2008 link

There's a site at George Washington University dedicated to the 2008 Presidential election and they recently updated it. Now they have a list of official and unofficial sites for potential 2008 candidates. They also have a page dedicated to Chuck Hagel as well, so be sure to check that out. It's a nice resource for people wanting to learn more about potential candidates from official and unofficial website.

Harvard Students Pick Hagel to Win in '08

Four Harvard Kennedy School of Government students wrote a paper in early 2005 predicting that Senator Chuck Hagel will win the Presidential election in 2008. Read about it at The Harvard Crimson.

Political Action Committes

Political Action Committees (PACs) are important to politicians because it allows them to support others in their party and to strengthen themselves with in it. This goes especially for any potential presidential candidates as it allows them to build a base of support from within the party elite.

This is the basic run down of the What, Who, and History of Chuck Hagel's Sandhills PAC (from its website).

What: Sandhills PAC raises money to directly support Republican federal incumbent, challenger and open-seat candidates in the November 2006 elections.

Who: Sandhills PAC is comprised of conservative, pro-business and international-minded individuals from the country who would like to see the Republican Party maintain its majority in the United States Congress.

History: Sandhills PAC was started in June 1999. In the 2004 election cycle, Sandhills PAC raised over $680,000 and contributed over $230,000 to federal candidates, ranking it 5th amongst all Senate GOP leadership PAC’s. Already in the 2005-2006 election cycle, Sandhills PAC has raised over $700,000 and is on pace to exceed $1 million dollars. This will allow Sandhills PAC to be one of the top contributors to Republican candidates around the country this year.

So please contribute to Chuck Hagel's PAC to further his shot at the White House as well as help Republican candidates in the 2006 election.

Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, 2006 Election, Sandhills PAC, Campaign Finance, 2008

Cumberland Times

The Cumberland Times-News has done an editorial piece on the question of who should get the Republican nomination for President in 2008.

One writer went for Chuck Hagel and the other writer went for Rudy Giuliani. The following is an excerpt from the article. Richard Kerns picked Chuck Hagel as his dream candidate for the Republican nomination and this is part of the reasons that he gave.

Although a decorated Vietnam vet, Hagel doesn't trumpet his service as Kerry did. It's just three sentences in the middle of his official Senate biography. That speaks volumes to me.

Challenged for expressing concerns about the Patriot Act, Hagel said in December, “I took an oath of office to the Constitution, I didn't take an oath of office to my party or my president.”

Sounds like something McCain might have once said.

In November, Hagel had this to say when criticized for questioning U.S. policy in Iraq: “To question your government is not unpatriotic - to not question your government is unpatriotic.”

I may take issue with many of Hagel's senate votes, but as with my previous support of McCain, there are more important considerations than individual yeas and nays. What's desperately needed in the White House, above all else, is integrity, independence, courage, conviction. If such a candidate were to emerge, he - or she - would win my vote, regardless of affiliation Red or Blue...

They have also set up a poll, asking on-line readers the following question:

"Who should the Republican Party nominate for the presidency in 2008, Sen. Chuck Hagel, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain or that perennial favorite, None of the Above?"

Go to http://www.times-news.com and vote for Chuck Hagel!

Interest Group Ratings - Business

Here are some interest group ratings for Senator Hagel's voting record on the issue of Business.

Year U.S. Chamber of Commerce rating

2001 - 100%
2002 - 95%
2003 - 87%
2004 - 93%
2005 - 94%

From Project Vote Smart
Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, Business, Voting Record, Issues

Multimedia

Here are some links to video and audio of Chuck Hagel.

C-SPAN: Road to the White House - video
ABC News - This Week - video
The Exchange - audio
Chuck Hagel's Senate Website - audio
Minnesota Public Radio - audio

If you know of other audio or video of the Senator on the web please share it in the comments.

Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, Public Radio, Audio, Video

We're a featured blog

This blog is a featured blog at Chuch and State/ACLU issues. Thanks to them for featuring us.

