Hagel Weighs In (on Biden)

[ProSense]

Hagel Weighs In

Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) issued the following statement on the Biden selection:

"Joe Biden is the right partner for Barack Obama. His many years of distinguished service to America, his seasoned judgment and his vast experience in foreign policy and national security will match up well with the unique challenges of the 21st Century. An Obama-Biden ticket is a very impressive and strong team. Biden's selection is good news for Obama and America."

McToast!

[Occam Bandage]

1. Hagel's like a reverse Lieberman. I'd like to see Obama use him even more.

[NotThisTime]

9. I agree with you, put Hagel out there!!!

[GoesTo11]

12. A better person than just a reverse Lieberman

Not doing this because he's a quisling who lost his party's election and then decided to switch sides while lying to his state about the fact that he was doing it, just in order to preserve his career.

Hagel's just going with what he believes. Even if a Democrat acted like Hagel only supporting Republicans, that would not make the Democrat a contemptible person. And if a Republican acted like Lieberman as he supported a Democratic candidate, that Republican would still be a worm.

[awoke_in_2003]

19. As bad as lieberman is...

he is still pro-choice, Hagel is not. If he is against the rights of women to make medical decisions with their doctors, than what other rights is he against?

[goodgd_yall]

43. He's voted against including sexual orientation to a hate crimes bill

Does that give you a clue?

He votes like a Republican. If it weren't for his opposition to the Iraq War, Hagel would never get a mention on DU, except as another disgusting conservative.

[TwilightGardener]

2. Aww. Hagel and Biden are the bestest buddies--I'll bet Chuck is really happy for Joe.

And that sounds like an endorsement to me, of sorts.

[Inuca]

13. "a very impressive and strong team"

It's not a criticism for sure :-).

[TwilightGardener]

18. I still think Hagel will officially and publicly endorse the ticket, even though

he said he didn't "plan" (the key word) to endorse. I'll bet he wanted to see whom Obama chose as running mate first--that was a test of Obama's judgment, and Obama seems to have passed the test. :-)

[Inuca]

26. Yeah, those crazy, spur of the moment

endorsements! But I am not sure he will go beyond statements like this, or answering specific questions like he did in the past. I remember an answer he gave in an interview several months back, when he said that he will probably will not endorse anybody because when he endorses somebody he goes all out for that person. In spite of everything he said in the past and all the kicks in the back he has received, I doubt he is willing or able to go all out against the party and/or McCain. I hope I am wrong, it would do him good to get out of his system :-).

[goodgd_yall]

44. Do you have any idea what kind of voting record Hagel has?

He's the opposite of Obama on economics, civil rights, women's rights, education, etc. etc. He's just an anti-Iraq war Republican, but a Republican all the same.

[TwilightGardener]

56. Um, yeah, I live in Nebraska, he's my Senator. I couldn't care less

what his voting record is, I'm happy he's risking the beat-down from his red state and his party to basically endorse Obama-Biden. I don't know what your problem is.

[goodgd_yall]

59. Endorsing?

Do you have an inside look into Hagel's brain? I haven't heard any statement from him or a spokesman that he is endorsing the Obama/Biden ticket.

[goodgd_yall]

42. Don't kid yourself

He's merely congratulating a colleague. Hagel has a horrible Republican voting record. Google it.

[Hope And Change]

3. K & R!Thanks for posting!

[Sparkly]

4. Isn't that great? He is well-liked in the Senate. nt

[MiniMe]

5. Does anybody else remember Hagel showing up at a committee meeting

on Joe's birthday with a biden mask on and a Biden for President t-shirt on? Apparently Hagel is quite a prankster. I loved that moment, and Joe got quite a laugh out of it too.

[eshfemme]

16. LOL, is there video of that? That's a really funny prank.

[Douglas Carpenter]

17. here it is:

(Senator Joe Biden and the masked Senator Chuck Hagel Make Policy Work Fun on Halloween, October 2007)
http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/archives/2008/08/biden_does_he_k/

[MiniMe]

20. Thanks, I love that pic

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

6. Hagel may be a puke, but he's been a good friend to Obama and deserves

to be thrown a bone when Obama is president.

[darius15]

8. I consider him more of an independent

maybe leaning Puke.

[The River]

15. He's More an Eisenhower Republican

IMHO. I'm old enough to remember when
Republicans and Democrats worked (mostly together
as a check and balance) for the common good (social & religious differences aside).
It was the outright hijacking of the public airwaves
by corporate interests that has allowed them to
divide, conquer and sell out our Country for profit
and power.

If he were just starting out in politics today
he would probably have to be a Dem. Todays
neoconlicans would think him way too liberal.

[goodgd_yall]

41. Actually, he isn't

An Eisenhower Republican never would get him or herself involved in a person's private affairs---that is, that was long before the religious right started infecting the Republican Party. Chuck Hagel has voted consistently against gays, abortion, sex education, etc. Except for the Iraq War, he votes like any other Republican.

His statement in the OP is a polite statement about a fellow member of the Senate. Reading a support for Obama as President is going a bit far. Obama stands for everything Chuck Hagel is against, except for the war in Iraq.

[Inuca]

14. Thrown a bone?

Not the greatest way to put it...

[FKA MNChimpH8R]

21. Veterans' Affairs?

Hagel is a combat vet who would certainly be a better advocate for vets' interests than anyone in Chimpco.

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

22. Yeah, that would be appropriate I think.

[mvd]

7. Any chance he will speak at our convention?

After all, Lieberman plans on speaking at the Repuke one. And he caucuses with us.

