More chatter about Hagel as VP nominee...

[El Pinko]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080813/ap_on_el_pr/hagel_obama_2

Hagel as Obama veep draws concern from both sides

By ANNA JO BRATTON, Associated Press Writer Wed Aug 13, 3:42 AM ET

OMAHA, Neb. - Talk of Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel as a potential running mate for Democratic candidate Barack Obama tends to confound partisans in both parties.


"His anti-war posture might be attractive to Obama, but he's anathema to much of the progressive base of the Democratic Party," said Toby Chaudhuri, communications director for the liberal Campaign for America's Future.

Rep. Adrian Smith, R-Neb., calls the pairing "not a good fit" and says that on issues other than the Iraq war, Hagel and Obama are not compatible. The American Conservative Union, which examines voting records on everything from abortion to national security, pegs the Nebraska Republican as a conservative.

When Hagel accompanied Obama on his trip to Iraq and Afghanistan last month, speculation swirled anew that he was a possible vice presidential pick.




If Obama picks that son of a bitch, there is not a chance in hell that I would vote for them.

But democrats do seem to go out of their way to throw presidential elections in recent decades, don't they?



Is there actually a genuine possibility that he would do something so stupid? The mere fact that there is chatter about it leaves a bad taste in my mouth...

[bunkerbuster1]

1. If Obama picks a pair of Bush's sweat socks as his VP, I'm voting for him

See, I don't want the Supreme Court packed with corporatist thugs, our environment raped, and Four More Wars with McCain.

You? You would prefer that, to an Obama/Hagel ticket?

(Mind you, I think talk of Hagel on the ticket is silly-season crap, and I think if Obama were to pick Hagel as his veep it'd be a terrible mistake. BUT HE'S STILL GOT MY FUCKING VOTE, FOR FUCK'S SAKES.)

[hlthe2b]

6. ditto... sometimes it feels like we are becoming our children--

"Pick my candidate for VP or I'm gonna hold my breath until I'm purple!" and repercussions be damned....:eyes:

[El Pinko]

10. That is not what this is about.

This is not like complaining because he didn't pick Hillary, or Kucinich, or whoever. Hagel is an ultra-right-wing fascist. There is a huge difference.

[El Pinko]

9. With Hagel on the ticket that is very likely.

Obama is right-wing enough. Hagel is an ultra-rightwinger and would be a heartbeat from the presidency. The first black president would be an even more appealing target for assasins if they knew one of their fascist darlings was second in line.

There is NO WAY IN HELL I would vote for such a ticket. And I hope you're right that the talk is silliness.

[hlthe2b]

24. I'd be disappointed in Hagel, but vote for McCain?

What is the other option? McCain? Geebus.

[El Pinko]

26. Maybe you consider a vote for another party to be a vote for McCain.

I don't. Besides, a vote for Hagel would be tantamount to a vote for McCain. Obama would be dead inside 6 weeks of inauguration.

[hlthe2b]

39. Yowser..... well, I hate to think we are quite 'there', but we may be...

I don't think Hagel would be on the ticket, regardless.

[spinbaby]

2. I would vote for anyone Obama picks

At this point, he could pick Elmer Fudd, and I'd vote for that ticket over McCain.

[El Pinko]

11. I would vote for the socialist party nominee.

I don't cast votes for fascists. It's all I can do to choke down my bile to vote for right-leaning corporatist "democrats" like Obama, Kerry, Gore, Clinton, etc.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. I agree with the above posters...Obama has my vote. But I feel there is no way he is picking a

Republican for his VP.

[alarimer]

4. No way am I voting for a Republican anywhere on the ticket.

If this happens, I am not voting for this guy.

[babylonsister]

5. Hagel is going to be out of the country for both conventions: don't

sweat the small stuff.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/08/12/veep-stakes-cross-hagel-off-the-obama-list/

Veep-Stakes: Cross Hagel Off the Obama List

Susan Davis reports on the presidential race.

