If Hagel runs as an independent, who does it hurt more?

[TheFarseer]

Conventional wisdom says he hurts Repubs but they all hate him. I don't know ANY repubs that like him and I live in a state that overwhelmingly made him their Senator. So will he take away pro-corporate votes from the GOP or anti-war votes from the Democrats?

[Mojambo]

1. Democrats. Clearly.

The heartland is just dumb enough to vote for a "clean" conservative like Hagel. And having competition on the anti-war front is NOT good for Democrats, particularly since Hagel is to the left of the entire DLC on the war.

A Clinton vs Romney vs Hagel campaign would be death for us, I think.

[aquart]

4. Why? What Democrats love him?

The only votes can get are split-off Republicans and frightened independents.

[ChiciB1]

2. Living Down Here In FLOR-EE-DUH... I See Some Scratching On The

Wall, and it's Ron Paul from "all around" in this little Red County I live in. Actually not so little!

[ChiciB1]

3. Sorry,, Meant To Add This... IF Ron Paul Is Geting As Much

interest here... Hagel will get MUCH MORE!

[TwilightGardener]

5. That's what concerns me. Hagel's mainstream--if Ron Paul garners

interest, as wacky as he is, what does that mean if Hagel runs--both are anti-war, Vietnam vets, conservatives, but Hagel's a Senator, younger, attractive, accomplished and NORMAL. He's just on a different level than Paul.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

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[TwilightGardener]

11. Geez, who's campaigning for him--we're just discussing his chances

and his impact on Dems. I'm interested to see how a third-party race shapes up, for one.

[ChiciB1]

14. Honey Buns... I'm NOT Campaigning Fro ANYONE At This Point In

time! I do support Edwards for MY reasons, some of which you may not understand and which I think will be too lengthy at this point in time. Perhaps I SHOULD have checked your personal profile to see where you live before I responded to you, however... this Gal here just AIN'T going there with you!

I REFUSE to explain why I WILL NOT start yet ANOTHER "FLAME WAR" when it comes to John Edwards! You have EVERY right to your opinion as to which person you support and I myself will NOT "dis" you for it. As as matter of fact I also WILL NOT slam Democratic candidates myself whether I like he/she or not. The state of the U.S. of Ass has ENOUGH problems and I'm NOT going to hand ammunition to the other side simply because you or others here at DU like it or not.

If I had MY WAY... I would prefer Feingold/Sanders!! Ain't EVER going to happen in this country, sooooooo I stand by my choice at THIS POINT IN TIME!!

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW???????

[ChiciB1]

16. Correctiuon... The Word Should Have Been "For" Not "Fro"...

I really have issues with blatant grammar mistakes!! My problem... NOT YOURS!

[skipos]

7. Hagel will lock up the anti-war neocon vote.

Anyone who thinks Ben Nelson is way too liberal, but also is against the war will LOVE Hagel.
Are there more of those kinds of people in the Dem party or the Repub party?

[rinsd]

9. LOL "Anyone who thinks Ben Nelson is way too liberal" (nt)

[skipos]

17. Hagel said Nelson was a liberal who voted like Kennedy

during in the 2006 election. Hagel is a doofus.

[rinsd]

18. "Hagel is a doofus."

Oh very much agreed.

[TwilightGardener]

19. Was that when he was campaigning for Pete Ricketts to take Nelson's

seat? Hagel famously HATES Ben Nelson. Nelson does not care for him either. That "liberal/Kennedy" dig was more of a personal insult (espeecially in Nebraska--fightin' words) than an assessment of Nelson's voting record, I'll bet.

[skipos]

23. Yes.

But you'd have to be
1. totally stupid
or
2. I total liar
to claim that Ben Nelson's voting record is anything like Kennedy's.

[TwilightGardener]

24. I'd have to go with #2--exaggerating Nelson's record to portray

him as more liberal than he is, to damage him politically. Obviously he has a vindictive streak, doesn't he?

[Lobster Martini]

8. Maybe it's the northeastern perspective or the old hippie perspective

...but printing Hagel's voting record would be equivalent to tying cinder blocks to his ankles and throwing him into the New Jersey swampland.

http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Chuck_Ha...

[TwilightGardener]

10. Nope, most people don't give a rat's ass about voting records--

they'll hear that he's pretty conservative, and that will attract some, and scare some off, but the rest will stick around to hear what he has to say, and that's where there might be trouble.

[justinrr1]

12. Democrats

due to his stance on Iraq

[Lobster Martini]

13. Come on, I need a reason for optimism!

I like to think that someone pays attention to something other than soundbites and haircuts and...crap, they don't, do they?

[TwilightGardener]

15. You know better than that. Someone who looks like Romney, Obama

and, yes, Hagel stands a good chance of winning just by LOOKING Presidential. They have the hair--'nuff said!

[Pyrzqxgl]

21. I wonder how much Hagel pays to get his hair cut?

[TwilightGardener]

22. LOL! I don't know, but the man always has nice hair. Probably a

pretty penny. And he always looks very "GQ"--I wonder if his wife picks out those nice ties for him?

[earthlover]

20. Depends on who we nominate.....

If we nominate Hillary, Hagel hurts us more. He takes away the war as an issue for us.

If we nominate someone who has opposed the war more than Hillary, Hagel doesn't hurt us as bad.

Hagel scares me. Mainly because the Republicans might wake up and figure out that he is their best bet for victory and swallow their pride.