Respect for Chuck Hagel

It is inspiring to see how people react to Chuck Hagel. Because he is civil, respectful, and can work with those that he disagrees with he has attracted the respect of even those that may disagree with him. The Explore for Truth blog makes the point:

While I might not agree with everything Sen. Hagel says and does, I respect him to the fullest. If the Republican leadership were smart, they would be putting him out as much as they can. He is a true servant of the people and when he speaks I don't get heartburn. This clip shows how politicians should act.

Senator Hagel may be the answer to the divisiveness we have today in American politics.

"2008 Corner Store Straw Poll"

Another measure of early support for potential 2008 candidates is merchandise sales. This is an excerpt from what Hotline had to say on it:

If America is truly a market-driven society, then the sales at "Political Americana" in downtown Washington should tell us a little something about which politicians the voters are willing to invest in. The store, located on the corner of Penn and 14th, carries everything from full-size Ronald Reagan cutouts to Washington Monument trinkets. But it also carries a healthy stock of 2008 campaign paraphernalia (all home-made of course) and tracks who is leading what could be called the Corner Store Straw Poll.

Republicans were much more spread out: Condoleezza Rice was the fan-favorite. Her ’08 buttons outsold all other GOPers with 14% of the 239 sales. Also in the mix were Mitt Romney with 13% and Rudy Giuiliani, carrying 12%. Where was John McCain, you ask? At a meager 7%, fewer than rival GOP maverick Chuck Hagel (9%).

Sure, it’s just another straw poll. But it’s the only one we know about where voters actually put their money where their mouths are. [PATRICK OTTENHOFF]

9% is quite good at this point, I'd say.

Krusty Konservative and The Next Prez 2008 Polls

Over at the Krusty Konservative a poll for 2008 has ended and a new one has begun. Senator Hagel didn't do great in it, but support for him picked up somewhat near the end. Go and vote for Chuck Hagel in the new poll.

Also, be sure to vote in the June poll over at The Next Prez. Chuck Hagel is running neck and neck with the leaders. Vote now!

Hagel Calls for Hearing on Hedge Funds

Following the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling dealing with hedge funds and the SEC Senator Hagel called for a hearing to examine the issue. The Washington Post reports:

"We need to take a look at what is responsible and appropriate oversight with regard to hedge funds," Hagel said in a statement in response to a question from Reuters. "This will require further Banking Committee hearings."

In May, Hagel's subcommittee held a general hearing on the rapid growth of hedge funds, which are lightly-regulated investment pools.

"Investors must understand the full risks and benefits associated with hedge funds. Transparency and openness are the cornerstones in protecting the interests of our investors and the integrity of our financial markets," Hagel said.

Technorati tags: Senator Chuck Hagel, Hedge Funds

A Good Resume for the Job

Chuck Hagel's resume is one that prepares him well for the White House. He has experience in the military, the media, business, and government. He has been President and CEO of multiple companies, which gives him the executive experience that will be helpful for the White House (something that Senators often lack). The following is his resume from P2008.

Elected to the U.S. Senate in Nov. 1996, re-elected in 2002.
President of McCarthy & Co., an investment banking firm based in Omaha, Nebraska.
President and CEO of World United Service Organizations.
Co-founded VANGUARD Cellular Systems, Inc., a publicly traded corporation, in the mid-1980s. Deputy Administrator of the Veterans Administration, nominated by President Reagan in 1981. Manager of Government Affairs for The Firestone Tire & Rubber Company in Washington, DC, 1977-80. Administrative Assistant to Congressman John Y. McCollister (R-NE), 1971-77.
Newscaster and talk show host with radio stations KBON and KLNG in Omaha starting in 1969.
Served in Vietnam in 1968, two Purple Hearts.
Graduate of the the Brown Institute for Radio and Television in Minneapolis and University of Nebraska at Omaha.

There are a number of sites that have his resume/background on them. The following are some of them:

Project Vote Smart
A Chuck Hagel Timeline
Senate Website
Sandhills PAC

Nebraska Senate Race

Chuck Hagel has been working to ensure Republican candidates are successful in the upcoming midterm elections, including in his home state of Nebraska. Here is the latest on that front:

Senator Hagel hosts fundraising breakfast for Nebraska GOP U.S. Senate candidate Pete Ricketts

Friday, June 23, 2006

Omaha, NE – Senator Hagel is hosting a fundraising breakfast for Nebraska GOP U.S. Senate candidate Pete Ricketts in Omaha at the Happy Hollow Country Club. Senator Hagel strongly supports Pete Ricketts’ campaign to the U.S. Senate.

