Posted on 08/30/2004 10:31:21 AM PDT by miloklancy
Sen. Hagel chides Bush, Kerry
BY JAKE THOMPSON
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
NEW YORK - Sen. Chuck Hagel admonished both of the 2004 candidates for president in a speech Monday to Iowa's delegates to the Republican National Convention.
Sen. Chuck Hagel
Hagel said the candidates, President Bush and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., have hurt the political process by focusing on division rather than unity in the flap over Kerry's service 30 years ago in Vietnam.
"We've got to unite America. We've got to bring this country together in common purpose," the Nebraska Republican told about 70 Iowa delegates, alternates and party officials. "I have been very disappointed about the conduct of this campaign on this issue. We are debasing our country. We are debasing our process."
Iowa Republicans invited Hagel to speak because he recently said that he'll weigh running for president in 2008.
He was the first of multiple Republican contenders who will stand before Iowans, who hold influential first-in-the- nation caucuses every four years, during this week's GOP convention.
In his speech, Hagel kept his aspirations in check and offered kind words for Bush's leadership after the Sept. 11 attacks. But he criticized the campaigns of both candidates.
"Politics is about inspiration, it's about lifting people up," Hagel said, prompting applause. "It's about making people better."
Campaigns should promote a belief in ourselves, about the nation's fabric and always doing better, giving "the guy at the bottom the hope that he or she could do better for their families," he said.
After Hagel's 15-minute speech, several reporters asked him whether his criticism of the presidential contest also applies to the Bush re-election team.
"Sure it does," said Hagel. "I've been very direct about that. Both sides have to take some responsibility here."
Hagel said both campaigns should attack outside groups that are known as 527s because of the part of the U.S. tax code they use to raise large unregulated donations that pay for TV and radio ads. Such groups have run ads sharply critical of Bush and Kerry this year, making it difficult for either candidate to talk about an agenda for the next four years.
Monday night, Hagel was to drop by a reception held by Republicans from New Hampshire, which every four years holds the nation's first primary.
Why doesn't he just do a Jeffords and get it over with?
F Hagel.
I second that emotion.
Hagel and Ben Nelson are just two sides of the same counterfeit coin. Both of them embarass me to be from Nebraska.
Two reasons..I) In the minority, he'd have ZERO influence..2)..This morning..Hagel announced that he was exploring an 08 presidential bid..
This Rino thinks he's viable for 2008. Well, he has no chance of getting my vote. I have an Anbody But Hagel attitude for 2008.
Listen Senator, if you don't want to revisit Vietnam, then don't, and TuneTFO. Other Vets, with equal rights to free speech, want to revisit it, so just STFU!
Hitlary has Hagel's file.
"Politics is about inspiration, it's about lifting people up," Hagel said, prompting applause.
It seems painfully obvious to me that Hagel has no CLUE what the purpose of a political campaign is. The purpose is to WIN, to gain office and then to hold that office.
Must not be any oxygen in the air wherever he is.
As a born & raised husker I can't imagine this Hagel guy getting elected & I asked my friends back there what is his attraction? Of the two I prefer Ben. This from a state that has/will vote Bush in bigger % than probably any state. Defies logic.
Hagel has no hope of winning a primary, but if he's out, when he's put on McCain's ticket, he won't be a COMPLETE unknown (the Edwards Gambit).
You heard it here, first.
NOBODY, (including Kerry) has sucked up to McCain MORE than Hagel.
Bush? Bush has focused on division? Where does this idiot come from? (A close friend of McLame) Does that tell you anything?
Hagel has spent too much time front of the fire sipping champagne to realize how irrelavent he is outside of Nebraska.
Now lets see how long it takes for someone to offer up Condi for 2008?
Dont worry. The blowhard has no constituency. He's an uninteresting version of McPain.
I don't think he has a chance at the nomination - at least I hope the pubbies have someone better.
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