Chuck Hagel for President in 2008

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Senator Hagel reacts to the Gonzales Resignation
2007-08-29 17:54:00
KETV, an Omaha station, has Senator Hagel 's reaction to the Alberto Gonzales Resignation .In a written statement, Sen. Chuck Hagel said, "Attorney General Gonzales has taken the responsible and appropriate action in resigning. His resignation is the best thing for the country, Justice Department and the president."
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Hagel book to be released early next year
2007-08-28 23:47:00
In February it was released that Senator Hagel would be writing a book (check out the original post here). Amazon.com has a page for the book, including a title: "America: The Next Chapter: Tough Questions and Straight Answers." Check it out.
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David Broder - "Bloomberg And Hagel For 2008?"
2007-08-27 18:16:00
David S. Broder's column in yesterday's Washington Post, "Bloom berg And Hagel For 2008?", is certainly worth a read.Chuck Hagel, the senator from Nebraska, describes himself as a "tidal" politician, one who believes that larger forces in society shape careers more than the ambitions of individuals. "The only mistakes I've made," he told me last week, "were when I tried to go against the tide."...Next month, Hagel will make a threshold decision -- whether to run for a third term in the Senate. He gave me no definitive answer, but my guess is that he will say that 12 years of battling the institutional lethargy of Capitol Hill will be enough. Certainly he is under no illusions about how much he can achieve as one of 100 lawmakers....The imperative the public will impose on the next president, Hagel says, "is to lead the country and restore the sense of national purpose." But the early start on campaigning for the GOP and Democratic nominations, and the prospect that the battles on ...
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Lincoln Journal Star: "Hagel: Congress demands facts on Iraq"
2007-08-20 05:59:00
Don Walton had a piece in Friday's Lincoln Journal Star covering Hagel's latest on the Iraq war. Check out the full article for more.?We?re going to demand we get whatever information we require,? the Republican senator said during a Lincoln interview. ?We fully expect the leaders of our government will comply with their responsibility. We must have all the facts and details required to make intelligent decisions.?
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One and a half years
2007-08-18 00:32:00
Today is the one and a half year anniversary for this blog. Thanks for all the support!
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Fantasy Politics USA
2007-08-16 00:51:00
Head over to Fantasy Poli tics USA and check out their 2008 poll. Chuck Hagel is currently in 2nd place and if the readers of this blog sign up and vote I think we can push him to number one for the month.
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The latest on Hagel in New Hampsire
2007-08-10 23:58:00
The Concord Monitor ran a piece on Hagel this week. The nation's increasing frustration with the war has given Sen. Chuck Hagel - the loudest Republican critic of the war in the Senate - renewed hope in a possible presidential run. He told The New York Times recently that a few major fundraisers were urging him to run. He said: "There is no Republican presidential candidate with this point of view. There might be an opening for me on this." We checked in with state Sen. Bob Odell, a Lempster Republican who's been friends with Hagel for 30 years.... Odell said he thinks Hagel's position has increasing resonance. "I certainly think the public is open to a new voice, a new approach," he said.
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A post and a video from DWSUWF
2007-08-08 18:27:00
DWSUWF has a new post on Hagel that's worth a look: "Now is the time for one good man to come to the aid of his party." Here is an excerpt:Hagel's staff has not asked me, but I have some free advice for them. There are three themes/messages that a "Hagel for President" campaign should focus on and hammer over and over again."It's the war, stupid." - Hagel is the only credible anti-war Republican (except for Ron Paul - but the problem with Ron Paul is that he is Ron Paul).Hagel is The AntiBush - (See above)Hagel is a real conservative. - Unlike Bush, Cheney, or most of the current crop of Republican candidates. This video hits on the first two of the three. I know, I know - two themes in one video is one too many. That is why this video is too long at two minutes. Hey - this is strictly amateur hour - you get what you pay for.Check out the post and the video.
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New Format
2007-08-06 20:23:00
I've updated the format of this blog with the key addition of a complete list of labels on the left side of the page. Are you interested in learning more about a particular topic? Do you have a pet issue that you want to learn more about? Check out the labels on the left side of the page (just below the form and above the archives section).If you're new to this site the labels are a great place to start.
