Posted on 02/19/2006 8:48:28 AM PST by new yorker 77
I was flying this past Sunday so I bought the New York Times (which is really the only time I buy a newspaper....what does that say about the news print business?) and I read the Magazine cover story on Chuck Hagel. Senator Hagel is the type of Republican that media liberals love, because he is almost always good for a shot at President Bush, particularly when it comes to Iraq.
And that in and of itself is fine, each party could use more Senators who don't always toe the party line all the time. But it is one thing to buck your President or party on substantive policy issues out of conviction, and quite another to take cheap shots at leaders of your own party.
I don't know the tone with which Hagel uttered his snide comment on the Cheney shooting to the Omaha World-Herald that "If he'd (Cheney) been in the military, he would have learned gun safety" but unless it was a bad attempt at a joke, this comes across as the type of cheap shot I'd expect from left-wing partisans. And to that point, Ari Berman over at The Nation latched on to Hagel's comment Friday as the "best zinger of the week."
I don't know how serious Hagel is about higher positions in politics. If he is content being a Senator from Nebraska he can probably get away with this stuff for as long as he wants. But if he has aspirations for higher office, as a Republican, he is going to need to change his attitude and change it quick.
Otherwise I can give him and any of his would be supporters a piece of advice -- comments that win kudos form The Nation and the New York Times are not the path to winning the Republican nomination or a VP slot. Sucking up to the Washington press corps may get you good coverage in the Washington Post and on CBS News, but it is not going to win Republican votes in 2008.
If Hagel cares about his standing in the Republican party he ought to clarify his remark or publicly apologize to the Vice President.
Posted by John McIntyre at 01:34 PM
I'd rather be between Dick Cheney and a quail than between Chuck Hagel and a camera.
It's better to get peppered by birdshot than to be trampled by a RINO!
;-)
Whether Hagel runs as a Republican or Democrat won't make any difference. He'll lose. As far as the Republican voters go, McCain has his troops on the ground from his last campaign, awaiting his command. As far as Democrat voters go, the male liberals I work with love McCain and say they'll vote for him over Hillary.
It may be old news but students of the language appreciate that an attractive, spare, blonde conservative woman has pointed out that Charles Hagel (R, France) is an example of what the MSM calls a "moderate" conservative, along with a few others who toady to them. They are always welcome at Democrats' Georgetown cocktail parties, and are flattered there.
The MSM always describes Republican conservatives, however, as "staunch", "ultra", "die-hard" "right-wing" (etc.) conservatives, while leftist partisans are described simply as "Democrats"--not as "liberal" or by any other pejorative adjectives.
Eventually, though, the `Rats turn on these defectors because they are, after all, Republicans, then these traitors have nowhere to go. Like serial liar Bill Clinton, Hagel will then wonder why no one gives anything he has to say any consideration at all.
Hagel is not a RINO.
Hagel is a FRAUD.
FRAUDS are worse than RINO's.
This really makes no sense to me. A RINO like Hagel is a lot better than someone who is greatly influenced by feminists, LGBT, environmentalists and gun control freaks.
I didn't say he was a RINO or that he was not a fraud.
I said he was a friend of "liberal" Democrats. (At least for now.)
Back in 2000, Hagel was one of those mentioned as a possible running mate for Bush, and on paper he looked very strong. I think he is one of those that Bush interviewed in person before making his decision. In any event, that he wasn't picked speaks well for Bush's judgment.
First Tuesday in February!
Whoa! That's great news. Flyover country needs an early voice!
I'll be glad to send 'em back empty.
We have a representative republic (NOT a F'n democracy) and we elect representatives to "Represent"
rep·re·sent ( P ) Pronunciation Key (rpr-znt)
tr.v. rep·re·sent·ed, rep·re·sent·ing, rep·re·sents
To serve as the official and authorized delegate or agent for.
To act as a spokesperson for.
This means to vote in line with our values and ideas and desires of how the government will be run. This also means that the lamebrains put aside their own ambitions and vote the opinions of their constituents, not their personal points of view. They are supposed to be a proxy for the majority of their constituents. We need to repeal the amendment that made senators elected officials rather than state governor appointed officials.
There is no room for that kind of logic.
Lego my Ego.
Hagel wouldn't make pimple on Dick Cheney's posterior.
Nuff said.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.