08 Watch

Here is a post covering three potential 2008 nominees from Newsie8200's Penndit that covers Senator Hagel.

The Power of Blogs

Check out The Power of Blogs over at Donklephant. It's an interesting look at the effectiveness of politcal blogs.

Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, Blogging

Senator Hagel on ABC last Sunday

Here is a video of Senator Hagel on This Week on ABC from last Sunday. Check it out for his intelligent and insightful comments on Iraq.

Interest Group Ratings - Abortion

Over the next few weeks we will be posting Senator Hagel's ratings by various interest groups. These are based on his voting record in Congress and can give us a sense of where he stands on issues given how he has voted in the past.

Year - Rating by NARAL Pro-Choice
2000 - 0%
2001 - 0%
2002 - 0%
2003 - 0%
2004 - 0%
2005 - 0%

Years - Rating by National Right to Life Committee
1999-2000 - 100%
2001-2002 - 100%
2003-2004 - 82%

As you can see, Chuck Hagel has a strong Pro-Life voting record.

From Project Vote Smart
Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, Abortion, Voting Record, Issues

Quote for today

"History teaches that war begins when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap."
-Ronald Reagan

As an infantry soldier in Vietnam Chuck Hagel learned the price of war first hand. It is because he knows the price of war that Senator Hagel was cautious of, and later a critic of the war in Iraq, and it seems quite clear that the Bush administration did underestimate the cost of its aggression.

Technorati tags: Senator Chuck Hagel, Ronald Reagan, President Bush, Iraq

Chuck Hagel radio interview

You can listen to a radio interview of Chuck Hagel by Laura Knoy on her program "The Exchange" from New Hampshire Public Radio. Thanks to Edit Copy for pointing it out.

Technorati tags: Senator Chuck Hagel, Laura Knoy, President Bush, Iraq

Senator Hagel and President Bush

Chuck Hagel has a reputation as a mavrick. He speaks out on the issues where he disagrees with the White House. What many some conservatives miss, though, is when he also speaks out in support of the administration.

	Year	Hagel's Support of President Bush's Priorities in the Senate
	2005	89%
	2004	94%
	2003	98%
	2002	98%
	2001	96%
Source: Congressional Quarterly, January 2006

To name just a couple of examples of his support of the President, Senator Hagel was one of the few Republicans that stood with the President on the UAE ports issue. Chuck Hagel supported the President on his tax cuts (many conservatives criticize John McCain for opposing those same tax cuts).

Note that the vast majority of the time, Senator Hagel supports the agenda of the Bush administration.

Technorati tags: Senator Chuck Hagel, Republicans, President Bush

Discussing a possible Hagel candidacy

There has been a nice discussion of a possible run for President by Chuck Hagel over at RedState.com. Go and check it out, put in your two cents as well. Chuck Hagel - President Material?

What they're saying in New Hampshire

Chuck Hagel is in New Hampshire and here are a few of the things that people there are saying about him:

“I thought he was terrific,” printing company owner Paul Lucy said after listening to Hagel address a breakfast hosted by the Portsmouth Chamber of Commerce.

“If we’re going to re-evaluate where we’re going, he may be the guy who can do it.”

Real estate developer Renee Riedel, who supported President George W. Bush over Sen. John McCain in New Hampshire’s 2000 presidential primary, said Hagel may be her candidate in 2008 if he decides to run.

“I love the whole package,” she said. “He gives me back belief in the Republican Party; he gives me hope. Before today, I wasn’t thinking of him, but now I am.”

From Hagel keeps busy on second day of N.H. swing

Technorati tags: Senator Chuck Hagel, New Hampshire, 2008

Quote for today

Republican National Chairman Ken Mehlman taks about Senator Chuck Hagel.

Asked his assessment of Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel, a chief critic of Bush’s Iraq policies and a potential 2008 GOP presidential candidate, Mehlman said: “He’s a good man. A very effective senator. He serves well.”

