WSJ: Hagel to Join Obama on Iraq Trip

Hagel to Join Obama on Iraq Trip

Susan Davis reports on the presidential race.

The buzz this week that Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska is planning to join Sen. Barack Obama on an up-coming visit to Iraq is correct, two sources with knowledge of the trip confirmed Friday.
A spokesman for Sen. Obama declined to comment on any details or even confirm the date uncertain trip, citing security concerns. A spokesman for Sen. Hagel did not respond to requests for comment.

While it is standard practice for such trips—known as CODELS, or congressional delegations—to be bipartisan, in this highly charged election year it is likely to raise eyebrows that the retiring Nebraskan senator—a prominent Iraq War critic—is the Republican expected to join the Democratic Party’s presidential nominee on what is sure to be a closely watched visit to the region.

Adding to the intrigue is the fact that Sen. Hagel has not yet endorsed a candidate in the race, and he has offered kind words for both Obama and Republican rival Sen. John McCain, although the two Republicans differ greatly on the war.
Hagel’s name has also been mentioned in the chatter over Obama’s running mate—he told the Associated Press in June that he would consider a vice presidential invitation, although he conceded such an offer is unlikely. Hagel has also been discussed as a speculative candidate for a Cabinet post if Obama is elected in November.

-snip-
A vocal critic of both the Iraq War and the Bush administration, Hagel mulled a run for the White House last year, but opted out of the race. He announced he was retiring from the U.S. Senate in Sept. 2007.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2008/07/11/hagel-to-join-obama-on-iraq-trip/

and was wrong.

Great news if true.

Hagel is (or was) a very respected senator regarding military matters.

great friends/Vietnam-vet comrades, until the Iraq War. Kind of sad, really.

They both were very skeptical of the Iraq war in the beginning. Hagel stuck to his guns and mccain decided to hitch his wagon to the white house instead. But before that, I think they were close.

(ironically, by Linda Douglas who recently quit the National Journal for the Obama campaign)



http://www.nationaljournal.com/onair/transcripts/080411_hagel_chuck.php


Q: Well, let's talk about leading the world, and the next president who will lead this country and be a leader in the world. You have a long and famous friendship with John McCain -- your fellow Republican, fellow Vietnam veteran. Yet you have not endorsed John McCain for president, and you've certainly split with him over the Iraq war -- he is very much for it and you are outspoken against it. Is that why you haven't endorsed John McCain, and will you not, because of that, endorse John McCain?


Hagel: Well, as you noted, Linda, he and I are very close friends. I know in this town everyone is a friend, but John and I are very close friends, and I have a strong feeling for him, and there is no one I admire more. But as you noted, we have a very significant difference, not just on Iraq and where we are, but probably more importantly, how do we unwind our involvement? Because we are going to unwind our involvement -- it has to be done responsibly, honorably. And I want to understand, more than I do now, how John intends to do that. He is going to have to present that to the American people, as will the Democratic candidate for president.
I think that issue alone is so important that until the American people have some confidence in the president, whoever we elect in November, to get that done, it will hold hostage our ability to solve every other problem in this country, if for no other reason than that the country is so divided over this issue. The next president will not be able to govern and really address these next issues, all of those issues, until this issue is resolved. I think it's that critical, and I want to know more about where John wants to go and how he wants to get there.

:)

Well, at the very least, Hagel should feel honored that Obama--our next President--wants him along. It's a very high-profile, high-pressure trip. I don't know what else it means, beyond that. Cabinet post audition?

...told with tongue planted firmly in cheek, from the perspective on some on DU and FreeRepublic:

"So this RINO and this DINO went to Iraq..."

wait ... that's not funny ... that's just kind of cool.

Sorry I failed you, good thing I have a day job.

Isnt this Hagels last year in the senate though? IIf he is to continue in government it would only be through and Obama administration post no?

I'd like to see him in Obama's cabinet. SOD maybe? (Since Clark can't do it due to time regulations)

hmmmm. Lol.

Wow, this would really piss off McCain.

A nice poke in the eye to the McCain camp.

:rofl:

All he's got is Joementum who comes across like Elmer Fudd. Hagel is smart, articulate, has a military background and doesn't mince words when it comes to Iraq.

Hagel knows the situation so well there, has probably met most of the players, and isn't a "wimpy Democrat". This is impressive. The more I think about it the more I feel it's a BRILLIANT idea.