[TwilightGardener]

10. No--he will be in Central and South America during the convention.

[goodgd_yall]

45. It's a DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION

Republicans don't speak at Democratic Conventions. Lieberman is officially an Independent so he's fair game for either party convention.

I realize this thread is a lovefest for Chuckie, but except for the Iraq War, Hagel votes along the Republican Party line.

[gulliver]

57. Zell Miller (D) spoke at the 2004 GOP convention. n/t

[bigwillq]

11. Nice comment.

McToast! I like it! :bounce:

[ProSense]

24. LOL! How about

Jukebox John McToast?

[VolcanoJen]

23. "Good news for Obama and America!"

I couldn't agree more, Chuck!!!

:toast:

[ErinBerin84]

25. Thank you, Chuck Hagel.

[scheming daemons]

27. Thank you, Mr. Secretary-of-Defense!

[Inuca]

29. State has just become available :-) n/t

[goodgd_yall]

46. Hagel doesn't deserve to be rewarded with a Cabinet position

I was thinking he might be a good choice for Sec'y of State, but acquainting myself with his work in the Senate, he has taken the same appalling positions as every other conservative Republican in Congress.

[Hippo_Tron]

47. Not on foreign policy

Don't get me wrong Hagel's positions on domestic policy are just as right wing as any other Senator. But he doesn't have his ankles deep in corruption like so many other Republicans do these days and that counts for something.

He kind of reminds me of Peter Fitzgerald who was definitely a right winger but had integrity which is why he got Patrick Fitzgerald into his job.

[Inuca]

51. Cabinet positions are not "rewards"

unless you want to surround yourself with heck of job Brownies.

[Top Cat]

28. I hope Obama uses him in his cabinet

[autorank]

30. Yep, that's great. Hagel will give them nightmares if he's active

It's also nice to know that the guy who knows how the voting machines work is on the right side;)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Election_Systems_%26_Software

[TheDonkey]

31. I hope the Hagel hate can now stop. Let's get this man on the trail!

we could use a rethug who is now seeing the light.

[goodgd_yall]

39. Just because he made a polite statement about Obama's VP choice?

Hagel's only good position is his position on the Iraq War. He's a Republican through and through on civil rights, labor and abortion issues to name just a few.

[Inuca]

52. It's much more than just a polite statement

if you read it without bias (can you?). It does not say "I am happy that my friend Joe is the guy", it says that an Obama/Biden administration is a powerful team that will be able to face the current challenges and is good for America. This is as close to an endorsement that you can get without officially doing so. Do you want to bet that there will be no similar "polite" statement when McCain choses his VP?

[Franks Wild Years]

53. Yes, but...

...he can see that - despite his contrasting position on many issues - Obama / Biden is the best choice, the only real choice for the best interests of the USA. That's important, I think.

[OmahaBlueDog]

32. I'm guessing Hagel will be the next agriculture Secretary

..just a hunch

[Inuca]

34. Agriculture?!?!?!? n/t

[OmahaBlueDog]

35. Nebraska!

Corn, swine, cattle

The current Sec Ag (Mike Johanns) is a Nebraskan.

[Hippo_Tron]

48. I doubt he wants it

Secretary of Agriculture is really a step down from the Senate for a person like Hagel. Hagel doesn't sit on the Agriculture Committee despite the fact that it would greatly benefit his constituents if he did. That means that he probably has absolutely no interest in agriculture whatsoever.

[Inuca]

50. My point exactly n/t

[ecstatic]

33. Awesome! My respect for Hagel has increased nt

[LeFleur1]

36. No Respect for Hagle

He's against women's rights.

[goodgd_yall]

37. Chuck is still a Republican---look at his Civil Rights record

Voted YES on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration. (Jun 2006)
Voted NO on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002)
Voted YES on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping. (Oct 2001)
Voted NO on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation. (Jun 2000)
Voted NO on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women. (Mar 1998)
Voted YES on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business. (Oct 1997)
Supports anti-flag desecration amendment. (Mar 2001)
Rated 60% by the ACLU, indicating a mixed civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002)
Issue a commemorative postage stamp of Rosa Parks. (Dec 2005)
Rated 0% by the HRC, indicating an anti-gay-rights stance. (Dec 2006)
Rated 11% by the NAACP, indicating an anti-affirmative-action stance. (Dec 2006


Geesh!

[TwilightGardener]

55. Yeah, let's spit on him and his kind words! Let's kick him in the nuts for

being supportive of the Dem ticket! THAT'LL show him! :wtf:

[goodgd_yall]

38. Here's the truth---and it hurts a lot

Hagel on Abortion:
Voted YES on defining unborn child as eligible for SCHIP. (Mar 2008)
Voted YES on prohibiting minors crossing state lines for abortion. (Mar 2008)
Voted YES on barring HHS grants to organizations that perform abortions. (Oct 2007)
Voted NO on expanding research to more embryonic stem cell lines. (Apr 2007)
Voted YES on notifying parents of minors who get out-of-state abortions. (Jul 2006)
Voted NO on $100M to reduce teen pregnancy by education & contraceptives. (Mar 2005)

[ecstatic]

54. Oh ok. I didn't do my research but I still admire his support for Obama

Thanks for the info.

[Frank Booth]

40. Why is Hagel consistently more supportive of Obama than any Dem,

except Kerry?

Is it jealousy? Timidity? I don't get why most of the Dems aren't more vocal in their support. Maybe it's stuff like this that loses us the elections.

[LBJDemocrat]

58. Afraid of Hillary purging them in 2012, should Obama lose?

:shrug:

[TexasObserver]

49. An Obama-Biden ticket is a very impressive and strong team.