Republican Chuck Hagel a good choice for Obama V.P.?

CNNPolitics.Com ^ | June 17, 2008 | FROM CNN’s Jack Cafferty:

[F15Eagle]

Barack Obama has already made history in this campaign, but what if he does it one more time by picking a Republican as his V.P.?

Salon.com reports about the buzz surrounding GOP Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska as a potential choice for Obama. Hagel admittedly is a long shot for the job. Just imagine the symbolism: Obama could truly hit home the message that he’s serious about changing the way Washington works by running with a Republican.

And there’s no better Republican for him to run with than Chuck Hagel. Hagel is retiring at the end of his term. He has been very tough on President Bush when it comes to the war in Iraq. Last year, Hagel said that Bush was “not accountable anymore” and that “before this is over, you might see calls for his impeachment.” Hagel was also recently critical of his longtime friend, John McCain… particularly some of McCain’s comments about Iran. Hagel said he thinks McCain “is smarter than some of the things he is saying.”

The article points out that although many tout Hagel as a moderate Republican who’s willing to reach across the aisle, he’s still a conservative. And there’s the rub. Former Sen. Bob Kerrey, a Democrat and friend of Hagel’s, says it would be hard to imagine his party backing someone who’s anti-choice, anti-civil rights for gays and anti-gun control, adding “It’s not impossible, but it’s bumping right up on the edge.”

For his part, Hagel has yet to endorse John McCain. It’s been reported that Hagel’s wife gave Obama $500 in February. And, in a CNN interview last month, Hagel himself laughed off a question about being Obama’s running mate, but he didn’t rule it out saying he’s “going to try and find some honest work.”

[F15Eagle]

This should be a fun thread

[avacado]

Hagel is too disgusting to even be called a RINO.

[ModelBreaker]

Just imagine the symbolism: Obama could truly hit home the message that he’s serious about changing the way Washington works by running with a Republican.

That would, of course, require that he run with a Republican, not Hagel.

[Mr. Silverback]

Hagel isn’t a good choice for dogcatcher.

[San Jacinto]

The Hagel-Lieberman VP debate should be a real corker -— yawn.

[alice_in_bubbaland]

Anyone associated with Obama will never get my vote. He's a Marxist period.

[Mr. Silverback]

Hagel isn’t a good choice for dogcatcher.

His approach to the war and McCain’s approach are the embodiement of the defeatist position and the pro-troop “win the damn thing” position.

[nikos1121]

No. I’m hoping he chooses thAT IMBECILE Richardson or the abortion pusher, Sebelius.

[johnny7]

Hey Jack... how much did they soak you for the hit-and-run?

[Norman Bates]

Please pick Hagel. That would be the final straw for many Clinton Democrats.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Chuck ‘n Barry. Pathetic and patheticer.

[CarryingOn]

For those who are impressed with “symbolism”. The Democrats will never get it.

[Sybeck1]

Nebraska, you guys need to at least attempt a recall here. If nothing more than symbolic one.

[mnehrling]

Hagel is the only RINO more Democrat that McCain. Ron Paul would be a better choice than Hagel and you all know what I think about him. (No, I am not endorsing Paul for VP.)

[fish hawk]

Too bad John McCain is already taken. He would be a better choice than Hagel.

[Migraine]

Well, they NEED a girl in the slot. And Hagel qualifies. So I guess so.

[Churchillspirit]

A democrat chooses a republican as a running mate.......a woman chooses another woman as a life mate.

What a crazy world.

[Sybeck1]

How do Hagel’s ACU numbers stack up against the McCainiac? Not lifetime averages?

[Malone LaVeigh]

Talk about Dumb & Dumberer ...

[x]

No. There's a big line of Democrats waiting to move up, so Barry won't give the nomination to a Republican.

A sitting president could get away with something like that (Nixon contemplated picking John Connolly as his VP in 1972), but someone who's only a candidate can't jump his man to the front of the line.

If you look at polls taken a few weeks ago, I think they'll confirm that Hagel's a bad choice for Obama.

[Blackyce]

I would love for Obama to take Hagel off our hands.

[raybbr]

Barack Obama has already made history in this campaign, but what if he does it one more time by picking a Republican as his V.P.?