NOBODY can question Hagel's knowledge, experience and "toughness". Take that, Republicans!

I just had a look at the WSJ article and skimmed through the comments. One of them referred to both Obama as cowards that only go to Iraq now that Bush and McCain have solved the problems over there.

As soon as Hagel opens his mouth, it'll put those charges to rest. Hagel has been to Iraq SEVERAL times, I think.

Adding: This is an exchange between Hagel and Blitzer after Hagel's FIFTH trip to Iraq in April of 07. I know he's been at least once since then, with Biden and Kerry.

http://thinkprogress.org/2007/04/16/hagel-iraq-shopping/

who else is going. I would assume there will be at least one other.

more than deserved.

Or at least, all that his electro-fraud machines have done for them.

Hagel (9/2007):

"The GOP Has Won Two Elections On...Fear And Terrorism... Going To Try Again.."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/09/24/gop-senator-hagel-the-r_n_65593.html



Here's what Hagel has said about impeacement (in March, 2007):

“The president says, ‘I don’t care.’ He’s not accountable anymore,” Hagel says, measuring his words by the syllable and his syllables almost by the letter. “He’s not accountable anymore, which isn’t totally true. You can impeach him, and before this is over, you might see calls for his impeachment. I don’t know. It depends how this goes.”


http://thinkprogress.org/2007/03/06/hagel-impeachment/





:kick:



:kick:




With Hagel gone, how many principled Republicans will be left in the Senate in 2009?




:kick:



:kick:

(please no rock throwing) I think Coburn qualifies as well. He's annoying and not very smart, but in his own way I think he is principled. By the way, the other day when Obama was in the Senate, I noticed Coburn coming to him (Obama was of course surrounded by several dems), patting him on the shoulder to attract his attention and then they gave each other a really big hug, looked genuine, not the usual pat on the back. Do I get extra points for extra geekiness for noticing things like this?

So I'll accept Coburn - anybody who is principled. I think that's the most important attribute.

is that Obama agrees as well :-). When he kept throwing Coburn's name around I did not take it as Obama saying "see, I even a nuttily conservative republican does not hate me" but really as an example that as long as you can find ONE issue that you agree with somebody on, you can work on it and something useful and constructive can come out of it, NO MATTER how deep the rest of your disagreements may be. I see this as an ESSENTIAL part of who Obama is and how he is going to work with both allies and opponents, and in the process hopefully turn some opponents into allies.

That hug was really striking in its spontaneity and the affection it seemed to convey.

And I wish I'd listen to mine more often. I honor yours. :hi:

it was striking, even for Hagel

we are witnessing a winner on the move.
he will not give McCain a chance to breathe.

the Republican guy (some Indian-looking bald dude) who was there to pimp for McCain and the GOP TOTALLY TRASHED Hagel's character when it was brought up that Obama and Hagel were going on this trip together? It was one of the most shocking, blatant instant character assassinations I've ever seen on one of these shows. My jaw dropped open.

that's when I turned the TV off and came here. The guy seemed pretty rational until that point, and then he suddenly exploded, repeatedly calling Hagel a disaster and a narcissist that goes with the wind and takes the convenient and popular positions. It was really weird... maybe he is just a big McCain fan and resents the betrayal :shrug:

couldn't get re-elected if he wanted to. The neocon wing of the Repub party fears Hagel helping Obama out, I think.

someone as articulate and eloquently against his own administration and ram it in their faces. Although I like Hagel, he demonstrated supreme courage when it comes to Iraq (but disagree with him on just about everything else) I give him credit where credit is due for allowing Obama to flaunt this to the rest of the rethugs. Boy, Obama sure knows how to play the game.

take that McCain & Lieberman.

a very good move. http://www.projo.com/news/content/reediraqobama_07-12-08_GIAREDH_v6.41f159d.html

that's pretty much a Sherman statement. Oh, well--there goes that hope. Smart move by Obama to include him, though--Reed is pretty much the closest to an expert (from the Senate) on the situation there. I think it's cool that very liberal Reed and very conservative Hagel are best friends, too.

he said it "several months ago", whatever that means, and I guess he is pretty much forced to answer that way since he is running for reelection. We shall see... for the infinitesimal amount that it's worth, I start liking your Reed idea more and more :-).

:wtf:

Let's face it, he's been a McCain fluffer for so long, people don't care anymore about McCain's "bipartisan" friendship with him.

Speaks to how far McCain has strayed from his "maverick" days.