Posted on 11/18/2004 1:49:10 PM PST by Mountain Dewd
WASHINGTON - While rumors continued to circulate that Sen. Ben Nelson was under consideration to be the next agriculture secretary, Sen. Chuck Hagel said Thursday that he doesn't think Nelson is in serious contention.
The Nebraska Republican said he and a senior aide had spoken with White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card and President Bush's senior political adviser, Karl Rove, since CNN first reported Wednesday that Rove had talked with Nelson about taking the job being vacated by Ann Veneman.
"No job offer has been made to Senator Nelson," Hagel said on his weekly conference call with reporters. "I don't know if this will get to a serious point or not.
"It's my understanding that right now it's not a serious situation, that they're not in any serious discussions."
The White House, Hagel said, was not "even close to a job offer" for Nelson, a Nebraska Democrat. Hagel had told Card in a call Wednesday night that he would support Nelson's appointment as ag secretary.
At the same time, Hagel said, White House officials are having "very serious discussions" with other potential candidates, whom he declined to name.
Veneman's resignation was announced earlier this week.
Nelson's spokesman, David DiMartino, issued this comment Thursday: "Senator Nelson will not presume to be able to gauge the level of interest or the intent of the White House."
Wednesday, DiMartino said that Nelson would not discuss private conversations he may have had with Bush administration officials.
The senator declined The World-Herald's request for an interview, but he did speak briefly to the Associated Press.
"I like what I'm doing, and that's where I am at the moment and that's my thought at the moment," Nelson told AP.
Asked if there was any way he would change his mind, Nelson repeated: "I'm happy doing what I'm doing. This is today, and there's tomorrow and there's another day and whatever, but as of right now, I'm very happy with what I'm doing."
Asked by CNN what he would do if Bush offered him the post, Nelson said, "If the president wants to talk to me, you have to listen."
On Tuesday, Nelson was asked during a weekly conference call with Nebraska journalists whom Bush should name to replace Veneman - and whether he might want the job.
Nelson, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, answered only the first question.
The senator said he hoped Bush would pick someone who could work to provide safe food and work with Congress to implement the 2002 farm bill, and someone who understands Midwestern agriculture, which mainly produces wheat, soybeans and corn.
In the past, Bush has worked with Nelson, one of the Senate's centrists, to help pass major tax-cut legislation and shape the legislation creating the Homeland Security Department.
Nelson, 63, a native of McCook, was involved in agriculture, trade and ethanol issues during his two terms as governor in the 1990s.
Appointing Nelson could rock Nebraska's political landscape and could be a political win-win for the White House.
Not only would Bush be able to say he was reaching out to Democrats after a bitterly contested election, but the move also could increase the Republicans' Senate strength.
A Senate vacancy would allow Republican Gov. Mike Johanns to name a Republican replacement, which would boost the Senate's GOP majority to 56 seats while trimming the Democrats to 43. One senator is an independent who usually votes with the Democrats.
Johanns could even appoint himself. Hagel said Thursday that he hadn't talked with Johanns about that possibility, calling it too premature.
Johanns' spokeswoman, Terri Teuber, said Wednesday that the governor would have no comment.
Nelson is up for re-election in 2006 and has been preparing for a tough contest, possibly against Johanns.
If he is offered the ag department job, Nelson's decision could have far-reaching political implications in his home state.
If Johanns were to name himself as Nelson's replacement, Lt. Gov. Dave Heineman would become governor.
There is a history of governors appointing themselves to Senate seats around the country, state historian Bob Sittig of Lincoln said. He said, however, he would not see it as very likely.
"If a governor is so audacious as to appoint himself, it can create a big hornet's nest of controversy," Sittig said.
He said it's far more likely that Johanns would appoint someone who would agree to serve out only the last two years of Nelson's term. That would clear the way for Johanns to finish his term as governor and then run for Senate in 2006. With Nelson out of the picture, the governor probably would be a prohibitive favorite.
There is a history of Nebraskans serving as agriculture secretaries for Republican presidents, including Clifford Hardin in the Nixon administration and Clayton Yeutter under President George H.W. Bush.
Announcement of Bush's choice for agriculture secretary might not come until next week.
The president attended the opening Thursday of former President Clinton's presidential library in Little Rock, Ark. Then he was to leave on a South American trip before returning to his Texas ranch early next week, according to the White House.
When did Hagel become Nelson's spokeswoman?
Nelson is probably more reliable than Hagel.
A Leftist passing by my commentary will say that it just proves that W can't think on his own. But, of course, such a silly-headed notion would only prove that they know nothing about the process, much less wise management practices.
I can't stand Chuck Hagel.
If Bush appointed Nelson, Hagel would probably switch to the Dems. (At least he would now be with the party he seems to side with against the President).
I think Nelson is in a unique position due to the fact that "centrist" democrats are so hard to come by these days. That puts him in the position of being used by either side. Keep in mind that a former governor with a "moral compass" is probably real attractive to democrats right now, from a small state or not.
Hagel irks my last nerve.
"I can't stand Chuck Hagel."
You like Hagel alot more than I do. :)
Chuck Hagel is a class A jerk. He ain't gonna get my vote in the primary unless he starts changin' his attitude right quick. Just my opinion.
Instead of Ben Nelson, maybe Bush can name Minnesota Democrat Congressman Collin Peterson, who is quite conservative and whose district would almost certainly elect a Republican to succeed him (Bush got 55.5% in the district in 2004, higher than 3 of the 4 GOP-held congressional districts in the state). Other possibilities would be Pennsylvania Democrat Congressman Tim Holden, a conservative Democrat whose district is even more Republican than Peterson's and would undoubtedly elect a Republican to replace him, and Georgia Democrat Congressman Sanford Bishop, who is by far the most conservative member of the Congressional Black Caucus (in fact, he is more conservative that many white Democrat Congressmen from the South) and whose district voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004 and would give the GOP an excellent takeover opportunity in a black-influence district (its population is around 40% black). Like Peterson, Holden is a long-time member of the House Agriculture Committee, and Bishop was a member for a decade until he gave up his seat in order to join the Appropriations Committee.
Strategery Ping
looks like nelsons in a tight spot looks like he has three choices
1 take the appointment and keep a gubment job for 4 years
2 stay a dem and lose in 2006
3 switch parties and remain indefinately
I'm not saying he's a bad choice, just that it struck me as a rather clumsy move on the part of the team. It's all too obvious that such a choice is a result of thinking two moves ahead on the chessboard. But heck, it is a second term and perhaps the political advisors are throwing caution to the wind!
Maybe the Administration should name Hagel to the post and then Nebraka can elect a real consevrative to replace him.
And maybe Nelson doesn't mind being a pawn in the advancement of D party destruction! Oh wait, the Prez would want him for his intellect and extensive experience....yeah, that's the ticket....
Hagel is an absolute dork who gets the headlines whenever possible. He has stabbed GW in the back one too many times. He needs to be put in his place and told to shut up.
2 stay a dem and lose in 2006
3 switch parties and remain indefinately
Nelson's job is safe in Nebraska. He's quite a popular figure even as a democrat in a very conservative state. It wouldn't surprize me if he did switch parties though.
"Nelson's job is safe in Nebraska. He's quite a popular figure even as a democrat in a very conservative state."
Why would the WH tell Hagel anything?
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