The event will raise over $100,000 for the Ricketts campaign and will illustrate the strong support for him in Nebraska. Sandhills PAC has contributed the maximum amount, $10,000, to Ricketts' campaign.

In addition, Senator Hagel will travel to Grand Island, NE for the Nebraska Republican State Party Convention. Senator Hagel will host a reception for the Nebraska Republicans in attendance and will give a keynote speech at the convention.

Senator Hagel is committed to keeping the Nebraska Republican Party strong and energized in this very important election year for Nebraska.

For more information on the event, please contact Sandhills PAC.

From Sandhills PAC
Technorati tags: Senator Chuck Hagel, Pete Ricketts

Chuck Hagel and the Recent Iraq Resolutions

Chuck Hagel gave us another example of why he should lead our nation. He puts governing before politics. That is the hallmark of a statesman. The following were his remarks from the Senate floor during the debate on the recent Iraq resolutions.

"Congress fails in its duty when we do not probe, when we fail,we do not ask tough questions, and we fail when we do not debate the gate issues of our day.

There is no issue more important than war. The war in Iraq is the defining issue on which this Congress and the administration will be judged.

The American people want to see serious debate about serious issues from serious leaders. They deserve more than a political debate. This debate should transcend cynical attempts to turn public frustration with the war in Iraq into an electoral advantage.

It should be taken more seriously than to simply retreat into focus-group tested buzz words and phrases like “cut and run,” catchy political slogans that debase the seriousness of war.

War’s not a partisan issue, Mr. President. It should not be held hostage to political agendas. War should not be drug down into the political muck. America deserves better.

Our men and women fighting and dying deserve better."

You can see the video of his remarks here.
Technorati tags: Senator Chuck Hagel, Iraq

Chuck Hagel in Vietnam

Here is an account of Chuck Hagel's time in Vietnam:

When his number came up at the draft board in January 1967, he went willingly. And when, after training, he received orders to go to Germany, he requested a transfer to Vietnam. He hadn't been touched by anti-war protests. Where he came from, the feeling was that if there was a war on, that's where a young American soldier belonged. In that reflex, which many would still call patriotic, he briefly found a purpose.

It's unclear to the two brothers today how they wound up in the same infantry squad. Tom, drafted as soon as he finished high school, went initially to a reconnaissance unit up north, where he saw heavy fighting. He put in for a transfer, hoping to get closer to his brother, who was serving in the south. Soon they were on patrol together in canopied jungle near the Cambodian border. Over a period of about four weeks, each got a chance to save the other's life. When the first incident occurred, on March 28, 1968, their squad leader had just taken them off point and moved them to the middle of the column. One of the soldiers who replaced them hit a trip wire, setting off a mine that had been placed in a tree so that it would detonate at face level. Bodies, body parts and shrapnel were blasted back into the ranks as the squad was crossing a stream. Tom picked himself up and looked for his brother. What he saw, he says, was a "geyser" of blood gushing from Chuck's chest. Tom, then only 19, stanched the bleeding and bandaged the wound, only then noticing that he'd been hit himself in the arm. By the time the medevac choppers had taken off the dead and critically wounded, the Hagel boys were deemed well enough to continue on, which meant going off the booby-trapped trail and hacking through thick undergrowth.

Twenty-five days later, it was Chuck's turn to rescue Tom, when their troop carrier hit a hand-detonated mine as it emerged from a village in the delta. Tom had been in the turret behind a .50-caliber machine gun. He was unconscious, not obviously alive, when his brother got to him. The blast had blown out Chuck's eardrums and severely burned his left side, but knowing the carrier might soon explode, he worked feverishly to pull Tom from the wreckage, then threw his body on top of Tom's as Vietcong fighters in ambush sprayed the area with gunfire.

Chuck left Vietnam in December 1968, Tom the following February. Back in Omaha, they roomed together for a time, then followed separate paths to readjustment to civilian life. Beset by nightmares and feelings of guilt that sent him off on binges, Tom had the most to get over, what seemed to be the harder time. He also had the clearest idea about the war, which seemed to him futile and cruel. Before they could get used to their new lives, their youngest brother, Jimmy, was killed in a car crash at 16, yet another piece of Hagel hard luck.

