Chuck Hagel for President in 2008 Chuck Hagel for President in 2008 A grassroots movement to encourage support for a Hagel candidacy in 2008. Articles
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. More About: Blog , Back
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: More About: Video , Iraq , The Press
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. More About: Editorials , Financial Times
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... More About: Press Release , Press , Release
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. More About: Press Release , Press , Veterans , Release
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. More About: Articles , Recent , Artic
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 ... More About: Grassroots , Message , Sage
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... More About: Article , Artic
"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... More About: Press Release , Sign
"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,... More About: Press Release
"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. More About: Ward
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. More About: Epen , Dependent
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. More About: Video , Face The Nation
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. More About: Video , Hagel
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... More About: Article , Monday , Novak
Robert Novak piece
2007-04-29 05:41:00 Robert Nova k has a piece out with some discussion of Chuck Hagel's future plans:HAGEL?S DECISION Sen. Chuck Hagel, facing opposition from the right wing of the Nebraska Republican Party, is expected to decide within the next two and one-half months what he will do in 2008: run for President, seek a third term in the Senate, or neither. Hagel has been testing the presidential waters in Iowa and New Hampshire over the past several months. He would be the only major Republican presidential prospect who opposes President Bush?s Iraq war policy. His stance on the war may force a contested Nebraska primary against Hagel, who has been the state?s most popular Republican in a generation. State Atty. Gen. Jon Bruning has withdrawn his earlier support for Hagel and indicated he may run against him for the Republican nomination for the Senate. However, Hagel would be backed by Gov. Dave Heineman and other prominent Nebraska Republicans. I don't know if the time table is accurate or not,... More About: Robert , Robert Novak , Novak , Piece
Press release: "Hagel Statement on Vote in Favor of War Supplemental Spendi
2007-04-27 02:55:00 The second of two press releases today from the Senate office of Chuck Hagel:Hagel Statement on Vote in Favor of War Supplemental Spending BillApril 26th, 2007 - Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) released the following statement today regarding his vote in favor of the Iraq War Supplemental spending bill:?I do not believe the current policy we have in Iraq is worthy of the sacrifices our troops are making and I will not continue to support it. Given a choice between the two options of voting for this bill or supporting the current course we are on in Iraq, I chose to vote for this bill. We need a change of policy.?The President will veto this legislation and we will find ourselves at a crossroads. The Administration and Congress must find a responsible common ground on a new Iraq policy that funds our troops, strips the unnecessary spending out of this bill, addresses our national interests in Iraq and the Middle East, and presses the Iraqi government to find a poli... More About: Press Release , Press , Release
Press release: "Hagel Introduces Legislation to Deal with Illegal Immigrant
2007-04-27 02:54:00 Here is the first of two press releases from Chuck Hagel's Senate office today:Hagel Introduces Legislation to Deal with Illegal Immigrants Living in the U.S.April 26th, 2007 - Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) today introduced ?The Immigrant Accountability Act of 2007.? The legislation would create a merit-based point system to deal with those living in the country illegally. Those who receive enough points would be put on a pathway to earn citizenship after 13 years. Under Hagel?s bill, no person here illegally would be able to jump in line ahead of someone who has applied for citizenship legally.Hagel?s legislation is a compromise intended to be incorporated into the comprehensive immigration reform legislation the Senate will consider in May. The legislation builds on previous immigration reform legislation introduced by Hagel in the last two Congresses.?It is not in our interest to have 12 million people living here illegally. We must create a system in which ... More About: Press Release , Press , Immigration , Release
Entitlement Reform - Press Release
2007-04-26 03:44:00 Here's a press release from Chuck Hagel's Senate office:Hagel, Tanner, Webb and Castle Reintroduce Bicameral and Bipartisan Legislation to Create Comprehensive Entitlement Reform CommissionApril 24th, 2007 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Jim Webb (D-VA), and Representatives John Tanner (D-TN) and Mike Castle (R-DE) reintroduced legislation in the Senate and House today to create a Comprehensive Entitlement Reform Commission. The commission would review Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and make recommendations to Congress that would sustain the solvency and stability of these three programs for future generations. Hagel and Tanner both introduced the legislation in the last Congress.?Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid have played a vital role for millions of Americans to cope with the financial burdens of retirement and health care costs. However, over the next 75 years these three programs represent a $47 trillion unfunded commitment and are on a t... More About: Press Release , Press , Release , Title
Draft Hagel '08 - Mission: Memorial Day!
