Sen. Hagel doubts Palin's ready

Omaha.com ^

[Chet 99]

WASHINGTON — Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska on Wednesday became the nation's most prominent Republican officeholder to publicly question whether Sarah Palin has the experience to serve as president.

"She doesn't have any foreign policy credentials," Hagel said in an interview. "You get a passport for the first time in your life last year? I mean, I don't know what you can say. You can't say anything."

Palin was elected governor of Alaska in 2006 and before that was the mayor of a small town.

Democrats have raised questions about Palin since Sen. John McCain picked her as his vice presidential running mate. Most national Republican officeholders have rallied to Palin's candidacy.

Palin has cited the proximity of Alaska to Russia as evidence of her international experience.

Hagel scoffed at that notion.

"I think they ought to be just honest about it and stop the nonsense about, 'I look out my window and I see Russia and so therefore I know something about Russia,'" he said. "That kind of thing is insulting to the American people."

A senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Hagel has been an outspoken critic of the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war and had considered making his own run for president. He skipped the Republican National Convention in favor of a trip to Central and South America.

Hagel, who says he has no plans to endorse either presidential candidate, traveled with Democratic nominee Barack Obama to the Middle East in July.

In criticizing Palin, Hagel broke with other Nebraska Republicans, including Gov. David Heineman, who have praised the selection.

Tom Kise, a McCain campaign spokesman, responded to Hagel's comments by questioning Obama's experience.

Kise pointed to statements that Obama's running mate, Sen. Joseph Biden, made during the Democrats' primary fight. At that time, Biden was seeking the nomination and questioned whether Obama was prepared to be president.

"It's much more alarming that Barack Obama's own vice presidential nominee doesn't think he has the experience or the judgment for the job," Kise said.

Palin herself has addressed the question of her foreign policy experience in a recent interview with ABC News.

"We've got to remember what the desire is in this nation at this time," she said. "It is for no more politics as usual, and somebody's big, fat résumé, maybe, that shows decades and decades in that Washington establishment where, yes, they've had opportunities to meet heads of state."

"I'm ready," Palin said. "I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can't blink."

Hagel offered a couple caveats on his assessment of Palin: Experience is not the only qualification for elected officials — judgment and character are indispensable.

Washington experience isn't the only kind of experience, Hagel said, and he noted that many White House occupants have been governors with no time inside the beltway.

"But I do think in a world that is so complicated, so interconnected and so combustible, you really got to have some people in charge that have some sense of the bigger scope of the world," Hagel said. "I think that's just a requirement."

So is Palin qualified to be president?

"I think it's a stretch to, in any way, to say that she's got the experience to be president of the United States," Hagel said.

Hagel supported McCain's unsuccessful bid for president in 2000.

Hagel said voters ultimately will decide between McCain and Obama, and he hopes that the debates will refocus both campaigns on the important issues of the day, including the economy, energy policy and international relations.

One recent squabble between the campaigns revolved around whether Obama was being sexist toward Palin when he used a turn of phrase about putting lipstick on a pig.

That kind of back-and-forth is not what the American people want or need, Hagel said.

"It's terrible," he said. "It debases the system."

[popdonnelly]

Hagel’s ready to be replaced. Sad to see him go (NOT).

[ak267]

Ahhhhhh, “Chuckieeeeee” is in his typical foul mood again. Being from Nebraska I’ve come to roll my eyes whenever he spoke to the media. He sounds like a broken record.

Old “Chuckieeeeeee” knew his time was up as the locals got tired of his backstabing and malcontent commentary. If he ran this year, the challenger(s) would had eaten him up alive in the GOP primaries. Put simply, old “Chuckieeeee” outstayed his welcome.

“Chuckieeeeee” is a sour old puss, who frequently gave temper-tandrums when he din’t get his way.

Pooooor, poooooor, old “Chuckieeeeeee” :)

Buhh-bye.

[Hattie]

Sen Hagel, Democrat NE, we don’t care what your opinion is.

[llandres]

“AH, the stupid party. This is why conservatives people didn’t vote in 2006 for this party of fools.”

The Party still has good ideals and beliefs upon which it was founded that so very, fundamentally differ from the Democrat party. It’s those “members” of it betraying them, who’ve been the real problem.

[1035rep]

Thank you, glad to hear it.

