Veterans group praises Hagel on Iraq votes

Southwest Nebraska News reports that there is a new radio ad praising Senator Hagel ("Hagel, other Republicans Commended in Radio Ads").

Major General (Ret.) John Batiste, former 1st Infantry Division commander in Iraq, life-long Republican, and advisor to VoteVets.org, is featured in a new radio ad campaign being launched today, that praises three Republicans for standing up for the troops.

Here is the text of the ad being run in Nebraska:

"I first want to thank the great state of Nebraska for standing behind our great military. When I was in uniform, my duty was to get the job done, without commenting on the policy makers in Washington. Now I'm a civilian, and pleased to thank Senator Chuck Hagel for his moral courage and standing up for our troops and military families. We're caught in the middle of a brutal civil war in Iraq, without a focused national strategy. Senator Hagel is well-informed, challenging those politicians who are breaking our great Army and Marine corps. Right now our soldiers and marines are killing and dying in Iraq, despite the fact that the Iraqis are no closer to reconciliation, and the current government is ineffective. Policy-makers need people like Senator Hagel, standing up for our troops, their families, and our national security."

There have been many veterans that have expressed their support for Senator Hagel and the trend will no doubt continue. You can listen to the ad here, or at VoteVets.org.

Senator Hagel reacts to the Gonzales Resignation

KETV, an Omaha station, has Senator Hagel's reaction to the Alberto Gonzales Resignation.

In a written statement, Sen. Chuck Hagel said, "Attorney General Gonzales has taken the responsible and appropriate action in resigning. His resignation is the best thing for the country, Justice Department and the president."

Hagel book to be released early next year

In February it was released that Senator Hagel would be writing a book (check out the original post here). Amazon.com has a page for the book, including a title: "America: The Next Chapter: Tough Questions and Straight Answers." Check it out.

David Broder - "Bloomberg And Hagel For 2008?"

David S. Broder's column in yesterday's Washington Post, "Bloomberg And Hagel For 2008?", is certainly worth a read.

Chuck Hagel, the senator from Nebraska, describes himself as a "tidal" politician, one who believes that larger forces in society shape careers more than the ambitions of individuals. "The only mistakes I've made," he told me last week, "were when I tried to go against the tide."
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Next month, Hagel will make a threshold decision -- whether to run for a third term in the Senate. He gave me no definitive answer, but my guess is that he will say that 12 years of battling the institutional lethargy of Capitol Hill will be enough. Certainly he is under no illusions about how much he can achieve as one of 100 lawmakers.
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The imperative the public will impose on the next president, Hagel says, "is to lead the country and restore the sense of national purpose." But the early start on campaigning for the GOP and Democratic nominations, and the prospect that the battles on one side or the other or both could continue right through next summer's conventions, could make it harder for the survivor to be that unifying figure.

Lincoln Journal Star: "Hagel: Congress demands facts on Iraq"

Don Walton had a piece in Friday's Lincoln Journal Star covering Hagel's latest on the Iraq war. Check out the full article for more.

“We’re going to demand we get whatever information we require,” the Republican senator said during a Lincoln interview. “We fully expect the leaders of our government will comply with their responsibility. We must have all the facts and details required to make intelligent decisions.”

One and a half years

Today is the one and a half year anniversary for this blog. Thanks for all the support!

Fantasy Politics USA

Head over to Fantasy Politics USA and check out their 2008 poll. Chuck Hagel is currently in 2nd place and if the readers of this blog sign up and vote I think we can push him to number one for the month.

The latest on Hagel in New Hampsire

The Concord Monitor ran a piece on Hagel this week.

The nation's increasing frustration with the war has given Sen. Chuck Hagel - the loudest Republican critic of the war in the Senate - renewed hope in a possible presidential run. He told The New York Times recently that a few major fundraisers were urging him to run. He said: "There is no Republican presidential candidate with this point of view. There might be an opening for me on this."

We checked in with state Sen. Bob Odell, a Lempster Republican who's been friends with Hagel for 30 years.

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Odell said he thinks Hagel's position has increasing resonance. "I certainly think the public is open to a new voice, a new approach," he said.

A post and a video from DWSUWF

DWSUWF has a new post on Hagel that's worth a look: "Now is the time for one good man to come to the aid of his party." Here is an excerpt:

Hagel's staff has not asked me, but I have some free advice for them. There are three themes/messages that a "Hagel for President" campaign should focus on and hammer over and over again.

1. "It's the war, stupid." - Hagel is the only credible anti-war Republican (except for Ron Paul - but the problem with Ron Paul is that he is Ron Paul).
2. Hagel is The AntiBush - (See above)
3. Hagel is a real conservative. - Unlike Bush, Cheney, or most of the current crop of Republican candidates.

This video hits on the first two of the three. I know, I know - two themes in one video is one too many. That is why this video is too long at two minutes. Hey - this is strictly amateur hour - you get what you pay for.

Check out the post and the video.

New Format

I've updated the format of this blog with the key addition of a complete list of labels on the left side of the page. Are you interested in learning more about a particular topic? Do you have a pet issue that you want to learn more about? Check out the labels on the left side of the page (just below the form and above the archives section).

If you're new to this site the labels are a great place to start.

Hagel and Infrastructure

Senator Hagel made the news last week by calling for a new way to keep our infrastructure healthy, and it came just before the Minneapolis bridge collapse.

Hardblogger has a piece on the plan (you can see video of Senators Hagel and Dodd on Hardball here) and here is an excerpt:

Earlier on Wednesday – a few hours before the 35W bridge in Minnesota collapsed -- Senators Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Chuck Hagel R-Neb.) introduced legislation to fix America’s road, bridges, water, and transit systems. According to the senators, the National Infrastructure Bank Act of 2007 would help revitalize America’s infrastructure.
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“We have the capacity to do it,” said Sen. Hagel. “We have the greatest economy, system, nation, people in the world. There is no challenge this country has ever failed at meeting.” (Rumors continue that Hagel may run for president as well).

NPR has an interview with Chuck Hagel on the matter as well. You can listen to it here.

More from Novak

Robert Novak wrote this recently:

HAGEL FOR PRESIDENT?

Sen. Chuck Hagel, the Senate's toughest Republican critic of President Bush's war policy, has not ruled out a campaign for the GOP presidential nomination and will use the August recess of Congress to make up his mind.

A major reason for the unexpectedly strong professions of support for Rep. Ron Paul's libertarian-conservative candidacy is that he is the only announced Republican presidential candidate opposed to the invasion of Iraq. Hagel as an anti-war candidate might attract a broader base of support than Paul. He has received many offers of financial support should he run.

Hagel must decide what to do in 2008: to run for president, to run for Senate re-election, or to get out of politics. The betting in the Senate Republican cloakroom is that he will retire, but Hagel has given no signal of his intentions and tells friends that he has yet to make a decision.

Notes from Novak

From Robert Novak's piece today:

Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) is still considering the possibility of a presidential campaign as an anti-war candidate and soon will make his decision. He could make a splash in the primaries.