Hagel's 2008 plans?

Senator Hagel has said that he won't announce his plans for 2008 until January, be that running for President, running for reelection in the Senate, or moving onto something else. The Leavenworth Street blog reported this today:

On Omaha KMTV Ch. 3's Thursday 6pm news, Joe Jordan reported that while Chuck Hagel won't reveal his Presidential plans until January 2007 at the earliest, two Hagel insiders said Hagel:

1) will NOT run for President

2) and will NOT run for re-election to the U.S. Senate.

Obviously, this is not good news for us; hopefully it is not accurate. Please email Chuck Hagel or contact his Senate office and encourage him to run.

Chuck Hagel's reaction to the death of Gerald Ford

Here is what Chuck Hagel said about the death of former President Gerald Ford

"The death of Gerald Ford is a sad moment for all Nebraskans and all Americans. History will remember President Ford for holding our nation together during a time of trauma and division. He earned the trust and the confidence of the American people through the force of his will and his common decency."

(from CNN.com)

Technorati tags: Gerald Ford

Merry Christmas from the Draft Hagel movement

Merry Christmas everyone! There will be fewer posts over the holiday, but I'll try to post if anything significant happens.

Senator Hagel's address at UNL

The commencement address at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln this December was delivered by Chuck Hagel. Here is his speech, from his Senate website.

After 60 years of living, I still do not have all the answers to life. But I have learned some things. I’d like to share five lessons I have learned over those years that might be of some use to you as you look forward from this day.

Mark Twain once said, “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” Twain said it very well.

Lesson 1: Take risks and seek new experiences. Nothing worth having in life comes without the risk of failure. Don’t be afraid to fail. Failing to try is worse than failing to achieve. Your generation will have more options than any generation of Americans. Take advantage of them. Seek out new challenges.

“...the man who really counts in the world is the doer, not the mere critic— the man who actually does the work, even if roughly and imperfectly, not the man who only talks or writes about how it ought to be done.”
Theodore Roosevelt

Lesson 2: Do what is ethical, not just what is legal. Too often, especially in Washington, we define our standards of conduct by legality. We blow past the ethical boundaries. There is a difference between ethical and legal conduct. Hold yourself to a higher standard than simply what you can get away with. Don’t play on the legal edge. Don’t cut corners. Compete with yourself...and you’ll always be honest with yourself.

During your life, when you are faced with difficult decisions, almost always, you will know that the right thing to do...is the right thing to do. Do it. Listen to yourself and be guided by what you believe is right. Standing against the crowd and doing what you think is right may be very lonely at the time, but it will serve you well over the long haul.

“Laws control the lesser man. Right conduct controls the greater one.”
Chinese Proverb

Lesson 3: Continue your education. The University of Nebraska has given you a tremendous start in life, but it is only a start. Do not lose your sense of curiosity and quest for improvement. Read, read, read and then read some more. The world in which you will be working will be more competitive than any generation has ever known. Education is a lifelong pursuit...it will prepare you professionally and enhance you personally. Remember, that you will be limited professionally if you hold back personally.

“Learning from experience is a faculty almost never practiced.”
Barbara Tuchman

Lesson 4: Give something back. Every graduate here today has traveled a different path, but you all have something in common. You all benefitted from living in a country that allowed you the opportunity to receive a first-rate education. That shared bond also comes with a shared responsibility to give something back to your country. Whether it is mentoring a child, serving in the military, running for office, or volunteering for a noble cause, this country will provide you countless everyday meaningful opportunities to give something back to society. Patriotism is an old fashioned value, but it never outlives its time. We all have an obligation in life to help make a better world for all people.

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”
Winston Churchill

Lesson 5: Remember what really matters in life. We live in an age of instant communication and gratification. In many ways this has made our lives easier to live and more productive than ever before, but the constant challenge for you in this “immediate world” will be to ensure that it does not diminish the things that are most important in life. Everyone who will walk across this stage this morning is here because family and friends helped you get here. In life, it is family and friends that matter most. Do not forget that.

