Posted on 06/26/2005 9:11:16 AM PDT by CHARLITE
If Sen. John McCain seeks the Republican nomination for president in 2008, as expected, he could face stiff competition from another conservative Vietnam vet considered a maverick within the party - Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel.
Observers say Hagel could be attractive to many of the centrist Republicans who voted for McCain in the 2000 primaries.
Like McCain, Hagel has parted ways with the Bush administration on a number of issues.
He's been critical of American troop levels in Iraq and U.S. preparation for the reconstruction of the country. He's spoken out about U.S. policy regarding prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, saying they shouldn't be held indefinitely. He expressed doubts about John Bolton's nomination to the UN and urged a delay in his confirmation hearing. He voted against the president's No Child Left Behind education legislation and the 2002 farm bill. "If Senator McCain runs, Hagel comes out of sort of that same niche," professor Randall Adkins, a political scientist at the University of Nebraska, told the publication The Hill.
The Nebraska Senator could have an advantage over McCain because he's well known in much of neighboring Iowa, an early primary state where McCain did not campaign in 2000.
Also, he could have a stronger appeal among more conservative Republicans due to his criticism of the deal to head off a filibuster over judicial nominees - a deal McCain supported.
In fact, some Republicans in McCain's home state are so unhappy with his stance on immigration reform and campaign finance reform that the Arizona Republican Assembly recently passed a resolution calling on party leaders to censure him.
And McCain would be 72 when he entered the White House. Hagel is 10 years younger.
But for the time being, Hagel is noncommittal.
"John McCain is a very dear friend of mine and a one of the most effective senators in the United States Senate," said Hagel.
"What he's gonna do, I don't know. What I'm gonna do, I don't know."
I don't think Republicans have a WELL-KNOWN "man on a white horse." I think Rudy should examine his soul about being pro-choice. (He would not out-law partial-birth abortion either.)
A good choice, but Sanford has already ruled out a White House run in '08.
Hagel waited until he had focus tested response to the filibuster before he came out days before with his position. He did not take a lead role in the position, and he will not get credit for it.
NEWSMAX should be ashamed of calling either of these men "Conservative".
I do encourage them to run though. While conservatives VASTLY outnumber the "libs in the Party, and the Dems & Indy's that flood REPUBLICAN primaries, any split of the same type of voter is just fine by me.
I'm sure we'll have some fights, but I do believe conservatives will settle on ONE candidate at the end. There will not be split voting on large scale, leaving these opportunists to fight for the scraps of those remaining.
Newsmax is determined to become the Newsweek of Internet Journalism...
Well, you might be right. I've noticed some "slippage" lately; - not exactly to the left, but more as though they're trying to be "fair and balanced."
Thanks for your comment. Interesting.
Char :)
You and me both -- Oklahoma is an early primary state and neither one stands a chance here. We are also a closed primary state so crossover voting is not allowed and was just recently held up by SCOTUS! One decision they got right! :)
That's an understatement.
"As a fellow dyed-in-the-wool conservative and a Nebraskan, I wish to apologize to the entire civilized world for Chuck Hagel."
I have a higher regard for your other senator, Ben Nelson than I do for Hagel.
"I'll stay home in 08."
Show up and vote for ballot props and state and congressional races. please.
Hagel is a horse's ass. But McCain's skin will be so rotted away by 2008 he will have to wear a Vader mask. Neither of these clowns have a chance. The hunt continues...
Being from Nebraska, Hagel is a HUGE disappointment. If there was a half-way decent candidate to vote for over Hagel for Senate, he'd lose his seat. The fact that he may run for Prez is laughable. He's nothing more that a newer version of Bob Kerrey. Liberal, liberal, liberal...not much conservative about him.
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