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Hagel and Infrastructure
2007-08-06 20:00:00
Senator Hagel made the news last week by calling for a new way to keep our infrastructure healthy, and it came just before the Minneapolis bridge collapse.Hardblogger has a piece on the plan (you can see video of Senators Hagel and Dodd on Hardball here) and here is an excerpt:Earlier on Wednesday ? a few hours before the 35W bridge in Minnesota collapsed -- Senators Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Chuck Hagel R-Neb.) introduced legislation to fix America?s road, bridges, water, and transit systems. According to the senators, the National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2007 would help revitalize America?s infrastructure....?We have the capacity to do it,? said Sen. Hagel. ?We have the greatest economy, system, nation, people in the world. There is no challenge this country has ever failed at meeting.? (Rumors continue that Hagel may run for president as well).NPR has an interview with Chuck Hagel on the matter as well. You can listen to it here.
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More from Novak
2007-08-06 19:58:00
Robert Novak wrote this recently:HAGEL FOR PRESIDENT?Sen. Chuck Hagel, the Senate's toughest Republican critic of President Bush's war policy, has not ruled out a campaign for the GOP presidential nomination and will use the August recess of Congress to make up his mind.A major reason for the unexpectedly strong professions of support for Rep. Ron Paul's libertarian-conservative candidacy is that he is the only announced Republican presidential candidate opposed to the invasion of Iraq. Hagel as an anti-war candidate might attract a broader base of support than Paul. He has received many offers of financial support should he run.Hagel must decide what to do in 2008: to run for president, to run for Senate re-election, or to get out of politics. The betting in the Senate Republican cloakroom is that he will retire, but Hagel has given no signal of his intentions and tells friends that he has yet to make a decision.

Notes from Novak
2007-08-02 06:20:00
From Robert Novak 's piece today: Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) is still considering the possibility of a presidential campaign as an anti-war candidate and soon will make his decision. He could make a splash in the primaries.
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Hagel to speak at Panetta Lecture Series
2007-07-30 04:28:00
It was announced that Chuck Hagel will be speaking next month in California .Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Nebraska, and Sen. Bob Graham, D-Florida, will be the final speakers at this year's Leon Panetta Lecture Series on Aug. 13.... This lecture can be viewed live on cable television in Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, and north through the San Francisco Bay area, as well as east to the greater Sacramento area. C-SPAN is also invited to broadcast these lectures nationally.From The Herald
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New York Times - "Seeking a G.O.P. Opening on the War"
2007-07-26 04:55:00
The New York Times had a good piece last week that had some particularly interesting things to say. So with the Republican presidential field turned upside down, and a wide-open battle for the party?s nomination unfolding over the next six months, could there suddenly be room for a candidate who opposes the administration?s war policy? That?s what Senator Chuck Hagel is trying to conclude. Mr. Hagel, a Nebraska Republican, has long been among the loudest Iraq critics in his party, a position that he said was ?very, very lonely over the last four years.? His conservative voting record has been overshadowed, in the eyes of many faithful Republicans, by his forceful criticism of how Mr. Bush has handled the war. These days, Mr. Hagel is no longer feeling so alone. As he walked across the Capitol, one day after the latest chapter of the Senate war debate ended, he said he is receiving fresh encouragement to consider a presidential candidacy. He intends to study the landscape and disclo...
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The blog is back
2007-07-25 04:13:00
My apologies for the extended break. Between moving and the related activities the blog got put on hold. Now it's back.Some of what you may have missed is in the posts below.
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Hagel on Meet the Press
2007-07-25 04:01:00
Chuck Hagel was on Meet the Press on July 8th, 2007. Here is the video:
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Draft Hagel 08 Press Release
2007-07-25 03:59:00
Here is the latest press release from Draft Hagel 08:FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEThe Winner of Monday Night?s Democratic Debate: Republican Senator Chuck Hagel Boston, MA ? At the first CNN/YouTube Democratic Presidential Debate held Monday, July 24, Democratic contender Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) was asked by a questioner: ?If you had to pick any Republican member of Congress or Republican governor to be your running mate, who would it be? Without hesitation, Mr. Biden said: Chuck Hagel. When asked the same question, Democratic contender John Edwards (D-NC) said Chuck Hagel as well. Senator Chuck Hagel?s name continues to be batted around Washington political circles as a possible Republican, Independent, and now Democratic candidate for the ?08 election. In a political environment immersed in hyper-partisanship and ideological polarization, one where political gamesmanship has become the watchword of the day in Washington, Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) has managed to tra...
