My new hero: Senator Chuck Hagel

[Bucky]

Senator Hagel...

supported the interests of the Planned Parenthood 0 percent in 2006.
supported the interests of the National Right to Life Committee 100 percent in 2005-2006.
supported the interests of the National Taxpayers Union 76 percent in 2005.
supported the interests of the FreedomWorks 88 percent in 2005.
supported the interests of the Americans for Tax Reform 100 percent in 2005.
supported the interests of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 94 percent in 2005.
supported the interests of the American Civil Liberties Union 36 percent in 2005-2006.
supported the interests of the American Civil Liberties Union 22 percent in 2003-2004.
supported the interests of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People 5 percent in 2005.
supported the interests of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights 6 percent in 2005.
supported the interests of the Conservative Index - The John Birch Society 34 percent in Summer 06.
supported the interests of the Conservative Index - The John Birch Society 90 percent in Fall 2004.
supported the interests of the National Association for College Admission Counseling 17 percent in 2005.
supported the interests of the National Parent Teacher Association 7 percent in 2003-2004.
supported the interests of the American Land Rights Association 100 percent in 2006.
supported the interests of the Comprehensive US Sustainable Population 6 percent in 2005-2006.
supported the interests of the American Wilderness Coalition 0 percent in 2005.
supported the interests of the Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund 0 percent in 2005.
supported the interests of the League of Conservation Voters 5 percent in 2005.
supported the interests of the Children's Defense Fund 11 percent in 2005.
supported the interests of the Family Research Council 83 percent in 2004.
supported the interests of the National Organization for Women 0 percent in 2005.
supported the interests of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group 0 percent in 2005 and 2006.
supported the interests of the Alliance for Retired Americans 0 percent in 2005.
supported the interests of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence 7 percent from 1988-2003 (Senate) or 1991-2003 (House).

and...

Based on lifetime voting records on gun issues and the results of a questionnaire sent to all Congressional candidates in 2002, the National Rifle Association assigned Senator Hagel a grade of A

Add to that his foriegn policy record...

In 2006 Citizens for Global Solutions gave Senator Hagel a rating of "C+".
In 2006, The Genocide Intervention Network--Darfur Scores assigned Senator Hagel a grade of "F" based on voting records, bill sponsorship and other activities related to ending the genocide in Darfur.

[Rose Siding]

1. Just yesterday he voted to end the federal minimum wage altogether

http://bobgeiger.blogspot.com/2007/01/who-wanted-to-eliminate-federal-minimum.html

All hail for good speaking skills and for FINALLY hearing the public on Iraq, but most dems beat him to it.

[oasis]

20. In the eyes of some DUers, that vote alone would make him eligible for DLC membership.

:hide:On a more serious note: To hell with all Rethuglican machineheads.

[atreides1]

2. Thank you

[tandot]

3. May I be the first to K&R?

Great post - you just forgot the :sarcasm:

on edit: I guess it took me too long to type

[Bucky]

5. I never use that icon

My sarcasm is dry, not dripping with blood. Frankly I find the rolling eyes icon ( :eyes: ) about as dumbed down as I can take.

[tandot]

10. and it wasn't really needed in your post anyway

it was pretty clear - although lurking freepers will have problems getting it since most are "sarcasm impaired".

[WI_DEM]

4. I don't think anybody here says that he is there hero or that they are voting for him

they just like his stand on Iraq and the trouble he's giving Bush on that issue. You know every thread on DU doesn't have to be 100% against every republican especially when that Republican is speaking sense on the most important issue of this day.

[Bucky]

11. Just adding a little perspective...

No insult implied. Just trying to keep the touch light.

[Windy]

21. Bravo!! I wish that some of the dems would have

as much cojones as he has on the issue... as well as Finegold, Boxer, Dodd, Murtha

We need all the strong voices we can muster on this issue. the fact that he is a repub going against his party on this adds to our cause. I'm not saying I'd ever vote for him as president, but I applaud what he is doing for the troops! ITs not political for him, its personal and I find that honorable.

[tblue37]

24. Oh, I don't know. I have actually seen at least one thread--and

several posts on different threads--that say, "Hagel for president." There is an awful lot of that mindlessness going on. Whenever anyone says something some people like, they immediately want theat person to be president.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

35. he's valuable to ending the war because:

we don't have to vote for him if he runs for president,
in fact, he has probably committed political suicide.

Hagel's record as an extreme conservative gives him
more creditability with other "conservatives".

