Chuck Hagel Endorsing Obama?

[malik flavors]

Any chance of this happening, now that Powell has given his endorsement? I think if Hagel endorsed Obama now, it would be the final nail in the coffin of McCain.

Also, for the record, I thought Powell's endorsement this morning was beautiful. It seemed to go on forever and he hit so many important points. He called the GOP out for a narrowing and exclusivity of the party, that he found troubling. He also called them out on being bigoted towards muslims, and for concentrating on trivial things instead of the issues that are important to the future of the country.

I thought it was brilliant and very moving. Bravo, Gen. Powell.

[AlCzervik]

1. His wife endorsed him, maybe Chuck will be next or Lugar. The Bush admin has treated

Lugar like shit btw.

[terrya]

6. I wouldn't be surprised if Lugar endorsed Obama.

Lugar strikes me as someone who wouldn't go along with the sleaziness of McCain's campaign.

[TwilightGardener]

9. Lugar can't--he already endorsed McStupid, a long time ago. In the end, he's decent

but still a GOP sheep.

[blm]

11. Yes - but, I still bet he'll privately vote for Obama. He and Biden are very close.

Biden has had a long close friendship with Powell, too.

[Essene]

2. i hope to see Hagel & Bloomberg endorse obama soon.

those 2 came || to running in this election.

lots of moderate republicans are drawing the line in the sand, preparing for post-election warfare over the future of the GOP... and i think Hagel really needs to endorse Obama to get the full impact.

there's a full bloody war in the GOP and he's a general for the moderates.

[justiceischeap]

4. I think the Far right faction needs to split into their own party

Maybe call it the Nazi party.

One of the things I've heard and read a lot about, particularly since the Palin pick, is that the GOP party is being taken over by fringe elements and that is why many moderates have stated they are voting for Obama. In actuality they aren't voting for Obama but voting against the far-right. Fingers crossed it works. I have no issue with moderate Repugs, or hell, even thinking Pugs (I just disagree with their political philosophy), but these people that want to turn our nation into a theocracy scare the beejebus out of me and they seem to be out-breeding us and taking over.

[Top Cat]

3. This week would be the perfect time for a Hagel endorsement

[ogneopasno]

5. Hagel said he wouldn't endorse.

And frankly, why we want his particular endorsement is beyond me.

[iamthebandfanman]

8. only to reinforce Obamas bi-partisonship

that, and only that

[RichardRay]

7. Hagel, Lugar and Bloomberg

in the next 15 days would make it nearly impossible for McCain to attract any attention with anything short of a televised act of seppuku without a second.

[Johnyawl]

10. Hagel is going to be Obama's Defense Sec...

...if he endorses Obama, it'll look like Obama 'bought' that endorsement, and neither man wants that.

Why Hagel will be Obama's Secretary of Defense:

a) he agrees with Obama about the war in Iraq.
b) he will be the token republican in Obama's cabinet, to give some credibility to being 'bi-partisan'
c) Hagel is extremely popular with the military, and this move will bring the brass over to Obama
d) Obama is going to need "c)" as he is going to have to freeze defense spending for the time being while he concentrates on rescueing the economy. Support from within the DOD and the military is going to be essential during that period of belt tightening.

e) Hagel as SecDef will give him the political cover he needs for "d)"