Why so early?

With such a wide open field and the role of money becoming more important in elections, the earlier the better seems to be the new trend. It is in that spirit that we seek to encourage Senator Hagel to run and to organize support for him.

From the article "For White House Hopefuls, 2008 Is Now," which was written last April.

At the same time, other potential 2008 candidates in the Senate are maneuvering on Frist's opposite flank. One is Sen. John McCain of Arizona, the sometime maverick who won New Hampshire's GOP primary in 2000. McCain has said he will not support the nuclear option. A frequent McCain ally in the party, Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, has said he is undecided on the nuclear option -- while he continues to mull his own career options for 2008.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4605774