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Financial Times - "Internationalize Iraq"
2007-07-25 03:59:00
Senator Hagel had a piece, Internationalize Iraq , in the Financial Times on July 3rd, 2007. Once again, Chuck Hagel clearly and articulately lays out his views on how the United States should approach Iraq. The piece is well worth a read.
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Press Release catch up
2007-07-25 03:58:00
Here are some of the press releases you may have missed:Senate Passes ?Wounded Warriors Act? Hagel?s International Mediator Language Included in Levin-Reed Amendment on Iraq War PolicyHagel-Levin Introduce Amendment to Protect U.S. Military Deployment Standards Hagel Introduces Comprehensive Amendment on U.S. Iraq War PolicyHagel Introduces Comprehensive Energy Reform LegislationFor a full listing of the press releases from Chuck Hagel's Senate office, see his Senate website.
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Two recent articles
2007-05-25 03:42:00
There were two recent articles by Don Walton in the Lincoln Journal Star that are worth a read.The first is about the fund raiser for Hagel that Senate minority leader McConnell hosted (McConnell says Hagel's Iraq warnings were right).Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell lavished praise Friday on Sen. Chuck Hagel and said many of his warnings about the Iraq war have been validated.?Many of the predictions Chuck Hagel made about the war came true,? the Kentucky senator said in a brief interview after his remarks at a fundraising reception.?They have proven to be accurate.? Hagel?s views on the war ?have not diminished his effectiveness,? McConnell said, and may, in fact, increase his effectiveness over time.The second piece, "Don Walton: Maybe Hagel just being Nebraskan", notes the history of political independence in Nebraska politics and how Chuck Hagel fits that mold.
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Green Cheese's take on Hagel
2007-05-24 17:46:00
Here's a blog post that's worth a read: "Hagel for President? Not Unreasonable." over at Green Cheese.

Message from the Draft Hagel Movement
2007-05-18 04:23:00
This message brought to you by the Draft Hagel 08 Move ment:What is the purpose of a draft movement?To create a buzz, a groundswell of support, to influence a decision. We do not care which party the candidate desires to represent, only that he/she is the right person for the job. This is what we need to do. We cannot wait for a decision, and then jump into action. We need to be in action to influence a decision.At this point in time, Senator Hagel is focused on his job as a US Senator, as he should be. While he thinks about a decision to run, it is the job of Draft Hagel 08 movement supporters to show him that the energy is out there to ensure that a decision to enter the Presidential race has the potential to be successful.Looking at the direction and future of our country, it is hard to imagine that doing so could ever be considered a waste. Start a local group in your area. Have some type of political experience, or want to gain some? Contact us to be a regional or state ...
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Today's WaPo article on Hagel
2007-05-18 01:05:00
Today's Washington Post has an interesting article on Hagel : "Hagel as Hamlet -- or the Third Man?" by Dana Milbank. It's worth a read.If Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel shows any more leg about an independent presidential candidacy, he risks a citation for indecent exposure.I have to say, that's a catchy opening line. The author's analysis is that Hagel is leaning towards an independent bid for the White House. Whatever his true intentions, his words yesterday pointed unmistakably toward an independent presidential run: too concerned to retire ("everywhere you look, we have huge problems"), too independent to remain Republican ("neither party is seen as an answer") and too disgusted with Congress ("this nonsense that we're consumed with here") to seek reelection next year.We'll see what happens. Chuck Hagel has sought to lead the Republican party back to its roots, but that doesn't seem to be catching on right now.The Senate was in need of some adult behavior -- and Hagel pro...