Then, that gives his anti war stance more creditability.

We need more than democrats to understand the war is wrong,
we need the republicans to turn on Bush and the war too,
in order to get out.

[elehhhhna]

6. thank you, Bucky! K&R

[waiting for hope]

7. Can you say "Repuke"?

supported the interests of the Family Research Council 83 percent in 2004.....That says it all right there.

[PlanetBev]

8. You're nominated, Bucky

for one of the best posts ever. I was just thinking about this very subject this morning. Hagel is a nasty right-winger to the bone. People need to know about a politician's complete record before signing on to their fan club.

Thank you for taking the time to bring this guy's record to light.

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. You've pointed out exactly why he could be a very dangerous candidate

As forcefully as he's coming out and getting soundbyte coverage there are some...maybe even MANY who would vote for him based on one issue only.

[AlCzervik]

12. well done Bucky.

everyone should be checking voting records before another "Hero" gets his or hers bandwagon jumped on.
http://votesmart.org/index.htm

[havocmom]

13. Ran company pushing electronic voting...

Don't EVER forget that one.

[Zorra]

14. I remember when some posters @ DU were touting McCain as a VP

choice for John Kerry. It seems we have another contingent singing the praises of another republican loser - Chuck Hagel. It is very possible that some of those at DU that are giving the love to Hagel are trolls.

As for any Democrat thinking that Hagel is a swell guy and might be a good choice for VP - well, haven't we already learned that we can never trust any republican?

Thanks for the informative post, Bucky.
:toast:

[cynatnite]

29. I used to respect McCain...

until he sold his soul to the chimp. It was five or six months later, I think it was, after the '04 elections. Hagel was sounding off about the war and I did a double take. Posted it here to DU and got educated on how RW the guy is.

He can keep doing what he's doing. Maybe it'll help stop bush and his cronies in their tracks. He was a RW repuke yesterday, he is today and he'll be one tomorrow. That I won't forget.

[Zodiak]

15. Hagel is no saint

he is an opportunist that sees an empty space in "Republican maverick" slot that McCain has left empty.

You know, McCain, another 95% Bush supporter.

Let Hagel continue to hurt Bush to save his job, but he is not a hero, an ally, or a friend. Just an opportunistic ass trying to save his job and perhaps get a promotion. Do not confuse Republican opportunism for a conscience.

[Faryn Balyncd]

27. An examination of Hagel's record will reveal a number of things:

(in addition to Hagel's conservative voting record)

Hagel voted for the IRW in 2002, stating at that time that he opposed an invasion and believed that it would facilitate effective inspections and a diplomatic solution.

Between the time of passage of the IWR & the invasion in March, 2003, Hagel lobbied the White House against the invasion.

Since March 2003, Hagel has been the strongest & most effective Republican critic of the war, with increasing forcefulness.

Hagel has become absolutely the most despised Republican by the Republican base.

Hagel's action do not make his job more secure.

The chances of him being selected the Republican presidential nominee are zero.

The chances of him being challenged by a pro-war Republican in the Senate primary in 2008 are great, and increasing, and possibly a factor in the rumors that he may seek neither re-election to the Senate in 2008, nor the presidency.

Not inconceivable is a Hagel third party/independent presidential candidacy, the effect of which is not totally clear (even if the make-up of the Republican and Democratic tickets were known.)

Also unclear is the effect that the emerging threat of a Hagel third party candidacy might have on the major party nominating process, on the make-up of the Democratic & Republican tickets, and on their respective positions on foreign policy.









Sometimes the complexities of individuals defy black & white characterization.

[Cobalt Violet]

16. I love your dry sarcasm.

I agree no smily needed.

[Bonhomme Richard]

17. Cracks me up that the guy gets one thing right.............

(and that one thing happens to be a no brainer), and so many people are singing his praises.
Cracks me up.
Maybe they are all the McCain lovers looking for a new "he's not bad for a republican" since Mccain has gone officially batshit crazy.

[Zodiak]

18. self-delete

duplicate post

[John Q. Citizen]

19. Hagel knows being anti-Iraq war right now is good for his Presidential ambitions. Let's

use the mofo to get out of Iraq and then dump his ass out of the Senate onto K-street where he can make a bundle working for the corporate interests against the people's interests.

By the way, you left out how he won his first Senate campaiagn using his own electronic voting machine company to deliver what was an extremely surprising and suspicious upset victory against the the Dem.

Hagel is scum.

