Republicans: Hagel Won't Seek Re-Election
Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel, a persistent Republican critic of the Iraq war, intends to announce on Monday he will not seek a third senate term, according to Republican officials.
The officials also said Hagel does not plan to run for the White House in 2008, despite earlier flirting with a candidacy.
The 60-year-old senator arranged a news conference for Monday in Omaha, Nebraska, to make his formal announcement. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting the event.
The decision by Hagel is the latest in a string of setbacks for minority Republicans in the Senate, who must defend 22 of the 34 seats on the ballot next fall.
Last week, Sen. John Warner of Virginia announced his retirement, a decision expected to create an intensely competitive race for a seat he probably would have held easily had he decided to run again.
Nebraska is one of the most Republican states in the nation, but Hagel's retirement could open the way for former Democratic Sen. Bob Kerrey to attempt a political comeback. Democratic officials have been in contact with him in recent weeks, hoping to recruit him to become a candidate if Hagel were to retire.
Colorado Republican Sen. Wayne Allard is the third Republican retirement of the election cycle, and incumbents in New Hampshire, Oregon, Minnesota and Maine face particularly competitive races.
In addition, Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens faces a federal corruption investigation, and Sen. Larry Craig is expected to resign his seat following his arrest in an airport men's room sex sting. Craig pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, but has hired a lawyer to try and withdraw his plea.
Hagel was elected more than a decade ago with a resume that included a tour in combat in Vietnam.
He has compiled a generally conservative voting record, yet emerged as one of the earliest and most biting Republican critics of the Iraq war.
In January, Hagel was the only member of his party on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to support a nonbinding measure critical of President George W. Bush's decision to dispatch an additional 30,000 troops to Iraq.
"There is no strategy. This is a pingpong game with American lives," Hagel said at the time.
Later, he virtually lectured fellow senators about their responsibilities.
"If you wanted a safe job, go sell shoes," he said.
"This is a tough business. But is it any tougher, us having to take a tough vote, express ourselves and have the courage to step up on what we're asking our young men and women to do?"
© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The officials also said Hagel does not plan to run for the White House in 2008, despite earlier flirting with a candidacy.
The 60-year-old senator arranged a news conference for Monday in Omaha, Nebraska, to make his formal announcement. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to avoid pre-empting the event.
The decision by Hagel is the latest in a string of setbacks for minority Republicans in the Senate, who must defend 22 of the 34 seats on the ballot next fall.
Last week, Sen. John Warner of Virginia announced his retirement, a decision expected to create an intensely competitive race for a seat he probably would have held easily had he decided to run again.
Nebraska is one of the most Republican states in the nation, but Hagel's retirement could open the way for former Democratic Sen. Bob Kerrey to attempt a political comeback. Democratic officials have been in contact with him in recent weeks, hoping to recruit him to become a candidate if Hagel were to retire.
Colorado Republican Sen. Wayne Allard is the third Republican retirement of the election cycle, and incumbents in New Hampshire, Oregon, Minnesota and Maine face particularly competitive races.
In addition, Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens faces a federal corruption investigation, and Sen. Larry Craig is expected to resign his seat following his arrest in an airport men's room sex sting. Craig pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, but has hired a lawyer to try and withdraw his plea.
Hagel was elected more than a decade ago with a resume that included a tour in combat in Vietnam.
He has compiled a generally conservative voting record, yet emerged as one of the earliest and most biting Republican critics of the Iraq war.
In January, Hagel was the only member of his party on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to support a nonbinding measure critical of President George W. Bush's decision to dispatch an additional 30,000 troops to Iraq.
"There is no strategy. This is a pingpong game with American lives," Hagel said at the time.
Later, he virtually lectured fellow senators about their responsibilities.
"If you wanted a safe job, go sell shoes," he said.
"This is a tough business. But is it any tougher, us having to take a tough vote, express ourselves and have the courage to step up on what we're asking our young men and women to do?"
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Im thinking its an interesting trend to watch unfold.
Posted by pwrslm
Thanks for this long list of names.
Perfect description of our Republican friends, especially about the pervert, (Foley), the liar (Gonzalez), the thief, (Cheney), and the murderer (Bush - 4000 dead Americans and counting)
Posted by jerr11
Lets see, you try to diminish the truth by doing what? Claiming so and so did such and such is not about the truth, is it?
At least one thing is true and absolute, I found the entire list in 1 person, you had to streach out and grasp at conspiracy theories to compete against the truth.
That tells ya alot about Billy and his cigar, eh?
pwsrlm,lars.singin moron; one and the same. Ya can fool some , but...............................
Posted by drummer94
Look, insults from a half witted obsessive mental case doesnt harm anyone.
If you could compete you would, but you dont have anything but insults to toss about.
Hows that go...up your nose with a rubber hose....
...I for one.
When he leaves office, the takeover of the party by the Neocon-Christian coalition will be complete.
The Republican will become the party for rednecks, hypocrites, cowards, war profiteers, and every kind of haters.
Good luck, Mr. Hagel!
Your voice of reason and conscience will be sorely missed!
Posted by pwrslm at 09:45 AM : Sep 09, 2007
Thanks for this long list of names.
Perfect description of our Republican friends, especially about the pervert, (Foley), the liar (Gonzalez), the thief, (Cheney), and the murderer (Bush - 4000 dead Americans and counting)
For the love of god, stop your hack cut and paste jobs!!! Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, stop.
non muslims of the world unite... fight against the tyranny of the fascist nazi terrorslam imperialist empire of the darkside...
I was a fanatic...I know their thinking, says former radical Islamist
By blaming the Government for our actions, those who pushed this "Blair''s bombs" line did our propaganda work for us.
More important, they also helped to draw away any critical examination from the real engine of our violence: Islamic theology.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=465570&in_page_id=1770
Bless the Beasts and Children
Fascist nazi terrorslam kills every man woman and child in the village again%u2026 typical mo for terrorslam%u2026
http://www.michaelyon-online.com/wp/bless-the-beasts-and-children.htm
Our Prophet commanded us to fight the kaafirs when we are able and to attack them in their homelands and to give them three choices before we enter their lands: either they become Muslim and be like us, sharing our rights and duties; or they pay the jizyah (poll tax) and feel themselves subdued; or they fight, in which case their wealth, women, children and homes become permissible as booty for the Muslims.
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=13759&ln=eng&txt=before%20islam%20arabia%20pagan
the truth about fascist nazi terrorislam...
http://www.terrorismawareness.org/what-really-happened/