Don’t hold back your enthusiasms or dim your passions for your beliefs, loves and interests. Commit yourself fully, knowing that life will at times be unfair– but will always even out in the end. Regrets are painful to live with. You’ll have some– but you don’t want too many.

“It's faith in something and enthusiasm for something that makes a life worth living.”
Oliver Wendell Holmes

You are graduating at a special time. The world is undergoing a historic time of transformation and redefinition. These great moments in history come about twice in a century. Embrace this time to be alive and engage yourself in every part of it. Think of the opportunities you have to help shape the future of mankind. You will have the opportunity to do more good, for more people than any generation in the history of man. Don’t squander it.

The longer you live, the more you will realize that the two indispensable requisites in life are character and courage. Life is not worth much without them. The currency of life is trust– a product of character. The spirit of life is faith– a product of courage. Never lose them. For no matter the depth of despair or the difficulty of the dilemma– they will see you through. Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “character is higher than intellect.” This too you will come to recognize more and more.

We’re proud of you. Congratulations. You’re now Huskers for life!

Krusty's New Poll

The Krusty Konservative has a new 2008 poll up. Go and vote Hagel.

"Global framework must recognize 21st-century realities"

Senator Hagel has a piece in today's Omaha World-Herald that is quite good. It is an excellent example of how Chuck Hagel views the world and sees the interconnectedness of the globe today and how the U.S. must respond to that. You can read it here.

New system of labels

Now that this blog has been switched over to Blogger beta a system of labels is being put into place. Now if you want to read up on a particular topic (say Leadership, Iraq, Video) you can find posts related to that topic via the labels. I hope this is one more way I can make it easier to get you the information you want on Senator Hagel and why he'll make a great President.

Michigan for Hagel blog

There is a brand new Michigan for Hagel 2008 blog that is up and running. Check it out and say hi.

What We Can Do NOW for Hagel '08

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 is being built and it needs to grow. To further that, fill out the form on the right hand side of this page. Also, join one of the Chuck Hagel for President groups (Chuck Hagel 2008 Google Group, Hagel for President, Missouri for Hagel, South Carolina for Hagel , Chuck Hagel Myspace Group, and the two at Facebook).

A key element is simply spreading the word. Talk to people about Chuck Hagel and discuss why he will make a great President. Also, share your reasons for supporting Chuck Hagel here; we'd love to hear why you like Senator Hagel. You'd be amazed at how much impact just talking to people has.

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 critical. 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, and/or to his Senate campaign. Any money in his Senate campaign can be transferred to a Presidential 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, add a banner or a link to this site (http://hagel2008.blogspot.com) and others that support Chuck Hagel. If you have a blog, post about Chuck Hagel.

If anyone has other ideas, please share them.

Your reasons for a Hagel Presidency (Part 7)

This is another in our continuing series on why people would like to see Chuck Hagel as the next U.S. President. This post is from Nathan and was originally posted over at Students for Hagel.

At a time when Republicans have lost the Senate and the House, many see our chances of retaining the Presidency in 2008 as slim to none. I, however, remain confident, due to one man: Senator Chuck Hagel. When I say the name, "Senator Chuck Hagel," many people respond, "who?" And that is the biggest problem that we face. As of now, the front Republican runner is considered to be Senator McCain (AZ); however, I remain confident. Senator McCain lacks the support of a major portion of the Republican Party, the hard core social conservatives. With a mediocre (at best) conservative stance on social issues like abortion and gay marriage, Senator McCain will have a hard time winning the nomination from these voters. Senator Hagel, however, can get the support of the social conservatives, while still being supported by the centrist voters. Senator Hagel is a perfect mix: he is able to get religious and centrist Republicans, something Senator McCain will wish he would have been able to do. The only thing left to do is to spread the word about Senator Hagel. His problem as of now is recognition, as I indicated in my example. At a time when it is looking grim for Republicans, we cannot fail to do all that we can to get Senator Hagel the nomination, so that we can retain the Presidency to keep America a great country.

Please let us know why you support Chuck Hagel.

Get active!

