Hagel wouldn’t endorse a Dem, would he?
About a week ago, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), a co-chairman of John McCain’s 2000 presidential campaign, raised a few eyebrows when he said he hadn’t endorsed McCain this year, and didn’t have any plans to do so. “When I endorse someone, or when I work for someone, or commit to someone, I want to be behind that person in every way I can,” Hagel said on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulos. “I’ve obviously got some differences with John on the Iraq war. That’s no secret. I want to understand a little more about foreign policy, where he’d want to go.”
While conceding different visions of foreign policy, though, Hagel added that his discomfort with McCain “certainly doesn’t put me in Obama or Clinton’s camp.”
That seemed like a pretty clear indication of Hagel’s state of mind. He’s a conservative Republican who agrees with McCain in general, but rejects McCain’s entire foreign policy worldview. That hardly makes him sympathetic to the campaigns of two left-leaning Dems.
But, oddly enough, Hagel wouldn’t rule anything out this morning.
[O]n Tuesday morning Mr. Hagel did not rule out the possibility that he might endorse the candidacy of one of Mr. McCain’s Democratic opponents, Senator Barack Obama. It began when, speaking on “Morning Joe” on MSNBC, Mr. Hagel noted that he had yet to endorse anyone in the presidential race.
“John McCain is a very good friend,” Mr. Hagel said on the program. “But he and I obviously have some very significant differences on Iraq, on some other things. I may not endorse anyone.”
When he was asked if it was possible that he might endorse Mr. Obama, he said: “It’s possible, but I don’t see that happening.”
It’s that “it’s possible” phrase that stands out.
I’d just add that Hagel was responding to a question from Joe Scarborough, who pointed to “rumors” that Hagel was considering an Obama endorsement. I can’t say I’ve heard these rumors much, but Hagel was surprisingly complimentary towards the Illinois senator on the Charlie Rose Show last week.
Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) said last night that, among the 3 remaining candidates, he thought Barack Obama had the best chance of bringing the country together. While he did not dismiss McCain (he’s done that in the Senate) or Clinton (she’s had some success in the Senate, not as much as McCain), he said that he believed that Barack Obama, for generational reasons, could best bring the country together.
Hagel also stated that he believes the inventory of problems the next President will face is unprecedented and that that is why it is so important that the country be brought together so that it could really solve problems. Although Hagel did not endorse Obama, he did not rule out the possibility.
The rumors that I have heard point to a possible interest on Hagel’s part in an Obama cabinet slot (Hagel emphasized again this morning the need for bi-partisan cabinets in the next administration). If that’s the case, the surest way to make that happen is with a carefully-timed surprise endorsement.
Stay tuned.
Please. This is about as likely as the Democrats in Congress standing up to Bush concerning FISA.
I wonder if Lieberman was taking notes. This is how it’s done. Hagel disagrees with his party’s candidate on Iraq, and he states as much. He doesn’t broadly smear McCain, and he doesn’t throw his entire party under the bus.
Good story, CB. I hadn’t thought about that aspect of bipartisanship. If the other party thinks they might get a cabinet post they’re more likely to at least not attack the candidate so sharply and in a best case scenario might even endorse him (or her).
I think the war is an important part of this election, but Dems have never had success with an anti-war candidate. There’s plenty of other Republican malfeasance to address.
In the latest stop on his biographical trip down memory lane, presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain returned to his old high school in Alexandria, Virginia. As it turns out, that may have an odd choice for a man trying to reintroduce himself to the American people. Years after leaving the august halls of Episcopal High School, John McCain became a Baptist.
Even more curious is McCain’s shifting positions when it comes what he religion now considers himself to be. In June 2007, McClatchy reported, “McCain still calls himself an Episcopalian.” But as the 2008 South Carolina approached, McCain had a change of heart as he appealed to the Palmetto’s State’s massive evangelical base. By September 2007, McCain announced he had in fact switched teams: “It plays a role in my life. By the way, I’m not Episcopalian. I’m Baptist.”
For the details, see:
“New Baptist John McCain Returns to His Old Episcopal High School.”
My first thought when I saw the Charley Rose interview was that Hagel is close to Bloomberg. Are they trying to urge him to pick a crossover type. I hope Obama resists. You can’t vote with Bush 90% of the time and have any value, just because you have one area of disagreement.
Toast @ #2, you point out something important; Chuck Hagel is the mirror image of Joe Lieberman. Lieberman is as wrong as can be on foreign policy issues, but is still on our side when it comes to abortion and gay rights (two of the key issues at hand whenever judges are to be confirmed). Hagel, on the other hand, has the correct perspective on the war, but is not exactly friendly to a left-leaning social agenda.
Personally, I think Hagel’s kind words toward Obama have an end goal that can be stated in three words: Secretary of Defense.
Hagel’s endorsement is about as realistic about those 50 superdelagates ready to move on mass- more bs from Obam’s campaing that steve publishes like the lapdog he has become.
This is a great story, because it pits a moderate Republican against the radical policies of Bush and his successor. The more we see those policies contrasted against sensible ones, the better the public can get it into their thick skulls that McCain is no moderate, in fact his “strong suit” involves expanding on the worst decision of the worst president ever.
So much for “moderate” McCain, right, media morons?
Right?
BTW, I can hear the wingnut heads in Nebraska exploding all the way down here in Texas. Sounds like popcorn.
