Hagel is calling it quits

omaha.com ^ | 9/8/07 | JAKE THOMPSON

[mathprof]

WASHINGTON - Chuck Hagel will announce Monday that he is retiring from the U.S. Senate and will not run for president next year, people close to the Nebraska Republican said Friday.

Hagel plans to announce that "he will not run for re-election and that he does not intend to be a candidate for any office in 2008," said one person, who asked not to be named.

Hagel has scheduled a press conference for 10 a.m. Monday at the Omaha Press Club.

According to one person interviewed, Hagel told Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky on Friday morning that he had decided to retire. Hagel's staff learned of his decision that afternoon.

The North Platte native earned national recognition as perhaps the most vocal, at times angry, GOP critic of the Bush administration's Iraq policies.

His outspokenness on Iraq and other key issues, including Social Security and foreign policy, fueled national interest in Hagel as he flirted with a possible presidential bid.

[mathprof]

Good riddance!

[brivette]

amen..

[b4its2late]

Another RINO bites the proverbial dust.

[b4its2late]

LOL! Let us know how you truly feel! :-)

[CHEE]

And the BAD news is————? I find none except that the retirement is not immediately effective.

[RoadKingSE]

Chuck Hagel will announce Monday that he is retiring from the U.S. Senate and will not run for president next year, people close to the Nebraska Republican said Friday.

Enjoy your retirement Chuckie. Watch out for poachers!

[ExTexasRedhead]

Apparently, he saw the handwriting on the wall!

[mplsconservative]

Good riddance!

[CometBaby]

Great news .. made my day !!! As his constituent .. I would like to think that I had something to do with helping him make this decision. I called his office constantly to complain.

He called our house about 3 months ago, and wanted to know if he could come by and visit us. In other words, he wanted my husband and I to each give him $1000. I told him "NO. In fact, we are going to contribute to ANYONE who runs against you".

Apparently enough of us said this .. and he got the message. WooWoo!!

[Dqban22]

AMEN!!!!

[ReleaseTheHounds]

Did a tree just fall in the forest? I didn’t hear anything...

[b4its2late]

Yes you are correct. It would be nice to get a conservative in there. I'm hoping....

[Stallone]

Upchuck, Chuck!

[Bean Counter]

About time!! So what are the prospects of getting a real Republican elected in his stead in Nebraska?? Is that too much to hope for??

[Thermalseeker]

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out and hope your retirement is filled with disease and pestilence.

Actually, he'll get a serious pension, with cost of living adjustments, along with the best health care available until he breathes his last, all courtesy of you and me.....

[MNJohnnie]

Another one bites the dust!!!

1st Warner now Hagel! Come ON Nebraska send us a sane Conservative to replace this clown.

[popdonnelly]

Looking for a job in Hillary’s cabinet.

[MNJohnnie]

So any chance his replacement will be a good solid Conservative? What your candidate field look like?

[SolidRedState]

Don’t let the door hit ya in the ass Chucky boy.

[bill1952]

you beat me to it.

I see a few RINOs here and there leaving for bluer pastures.
An entirely satisfactory state of affairs, but one one element of a successful rebuilding.

Now we have to get men and women of conservative principles to step forward and we have to elect them.

[lormand]

Now I can quit hammering his office with email and calls on how happy we GOPers would be if Hagel quit.

One less RINO to contend with now.

[bill1952]

>He called our house about 3 months ago, and wanted to know if he could come by and visit us. In other words, he wanted my husband and I to each give him $1000

He called you personally to ask you to invite him to stop by and pick up $1000.00 in person?

[Brilliant]

good.

[SmoothTalker]

[cough] Rino [/cough]

[pissant]

Best news I’ve read today.

[RavenATB]

“As his constituent .. I would like to think that I had something to do with helping him make this decision. I called his office constantly to complain.”

I was among your group, once, myself. I started going after Hagel when he first started running from TV Station to TV Station to undermine the war in Iraq.

If you’re from the Omaha area and listen to KFAB, you might remember one of the “regular” callers spending a lot of on-air time accusing Hagel of undermining the war to increase his TV face time and gain national recognition so he would be in position to run for President.

[MNJohnnie]

GOOD NEWS!

[Suzy Quzy]

Not running for President....HAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAH!!!! He can’t get elected DOG CATCHER as a Republican!! What a SAD SACK of SH@T.

[Goreknowshowtocheat]

I guess he won after all.

[Dante3]

With Craig and Hagel gone, there will be two fewer votes for amnesty.

[moondoggie]

Who wants to throw a BIG going-away party????

[CARTOUCHE]

According to Omaha radio (KFAB) discussion yesterday morning when this broke, Senator Kerry (yep the Nebraska one) is waiting for his re-entre. Heck, I wouldn’t put it past Kerry to have coordinated with Hagel. Hagel is just so bitter.

[jonrick46]

Woooooooooooooooo! Hooooooooooooooo!

[KingSnorky]

>>”NO. In fact, we are going to contribute to ANYONE who runs against you”.<<

I love it. Thanks for helping to drive this RINO from our midst!

[Shanty Shaker]

Hopefully his staff leaves with him.

[Fishrrman]

WASHINGTON - Chuck Hagel will announce Monday that he is retiring from the U.S. Senate and will not run for president next year, people close to the Nebraska Republican said Friday.

Chuck Hagel looks into the future and sees what's coming down the pike....

- John

[ulm1]

first time the jerk gets a serious challenger and he CAVES !!!

http://www.jonbruning.com/

[Rosemont]

Will RINO Carlito Hagel join MSDNC as a ‘Conservative’ that agrees with everything the Lib Chris Matthews says?

[Scarchin]

Nice!

BTW - you guys have anyone waiting in the wings who would be a suitable (ie real conservative)?

[Popman]

Don’t let the door hit you on the way out and hope your retirement is filled with disease and pestilence.

Gee, can't you be glad this knucklehead is leaving the Senate.

You should not wish disease and pestilence on anyone.

The fact he will be shown to be a fool is all I need to know. I rather pity him for a fool then for something beyond his control

[Rosemont]

Hagel always plays the role of the MSM’s good guy ‘Conservative’ because of his RINO views. What is Wolfie Blitzer going to do?

[tdscpa]

He was not worth much, but I imagine he will be replaced by a politician who is bold enough to admit that he is a democrat.

Farewell to the late, great USA. The traditionally conservative plains states are going commie. Does not take a very large democrat majority in our small cities to eliminate the clout we hicks out here in flyover country used to hold.

[Thermalseeker]

I guess he won after all.

Yep. Getting elected to Congress is pretty much like winning the lottery, for life......and the wifie gets bennies, too......

[F-117A]

Thank You! Good riddance!

[Past Your Eyes]

Good, get him in there. We’re counting on you!

[Rocko]

Another casualty of the surge.

[alicewonders]

WHOO-HOO!

[mortal19440]

I never thought this A-hole would make my day, but this really did it. I might start Happy Hour early.

[Timmy]

Mark this one down as a GOP pickup in 2008.