A spokesman for Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska offered one of the more Shermanesque statements today responding to the ongoing chatter of whether there’s a place for Hagel on Barack Obama’s vice presidential short-list.

The talk sparked again after former Iowa Republican Rep. Jim Leach, in a conference call discussing his support for Obama, said he viewed Hagel as a top choice to be the Democrat’s running mate.

Hagel, who is retiring from the Senate, traveled with Obama on his recent trip to Iraq, and he has not endorsed either Obama or Republican colleague John McCain in the race. Jordan Stark, Hagel’s spokesman, made it clear that it’s going to stay that way.

“Senator Hagel has no intention in getting involved in any of the campaigns, and is not planning to endorse either candidate,” Stark said in a statement. “He will be in Central and South America during both conventions on official travel. Senator Hagel is focused on his job serving the people of Nebraska as a United States Senator.”

Got it?

[TwilightGardener]

7. That "son of a bitch" spoke out more than almost anyone in Congress to

bring the war to an end, at the cost of his own political career. And he also has been helping Obama. There's no need to insult a good man.

[Supersedeas]

8. political courage -- plain and simple

[El Pinko]

15. If he was a good man he would not have stolen his election.

And speaking out against the war once it already looks lost and its popularity is spent is not an act of courage.

Where was Hagel in 2002-2003?

Oh yeah, voting FOR the Iraq War Resolution.

and before that he was winning elections in "surprising upsets", with the help of electronic voting machines made by the company he owned, ES&S.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0301/S00166.htm


The fact that he is a republican alone is enough for me to consider him an SOB, but even as repukes go, he's no saint.

[TwilightGardener]

21. He didn't steal his elections. That's internet rumor bullshit.

And most of our Prez candidates voted for the war, and they didn't even belong to Shrub's party, so that line of attack is bullshit too. Do you have anything to offer BESIDES bullshit?

[El Pinko]

23. I disagree that it's bullshit. It's a disgrace that any "democrat" voted for that war.

He owned the company that made the machines that elected him. Even *IF* his "upset victory" was not due to vote-rigging, (and I think it was), if you don't see any problem or massive conflict of interest with that, or the fact that he concealed his ownership of said company, you're living in freaking Candy Land.

[TwilightGardener]

27. He owned shares of the parent company. Senate Ethics committeee

checked it out, said he should have disclosed the tie--that was the end of it. In twelve years, no one in Nebraska ever questioned his elections except for his Dem rival in 2002, who himself was an utter crackpot. Not even Ben Nelson, who was the Governor in 1996 and Hagel's opponent--he approved of the very voting machines he lost with. If anyone was in a position to investigate an election, it was Nelson, but even he knew he lost fair and square. The only people who spread bullshit about stealing elections are anonymous internet bloggers OUTSIDE of Nebraska.

[El Pinko]

31. The senate ethics committee was wrong.

He should have either sold all interest in the company before running, or not run.

That is a huge conflict of interest, and it's not crackpot to say so.

Then again, I think it's a huge conflict of interest when politicians vote for wars that enrich military-industrial complex companies they own shares in.

I guess that's "crackpot" too, huh?

[Runcible Spoon]

40. oh look it's you again.

doing your regular Hagel-lovin' schtick. Lovely.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. It would be nice if Obama picked a liberal to balance the ticket.

A highly unlikely scenario.

[cascadiance]

13. But a DAMN better life insurance policy for Obama though!

I'd like to see what his life insurance premiums would be if he picked Hagel vs. someone like Russ Feingold. I'd BET a lot higher!

[El Pinko]

20. Definitely. A right-wing pig on the ticket would be like begging to be assassinated.

nt

[book_worm]

14. Why do you get yourself caught up in the VP hype? Obama is not picking Hagel

He's smarter than that. And what do you mean that Democrats go out of their way to throw presidentail elections in recent decades? could you elaborate.

[El Pinko]

17. Uh, Kerry, Gore and Mondale ring a bell?

Kerry's inept campaign against an unpopular incumbent run by the perennial loser Bob Shrum was the stuff of legend.

