Posted on 01/13/2005 2:23:00 PM PST by tellw
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) -- Four years from now, if some Harvard students' predictions turn true, Sen. Chuck Hagel will be preparing for his presidential inauguration.
That's according to a group of students tasked with researching this past presidential election and looking forward into the next election cycle.
Student authors Miriam Barhoush, Kevin Bourke, Amanda Coe and Paul Scott, predict Hagel will win the White House over Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh, of Indiana. Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will be the Republican's running mate and Mark Warner, currently governor of Virginia, will be the Democratic counterpart.
The students wrote the paper for the course, "Driving Forces in American Politics," taught by David Gergen and Elaine Karmack at the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Karmack served in the Clinton White House and Gergen has worked for Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Clinton.
Hagel spokesman Mike Buttry called the exercise "interesting."
"We'll probably see a lot of projects like this over the next four years," Buttry said Monday.
Hagel has not said whether he'll run for president in 2008.
The students predicted Hagel will have to overcome his largest obstacle -- name recognition -- to win the nomination over Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Colorado Gov. Bill Owens.
These students say Hagel will win the primaries because he represents "the quintessential New Hampshire candidate (with) unquestioned credentials on defense and fiscal management."
Not all Republicans may back Hagel as nominee, the students cautioned.
"His reputation as a maverick could hurt him with rank-and-file Republicans who strongly support the current administration," the study read.
But Hagel could attract some middle-of-the-road voters, the students wrote.
"Hagel's straight talk will win over moderate voters and those who feel that our foreign policy warrants better management," they wrote.
Popular with moderate voters themselves, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. and current Secretary of State Colin Powell will endorse Hagel in the New Hampshire primary and he'll become "the anti-establishment candidate," the students wrote.
He'll even collect his nomination near his home state, they predict. The students suggest that the 2008 Republican convention will be held in Kansas City, Mo.
He'd never win the primary. No chance at all.
Waaaaayyyy too much dope.
Oh no!!!!
I like Evan Bayh much more than Hagel. I think Bayh would win my vote over that traitor Hagel. In fact, I think Bayh is more Republican than Hagel (LOL)
I doubt Hagel would make it out of the republican primary though.
Heck - if that's the case I'll vote for a real Dem.
Any word on why the MSM loves this guy, and why so early? My bias-alert meter is pegged.
Hagel will be pulling Kucinich-like numbers in the primaries. Once again Harvard shows how out-of-touch it is.
I shouldn't read FR headlines when I'm drinking orange juice.
Hagel is not a team player. W's administration will make sure he doesn't get out of the starting gate.
For the same reason they like McCain. He's a saddle burr.
Harvard people should get credit for this. They are wise and logically, and this is obviously a flawless prediction.
Not.
Any analysis that doesn't mention George Allen ain't worth lookin at tho.
Assuming Mitt Romney runs for President, I don't see how he loses to Hagel in the New Hampshire Primary. If Jeb Bush and Giuliani are running as well, Hagel is lucky to finish in 3rd.
I'm guessing they mean that the Senator who represents France will become the President of France.
How transparent. How pathetic.
Did they forget about George Allen?
I'd put money on Allen vs. Bayh in 2008, Bayh's problem is that he's a great general election candidate, but he's not liberal enough to get nominated. Allen is the perfect all around candidate and will IMHO win in 2008.
Just be thankful it wasn't milk!
He's anti-Bush, and anti-conservative. The same as his mentor, McCain. And you know what the media thinks of McCain.
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