From JournalStar.com

Technorati tags: Senator Chuck Hagel, Republicans

On a different note, this blog had its 1,000th visitor this morning.

Chuck Hagel visits New Hampshire again

Chuck Hagel is in New Hampshire again.

“I’m not a presidential candidate, but I may be.” - Chuck Hagel

Check out the article: Hagel launches N.H. effort.

Numerology Analysis for 2008 Presidential Field

Today it's a post that's a bit out of the ordinary. While it's not really my thing, I thought that this was entertaining and the reading seemed positive for Chuck Hagel's prospects in 2008.

"Chuck Hagel (R), Senator from Nebraska
b. 10-4-1946 Life Path 7
Birth name: Charles Timothy Hagel, Destiny 11/2

This outspoken Life Path 7 definitely does his homework, his own thinking, writing, and talking, and he does it all with authority, knowledge, and experience. Hagel will be one of the least polarizing Republicans, having strong appeal inside the party, with Independents, and even with some Democrats. A persuasive Destiny 2 will help get the message across with gusto. A war hero, and an Iraq war critic, this moderate conservative is one to watch."

From Astrology-Numerology.com

C-Span broadcast of Vietnam conference

The blog History Unfolding has put out the C-Span schedule for the Vietnam and the Presidency broadcasts. According to it, Senator Hagel will be on C-Span on Friday, March 24th at 8:00 PM.

A different response to this blog

I've heard it said that any coverage is good. A blogger from Nebraska has noticed this blog.

Update:
And another mention from a blog, at the New Nebraska Network in a post about Hagel and a 2008 run.

On-line campaign contributions

Oval Office 2008 had a good piece on the growing importance of on-line contributions. Check out the post.

Also, you can donate to Senator Hagel's political action committee by clicking on the Donate now link that is on the right side of the page.

Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, 2008, Campaign Finance

One view on Chuck Hagel's Chances 2008

One journalist's take on a Chuck Hagel bid for the Presidency.

Q: What do you think of Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel's chances in the 2008 Republican presidential primaries? -- Gus Sperrazza, Washington, D.C.

A: There was a time, not long ago, where I thought that Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) would not make a second bid for the nomination, and therefore Hagel, one of his key supporters from 2000, would run as the "McCain candidate." I thought that McCain's age (he'll be 69 in '08) and health (he had surgery to remove two malignant melanomas) would preclude him from running. And Hagel seemed to be following the McCain path: a Vietnam veteran, a nominal maverick with an independent streak, a conservative who schmoozes with the press and makes friends across the aisle. But everything I see tells me that McCain is making the race. And though the Arizonan may not be everybody's favorite Republican, I can't imagine Hagel jumping in as long as McCain is running.

From Straw Polls and Censures at NPR.

Presidential March Madness 2006

Go and vote for Chuck Hagel in the Presidential March Madness 2006!

Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, Republicans, 2008 Election

Quote for today

"He decides what he believes in, then he speaks out."
-- Colin Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State, on Hagel

Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, Colin Powell

Another fan of Chuck Hagel

Check out Neil Slovak's post: Hagel, 2008. Please. He gives his support to Chuck Hagel from a Libertarian's perspective.

Growing federal spending and the 2008 election

An article from the New York Times highlights one of the themes that Senator Chuck Hagel has been focused on for quite some time: federal spending.

The article focuses on the split between fiscal conservatives and the Bush administration on the growing federal spending and deficits and how it is likely to play a role in the 2008 presidential eleciton.

Spending has been one issue on which some of Mr. Bush's most prominent supporters, among them Grover G. Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, have openly broken with the White House. But there could be no doubt about the power of this issue after the weekend in Memphis.

Sign up today so you can vote!

Suevey St. Louis is holding a March Madness for the Republican Presidential contenders for the 2008 election. To vote in it you must sign-up, which only takes a minute or two. Sign up so that you can vote for Chuck Hagel in the Presidential March Madness 2006!

Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, Republicans, 2008 Election

Quote for today

"Investment in renewable energy and energy related projects is critical to address our nation’s growing energy needs."
-Chuck Hagel

Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, Energy

Sandhills PAC

Today the website for Senator Hagel's political action committee, Sandhills PAC went live. Please visit the site to learn more about Chuck Hagel and donate to the PAC.

One of the major news items from the weekend regarding the 2008 election was the statement byMichael E. Toner, the chairman of the Federal Election Commission, saying that money was going to play an even bigger role this time around.

"There is a growing sense that there is going to be a $100 million entry fee at the end of 2007 to be considered a serious candidate," Toner said in a recent interview.

From the Washington Post.

So donate now to the Sandhills PAC!

Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, 2008 Election, Sandhills PAC, Campaign Finance

Update:

Blog.4President.us also posted about the Sandhills PAC launch.

Another good article about Chuck Hagel

Here's a good article about Senator Chuck Hagel. It gives a good look at the background of Senator Hagel and is well worth the read. The article is from the Omaha World-Herald from the first of the year.

Sen. Chuck Hagel is Midlander of the Year

Photo for today

Senator Chuck Hagel
and his wife Lilibet

(The photos is from a reception for the Lab School in Washington, D.C.)

For more photos of the Senator visit the photo gallery at his Senate webpage.

The Gridiron Roast

The Gridiron roast is an annual event where the political elites get to make fun of themselves in front of journalists. For a more complete treatment of the event, check out this blog.

At the annual Gridiron roast President Bush called Gov. Bill Richardson (D, New Mexico) and Senator Chuck Hagel "a couple of independent' thinkers, which in my book is a negative."

Funny because it's true?

Heroes in Public Service

Today it seems that we have a shortage of heroes in public service. Today there are numerous scandals in the political world that continue to tarnish the image of our politicians and political system. Thankfully there are also those who set a good example, both today and in the past.

"But it’s not hopeless for the GOP in the courage/cowardice category. Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska is a Vietnam combat veteran, wounded in action."

There are people out there, such as Gerald S. Rellick, who wrote the above quote, who think that there are positive models out there, such as Chuck Hagel. The piece from which the quote comes makes some good points, though perhaps he is too harsh in some cases; I recommend reading it in full. Here is the post from which the quote comes.

The MSNBC Virtual Straw Poll

Vote for Chuck Hagel at the MSNBC straw poll!

The difficulty of the primary election and the general election

For both parties, the primary election voters are the active elements on the ends of the political spectrum. Because of this, the Democrats rush to the left and the Republicans rush to the right for the primaries. Then once a nominee is chosen, it is a race back to the middle to capture the important swing voters, while still trying to keep their own base active and willing to turnout on election day.

From what I have been reading on a number of other blogs, the moderates would like to see Senator Hagel run, the left doesn't because they see him as a tough candidate to beat, and the right dislikes him because he has criticized the President. For Chuck Hagel, in my opinion, the tough fight will be the primary battle convincing the right that they should support him.

Currently, President Bush is still popular with the Republican base. That support has been slipping lately. It presents a problem, though, for the potential 2008 candidates, a point that Paul West makes in his article, For GOP, no clear heir in 2008.

Bush remains popular among Republican voters, particularly those who participate in presidential primaries. As a result, no Republican is expected to mount an aggressively anti-Bush campaign like Patrick J. Buchanan's 1992 challenge to Bush's father. Still, the president's second-term fade in the polls has potential successors easing away.

It will be important for the candidates to state their policy preferences, showing the areas they have agreed with and supported the President, and the ways in which they have disagreed with him. For that, Chuck Hagel is in a good position, as long as he can get the right to listen to him and not dismiss him.

Given this, some time will be spend in the coming weeks to showing Chuck Hagel's solid Republican roots and why conservatives (in addition to moderates) should support him in the primary election.

