So Hagel is making an announcement next week?

[Horse with no Name]

I was baffled when he deep-sixed his last announcement. I could only assume that someone in the Bush administration pleaded with him NOT to run until September so that they could build up momentum for the surge.
Well...now that the dog and pony surge gig is up--IS HE GOING TO RUN?
He is the ONE Republican that I believe can give the Democrats a run for their money.
The other scenario is an Independent run by Bloomberg-Hagel...and that he is announcing he is leaving the Republican party.

[Nite Owl]

1. Yes, I think Hagel is one

that their base could rally around in the primaries. He is a real conservative and not such a dummy like the rest of their candidates. His positions wouldn't be much for a dem to go against. He voted against the minimum wage, that won't fly in a general election.

Bloomberg/Hagel would hurt. Just the fact of all that money!

[aquart]

5. Can we be reality-based for one minute?

Bloomberg isn't running. His word is actually worth a little something. And if Hagel declares, it would not be to become also-ran on Bloomberg's ticket.

What trashcan did you pull this stuff from? Even the possibility is old news.

[Nite Owl]

18. Glad you know it all

I'll have to remember you are the final and last word on all news.
You work on the staff of Bloomberg or Hagel, got the inside track there or something?

[Kazak]

16. Bloomberg/Hagel would be great!

It'd peel off the republican party. Think along the lines of a right-flavored Nader. In fact, I hope that's what it is!!

[Nite Owl]

19. A lot of Independents and some

Dems like Bloomie. He has the name recognition in the tri-state area, an expensive advertising market so he doesn't need to play catch up. Time will tell.

[frogcycle]

2. or not running indy but still leaving

i think a handful of the old-time pre-neocon republicans are pretty sour on what their party has become.

Hagel has been quiet of late but he has to be disgusted.

Specter is really bitter over the Craig/FISA thing - Larry Craig actually opposed bush and got put on a hit list - bush called him a "traitor." I think that's why mcconnel et al moved so quickly to throw him under the bus, and Specter knows that. That's why he encouraged him to fight it. I think Specter is fed up.

Yeah, there may be more than rats jumping ship before '08 ...

[losthills]

3. Hagel would beat Hillary.

Decisively, and with no shenanigans...

[sellitman]

4. But...but....but.....

But he wouldn't beat Gore.

[aquart]

6. Thank you for your concern. Got a fact?

Say, I dunno, one single goddamn poll with Hagel's name on it?

[aquart]

7. Hagel is pro-amnesty.

How on god's earth do you think he can win a Republican primary?

[TwilightGardener]

9. He did vote for Comp. Immigration Reform (which I didn't consider amnesty)--

Although so did McCain, and Rudy, Mittens and Fred have pro-illegal pasts as well, so I don't know if it's necessarily a killer. Hagel's always been extremely pro-business, which drives his attitude towards illegals--thus, he'd get corporate backing. What would really kill him in the GOP primary is the perception that he's just generally disloyal, I think. If he ran Indie with Bloomberg, their immigration positions would be pretty much the same as the Dem candidate, which means they wouldn't necessarily lose the Hispanic vote, just the xenophobe vote.

[aquart]

20. Deal with the real, duckie. He ain't running.

[TwilightGardener]

8. He's my Senator, and I feel bad that he's kind of been kicked around

so much by his own party here that he doesn't even want to run for re-election. He HAS to be at least somewhat disgusted with politics--Repubs won't budge on the war, and Dems are weak. What the hell good did it do for him to speak out and piss off his own party? Nothing is changing, Chimpy's still going full speed ahead. Guess he should have kept his mouth shut and been a good German after all. Oh well, politics is a tough business.

[LiberalAndProud]

10. Hagel won't seek re-election

BY DON WALTON / Lincoln Journal Star. Copyright 2007.
Friday, Sep 07, 2007 - 10:58:17 pm CDT
Sen. Chuck Hagel will announce Monday he’ll not seek re-election next year.

Hagel also will tell an Omaha news conference he does not intend to be a candidate for any office in 2008, clamping a lid on speculation he might be pondering a late-inning presidential bid.

In a prelude to Monday’s announcement, he conferred Friday with Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky.

Later, Hagel gathered his Washington staff together to inform them of his decision, according to sources close to the senator.

http://www.journalstar.com/news/politics/doc46e20fbfdc82c495856878.txt

[dailykoff]

11. I guess they showed him his dossier

you know, the one with every extramarital encounter of his adult life recorded in hi-res video and sworn affidavits.

[LiberalAndProud]

12. Or he's had his fill of what his party has become.

[dailykoff]

15. I think it's a lot more likely that Haliburton got its fill of him.

War is good business and chimp and darth don't take kindly to anyone who interferes with their business.

[TwilightGardener]

17. He was vetted for the Vice Presidency in 2000 by none other than...Dick Cheney!

So Cheney has his number--should know all of Chuck's dirty laundry. I'm surprised nothing damaging has surfaced yet, especially considering his war opposition and the fact that he publicly mocked Cheney after the shooting incident. Could it be that he's actually that clean?

[TwilightGardener]

13. Geez, the Journal Star had his political obituary all ready to go, LOL!

Anybody who made enemies of Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh is a hero in my book.

[BenDavid]

14. Not seeking re-election!