Hagelian Dialectic
The media anointed Chucky "Janus" Hagel a "maverick". They elevated him into the next hero after losing interest in John McCain. And now they have turned on their own creation because Chucky let them down. There are a number of mainstream media outlets calling Chucky's decisive decision not to decide anything "bizarre". Geeze, and after all that hyperventilation over his shoe sales….
The Republican senator from Nebraska, flirting with a 2008 presidential run, scheduled "an announcement on my political future" for yesterday morning in Omaha. Media types flew in from across the country. The state's governor and attorney general, along with 15 television cameras, crowded the room. Cable networks carried the event live while pundits went wild: Would Hagel jump into the race? Run for reelection? Become an independent? Quit politics entirely?
"I'm here today to announce that my family and I will make a decision on my political future later this year," Hagel declared in front of a presidential-blue curtain.
That was the announcement? The cable networks quickly broke away. The reporters in Omaha were feeling had.
"Senator, at least one Republican political analyst called your announcement today bizarre just now," NBC's Michelle Kosinski pointed out in the question-and-answer session that followed. "Tell us why you felt this was important to announce right now."
Nebraska newspapers (Omaha and Lincoln both) are being linked by Real Clear Politics today. Neither appears real happy with Chuckles. And they didn't have to fly in for the non-announcement. My guess is that Chucky just lost the media completely and will be hard put to get anyone to attend his next non-announcement. Unless he brings donuts.
By crosspatch, Tuesday, 13 March , 2007 @ 1:44 pm
Interesting how Hagel managed to turn himself into a laughingstock.