Do people vote for the VP? I don't. Just more political stupidity.

[Blackyce]

I would love for Obama to take Hagel off our hands. One more RINO pusghed off the plank.

[Blackyce]

I would love for Obama to take Hagel off our hands. One more RINO pushed off the plank.

[LeonardFMason]

Perfect. Chuck Hagel is a turd. He will make no difference in the general election. This may actually help energize conservatives.

[PGR88]

Marx had his Hegel, so I guess Obama will have his Hagel

[mulligan]

One buffoon to join another buffoon. Sounds like a marriage made in California.

[Ben Reyes]

Hagel is henpecked. I think the presence of liberal women in the household tend to change conservative men. Look at the late Sen. Goldwater.

[Friendofgeorge]

Hagel is a POS !!!!

[Noumenon]

Chuck Hagel’s a good choice for an appointment with a lamp post and a rope.

[JimSEA]

Sen. Chuck Hagel is the ideal VP for Obama, only Rep. Ron Paul would be better!!!!!! Can you think of three more deserving lunatics to group together. LOL

[mnehrling]

Kucinich?

[Red_Devil 232]

Chuck ‘n Barry

Is that a new Ben and Jerry's flavor?

[moose2004]

Jack Cafferty wrote/said this? Hey Jack, how about a nice refreshing scotch on the rocks. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!

[Seaplaner]

The article points out that although many tout Hagel as a moderate Republican who’s willing to reach across the aisle, he’s still a conservative.

Such dishonesty can only come from the likes of CNN.

Unfortunately, Hagel is pretty unlikely.

We (justifiably) view him as a sort of turncoat; and he lacks SOME of the Marxist creds for Obama's Fifth-Column. (Ayers and Dohrn will probably nix his chances.)

Who will be Obamas choice for VEEP?

It won't be Hillary Rodham.

My guess is the uber-unctuous Jim Webb of the otherwise great state of Virginia.

[JimSEA]

Kucinich?

Very deserving but hasn't he already made plans in another Galaxy??

[mimaw]

How much did Jack soak up before he made this commentary?

[Soliton]

My Mother-in-law, knowing I love war history, gave me a book by Hagel and Max Cleland. I didn’t scream or throw it away. I put it in the bathroom so thay would think I read it. I sometimes miss the book when I’m peeing and actually hit the toilet.

[Recovering_Democrat]

LOL, look, Hussein could get Nancy Reagan’s endorsement for all I care. He ain’t gettin’ my vote.

And any thinking person won’t vote for him.

[GWB00]

Oh please pick Hagel! He has the warmth of a snow pea!

Voter will endear themselves to the man/sacrasm off

[My Favorite Headache]

FROM CNN’s Jack Cafferty: That is all I needed to read.

Never will happen and just another pathetic attempt by this hit and run loser to bash Bush.

[shekkian]

How about Larry Craig, while we’re at it?

[Keflavik76]

Chuck Hagel? He may as well pick Micky Mouse as his vice president.

[Redcloak]

He would be perfect for the Obamessiah.

[wolf78]

There's a quote from "The West Wing" (Ep. 7.20 "The Last Hurrah") which sums it up nicely:

Nice try... I know your game. [...] You have your people leak it to the press, that gives you a couple of days of stories about how bipartisan [Barack Obama] is. You even got a republican on the short list for the vice presidency. [...] Then you announce who you really want.

It's a test balloon to soften up moderates and swing voters. But Obama's so light on substance, he will have to get his own version of Dick Cheney: A heavyweight within the democratic party who brings expertise to the table and gets those blue-collar Hillary supporters in line.

[omega4179]

I just want to say the only job more meaningless than VP is Lieutenant governor.

[John123]

I just want to say the only job more meaningless than VP is Lieutenant governor.

Gee I don't know about that one... the way the looney left carries on... you would think Cheney was the mastermind behind all evil things that happened in the past 8 years...

[omega4179]

So the opposite must be true!
I don’t recall Bush 41 doing much or definitely GORE.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Obama-Hagel vs McCain-Lieberman?

[LiberConservative]

Couldn’t be any worse than Bob Barr running as the Libertarian candidate.