[OneBlueSky]

22. Hagel was an early beneficiary of electronic election fraud . . .

"If You Want To Win An Election, Just Control The Voting Machines"

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0131-01.htm

(snip)

The respected Washington, DC publication The Hill (www.thehill.com/news/012903/hagel.aspx) has confirmed that former conservative radio talk-show host and now Republican U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel was the head of, and continues to own part interest in, the company that owns the company that installed, programmed, and largely ran the voting machines that were used by most of the citizens of Nebraska.

Back when Hagel first ran there for the U.S. Senate in 1996, his company's computer-controlled voting machines showed he'd won stunning upsets in both the primaries and the general election. The Washington Post (1/13/1997) said Hagel's "Senate victory against an incumbent Democratic governor was the major Republican upset in the November election." According to Bev Harris of www.blackboxvoting.org, Hagel won virtually every demographic group, including many largely Black communities that had never before voted Republican. Hagel was the first Republican in 24 years to win a Senate seat in Nebraska.

Six years later Hagel ran again, this time against Democrat Charlie Matulka in 2002, and won in a landslide. As his hagel.senate.gov website says, Hagel "was re-elected to his second term in the United States Senate on November 5, 2002 with 83% of the vote. That represents the biggest political victory in the history of Nebraska."

What Hagel's website fails to disclose is that about 80 percent of those votes were counted by computer-controlled voting machines put in place by the company affiliated with Hagel. Built by that company. Programmed by that company.

"This is a big story, bigger than Watergate ever was," said Hagel's Democratic opponent in the 2002 Senate race, Charlie Matulka (www.lancastercountydemocrats.org/matulka.htm). "They say Hagel shocked the world, but he didn't shock me."

- more . . .

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0131-01.htm

[skipos]

23. Hagel thinks Ben Nelson (NE) votes like Kennedy to much. nt

[Lusted4]

25. Are ya gettin ready to do a flip on us? Bucky nt

[Bucky]

31. Yes I am. I flip something at the TV every time I see Hagel.

[Lusted4]

36. I hear he can get ya a good deal on a voting machine. nt

[huskerlaw]

26. Oh Puh-Leeze.

Prohibit Partial Birth Abortion -- Y
Partial Birth Abortion Ban of 1999 -- Y
Roe v. Wade Amendment -- N
Fetal Tissue Research Amendment -- Y
Flag Desecration Constitutional Amendment -- Y
Investigating Contracts in Iraq Amendment -- N
Financial Relief for Katrina Victims Amendment -- N
Congressional Commission on Hurricane Katrina -- N
Special Committee on Contracts in Afghanistan and Iraq -- N
Hate Crimes Amendment -- N
Judicial Review of Detainees Amendment -- N
National Commission on Detainees Amendment -- N
To Increase the Maximum Federal Pell Grant Amendment -- N
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program Amendment -- N
Robert Gates -- Y
Samuel Alito -- Y
John Bolton -- Y
Patricia Owen -- Y
Negroponte, Gonzales, Rice -- Y, Y, Y
Federal Marriage Amendment -- Y
Hurricane Health Care for Survivors Amendment -- N
Medical Assistance and Prescription Drug Amendment -- N
Patients Bill of Rights -- N
Secure Fence Act of 2006 -- Y
Stem Cell Research Bill -- N

Planned Parenthood rating = 0
Right to Life rating = 100
ACLU rating = 36
NAACP rating = 5
Human Rights Campaign rating = 0
Christian Coalition rating = 100 (2004)
National PTA = 7
Children's Defense Fund = 11
Family Research Council = 83
NOW = 0
American Public Health Association = 10

Source: http://www.vote-smart.org/issue_rating_category.php?can_id=BC031069

On edit: Oh dear god, I'm sorry. My hatred for Hagel and those who think he's god's new gift to moderates blinds me with anger. Totally didn't get past your first sentence. Seriously. Deepest apologies.

[TSIAS]

28. K+R (nt)

[depakid]

30. Someone on another board tried pimping Hagel

Using a Peggy Noonan column- ostensibly about statesmanship.

Thanks to this thread, they got a little more than they wanted in return. LOL

[Sparkle]

32. Did he vote to impeach President Clinton?

[AlCzervik]

33. Hagle voted "Guilty"

http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/stories/1999/02/12/senate.vote/

[Swamp Rat]

34. ES&S n/t

[WinkyDink]

37. Not that Iraq isn't THE issue, but yeah, he's still a Republican.