[clee1]

With Republicans like Hagel, we don’t need Demoncraps.

[llandres]

“I know everyone was waiting with bated breath to hear what Chuck Hagel thinks.”

Well, the Media was. And, unfortunately, millions of “everyone” watch it and take it as gospel.

[LibFreeUSA]

Hags will be gone soon and replaced Mike Johann (R), former Secty of Agriculture under Bush (who will win Hag’s Sen seat in Nov). He can’t be that bad if Bush appointed him to a cabinet post.

[LSUsoph]

this lack of foreign policy argument is just ridiculous. How much foreign policy experience did GWB and Clinton have as governors of Texas and Arkansas? Reagan had no foreign policy experience as Governor of California and he was one of the greatest (if not the greatest) Presidents of all time when it came to foreign policy. This is a NON ARGUMENT!

[gogeo]

Has he addressed Obama's qualifications?

If not, he should STFU.

[Balata]

bttt

Welcome to FR.

[llandres]

“He’s done now, he’s out of politics.”

Unfortunately, he’s tried to do significant damage on his (too long) way out.

[healy61]

You are over looking the stories about the international port in Mena, Arkansas. Other than that, Bill Clinton had boned a few international celebs and figured it made him an expert.

[JennysCool]

This is why conservatives people didn’t vote in 2006 for this party of fools.

Yup. And you got the Democrats, the corrupt, elitist, hyper-fools.

Smooth move.

[meadsjn]

"But I do think in a world that is so complicated, so interconnected and so combustible, you really got to have some people in charge that have some sense of the bigger scope of the world," Hagel said. "I think that's just a requirement."

No, Chuck -- "you really got to have some people in charge" who are first and foremost pro-American; otherwise, it's just corruption as usual.

[Enchante]

What Hagel and David Brooks (NY Times RINO) and others who makes these kinds of statements totally ignore is that the relevant comparison is with OBAMBI who is the #1 on the other party’s ticket and would be plunked immediately into the presidency on Jan. 20 if he is elected.

So the relevant comparison is not Sarah Palin against some abstract set of requirements to be President..... it’s to compare JOHN MCCAIN stepping into the Presidency with Sarah Palin as his VP versus Obambi stepping into the Presidency with bloviating bombastic Joe Biden as his #2.

No SANE person can say that Obama is so much more ready to be President on foreign policy issues than John McCain, and yes even the less experienced Governor Palin is far better suited to be President next year than Obambi.

It’s ludicrous to criticize Governor Palin without the context of comparisons with the highly inexperienced Obama.

[jws3sticks]

I used to work with and date a beautiful woman, who's line was to use here very smart brain, curvasious body and her big brown eyes to get ahead (pun intended). Shortly after we broke up, driving down the freeway, at about 7 pm, here she was riding "shot gun" in my Vice President's car, off to an evening of 'no good" or maybe it was "very good evening". She later became President of a bank in Denver. Bless her heart. The guy between me and the VP was an airline pilot. We were standing in line at a bank party, when he leaned over to her and in more than a "stage whisper' said: "Stick with baby and you will be far**ing through silk."

Heaven knows how Sarah plays these same cards. Love it.

How about them dimples, so to speak! I love her feisty attitude and t-shirt.

A loving mother of five very well fed kids. Love it.

I want one of these for my car's bumper!

I missed her in Sturgis, SD, earlier this summer. Dang! I wonder if the "First (what't the other side of Dude) acutally drives that "Road Machine", as the "First Dude" rides a "Snow Machine" versus a "Snowmobile". Go figure. She could ride my Harley any time she wanted, if you get my drift.

Now here's a "slick guy as a kid"!

Now here's a "slick guy as a big kid"!

Now this has to be the totally worst picture of the prospective world leader that I have ever seek. Funny to friends, scary to the smart ones.

John S McCain is one lucky and hopefully our "First Dude" and our next POTUS.

That's little old me, howling at the moon.

[TheBattman]

That’s OK, Mr. Hagel... America is sure you are corrupt...

[babygene]

I’ve hard that Hagel and larry Craig are great friends...

[ApplegateRanch]

Her lack of foreign policy experience worries me, too. Are we SURE she is fully prepared to attend second tier state funerals?

Of course presiding over the Senate can also be like dealing with a bunch of unsavory Third World despots, though I didn't realize a passport was required for it.