Update:

An article posted today on the New York Times website echoes this notion quite clearly.

Republicans said the complication for these candidates was that Mr. Bush remained highly popular with the party's conservative base, even in the face of deepening concerns across the electorate about his government and his policies.

From Bush's Troubles Weigh Heavily as Republicans Meet

Republican Straw Poll

The Southern Republican Leadership Confrerence begins today in Memphis and will feature a straw poll for the 2008 presidential nomination. While a number of the potential candidates will be addressing the gathering, Chuck Hagel will not be there. He will, however, be included in the straw poll. Given that Senator Hagel will not be there and since he is not from the southeast, as a number of the other contenders are, we do not expect him to garner high results in this particular poll.

Straw poll planned at Memphis conference

Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, Republicans, 2008 Election, Straw Poll

Protecting the people and their rights

"Over the last several months, Congress has worked hard to negotiate a Patriot Act reauthorization that provides all the tools necessary to fight terrorism, while also protecting the civil liberties of Americans. The legislation passed today is responsible legislation that strikes the appropriate balance between protecting our security and protecting our rights."
-Chuck Hagel

From his press release dated March 2, 2006

Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, Patriot Act, Civil Liberties,

Vote for Chuck!

There are a number of sites that are running polls on the 2008 election.

2008 Political Perspective

The Next Prez

Go forth and vote for Chuck Hagel on those polls!

Update:
If anyone knows of any other sites that have polls on the 2008 Presidential election, please post a comment and let us know where they are.

Also, this site has been up and running for just under three weeks and today we hit visitor number 500. Not too bad, especially since the traffic has been growing more rapidly this week.

Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, Republicans, 2008 Election

Distance from the Bush Administration

Increasingly, conservatives are distancing themselves from the Bush administration. With low approval ratings and increasing problems both domestically and abroad many conservatives from various circles are unhappy with the Bush administration. Fiscal conservatives are unhappy that the deficit has soared (the president has not vetoed one spending bill (or any bill) since he took office). Prominent neo-conservatives are bailing as well given how the war in Iraq has gone and how the Bush administration has used the notions of preemptive war.

Any republican that wants to win the 2008 Presidential election (the general election, not the primary) will have to distance themselves from the Bush administration if they want to caputre the swing voters.

Chuck Hagel has done this, but not for political reasons. He has always been critical of the elements of the Bush administration that he feels have made policy errors. Such distance in imporant, particularly when it is sincere and selective.

The following link has a great article that I encourage everyone to read:

Conservatives Are Jumping Ship: Bush Is Going Down

Fighting terrorism while protecting civil liberties

Senator Chuck Hagel, along with some fellow Republicans, introduced legislation to provide greater oversight to the domestic surveillance program.

Republicans Propose Bill on Spy Program

Immigration Reform

Chuck Hagel has been working on the issue of immigration for more than two years now, while it has finally caught on in the Senate this past week. Senator Hagel introduced a comprehensive reform bill over two years ago and will certainly be a major player in the new debate as it takes shape in the Senate.

The following are two articles that discuss the current state of the immigration debate in the Senate.

Congress to Debate Illegal Immigration

Immigration reform hot issue here

Album Meme

Album Meme - my apologies for the completely off topic post

From Edit Copy

The question:
My question is what album are currently listening to and what do you like about it?

Answer:
KT Tunstall – Eye to the Telescope

It's a wonderful album; her voice is lovely and the album is a nice blend of soft vocals and some upbeat funky songs.

The issues that are important, part 2

This is the second in a series that covers the issues that Senator Hagel thinks are important to America today and for the future.
The excerpts are from a story by Peter Bodley

Must work with other countries

At the same time, the United States must be willing to work with other countries to deal with the ills of the world - poverty and hunger, pandemic health issues, climate changes, according to Hagel.

"We must work with other nations to produce common purposes and common interests," Hagel said.