2007-04-25 03:41:00 From Draft Hagel '08:We have a mission to accomplish by Memoria l Day if we want to see Chuck Hagel's views presented to the American people in the 2008 Presidential election!We are asking that, by May 28, you try and find 25 new supporters to sign the online petition! How? Talk to people you know, talk to people they know, let them know that we need their help in making sure that America does not have to suffer through the 2008 election, that signing the online petition shows Senator Hagel that we need his views expressed through the Presidential election! If you and a friend were to stand on a busy corner over a weekend, that's all it would take to accomplish the 25!If you hear someone say, "It's too early to make that decision," tell them you're not asking them who they will support in 2008, but rather that you would like their help in making sure a true American has the right to be one of their choices!Are you a doctor, nurse, teacher, lawyer, scientist, housewife, hous... More About: Miss , Mori
Hagel's op-ed in today's Washington Post
2007-04-22 19:40:00 Senator Hagel wrote an op-ed that is in today's Washington Post . This piece is the result of his recent trip to Iraq .In Iraq, All Terribly Familiar By Chuck Hagel Sunday, April 22, 2007; Page B01 Last weekend, along with Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), I completed my fifth trip to Iraq, and I am frustrated and worried. We are still risking the lives of our troops without giving them a realistic policy worthy of their sacrifices. To me, as a Vietnam veteran, that feels terribly familiar.If success were simply a matter of the determination and ability of U.S. troops and civil servants, we would have already created a secure and stable Iraq. But unfortunately, the reality is that after more than four years, America remains the country's occupying power. Iraq's future will be determined by Iraqis, who, I hope, will reach a political accommodation -- but America is still making the major decisions and taking the lead militarily in most critical areas of the country. We can continue to help... More About: Washington Post , Editorials
"If Steve McQueen had ever run for political office, he would have been Chu
2007-04-21 22:37:00 There is a piece in the SeacoastOnline that is well worth a read. It's quite entertaining, really. Here is an excerpt:[T]he point is this: Now in particular, after the 16 years that will have preceded our next president, we?re going to need an individual we can respect and admire and take pride in. Someone who can inspire us and help define us as a nation. Or in this case, redefine us.When even the national media was busy playing cheerleader during our march into war in Iraq, Hagel had the insight to recognize the potential for disaster and the cajones to voice his concerns in public. He recently returned from his fifth visit to the war-torn country, reiterating the importance ?that the Iraqi people now carry forward the assistance that the American government has given.??The future of Iraq will be determined by the Iraqi people,? he said.The refreshing candor Hagel has brought to Washington would be welcomed in the presidential campaign, and especially in New Hampshire . Web site... More About: Office , Steve , Political , Editorials
Draft Hagel merchandise site
2007-04-19 06:29:00 If you're looking for Hagel merchandise (of the Draft Hagel variety primarily) check out the new site: THE OFFICIAL DRAFT HAGEL '08 STORE. More About: Site , Grassroots , Merchandise , Hand
The American Conservative - Cover Story
2007-04-17 16:47:00 The cover story at The American Conservative this issue is "Hagel's Dilemma." The full piece is excellent and I highly recommend it. Here are some excerpts:"[H]ere at ground zero of the conservative movement were innumerable depictions of the late President Ronald Reagan, tons of literature and rhetoric about the sanctity of life, traditional values, constitutional correctness, limited government, states? rights, and self-determination. In his 11 years as a U.S. senator, Hagel has in some way defended them all, yet he is a pariah in what should be his political comfort zone."..."Simply put, it is the 800-pound gorilla that no one at CPAC wanted to talk about this year?the war in Iraq?that has come between Hagel and the conservative grassroots. It is why they are willing to overlook Republican Rudy Giuliani?s anti-gun and pro-gay positions or Mitt Romney?s mid-career conversion against abortion."..." ?Talk about no good deed going unpunished. If you use voting record as the center... More About: Story , Cover , Stor
Hagel to travel to Iraq again