Here are a couple of things you can do right now to help the Chuck Hagel grassroots movement:
Vote in on-line polls. Here's a new one.

Another way you can help is to let people know why Chuck Hagel will be a good President and a good candidate. The Political Derby is about to do another one of its rankings. Their last email said: "Now's your last chance to make your case for or against a candidate. Send your tips or dirty laundry to wire@politicalderby.com."

Send them an email telling them why Senator Hagel should be raised in the rankings (why he should be President or why he's likely to be elected). The same goes for the Caucus Cooler and the Michigan Cooler as well (you can post your same reasons as comments on those blogs).

Leadership Required

It is because of his leadership that many people want to see Chuck Hagel in the White House. This was from a week or so ago following Senator Hagel's Face the Nation appearance. From Angry Bear:

But you might have surmised the point of the last link was to show Senator Chuck Hagel in contrast to Lieberman. Yes, I watched Face the Nation and thought to myself, this guy gets it and knows how to tell the truth. Hagel may be a lot more conservative than I am, but what I want most in the next President of the United States is leadership. A prerequisite of leadership is integrity and as I think of the field of GOP wannabes, no one comes close to Senator Hagel. Now if he could only tell me how he would restore fiscal responsibility ...

Thankfully Senator Hagel has built his career in the Senate on fiscal responsibility. Chuck Hagel has integrity and leadership, as well as a strong vision for the direction of the United States in the 21st century.

GOP Bloggers Straw Poll

GOP Bloggers has their December straw poll up. Go vote Hagel!

"Hagel Speech on Iraq/Middle East"

Last Thursday Senator Chuck Hagel gave a speech regarding Iraq and the Middle East to the Johns Hopkins University’s Paul Nitze School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS). It is a remarkable speech and well worth a read. I'd love to post the whole thing here, but it would be too long. Go and read the speech at his Senate website.

Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, Iraq

GOP Progress - 10 Favorite Senators

Liz Mair has compiled a list of her ten favorite senators and the reasons for their places over at GOP Progress. Chuck Hagel makes it in at number three.

Why I like him: It's tough to find anyone more fiscally conservative than Hagel (and the only person who I believe consistently pulls it off is at the top of this list). It's also hard to find any Republican who is as upfront about the spending habits of Republicans on Capitol Hill. Yes, Hagel irritates people a lot, with his criticism of the President over Iraq and foreign policy, generally, but deep in his criticisms, I often find some rare Capitol Hill wisdom. He also has great market-based and market-friendly ideas on how to improve the environment, and actually takes an interest in banking law and policy--a pet concern of mine as an ex-banking lawyer, and something I think too many people on Capitol Hill ignore. Oh--and he voted against the FMA on exactly the right grounds: the 10th Amendment.

The Cato Institute on Iraq

The Cato Institute is a conservative/libertarian think tank. There is an article on their website that argues strongly for the U.S. to get out of Iraq, and soon.

But there is potential support for withdrawal among Republicans as well. In his recent Washington Post piece, Nebraska Senator Hagel stated categorically "The United States must begin planning for a phased troop withdrawal from Iraq."

Other veteran Republicans, including Richard Lugar of Indiana, the outgoing chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Virginia's John Warner, and South Carolina's Lindsay Graham have all voiced their concerns about an open-ended military commitment in Iraq.

An expeditious withdrawal would allow the United States to begin to rebuild its tattered image abroad. It would also free up political, diplomatic and military resources for use against al-Qaeda and other like-minded anti-American terrorist groups. Withdrawal carries risks, including the danger that the civil war in Iraq could grow more violent, or even spread beyond the country's borders, but the alternative – an indefinite commitment that saps American strength and undermines American security – is worse.

The ISG refused to make the case for ending this war. If the conflict drags on, and the costs in blood and treasure continue to mount, history will look back on their work as a lost opportunity.

While some on the right are still angry with Senator Hagel, more and more people are coming to the same conclusions he has been articulating.

