Sen. Chuck Hagel has some unvarnished advice for George W. Bush

[Robbien]

Battered by the bad news out of Iraq, President George W. Bush decided it was time to stiffen the spines of some anxious Republicans on Capitol Hill last week. So he went to the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue and held an hourlong pep rally in a basement conference room at the Capitol. Many of the 200 House and Senate Republicans in attendance emerged to say they were reassured. Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander called it "choir practice." But not for Chuck Hagel.

The 57-year-old Republican senator from Nebraska said the appearance by the president left more than a little to be desired. Bush "talked for an hour and did not take a single question," says Hagel. "He didn't listen, and I think this president needs to listen more. If he had taken questions he would have heard some things that might have been helpful."

The comments were vintage Hagel--calmly stated but brutally frank and increasingly troubling to an unsteady White House. Fellow Vietnam War veteran John McCain has long been the chief maverick among Senate Republicans, but it is Hagel, with his lower profile and sober demeanor, who may now be emerging as a more potent symbol of the angst that congressional Republicans are feeling over the direction of the war in Iraq--and its political consequences.

. . .

Hagel, who also sits on the Intelligence Committee, says that Bush "may be more isolated than any president in recent memory" and therefore susceptible to faulty advice. Much of that advice, Hagel says, has come from Vice President Dick Cheney, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz, and former Pentagon official Richard Perle. But the problem, in Hagel's view, was compounded by the president's lack of foreign-policy experience. "I think you've got a president who is not schooled, educated, experienced in foreign policy in any way, versus his father," Hagel says. "I think he was philosophically, intellectually more in tune with the neoconservatives'approach to 'let's go get them, and we'll worry about it later.'

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/issue/040531/usnews/31hagel.htm

[goclark]

1. Yep! n/t

[maddezmom]

2. wahoo, Lugar and Hagel....who is going to be next???

By Mark Pratt, Associated Press, 5/22/2004 15:09



MEDFORD, Mass. (AP) In a broadside against the Bush administration, Republican Sen. Richard G. Lugar on Saturday said the U.S. isn't doing enough diplomatically to stave off terrorist attacks and chided the president for failing to offer concrete plans for Iraq's future.

Lugar said he hasn't seen any plans for the makeup of the new Iraqi government, even though the administration intends to transfer political control of the country to the Iraqis in little over a month.

It's still unclear how much control the Iraqi people will have over the security of the nation as of the June 30 transfer, or how roughly $18.4 billion in reconstruction money will be distributed, the Indiana Republican said.

''I am very hopeful that the president and his administration will articulate precisely what is going to happen as much as they can, day by day, as opposed to a generalization,'' Lugar said at an appearance at the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

Bush must offer those specifics when he addresses the issue during the next week in a concrete plan that wins the approval of the international community, he said.

~snip~
more: http://www.boston.com/dailynews/143/region/Lugar_critical_of_president...

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

5. and wasn't Lindsay Graham critical last week?

[maddezmom]

11. yup, and even Warner gets a bit of credit for standing up to Hunter

Warner took quite a bit of shit this week from his own side of the aisle. As did McCain with that chickenhawk Hastert.

[MsMagnificent]

17. I'm shocked by McCain

If he had ran last election I very probably would have voted for him
He seemed to have real integrity and honesty

But his toeing the line to the neo-con's and passively letting them take over the GOP has very much modified my opinion of him.
I guess I learned a hard lesson - he's no better than the rest of those crooks.

[mr_hat]

25. What state is Wahoo?

[Kahuna]

3. I'll take one Chuck Hagel for every ten McCains you try to force..

down my throat. I get the feeling that Hagel really can't stand Smirk.

[Robbien]

8. Agreed, did you see this part of the article

But later is now. And in Hagel's view, the administration in paying the price for being a bit too sure of itself before the war began. "I have always believed that a good, healthy dose of humility is the best prescription for anything that ails you politically," he says. "In this business of govern-ing there are so many uncontrollables . . . and when those uncontrollables occur you are going to need friends, you're going to need some margins to govern. If you're arrogant, or are perceived as arrogant, you have no margin. And the first time you slip or stumble . . . then it'll be disastrous for you."