This account is from the New York Times Magazine article The Heartland Dissident.
Technorati tags: Senator Chuck Hagel, Vietnam

Other Blogs that Want to See a Hagel Candidacy

Here are a few other blogs that have posted that they would be interested to see Chuck Hagel run for President.

Coach's Musings
Neil Slovak (is a Libertarian).
Citizen McLain
Divided We Stand, United We Fall

Let me know if there are others out there as well.

"So my Republican friends give Chuck some love: he could be your political savior..."

I ran across an interesting post at The Agitated Grizzly:

"(2) Chuck Hagel =
A recent poll came out of PA in regards to the GOP 2008 nomination had the likely candidates in the following order (taken from www.politics1.com):

PENNSYLVANIA - P2008 - GOP: Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R-NY) - 39%, US Senator John McCain (R-AZ) - 28%, former US House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) - 5%, Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA) - 5%, Senator Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) - 3%, US Senator George Allen (R-VA) - 3%, Others - 3%. (Strategic Vision-R).

This tells us a few things. First name recognition still plays a major role. Second, it is POSSIBLE that the GOP will nominate a moderate. Third, no one has heard of their best candidate, Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel. Hagel is perfect for the Republican Party (in the view of this Democrat): he's socially conservative (more than McCain, Giuliani, and arguably Romney) but not beholden the Religious Right; he's fiscally conservative; and more than ANYONE in POLITICS -Democrats, Republicans, anyone in the Bush Administration- Hagel has had the most correct and accurate position on the War in Iraq. It's not like some members of the Democratic liberal wing's "cut-and-run," or some members of the Republican conservative wing's "stay-the-course, even though we don't have a f***ing plan." It's somewhere in between. So my Republican friends give Chuck some love: he could be your political savior..."

He makes some good points.

Hagel Resolution on Iran

Here is a press release from Senator Hagel's office: " Hagel Resolution Endorsing Administration Policy on Iran and Calling on Iran to Suspend Nuclear Enrichment Activities Passes Senate"

June 15th, 2006 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Chuck Hagel (R-NE) and Joseph Biden (D-DE) sponsored a resolution today endorsing the Bush Administration policy on Iran and calling on Iran to fully and verifiably suspend nuclear enrichment and reprocessing activities. The resolution passed the Senate by a vote of 99-0. Below is text from the resolution:

"Congress (1) endorses the policy of the United States, announced May 31, 2006, to achieve a successful diplomatic outcome, in coordination with leading members of the international community, with respect to the threat posed by the efforts of the Iranian regime to acquire a capability to produce nuclear weapons; (2) calls on Iran to suspend fully and verifiably its enrichment and reprocessing activities, cooperate fully with the International Atomic Energy Agency, and enter into negotiations, including with the United States, pursuant to the package presented to Iran by the High Representative of the European Union; and (3) urges the President and Secretary of State to keep Congress fully and currently informed about the progress of this vital diplomatic initiative."

From his official Senate Website

Technorati tags: Senator Chuck Hagel, Iran

Hagel and Committee Question Fannie May CEO

On Thursday Daniel H. Mudd, chief executive of Fannie May, was questioned by Hagel and the Senate Banking Committee.

"I think you failed, the entire board failed. . . . Now, can you sit there and tell this committee that you knew nothing about what was going on?" Hagel asked.

Read about it in the Washington Post.

Technorati tags: Senator Chuck Hagel, Fannie May

4 months in

Today is the four month anniversary of the Chuck Hagel for President blog. Four months down, two years and five months to go.

Here are two posts that may be the best place to start:
What we can do now
Six Priorities

231st Birthday for the United States Army

The following is a statement by Chuck Hagel in the congressional record on the 231st birthday of the U.S. Army.

“Mr. President. I rise today to wish the United States Army happy birthday. It was 231 years ago today, June 14, 1775, that the Continental Army of the United States was formed.

Over the past 231 years, millions of men and women have served in the oldest branch of our armed forces. Their honor, courage, sacrifice and service are the foundation of America’s greatness.

The Army principles of “Duty, Honor, Country” is America. Every generation of Americans who have served in the United States Army – from the Continental Army to our fighting men and women serving today in Iraq and Afghanistan – have been shaped by these principles. The United States Army has shaped lives just as it has shaped our history. The United States Army has protected our democracy and helped make the world more secure, peaceful, and prosperous.

On this 231st birthday of the United States Army, we also recognize and thank the individuals who have sacrificed and served our country. They inspire us and will continue to serve as role models for future generations.