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Off topic, is it just me or is the preview function here not working for you guys too?
It wouldn’t surprise me. Colin Powell came close to endorsing him a few weeks back.
I want to understand a little more about foreign policy, where he’d want to go.”
You mean after he bomb, bomb, bombs Iran? What other oil-rich country is there that we might need to invade? Oh, right…Russia! Gee, wonder why McSame’s so anti-Russia of late. Can’t imagine.
o/` Bomb, bomb, bombing back in the USSR o/` Sing along everyone!
CB=Lapdog! sweet. OT, preview is working verry sloww. Firefox on Ubuntu..
Hagel’s way conservative, but that doesn’t make him stupid. Not by itself. I like(d) McCain, but I can respect Hagel.
Hagel’s endorsement is about as realistic about those 50 superdelagates ready to move on mass- more bs from Obam’s campaing that steve publishes like the lapdog he has become.
What? The Obama campaign immediately denied the rumor of the 50 delegates, and had nothing to do with Hagel’s comments.
You’re about as smart as your namesake is young, Joe Pa.
OT, preview is working verry sloww. Firefox on Ubuntu.. -MelodyMaker
OTRe: It’s always that way for me, Firefox on XP. I just type my comments in Notepad and paste ‘em in.
JOEPA (hint: hit “caps lock” next time), your shoot-the-messenger attack on Steve makes little sense, considering this piece quotes Joe Scarborough, who Steve ridiculed pretty thoroughly just earlier today. To me, that indicates that Steve is a critical thinker and not a knee-jerk supporter of anyone.
Reporting that Obama is doing well does not reflect a pro-Obama bias. And when a Republican senator says he’s not ruling out endorsing Obama, is it really “lap dog” behavior to report… that a Republican senator says he’s not ruling out endorsing Obama?
‘
There’s plenty to like about Hillary and plenty to dislike about Obama. But if you’re willing to attack the truth for having a pro-Obama bias, then you may be in the wrong political party to start with.
FWIW. I use Firefox with XP and have no issues what so ever.
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Hagel was on ‘The Daily Show’ on Monday. He said that he does not agree with McCain’s foreign policy, or Iraq policy. This is really no surprise, but his other arguments follow Obama more than Clinton: getting out will be tough, but has to be done. There is no military solution, etc.
Personally, I think that Hagel would make a great VP pick for Obama: White, Male, Conservative, scandal free.
I remember that a month ago he traveled to the war countries, he isn’t even running for reelection and he travels to a war zone.
The VP choice would be good because I assume that he probably would not be interested in running for president in 8 years. His sole purpose as VP would be to provide another rational voice, and as president of the Senate, he would make working with republicans much easier.
tomj, you forgot pretty gd honest. That fits. Hagel as BHO’s veep would be huge. But, Webb..
No, tomj, @18; NO. NO Repubs for a VP, no matter how sane (and since Hagel’s sanity is limited to a single isue, it’s not a whole lot), how white and how well-testicled. A cabinet position is one thing VP is quite another. What if something happens to Obama after he’s President? We get a Repub President, that’s what. No. Nope. No effing way.
..libra missing the coming together message..smart people and no Cheney/Feith/Rumsfeld/everyOtherShitwitBushwasHiredtoHire. Hey, this works now!
Barack Hussein Obama makes grocery carts generate good will AND electricity. Smart,smart,smart.
What if something happens to Obama after he’s President? -libra
I would guess a Republican at the bottom of the ticket would nearly ensure that something would happen.
Obama needs a VP that would ensure he survives his first term alive. Someone loathed by both parties. Someone like Hillary. Hehehe.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea at all to offer a few cabinet posts to Republican Senators, especially the ones that would still be in the Senate in 2009 and living in a state with a Democratic Governor to appoint their successor.
That way you insure a larger majority in the Senate, and if they don’t behave by following what the Democratic President tells them to do…. they can always ‘resign’ on a Friday afternoon, to spend more time with their family.
–It wouldn’t be a bad idea at all to offer a few cabinet posts to Republican Senators, especially the ones that would still be in the Senate in 2009
Norm Coleman! oh. wait. well, whatever it takes to ditch that hippie democrat. what a poser.
Wellstone! no. Wait, wait, Obama/McCain!
It wouldn’t be a bad idea at all to offer a few cabinet posts to Republican Senators, especially the ones that would still be in the Senate in 2009
OK, this one. If only to find out why Arlen was snarlin’. what a wanker. Thanks, really.
Bruno, @ 24,
Bi-partisan *cabinet posts*… Yeah, sure. If you can find enough sane Repubs to fill one or two less important ones (and, like you say, coming from the Senate and from a Dem-governed state. Though different states have different rules about replacing a “lost” Senator. That’s something that ought to be remembered also). But, a VP??? I think it would be a death sentence not just for Obama, but for the whole Dem party. Not that I’m a Dem myself (I’m to the left of the Dem majority, and you don’t have to register party adherence in VA), but my interests are a whole lot closer to Dems than they are to Repubs, so I’m kind-a interested in the outcomes.
“BTW, I can hear the wingnut heads in Nebraska exploding all the way down here in Texas. Sounds like popcorn.” -Racer X
And it’s pretty damn funny to watch, too. Nothing but John Deere and Husker caps shooting straight up into the air.
Obama-Hagel ‘08
Chopin … ha ha ha … You’re so right. But who would protect him from Hillary?