Don Walton states (without citing his source -- but probably Hagel's press dude Mike Buttry) that while a recent Washington Post interview indicated Hagel wouldn’t decide on his Presidential/Senatorial ambitions for six weeks, in reality, “it was just an offhand remark, not actually a revised timeline.” So from that we’d guess it should come this week, right? Oh, who the hell knows… (Don Walton: Tick, tick, waiting for Hagel - LJS – 1/29/07.)And despite at least two different indications from Hagel that he may run for President as a member of the Bull Moose Party (or, some other less interesting sounding Independent party), in a lengthy Newsweek feature, Hagel says that notion is “ludicrous”. (Rebel Chuck Hagel: A President in the Making? a/k/a A Reluctant Rebel’s Yell – Newsweek – 2/5/07 issue).
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OWH is now saying that Hagel might be making a book deal. Don't you think a presidential campaign (even one with no chances) would be a good way to sell books?
I saw that and didn't really think much of it. If you're implying that he's running for Prez so he can sell (and make money on) a book, I think you're mistaken. The guy certainly doesn't need the money and there has to be an easier way to sell a book (which apparently hasn't even been written) than to run for President.
Just about every worthwhile Prez contender has a book -- Hillary's "...Village", McCain's "Flags...", Obama's "Audacity..". I would think that Hagel figures to be a true contender, he'd need a book to go with his candidacy.
I'm not saying Hagel would run for President just to sell a book.
I'm thinking his publisher wouldn't be discouraging a run even they thought he'd spend more time writing a quality book.
This isn’t about books. This is about timing. Hagel has a habit of being where voters aren’t, right up until they get to where he is. Do not underestimate Hagel.
Hagel gets more Media face time than most declared candidates and he isn’t even on the pundits’ radar screens yet. That makes sense because the Media chops off whichever heads pop up first, especially heads they dislike. As even his critics maintain, “the Media loves Hagel.” In a Prez bid, that is useful.
In most races, votes follow money. In presidential races, however, money follows interest. And interest is tied to who can command Media attention.
The Newsweek Feb 5th issue gives Hagel 4.5 pages, Cheney 3 pages, Hillary 1/3 a page, Obama one half a page, and it crams McCain, Giuliani, and Romney into one page that suggests the three are suffering for backing Bush on Iraq. No mention of books.
Then again, Newsweek's Sr. Editor, Jonathan Alter and chief political writer, Howard Fineman are also card-carrying members of the We- Hate-George-Bush-and-most-other-GOPers Party.
If the war magically ended tomorrow, how many Dems would be supporting Hagel, with his conservative credentials? Hagel's biggest problem is that the media won't be voting in the GOP primaries.
The news media is today like it was in 1776; a pivotal pain in every politician's patoot and ignored at one's political peril.
Sure most of the Media dislikes Bush. His brusque strength that was so needed during 9-11 is also reflected in his constant backhanding of the Media. Whereas Reagan respected the Media, even while it sliced him up regularly, Bush goes out of his way to poke the Media in the eye.
The media savvy Hagel is indeed not well received by Nebraska Republicans. But most Republican Primary voters aren't from Unicameral-land. It might behoove Nebraska elephants to consider what it means to have a homeboy running for Prez.
Note that in past primary elections, the media has chosen their man from the beginning but it's usually the underdog that has pulled through. Hagel has a much better chance than Nebraskans give him credit for.
When you say, "usually the underdog has pulled through", exactly which "underdog" are you talking about?
In the past 20 years I don't think you can say any underdog won. Prior to that I don't think you'll find that even a Dukakis, Carter or Reagan was ever coming in at 1% in their party polling.
Hagel is betting his presidential future (such as it is) on failure in Iraq. What does it say about any politico that sees an American defeat as his/her biggest advantage with the electorate?
gop realist---and I quote from the Washington Post's article on the case for Hagel:
"Winning a Senate contest in Nebraska does not equate to becoming the Republican Party's presidential nominee, but Hagel clearly relishes the UNDERDOG role and knows something about running against conventional wisdom."
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