Happy Birthday to the United States Army. And, in the Army’s great rich tradition and as a proud Army veteran, I proclaim my annual Senate floor... HOOAH!”

From Southwest Nebraska News

Technorati tags: Senator Chuck Hagel, U.S. Army

Chuck Hagel Biography to be Published

A book recounting the story of Chuck Hagel is due to be published in the near future.

Chuck Hagel: Moving Forward

By Charlyne Berens

“After reading Charlyne Berens’s very thorough study of Chuck Hagel, I am more than ever proud to call this fearless, outspoken, passionate, and principled man ‘friend.’ Choosing conscience over conformity, he represents the best of bipartisanship and patriotism.”—Bob Kerrey, President of The New School and former U.S. Senator

“Charlyne Berens’s terrific biography brings Chuck Hagel’s straight-shooting, courageous character to life. The Senator is one of a kind on Capitol Hill, and Berens’s book leaves the reader waiting to witness the next chapter in Hagel’s remarkable political career.”—John D. Podesta, President of the Center for American Progress and Chief of Staff to former President Bill Clinton

“In writing the first full-dress biography of Senator Chuck Hagel, Charlyne Berens has illuminated the experiences of a major contemporary public figure. Her honest and readable account of Hagel's personal life and career in politics is certain to be the definitive work on the subject.”—Ross K. Baker, Professor of Political Science, Rutgers University

In late August 2004 the Republicans were celebrating the nomination of incumbent George W. Bush for another term as president of the United States. In the midst of the festivities, Chuck Hagel, a senator from Nebraska, was telling reporters that the Republican Party had “come loose of its moorings.” This was a bold position for someone identified by the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and Boston Globe as a prospective 2008 presidential candidate, but it was not surprising coming from a Republican senator who had also recently remarked that the occupation of Iraq was poorly planned and that it had encouraged the spread of terror cells throughout the world. Who is Chuck Hagel, what is his story, and is he a genuine player on the national political stage? Charlyne Berens sets out to answer these questions in her close and careful look at one of the most interesting and independent figures on the current American political scene.

Having survived a tour of duty in Vietnam and having made a fortune as a pioneer in the cellular phone industry, Chuck Hagel seemingly came out of nowhere to beat a popular sitting governor in a race for the U.S. Senate in 1996. Berens charts Hagel’s quick rise to national recognition and influence and examines the background that has led Hagel to an outspoken internationalism that often puts him at odds with his own party and president. This complex, plain-spoken Nebraskan may be on his way to the White House. Charlyne Berens explains why and how.

It looks very interesting and we'll post again about it when it becomes available for purchase. Amazon.com says that it should be out this September, and you can preorder it from them now.

What we can do now

Here are a few things that people can do now to help make the road to the White House a possibility for Chuck Hagel.

One of the key things that must be done is networking. A grassroots movement must be built with people able to communicate. To further that, fill out the form on the right hand side of this page. Also, join one of the Chuck Hagel for President Yahoo groups (Hagel for President, Missouri for Hagel, South Carolina for Hagel), or make your own. If you have other ideas for how to build a network, please share them.

A key element is simply spreading the word. Chuck Hagel doesn't have the national name recognition that other potential candidates have. Talk to people about Chuck Hagel and discuss why he might make a good President.

Also, buy merchandise and get his name and the idea of him running for President into people's heads. At this point getting people to think about the possibility is key. Also, getting those people that are likely to volunteer on a campaign or donate money to think about Hagel
for President is important, as they are more likely to be thinking about it earlier than your average voter.

One more way that you can help Chuck Hagel on the road to the White House is to donate money. Two ways to do this are to donate to his PAC, Sandhills, and/or to his Senate campaign.

Another thing that people can do is drive the Internet Buzz surrounding Chuck Hagel. There are numerous ways to do this. Everyone can vote for Chuck Hagel in online polls. Also, everyone can comment on blogs, expressing their support for Senator Hagel.

If you have a website or blog, make a link to this site (http://hagel2008.blogspot.com) and others that support Chuck Hagel. If you have a blog, post a blog post about Chuck Hagel. There are 2008 sites that track how much attention each of the possible candidates are getting on the web and in blogs.

If anyone else has ideas, please share them.

Good Hagel Quotations

BrainyQuote has some good quotes by Chuck Hagel. Here are a couple:

"Our foreign policy needs to support our energy, economic, defense and domestic policies. It all falls within the arch of national interest. There will be windows of opportunity, but they will open and close quickly."

