Posted on 05/07/2005 1:31:30 PM PDT by Dan from Michigan
Hagel encouraged by N.H. visit
BY DON WALTON / Lincoln Journal Star
HENNIKER, N.H. — Sen. Chuck Hagel wound up a three-day tour of New Hampshire Wednesday encouraged by the initial response to his possible 2008 presidential bid.
"I had an awful lot of positive response and I appreciate that," Hagel said in an interview following his final appearance at a town hall meeting on the campus of New England College.
"I've had a terrific time. I like to campaign. I like to mix it up. I came here to see what people were thinking," Hagel said.
In the process, he said, "I was encouraged to think seriously about running for president."
But, Hagel said, he's a long way from making that decision. It won't come until after the 2006 elections.
Hagel said he expects to return to New Hampshire before 2008 when the state hosts the nation's first presidential primary election, but no dates have been scheduled yet.
State Sen. Bob Odell said Hagel is "off to a very good start" in New Hampshire if he indeed decides to pursue a presidential bid.
"He's very direct. He doesn't hide his views. This process doesn't allow you to hide or be evasive and I think he's done wonderfully on this trip."
Odell, who has known Hagel for more than 20 years, accompanied the senator on Wednesday's appearances at a traditional New Hampshire "Politics and Eggs Breakfast" at an elegant old village inn and restaurant complex in Bedford and the meeting on the 1,000-student campus a short hike from Pat's Peak ski slopes.
The speech in Bedford to more than 100 people, most of them business-oriented, attracted the first extensive media coverage in the state.
During the three days, Hagel participated in five radio and three television interviews. Before leaving Manchester for Washington on Wednesday, he had lunch with Joseph McQuaid, publisher of the New Hampshire Union Leader, the state's largest newspaper.
At Henniker, Hagel told about 90 people gathered in the Great Room of the Simon Center he believes the United States needs to be "more flexible on the idea of direct negotiation with North Korea and Iran" over their nuclear ambitions.
As he argued before the Bush administration went to war in Iraq, the real danger is in North Korea and Iran, Hagel said.
"We may need to become more engaged directly," he said.
During his three days in the state, including four college campus appearances, Hagel received no questions about the war in Iraq and he said it surprised him.
"I think it's in the back of people's minds," he said."
Questioned by local media, Hagel said he had "warned from the beginning we could get into something we might not be able to get out of" if the United States went to war precipitately without broad international support. Now, he said, 150,000 U.S. troops are "bogged down" in Iraq .
Hagel also told local reporters he is concerned that the Republican Party has presided over the accumulation of huge federal deficits during the past several years.
"That's not the Republican Party I joined," he said. "I think we're coming loose from our moorings."
Hagel told the breakfast gathering he believes a national commission on entitlement reform should be created to address Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid all at the same time.
Repeating a theme he has stressed over three days, Hagel called for civility in addressing political differences and suggested "we need to be wise enough not to allow the extremes of both parties to force us into a decision (on filibuster rights related to judicial nominees) that would not be in the best interest of the Senate or the country."
Presidential nominees deserve a vote in the Senate, he said, but filibuster rights need to be protected.
"We need to get out of this swamp and start doing the work of the country," Hagel said in answering a question posed by Matt Myers, an eighth-grade student who attended the breakfast.
"I was very impressed with him," JoAnn St. Pierre of Manchester said following the event. "I thought it was a great introduction for him."
St. Pierre is director of government relations for the American Cancer Society in New Hampshire.
At Henniker, Hagel's appearance was advertised with posters describing him as "a potential candidate for president in the 2008 election."
Skipping any opening remarks after arriving almost a half-hour late from the breakfast in Bedford, Hagel moved directly to questions that ran the gamut from gay marriage to global warming to Social Security reform to gun control.
"What I heard from people in New Hampshire was the same set of expectations I hear in Nebraska," Hagel said. "They want leaders who will get things done and fix problems."
Chuck who?
Hagel is going nowhere.
Running interference for McCain.
I respect tradition, but, if Hagel is getting a warm reception there, it's time to take New Hampshire out of the primary equation.
Hagel, with his consisten non-support of the President on important issues, can NOT win a GOP primary... now , if he runs against Hillary as a Dem, he MIGHT have a chance.
It's amazing to me that this RINO thinks he has a chance.
consistent, not consisten
If Frist doesn't end the filibuster in the Senate I think MCCain is the nominee. I think McCain will win big enough in the liberal northeast and california to win the nomination.
He's the worst.
Hagel's not my first, second, third, fourth, fifth, choice.
He would only get my vote in the general election.
Which party is he going to represent?
Oh, please. McCain is a phony. It's not a choice of senators. We have some good governors.
I hope you're wrong. Someone like George Allen or Jeb could muck it up for McCain or Hagel in SC.
Getting a hundred people together up there isn't hard. Probably mostly NH political hacks who are already looking for work on any presidential campaign they can find.
Of course they want him to run...
When did a politican visit N.H. and say he
DIDN'T have a good time, the people were NOT
receptive, and he was HARDLY encouraged by
the outcome? <>g<>
Years ago I was a fan of Hagel (Nam service and all) but I think he'll go the way that Bob Kerry did when he hit NH.
But I'll tell you this... the a-hole will get all the fawning MSM coverage he could want... and then some!
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