The Iraq War and the 2008 Candidates

There is an interesting article about the 2008 Presidential race with regard to the Iraq war over at TomPaine.com. Senator Hagel is one of only two potential 2008 candidates that come away form the analysis in a positive light. Here are some excerpts from it:

What's the best way to judge a potential president? It might be to look at the hard decisions a candidate has made in the past. And for several of the probable and possible 2008 contenders, the October 2002 vote in the Senate on the resolution granting George W. Bush the authority to attack Iraq whenever he deemed fit was the most difficult call they had to make. It certainly was the most consequential. All of the current senatorial presidential wannabes who were in office then—Democrats Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, John Kerry, Christopher Dodd, Evan Bayh, and Republicans John McCain, Chuck Hagel and Sam Brownback—voted for the bill. So, too, did former Sen. John Edwards. (Sen. Barack Obama, who opposed the war, was not yet in the Senate.) But there were differences in how each approached and explained his or her vote. So let's go back through the dusty pages of the Congressional Record, and see how these legislators handled this tough task—and helped land the United States in the biggest foreign policy blunder of recent decades..

Chuck Hagel. Of all the senators eyeing the White House in 2008, this Nebraskan was the only one to express deep reservations about the resolution—while still voting for it. “America—including the Congress—and the world, must speak with one voice about Iraqi disarmament, as it must continue to do so in the war on terrorism,” Hagel said in explaining his vote. But he was prescient: “If disarmament in Iraq requires the use of force, we need to consider carefully the implications and consequences of our actions. The future of Iraq after Saddam Hussein is also an open question. Some of my colleagues and some American analysts now speak authoritatively of Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds in Iraq, and how Iraq can be a test case for democracy in the Arab world. How many of us really know and understand much about Iraq, the country, the history, the people, the role in the Arab world? I approach the issue of post-Saddam Iraq and the future of democracy and stability in the Middle East with more caution, realism and a bit more humility.” He added, “Imposing democracy through force in Iraq is a roll of the dice. A democratic effort cannot be maintained without building durable Iraqi political institutions and developing a regional and international commitment to Iraq's reconstruction. No small task.”

Hagel was disappointed in the discourse within the Senate: “We should spend more time debating the cost and extent of this commitment, the risks we may face in military engagement with Iraq, the implications of the precedent of United States military action for regime change and the likely character and challenges of a post-Saddam Iraq. We have heard precious little from the President, his team, as well as from this Congress, with a few notable exceptions, about these most difficult and critical questions.” And he cautioned humility: “I share the hope of a better world without Saddam Hussein, but we do not really know if our intervention in Iraq will lead to democracy in either Iraq or elsewhere in the Arab world.” Bottom line: Hagel feared the resolution would lead to a war that would go badly but didn't have the guts to say no to the leader of his party.

I can't say that I agree with that last line. Senator Hagel saw what COULD happen if his (and others) advice was not heeded, rather than he was unwilling to stand up to the President. We've seen since then that Senator Hagel has the courage to speak out against the President on Iraq.

"Hagel visits to test presidential waters"

There's an article in the Omaha World-Herald that sheds some light on Senator Hagel's speaking plans in the near future. From the article:

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Hagel, a possible 2008 White House contender, will visit one key campaign state next month and possibly another in January.

The Nebraska Republican is scheduled to visit Ohio as featured speaker at the Cuyahoga County Republicans' holiday party Dec. 15.

Ohio's presidential primary often plays an important early role in deciding party nominees.

Hagel also has tentatively penciled in a late January trip to Iowa - a year ahead of the state's presidential caucuses that kick off the battle for the White House every four years.

He's been invited to speak at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, a frequent stop for candidates.

Hagel spokesman Mike Buttry said that despite the two trips, the senator is no closer to deciding whether he'll enter the presidential race. Several other Republicans and Democrats already are launching their campaigns...

Hagel also is scheduled to introduce U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan as the featured speaker Dec. 11 at the Truman Presidential Library in Independence, Mo. It will be Annan's last major speech before retiring as secretary general.

Hagel also will deliver the Dec. 16 commencement address at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Also don't forget the contest, you can still win a button!