2007-04-12 19:02:00 Senator Hagel will be traveling to Iraq for the fifth time. The full details are in this press release that his Senate office issued today.Hagel, Sestak to Travel to IraqApril 12th, 2007 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Congressman Joe Sestak (D-PA) will travel to Iraq this week to examine security, political and economic conditions during a 2-day tour of the country. Senator Hagel and Congressman Sestak will leave on Thursday, April 12th and return on Monday, April 16th. Hagel, a Vietnam War veteran, serves on the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committees. Sestak, a retired U.S. Navy Vice Admiral, serves on the House Armed Services Committee.?This trip will allow us an opportunity to assess our progress in Iraq and the Middle East and meet with the key leaders of this region. I also look forward to meeting with Nebraska troops serving in Iraq,? Hagel said.?I appreciate the opportunity to talk with our commanders and the troops that are forward in... More About: Press Release , Again
Press Release: "Hagel Statement on Secretary Gates? Announcement Extending
2007-04-12 19:01:00 Here's a press release from Chuck Hagel's Senate office that was released yesterday:Hagel Statement on Secretary Gates? Announcement Extending Army Deployments from 12 to 15 MonthsApril 11th, 2007 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) released the following statement today regarding Defense Secretary Robert Gates? announcement that U.S. Army deployments will be extended from 12 to 15 months:?Secretary Gates is right to bring greater predictability and clarity regarding the deployment of our military overseas rather than allowing creeping deployment extensions. However, the Secretary?s announcement extending the deployments of active duty Army units is a stark admission that the Administration?s policies in Iraq are doing permanent damage to our military and a clear acknowledgment that the U.S. military is being forced to ignore its own deployment standards. Maintaining this tempo of operations will have drastic and lasting consequences for our nation?s military read... More About: Military , Press Release , Press
"Green Conservatism?" at GOPProgress
2007-04-11 19:35:00 There is an interesting post by Liz Mair over at GOPProg ress that I wanted to share an excerpt from:For those who missed it, yesterday, John Kerry and Newt Gingrich went head-to-head on the subject of climate change. The upshot? Kerry trotted out the same, tired, lefty enviro talking points, while Gingrich said something bold and thought-provoking: climate change is a problem, and we need deal with it--but not by creating a regime that will increase fines, bureaucracy, and litigation and, very likely, do too little to actually solve the problem in question.The ideas that Gingrich voiced were not completely radical or never-before-heard. As my friend Phil Klein at the American Spectator wrote yesterday, "he suggested that the government offer tax credits for the market to develop new technologies, and prizes for the invention of new technologies such as a hydrogen car." Such initiatives would be strikingly similar to some previously suggested, and indeed pushed in major legislatio... More About: Environment , Green , Conservatism , Progress
Letter to the Editor in The Observer-Dispatch
2007-04-06 07:57:00 I ran across this letter to the editor yesterday:Hold senators to fire regarding Iraq voteOn March 27, the U.S. Senate voted 50 to 48 for a nonbinding resolution supporting a pullout of U.S. troops from Iraq by this time next year.Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, a Vietnam veteran and staunch conservative, was the only Republican to support the measure. In explaining his vote, he argued "Iraq belongs to the 25 million Iraqis who live there. It doesn't belong to the United States. Iraq is not a prize to be won or lost." Wise words. If George Bush's disastrous misadventure in Iraq continues through the November 2008 elections, the Republican senators who failed to follow Hagel's lead should be held accountable. Iraq doesn't belong to the U.S. It's time to bring our troops home.Maurice IssermanClintonFrom The Observer-Dispatch If you have written or seen a letter to the editor about Chuck Hagel I'd love to hear about it. More About: Letter , Server , Patch , Editor
A message from a visitor
More articles from this author:2007-04-05 06:40:00 Here is a message I got from a visitor to the site this week:"As a Reagan Democrat, I am very proud of the way Chuck Hagel has stood up for what is right and wrong with the Bush/Cheney war machine. I would support Senator Hagel for President over any of the Candidates on either side of the aisle."It has been my argument for a while that Senator Hagel could gain the support of the Reagan Democrats. More About: Message , Visitor , Visi , Visit , Sage 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
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