Posted on 05/14/2007 2:13:05 PM PDT by stan_sipple
Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel says the Republican party has been led astray by “isolationist insulationists” and it may be time for an independent presidential ticket — perhaps with the names Bloomberg and Hagel on it.
Hagel, a lifelong Republican who has been a frequent critic of the Iraq war, said Sunday he will decide about running by late summer after determining where he can best play a role to “make a better world.”
After dining recently with former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who is also considering a run for president as an independent, Hagel said people might want to consider the two on a ticket.
“We didn’t make any deals. But I think Mayor Bloomberg is the kind of individual who should seriously think about this,” Hagel said.
“It’s a great country to think about — a New York boy and a Nebraska boy to be teamed up leading this nation,” he said.
Hagel said it was time for the political system to be shaken up with a third-party candidacy. He explained that the GOP is no longer the party of “Eisenhower, of Goldwater, of Reagan,” but rather a group hijacked by “single-minded, almost isolationist insulationists, power-projectors.”
“I think the elections next year for president and other offices will be settled on the basis of what America will be looking at and wanting and demanding — honest, competent, accountable leadership,” Hagel said.
“This country is in trouble. The world is in trouble. And we need some new, fresh, independent ideas to lead this country forward,” he said.
Hagel spoke on “Face the Nation” on CBS.
Bye Chuck!
Hagel running for President would be a little like a handicapped Olympics kid running against Santanna Moss of the Washington Redskins.
Is Hagel ProLife?
Michael Bloomberg and Chuck Hagel will be Hillary/Obama’s Ross Perot. It will guarantee whomever is on the GOP ticket will win, just as it did for the democrat nominee Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton in 1992 against President George H.W. Bush. We should encourage these two egomaniacs in their futile pursuit.
“single-minded, almost isolationist insulationists, power-projectors.”
internally inconsistent, but “smart sounding!”
Put him on a stage for a while, he’ll start babbling like Wes Clark.
Yes.
This guy really is a kook. Obviously, that ticket could not win. It might take votes from the dems, it’s real hard to see it garnering republican votes.
Hagel could be onto something here. I’ve heard a lot of strong conservatives around here calling for a third party.
Oh wait...
after determining where he can best play a role to “make a better world.”
“We are the world... we are the children....”
Not an independent ticket I could support.
Go for it, Chuck. We don’t want you in the GOP.
isolationist insulationists?
Sounds like a sheetrock company that works only on the homes of Pat Buchanan supporters. How many of those are there?
And how many bottles were consumed while dreaming this one up?
isolationist insulationists
Anyone who speaks like this has no business running for anything, let alone the Presidency.
Meanwhile, a Thompson/Hunter GOP ticket will win in a landslide.
Warned, how?
The Clinton’s need a third party candidate to suck enough votes away from the Republican’s to get them elected.
A Hagel-Bloomberg independent ticket will split the Democrat vote. Conservatives aren't going to vote for them.
Don’t put it past Hillary Inc. to make the same kind of deal with Bloomberg that Billy made with Ross Perot. History can repeat itself, just watch.
Your bloviating is overblown.
However, I've always thought McCain would be the fly in the ointment that puts another Clinton in the WH.
Either way...(and I really, really hate to say this)...I fully expect the Hildebeast to be elected the same way her husband was: with help from an "independent" candidate drawing away Republican votes.
I don't think there is any doubt that Perot won the election for the Clintons. I'm just suggesting that another deal like that would not be out of the question. I have mentioned in earlier posts that it is likely that Hillary will try to promote a third party candidacy from the right of center or at least to the right of Hillary with the goal being a reduction in net votes for the Republican candidate. This is a good strategy if you are Hillary so I'm just suggesting that we be on the lookout for it.
Would anyone outside of his immediate family vote for Hagel? Why would Bloomberg run under him?
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