"Hagel Statement on the Recommendations of the Iraq Study Group"

Here is a press release from Senator Hagel's Senate office released today.

December 6th, 2006 - WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE), a member of the Senate Foreign Relations and Intelligence Committees, released the following statement today regarding the recommendations release by the Iraq Study Group:

“The Iraq Study Group has provided an important opportunity for the Administration to forge a bi-partisan consensus around a new way forward in Iraq. I look forward to reviewing all of the Iraq Study Groups recommendations. The report is an acknowledgment that there will be no military solution in Iraq. It will require a political solution arrived at through sustained Iraqi and region-wide diplomacy and engagement.

“The President and Congress now must work together to frame a new policy that will allow the U.S. to leave Iraq and the Iraqi people to make their own decisions as to their future.”

Technorati tags: Chuck Hagel, Iraq Study Group

Get your Hagel 2008 buttons

Want a cool looking Chuck Hagel for President button like this one?

Our first ever "contest":
Each of the first five people that do the following three things will get one of these buttons from me in the mail (and anyone that does this will be added to the blogroll on this site).

1.) Post a blog post in support of Senator Hagel and
2.) include a link to this blog.
3.) Email me your name and address (so I know where to send the buton).

These buttons are part of the collection from Oval Office 2008 on CafePress. Check out their stuff, as any Hagel merchandise you buy will count towards the botton poll at Oval Office 2008. Remember, only the first five get buttons, but everyone that does this and lets me know about it will be added to the blogroll on this site.

Video of this Morning's Face the Nation

You can catch the video of Senator Hagel's segment on this morning's Face the Nation here.

Moving up at The Next Prez

The Next Prez does their weekly Friday Top Five and this week Chuck Hagel is moving up. Also be sure to vote in their new 2008 poll for December. Here's what they had to say:

7. Chuck Hagel (rising) -- With the public weary of the ongoing war in Iraq, Hagel is one of the few Republicans who can claim to be right on the issue from the outset.

Senator Hagel on Face the Nation

Chuck Hagel will be on CBS's Sunday morning show Face the Nation tomorrow morning. Check local listings to find out when he'll be on in your area.

"Big Bad Chuck Hagel"

This was too funny (and interesting) to not share. Bayh2008 Coast-to-Coast is a blog similar to this one supporting Democrat Evan Bayh's likely 2008 Presidential run. Here's what they had to say about Senator Hagel.

The only Republican I fear is big bad Chuck Hagel.

The Chucker could give us trouble.

I would never vote for a Republican....

But the Chucker has BALLS that CLANG just ike Mario Cuomo had/has.

This is not the first time I've heard Democratic/liberal bloggers express their concern over Chuck Hagel getting the nomination, as he is one they do not want to face in the November 2008 election.

Notes on Chuck Hagel from Electoral Vote.com

Electoral Vote.com has a list of possible 2008 candidates and brief notes about each of them. Here is what they noted about Senator Chuck Hagel (emphasis added):

Like John McCain, Chuck Hagel is a decorated Vietnam veteran. Since Hagel is less well known than McCain, he is staking out a different piece of territory: he says the war has failed and we ought to start thinking about getting out. He has been far more critical of George Bush than any Democrat, even John Murtha. If the war is still the dominant issue in 2008, he can say "I warned you years ago" and have a lot of credibility. Also unlike McCain, he is not cozying up to the right-wing preachers, which may hurt him in the primaries but will help him in the general election. On domestic issues, he is slightly more conservative than McCain, though. He positively radiates integrity and gravitas and at 60, he looks like a president.

I'm not quite sure I agree with all of it, but it does raise a few interesting points. Senator Hagel is one that is likely to be agreeable to the Christian Right (much more so that Rudy and some of the others), but as far as I know he is not in close with that movement. Senator Hagel is a social conservative but that has not been the focus of his career. Likewise, I don't think that his Iraq position can be based on political calculations, but rather personal experience from Vietnam and how he saw that Congress as having failed in their duty to ask the tough questions for the troops fighting abroad. Your thoughts?