Hagel sure knows his Prez

[okcdem]

9. Well...

It's sick I know, but I kinda like McCain.

[leesa]

33. He's a neocon and fully supports everything Bush has done

His role in this game is to play the moderate so that you think one or two of them are not insane. He's on board to promote their 'credibility', like Powell.

[PurityOfEssence]

16. Boy, you got that right

Much as we spar on other issue(s), I'm with ya on this one. Hagel is a pretty decent guy, for a blockheaded primitive (er...Republican) and he's someone with whom consensus can be reached. Somehow the ideologues need to get this: the battle's won in the middle.

I'm probably harsher on McCain than I should be, but that's okay, I'm REALLY harsh on him.

[myomy]

4. IsnÕt it wonderful to hear Rethugs saying these things?

IsnÕt it time for Kerry to strike

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

6. Why should he when they're striking each other

when your opponent is digging a hole for himself don't interrupt him.

[myomy]

10. IÕll have tko agree with that.

.

[OKNancy]

7. Damn - he sounds a little like Pelosi

If you have to have a Republican as your Senator, he'd be as good as any. You people in Nebraska are lucky, at least your Republican isn't Inhofe....shudder.

[billybob537]

13. Thats the sound

of the tide turning. Every week a new republican jumps ship.YAA HOO!

[elvisbear]

20. Hagel has questioned * more than Ben Nelson (D) our other senator.

Nelson is just a DINO in my opinion. Or in layman's terms. "A GOP Boot licker".

[Catt03]

23. I check on your Nelson periodically

as we have a Florida Nelson (Bill), and his voting record is abysmally Republican. Well both are more like yellow dog Democrats.

Sorry for you and me.

[Zhade]

24. Not that the people of Nebraska actually elected Hagel...

I mean, he had a vested financial interest and control in the company that made the voting machines that counted the votes in the elections where he "won".

So, yeah, he's not so bad for a Republican who cheated his way into power. I'd prefer him over b*sh, of course.

[havocmom]

26. Check post #22 for more on that story (n/t)

[OKNancy]

35. There is no evidence of any kind that the election was

rigged. True about his former company, but slinging bullshit like this hurts your cause.

[Zhade]

42. See post #22, blackboxvoting.com, Google - it's hardly bullshit.

Physician, educate thyself.

[TheFarseer]

28. and the other senator

is a democrat(well sort of) The reps are republican trolls though

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

12. I'm surprised the right wing pundits

haven't called Hagel a traitor for actually telling it like it is.

Let's hope more Republicans see the light.

[Just Me]

14. Good to see some "center" and "moderation" shining through

the Republican party. Geez.

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

34. Hagel is actually quite conservative, based on his record.

I think as a Vietnam vet he takes a personal interest in whats going on with Bush and Iraq.....

[AlCzervik]

15. They was a good article

thanks for posting it.

[fearnobush]

18. It's good to see some Republicans finally take the blinders off.

Question is, will they keep them off?

[grasswire]

19. challenge him, Hagel

....I wish Hagel would look as if he wants to mount a challenge at the convention. Wouldn't that be cool? To have the Republicans break into chaos?

[NNN0LHI]

21. Something tells me that Hagel wants on Kerry's short list of VP candidates

Just a suspicion.

Don

[FlashHarry]

37. You know... You may be right. McCain is a decoy.

Kerry/Hagel in '04? Hmmm. Hagel is young. He's well-spoken, if a bit terse. He's a Vietnam vet. He's midwestern. He's well versed in foreign policy--especially on the Middle East. I think he and Kerry are friends, too.

I'm guessing he's anti-choice, though, which presents a major problem.

[havocmom]

22. Hagel dissing pretzel boy? Former Chairman of AIS (of BBV-computer fame)

That Hagel? Gee ya suppose the vote won't go quite the way the junta expects?
This Hagel?!?!
http://www.motherjones.com/commentary/columns/2004/03/03_200.html
<snip> In 1992, investment banker Chuck Hagel, president of McCarthy & Co, became chairman of AIS. Hagel, who had been touted as a possible Senate candidate in 1993, was again on the list of likely GOP contenders heading into the 1996 contest. In January of 1995, while still chairman of ES&S, Hagel told the Omaha World-Herald that he would likely make a decision by mid-March of 1995. On March 15, according to a letter provided by Hagel's Senate staff, he resigned from the AIS board, noting that he intended to announce his candidacy. A few days later, he did just that.

