Hagel basically nails it on Wolfie this morning.

[longship]

He says that using the national security as a political issue is wrong. He criticizes both parties, but we all know who he was really criticizing.

He cuts to the core of the issue and refuses to get into the fray with Wolfie on the Lieberman loss, implying simply that this is between the CT voters and Lieberman. Go Chuck!

On Congress, he states unequivocally that Congress has dropped the ball and implies that they deserve their very low approval rates.

Hagel is really turning into a very good man, like former Republican greats who put the welfare of their country above partisanship. Senator Howard Baker comes to mind.

The extent to which this guy gets media exposure is the exetent to which I'm beginning to see hope.

[Windy]

1. I agree...

we'd be in much better shape in this country if partisan politics were cast aside. I don't agree with Hagel on all issues but on the war, he has it nailed. Probably from his own experience with war unlike the members of the administration

[Gidney N Cloyd]

2. I know about Hagel and the voting machines but he's so hard to dislike.

[OregonBlue]

3. Agreed. Is it possible that there is a true Republican patriot out there?

On the other hand, didn't he just vote for those obscene tax cuts again!

[WatchWhatISay]

4. If we have to ever have another Republican president,

This is a guy whose election I could live with. A true moderate, not just another "handsome" guy you'd like to go have a beer with, that is really an empty vessel waiting to be filled by the truly scary extremist wing of the GOP. They'll be pushing Arnold, Romney and Pataki. Notice how the media covered all three of them this week, using their state guards to supplement airport security. All three of them are being groomed, just as Santorum was for awhile.

[leesa]

5. If only his votes would match his rhetoric

[SaneInSC]

6. Yup

No matter how much I might be able to sort of tolerate the handful of formerly moderate Repubs (Snowe, Chafee, Hagel)..my mind always goes back to all of the party line votes in which they voted in lockstep. Sure they may voice some opposition in the press from time to time..but when it counted on nominations, for investigations, etc..etc..EVERY SINGLE ONE of them voted against us when they could have made a real difference. Thats the bottom line.

/sigh

[Strelnikov_]

8. Agree. If Given The Choice Between A 'Moderate' Democrat And A

Republican positioning as a 'Moderate Democrat', I will choose the Democrat every time.

[Strelnikov_]

7. Hagel Is The Reich Winger The Dems Need To Worry About In 08

It is obvious he is positioning himself as the paleo-conservative candidate. Could be even a third-party run depending on what the GOP Reich oligarchs do. And I think, based on his current rhetoric, he could be the first third-party President.

Whatever his motivations, I am glad he is saying it, because maybe some of it will soak into the 'brand-Reich' voters (that is, those voters who will never vote for a Democrat due to the last 26 years of 'branding'.) Let's face it, what he is saying is a hell of a lot like what many of the leading Democrats are saying.

On edit: 26 years of 'branding'. What a lost generation.