"Any recommendations regarding climate policy must meet the demands of economic growth and development, especially in the developing world."

"Alliances and international organizations should be understood as opportunities for leadership and a means to expand our influence, not as constraints on our power."

Go and check out the whole batch.

Technorati tags: Senator Chuck Hagel, Quotes, Quotations

Video of speech

You can get the video and the full transcript of Senator Hagel's speech on foreign policy at the October 2003 conference here. Senator Hagel's strength in foreign policy, diplomacy, and the security of our nation is one of his strongest assests as a Presidential candidate.

"Defining a Foreign Policy for the 21st Century"

There is a good speech that Senator Hagel gave back in October 2003 that nicely articulates some of his view on the world and foreign policy. Some of the references are a bit dated, but the challenges remain the same.

The risks that the world faces today are great, but so are the opportunities. America must not fear change. America must shape change, and lead with our world partners to a higher ground of peace and prosperity. Ours is a dynamic nation. Challenge and response are sources of strength. America will be the indispensable leader during this historic period of world transition, if it is wise enough to work with and through our friends and allies that have contributed to our vital interests since World War II. The courage and sacrifices of our armed forces in removing brutal regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq are testimony to both our strength and our values. Our economy remains strong. And our message of freedom and democracy has universal appeal.

America's strength also comes from a power that is not so easily quantified - a deep faith and spirituality that animates our nation. This orientation is absent in many countries and societies. The American character is much defined by how we believe in each other.

An American foreign policy for the 21st century will be worthy of America if it is wise enough to: accept that we enhance our standing in the world not just through our power, but through our purpose; understand that great power has its limits, and that we must share the heavy responsibilities of world leadership with our allies; appreciate that together we can shape the interconnected realities of the world into workable and positive policies that benefit all peoples; listen to our friends and understand their interests; and balance our policies and actions with both a present and future perspective.

Read the whole speech at Project Vote Smart.

Hagel in Denver

Hagel to Keynote Lincoln Club of Colorado’s Lincoln Day Dinner and be Special Guest at Rick O’Donnell for Congress Reception in Denver

June 2, 2006

Denver, CO – Senator Hagel will be the keynote speaker at the Lincoln Club of Colorado’s Lincoln Day Dinner in Denver, CO. The dinner is the Club’s annual event to help raise money for Republican candidates in Colorado.

In addition, before the dinner, Hagel will appear at a fundraising reception for Rick O’Donnell. O’Donnell is running for the open Congressional seat in the 7th District of Colorado. Senator Hagel will present O’Donnell with a $2,000 contribution from Sandhills PAC.

From Sandhills PAC

May Poll Results

Here are the results of the May poll of Republican contenders at The Next Prez.

Selection
George Allen	23 votes
Sam Brownback	12 votes
John Cox	25 votes
Bill Frist	17 votes
Newt Gingrich	25 votes
Rudy Giuliani	92 votes
Chuck Hagel	63 votes
Mike Huckabee	18 votes
John McCain	135 votes
Mitt Romney	53 votes
Michael Smith	39 votes

Chuck Hagel once again comes in at 3rd place, a good showing trailing only McCain and Giuliani.
Also, be sure to vote for Chuck Hagel in this month's poll at The Next Prez as well.

Open-Source Politics - The Internet and the 2008 Election

There is an intriguing article on how the Internet will play a role in the 2008 Presidential election, A New Open-Source Politics that is well worth a read.

Will 2008 bring the first Internet president? Last time, Howard Dean and later John Kerry showed that the whole idea of "early money" is now obsolete in presidential politics. The Internet lets candidates who catch fire raise millions in small donations practically overnight. That's why all the talk of Hillary Clinton's "war chest" making her the front runner for 2008 is the most hackneyed punditry around. Money from wealthy donors remains the essential ingredient in most state and local campaigns, but "free media" shapes the outcome of presidential races, and the Internet is the freest media of all.

...

Open-source politics has its hazards, starting with the fact that most people over 35 will need some help with the concept. But just as Linux lets tech-savvy users avoid Microsoft and design their own operating systems, so "netroots" political organizers may succeed in redesigning our current nominating system. But there probably won't be much that's organized about it. By definition, the Internet strips big shots of their control of the process, which is a good thing. Politics is at its most invigorating when it's cacophonous and chaotic.

Our mission here is to utilize the internet to help put Chuck Hagel in the White House in 2008. The political discussion on the internet is incredible and its influence will only continue to grow as we get closer to the 2008 election.