<snip> A little less than eight months after steppind down as director of AIS, Hagel surprised national pundits and defied early polls by defeating Benjamin Nelson, the state's popular former governor. It was Hagel's first try for public office. Nebraska elections officials told The Hill that machines made by AIS probably tallied 85 percent of the votes cast in the 1996 vote, although Nelson never drew attention to the connection. Hagel won again in 2002, by a far healthier margin. That vote is still angrily disputed by Hagel's Democratic opponent, Charlie Matulka, who did try to make Hagel's ties to ES&S an issue in the race and who asked that state elections officials conduct a hand recount of the vote. That request was rebuffed, because Hagel's margin of victory was so large.

<snip> As might be expected, Hagel has been generously supported by his investment partners at McCarthy & Co. -- since he first ran, Hagel has received about $15,000 in campaign contributions from McCarthy & Co. executives. And Hagel still owns more than $1 million in stock in McCarthy & Co., which still owns a quarter of ES&S.

<snip> If the Republican ties at Diebold and ES&S aren't enough to cause concern, argues election reform activist Bev Harris, the companies' past performances and current practices should be. Harris is author of Black Box Voting, and the woman behind the BlackBoxVoting.com web site.

Golly, if Chuck's pals are unhappy too, I look for a dark horse riding into the GOP range soon.

Note to Rove: Do remember the old saying about counting chickens...

[Robbien]

27. Now that part of the article about Hagel saying the voters will choose

takes on a whole new meaning. It is really weird that a member of the voting cabal is speaking up against Bush.

[TheFarseer]

29. It was a little surprising

he beat Nelson the first time. I seem to remember Nelson with an edge in pre-election polls. It worked out though. Nelson beat the John Ashcroft wanna-be for the other senate seat. One democrat(sort of) and a maverick republican is about the best we can expect from NE. Hagel's re-election shouldn't have surprised anyone. Matulka didn't have much of a chance, and the polls were about what I expected.

[demlandslide2004]

30. Bush is Toast

and those idiot freepers are blasting away at Hagel right now..

Watching them eat each other is oh so much fun!

[leesa]

31. Lookee at all the RATS jumping the ship!

Why are Republicans so dumb??

[Waverley_Hills_Hiker]

32. I think Hagel is running for the GOP nom in 2008.

I think hes' raising his profile for this run...

[FlashHarry]

36. I voted for Hagel in '02.

I was (and still am) thoroughly pissed with the Bush admin, and loved Hagel's comments regarding the chickenhawks: "Maybe Mr. Perle would like to be in the first wave into Baghdad." Hagel was basically running unopposed, so I figured I'd throw a vote his way. I'm not sorry I did.

Yes, I know he has BBV connections, but he's no lock-step 'puke. He's a younger McCain, and I like him. So far, that is...

[LizW]

38. Where the hell has Hagel been?

I'm sorry, but I'm not quite ready to throw any roses at Hagel for finally voicing what those of us here have known for years!

"He didn't listen, and I think this president needs to listen more. If he had taken questions he would have heard some things that might have been helpful."

No kidding? He didn't listen? I'm shocked, shocked I tell you!

The only good thing I can say about these rats who are getting poised to jump off the ship, is that they're the smarter rats. Still rats, though.

[FlashHarry]

39. Hagel's been critical of Bush for years.

He's a favorite TV guest on Hardball and CNN, too. Though, not of Fox News, surprisingly...

[Robbien]

41. Missed this, probably because of the BBV tinted glasses

Really do not know what to think about this shifting-sands politician.

[SayitAintSo]

40. What's a puke to do ? When "your own guy says so..."

drip drip drip ....

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[Disturbed]

43. Not the brightest bulbs.....

Most Republicans aren't morons, although many are not very bright and I strongly suspect that many are chagrined by having this phoney Conservative,the dumbest Pres. in America's history.