Gore technically won, but asked for a recount only in 4 counties - when a statewide recount would have put him over the top, according to every newspapers analysis.

Dukakis - apparently deomcrats nationwide were hitting the crack pipe when they picked him over several more appealing candidates in 1988.

Mondale probably never had a chance against an ascendant Reagan, but Ferraro? Come on...


This year we have a reasonably promising candidate. Picking an ultra-right-winger VP would not be a wise choice. I hope you're right that he's smarter than that.

If he's really smart he'd make a statement "With all due respect to Sen. Hagel, I am PROUD to be a democrat, and would never choose a member of the other party as a running mate "
or something to that effect.


And since I am not smart, if it was me, I would add "because their party's philosophy of government runs counter to everything America is supposed to stand for."

[mmonk]

16. I don't hate Hagel.

I guess it's because he is Republican and thus is conservative on many issues but is against the neoconservative movement and thus, he is what he appears to be. I'll take that over some in our party that have liberal domestic policies but back the neoconservative movement in world affairs and governance outside the rule of law and International conventions. I know people will turn my post into support and agreement with him on issues rather than my statement I don't hate him and my reasons for not hating him.

[El Pinko]

18. I don't hate him personally. I just hate most of what he stands for.

Just being against the Iraq war (starting in 2005 when it was already unpopular) is not enough to make him even remotely palatable.

I'd sooner vote for Ron Paul, and I find him extremely offensive as well.

[TwilightGardener]

22. Read his floor speech from October 2002, before his vote, before

you spout off in your ignorance.

[El Pinko]

25. Of what relevance would that speech be?

All I need to know about is his "YEA" vote for the carte-blanche blank check to go to war...

I don't buy excuses by "democrats" for voting for that, why would I buy it from a POS like Hagel?



...and his criticism of the war was much more muted until after the 2004 election was over and the war's pointlessness, fraudulentness and unpopularity was blindingly clear.

[TwilightGardener]

28. LOL! So you're WILLFULLY ignorant. OK.

[El Pinko]

29. Of what? his hypocritical statements about the war he voted for?

Don't think so...

[TwilightGardener]

30. Eh, I'm arguing with someone who calls himself "el pinko"--waste of my time.

[El Pinko]

33. Yes, I'm sure it's very valuable...

:eyes:

There are probably lots of other ultra-right-wingers you could be spending it defending, and lots more receptive audiences...



pink·o
n. pl. pink·os Slang
A person who holds moderately leftist political views; a pink.


I support democratic socialist political principles, thought the name was fitting.

[TwilightGardener]

34. I defend Hagel, because he stood up for active-duty military (like my husband) and veterans

and their families, over and over again, on a number of fronts (including the new GI Bill). I don't care about "receptive audiences"--I couldn't give a shit if anyone else reads this or not. I applaud acts of decency and political courage regardless of party affiliation.

[El Pinko]

35. And I condemn acts of evil like that vote, and hypocrisy like his meaningless anti-war statements.

If he gave a damn about servicemembers, he would have given the lunatic Bush a resounding and clear "NO" back in Oct. 2002, when it still MATTERED.

[RB TexLa]

19. Silly season in full effect. I hear my tabby cat is being whispered for Secretary of the Interior

:rofl:

[Bucky]

37. Your tabby cat is grossly unqualified. If Obama nominates it, I'm taking my vote back.

[Runcible Spoon]

41. I would vote Obama-Tabby before I would vote Obama-Hagel

your cat's history is probably less riddled by disgusting conservative acts, even if you count all of the mice he beheaded.

[Mass]

32. Hagel said he would not endorse anybody and would not attend any conventions.

August is a slow news month, I guess.

[Bucky]

36. Hagel's probably got people starting these whispers for him.

This is how democracy works... you float an idea out into the public and see if it gathers momentum.

This idea, of course, won't.

[Junkdrawer]

38. The Senator from ES&S brings a lot of "votes" with him...

Hmmmmmm......