful than a lot of Republicans.

He's the closest thing to something to be proud about (in politics) that Nebraska has. I have very mixed feelings about him myself, but I think if he decided to run, there'd be a lot of Republicans who would really appreciate him.

[Sir Jeffrey]

17. I doubt there is much positioning for Hagel...

for 2008 as a Republican presidential nominee. Being an anti-war Republican is NOT helping his chances. Democrats are not going to vote for him, and the most support for the war still comes from the Republicans.

I have watched him speak lately and I think his criticism is genuine.

[CrispyQ]

18. The right wingers I know (5) would, in this order:

1. Vote for Giuliani
2. Vote against Clinton
3. Stay home

[ConsAreLiars]

19. He has a 100% rating from the Christian Coalition and

100% from the American Land Rights Association and zero or 5% from environmental groups. And so on, a typical reich-winger with strong backing from the religious crazies.

[4bucksagallon]

20. He's about the only vet in the republican party isn't he?

[fujiyama]

21. He won't get the nomination

He doesn't drink the kool aid with regards to neocon foreign policy. He defended Kerry against SwiftBoat liars. He also backed McCain in '00. I'm sure they don't forgive him for that. They want a real ass kisser - like Giuliani...

He's conservative on almost everything else, but he's been after Bush on Iraq for a long time. As another poster said, he also called for a cease-fire during the summer bombing.

Remember, 28% loves Bush. That's the republican base. That's who is nominating the next candidate from their party.

He can run as an independent. I'm not sure where such a candidacy would go though. Where'd he get the money? He'd simply take away anti-war votes from the Dem.

[Sugarcoated]

22. He's one of the few Repubs I like

I have alot of respect for him. I don't know if I would ever vote for him, but he's authentic and that's very attractive.