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"Hagel Calls for Resignation of Attorney General Gonzales"
2007-05-17 20:46:00
Chuck Hagel's Senate office released this statement yesterday:Hagel Calls for Resignation of Attorney General GonzalesMay 16th, 2007 - Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) today released the following statement calling for the resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Former Deputy Attorney General James Comey testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday that, as White House Counsel, Gonzales attempted to undermine Comey?s authority as the acting Attorney General and persuade Attorney General John Ashcroft to re-authorize a domestic surveillance program from his hospital bed.?The American people deserve an Attorney General, the chief law enforcement officer of our country, whose honesty and capability are beyond question. Attorney General Gonzales can no longer meet this standard. He has failed this country. He has lost the moral authority to lead. Comey?s testimony yesterday brings to light the latest episode in a series of questionable actions b...
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"Lieberman, Hagel Call for Increase in Skilled Workers to Boost U.S. Econom
2007-05-17 20:44:00
Here's a press release issued Tuesday from the Senator's office:Lieberman, Hagel Call for Increase in Skill ed Workers to Boost U.S. EconomySenators introduce the Skilled Worker Immigration and Fairness Act of 2007May 15th, 2007 - Washington, D.C. - Senators Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) and Chuck Hagel (R-NE) today introduced the Skilled Worker Immigration and Fairness Act of 2007 to ensure that America?s innovative industries can hire the workers they need to fuel US economic growth, and to better protect American workers. The bill is also co-sponsored by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and George Voinovich (R-OH).The bill would increase the annual allotment of H-1B visas, which provide American employers with access to highly educated foreign professionals in ?specialty occupations? (those requiring at least a U.S. bachelor's degree or equivalent education and work experience). Despite dramatic changes to the US economy in the past 17 years, the H-1B cap remains at its 1990 limit of 65,...
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"Senator Hagel Receives Patriot Award from Boy Scouts of America"
2007-05-17 06:18:00
Chuck Hagel has been given an award by the Boy Scouts of America . Here's the news from Southwest Nebraska News:U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) has received the Patriot ?Good Scout? Award for 2007 from the Boys Scouts of America. The award is presented each year to one senator or congressman who displays patriotism and an allegiance to the scouting spirit.?It is an honor to receive this award from an organization that has helped shape the character and patriotism of generations of young men. The lessons I learned in scouting have served me well throughout my life. The dedication of the Boy Scouts to patriotism and hard work honors the best of America,? Hagel said.Hagel was both a Cub Scout and a Boy Scout growing up in Nebraska. Hagel was also the 2001 recipient of the Patriot ?Good Scout? Award.
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An Independent Bid?
2007-05-15 21:49:00
Since Chuck Hagel's appearance on Face the Nation Sunday there has been a great deal of discussion of whether or not he should run as an Independent or as a Republican. What are your thoughts on the matter? Please share them in the comments.
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Hagel on Face the Nation
2007-05-14 15:54:00
Chuck Hagel was on Face the Nation yesterday morning, and you can read about it or watch it from the CBS News website. Check out the video.
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Video of Hagel - Asia Soceity
2007-05-13 07:38:00
This is from the Asia Society, May 5th 2007Thanks to Alex for pointing out the video.
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Monday's Novak Article
2007-05-01 17:20:00
Robert Nova k had a piece out yesterday, "Hagel's Stand." It is well worth the read. Here are some excerpts:Hagel certainly is no peace-now zealot. "We're not going to precipitously pull out," he told me. "We have [national] interests in Iraq ." While he asserted that "we can't get out by the end of the year," he called for "pulling some of our guys out -- not all of them, but you've got to get them out of [Baghdad] at least, get them out of the middle of civil war." If not, Hagel said, "then the prospects of the Republican Party are very dim next year."What about claims by proponents of the Iraqi intervention that failure to stop the terrorists in Iraq will open the door to them in the American homeland?"That's nonsense," Hagel replied. "I've never believed that. That's the same kind of rhetoric and thinking that neocons used to get us into this mess and everything that [Donald] Rumsfeld, [Paul] Wolfowitz, [Richard] Perle, [Douglas] Feith and the vice president all said. Not...
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