Monday, September 10, 2007

Hagel bows

Was Jon Bruning standing behind the Omaha Press Club wall as Chuck Hagel gave his speech?

For those of you who missed it (and this will probably lead the news), about a minute or two into his speech where he announced that he would be retiring from the Senate, Hagel’s “Faces on the Press Club Floor” caricature, which was hung up behind him, came crashing to the floor.

Hagel immediately joked that this may be symbolic of his announcement.

And that was pretty much the excitement of the day.


(The picture comes crashing down.)

(and the AP's shot of this...)


In other highlights from the speech, Hagel said:

  • He hopes to have the opportunity to serve in another capacity down the road (hint-hint, cabinet position, next President).


  • He WILL have something to say about the upcoming Senate race at the appropriate time.



  • He does not categorically rule out running on a Unity ’08 ticket, but that he has no plans to run for anything in 2008.



  • He is not endorsing any Presidential candidates right now.



  • He (jokingly) would like a job as a “stringer” (or freelance journalist) for KFAB radio host (and Leavenworth Street reader), Gary Sadlemyer.



  • He made this decision about a week ago.



  • And…that he is confident that he would have won re-election had he decided to run (with a final thumb to the eye of the aforementioned Jon Bruning).

So we await Hagel’s involvement in this upcoming primary.


And the word from everyone in that picture up and to your right.


And the horses are out of the gate!!!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

"A lame duck Senator’s statements won’t get much airplay."

That is true until a lame duck Senator becomes something else.

Anonymous said...

Take a look at the OWH gallery of the picture falling, one of the captions reads:

"Omaha Press Club Staffer Tom Janssen carries the picture away"

Tom sure found a new job fast

Anonymous said...

Can someone explain the great appeal of Mike Johanns? I mean, I know he's a nice guy and all, but I've just never been that excited about him. He may not have made any big mistakes as governor, but what accomplishments did he do that warrant such excitement to get him in the Senate race? Please, someone, explain why everyone is jumping on the Johanns bandwagon so gung ho!

Anonymous said...

Because Bruening is a tool.