This happened after World War II when organizations such as the United Nations, NATO, International Monetary Fund, World Bank and the World Trade Organization were created, he said.

"If we don't engage societies and people, we isolate people," Hagel said.

Then there are consequences like 9/11, he said.

"Our challenge is to leave the world a better place for the next generation," Hagel said.

"Are we up to it? Absolutely. But it depends on how we respond to the issues."

A military response to everything is not the answer, according to Hagel.
While a strong military is important, holding the world at the end of a gun won't work, he said.

"There has to be a balance in how we address the challenges," Hagel said.

And to deal with the challenges, government in Washington has to change - the tenor of political rhetoric and the paralyzing partisanship, he said.

More details on Senator Hagel's Health Care Reform Commission

Here is the statement put out on Senator Hagel's Senate website.

Hagel Announces Health Care Reform Commission

February 22nd, 2006 - OMAHA, NE - U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) announced today at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) the formation of a Health Care Reform Commission. The purpose of the Commission is to review the current state of health care and present recommendations to develop a sustainable, accessible, affordable and quality health care system for the 21st century. The Commission will bring together key professionals and leaders from Nebraska’s and the nation’s health care fields. "I hear about health care issues from Nebraskans every day. It is an issue that touches the lives of every American. As medical technologies advance and our population ages, health care will become increasingly important to maintaining America’s competitive position in the world. The Commission’s work will help develop new ideas to meet America’s health care needs in the 21st century," Hagel said. Hagel announced that Chuck Marr, founding CEO of Alegent Health in Omaha, will serve as the Commission’s Chairman. "Having accessible, affordable and quality health care is the desire of every American. The task of the Health Care Reform Commission is to evaluate our current health care system and recommend new approaches which will assure a sustainable health care system for every family. We look forward to working with Senator Hagel in this important and far-reaching work," Marr said. The Commission will focus on all facets of health care, including health care costs and access to reliable health care. The Commission will have one year to produce a written report about the current state of health care and present recommendations to Senator Hagel. "I am grateful to the health care professionals who have volunteered their time, energy and expertise to this project. I am especially grateful to Chuck Marr for agreeing to head the Commission," Hagel said. - 30 - Attached is a fact sheet detailing the Health Care Reform Commission. Health Care Reform Commission U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) Purpose: The Commission on Health Care Reform will review the current state of health care and present recommendations to develop a sustainable, accessible, affordable and quality health care system for the 21st century. Mandate: The final report of recommendations will define the challenges facing the U.S. health care system, and recommend legislative initiatives that need to be made at the federal level to accomplish this mandate. The Commission will focus on the following areas: Improvement of health care quality and delivery in America. Containment of health care costs. Role medical science and technology will continue to have in health care reform. Improvement of access to health care for all Americans. Exploring more effective financing vehicles for American health care than current public and private plans. Addressing the "baby boom" demographic and its impact on future health care costs and services. Reporting Requirements: The Commission will submit its final report of recommendations 12 months after it begins its work. Commission Members: Commission Chairman Chuck Marr, founding CEO of Alegent Health; Dr. Todd Sorensen, Regional West Medical Center; Jack Vetter, Vetter Health Services, Inc.; Dr. Keith Mueller, UNMC; Mike DeFreece, MarketSphere Consulting, LLC; Dr. Daniel Wilson, Creighton University Medical Center; Dr. Mary Lee Fitzsimmons, Iowa/Nebraska Primary Care Association; Dr. J. Chris Bradberry, Creighton University Medical Center; Steve Martin, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Nebraska; Lisa Lechowicz, HDM Corporation; Dr. Dennis Goeschel, UNMC; Dr. Virginia Tilden, UNMC; Dr. Bill Bush, doctor of Private Practice in Anesthesiology; Jim Berarducci, Kurt Salmon Associates, Inc. and Dr. Charles Gregorius, Associated Anesthesiologists.