First, for our readers who don’t make it out of their own media market, The Lincoln Journal Star published a Don Walton interview with Bruning yesterday. (Bruning vows Hagel's power won't deter him – LJS – 5/3/07. ) In it, Bruning continued his scorched-Earth attacks on Hagel – this time hitting with “Hagel doesn’t live in Nebraska” and “Hagel is for amnesty”. We’d only point out that these issues didn’t seem to bother Bruning when he announced he was a “Hagel-guy” a month ago. Also, we’d note that (for what it’s worth) Bruning’s immigration position is identical to that of one Senator Ben Nelson. Today the OWH addressed Bruning's immigration comments as well (Bruning calls Hagel's citizenship proposal 'amnesty' – OWH – 5/4/07.).
And we’ve got to say, we’re a little curious on Bruning’s strategy. He’s lashing out at Chuck Hagel at every opportunity, but where does that get him? He fires up Hagel’s base of supporters, he fires up Hagel himself and he comes off as overly negative very early. His obvious intention is to drive up Hagel’s negatives within the party, but should that be his main effort at this stage? We’ll listen to the arguments. Of course if his goal is to drive Hagel out of the race, we’re still persuaded that Mike Johanns waltzes in and takes the nomination.
The other issue that caught our eye was a story regarding the Hagel-Mike Bloomberg dinner at The Palm in Washington, D.C. The OWH quizzed Hagel about this and gives it a short mention (Hagel dines with Bloomberg at power-broker eatery – OWH – 5/4/07). We’d also say, interesting that they chose The Palm. This is the equivalent to having a private meeting on the median at 72nd and Dodge during rush-hour. They may as well have had a sign over them that said, “We’re talking about BIG things.”
In any case, the New York neo-conservative daily, “The New York Sun” ran an editorial today telling Bloomberg to stay away from Hagel because Hagel is “weak on terrorism.” (Bloomberg-Hagel? – The New York Sun – 5/4/07.) They base this mainly on a couple of Hagel votes and a recent speech. We note this because you gotta bet Bruning will be jumping all over this in the very near future. You’ve been warned.
Finally, you may not have heard that the Nebraska Democrats commissioned a poll (well, PUSH-poll) recently asking Nebraskans what they thought about…Republicans. Well, particularly Chuck Hagel and Jon Bruning. (Nebraska Democrat Party Offers Advice to Bruning Campaign - Southwest Nebraska News – 5/3/07.) Their conclusions? Not everyone loves Hagel and not everyone knows Bruning. So there you go Democrats! Happy with the way your party elders are spending your contributions? We’ll assume that this poll is intended to get some Democrat candidate juiced up to run. Fahey? Kleeb? Kerrey? (Raimondo???) Help us out here.
Maybe next time they can pay for a poll that asks which asks who gave a better speech: Eisenhower or Reagan.
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4 comments:
I think the Democrats' poll is pretty accurate. Hagel has a net positive approval among Democrats and Independents, but negative approval among Republicans. It actually seems to confirm Bruning's numbers from his poll. The conclusions I draw from the poll?
1. Hagel's extremely vulnerable within his own party.
2. Bruning has a lot of work left to do to convince people to vote for him.
3. Nebraskans have turned against this war. (51% favor a timetable for withdrawal).
SS:
The Brunings consist of a couple Brunings, Perrys and Daves, a handful of Hollys and a Jen in Nebraska. That clan is getting smaller every day.
It is laughable that Bruning believes he could be respected after this. He is suffering from a terrible case of diarrhea of the mouth.
It is now coming out both sides...Hagel is out of touch with Nebraskans because he is against G.W. Bush on Iraq and supports him on immigration. Do the Brunings hear what their leader is saying? One word describes the Bruning clan...PATHETIC!
(Uh, just so we're clear and we don't start getting a bunch of hate mail, when we say "BruningS", that's just a play on the Hatfields and McCoys reference, and not some reference to Bruning's or Hagel's family. There, don't we all feel better now? -SS)
Bruning not known by Nebraskans? That may be true. This is what most Nebraskans probably do know if they've been watching their tv' the past several years:
1. Bruning prosecuted a mentally challenged "sex offender" who married his pregnant underaged girlfriend (I believe she was mentally challenged as well?).
What a champion of the people. His sense of justice is a bit different than mine. Maybe he would have learned a thing or two about justice in law school if he hadn't been so busy spitting up liberal propaganda?
2. His commercials depicting sex offenders as homeless men sitting behind computers talking to your child in a chat room.
3. When he was 3 he thought his hometown was named after him.
Now it appears he believes this is his state as well?
Those seem to be the headlines that stick out.
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