Chucky Hanging It Up
Chucky Hagel is retiring, sources close to him say. He also will not be running for President on a third party ticket. It looks like all his positioning hasn't worked out well for the Nebraska Republican.
WASHINGTON – Chuck Hagel will announce Monday that he is retiring from the U.S. Senate and will not run for president next year, people close to the Nebraska Republican said Friday.
Hagel plans to announce that "he will not run for re-election and that he does not intend to be a candidate for any office in 2008," said one person, who asked not to be named.
Hagel has scheduled a press conference for 10 a.m. Monday at the Omaha Press Club.
According to one person interviewed, Hagel told Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky on Friday morning that he had decided to retire. Hagel's staff learned of his decision that afternoon.
The North Platte native earned national recognition as perhaps the most vocal, at times angry, GOP critic of the Bush administration's Iraq policies.
His outspokenness on Iraq and other key issues, including Social Security and foreign policy, fueled national interest in Hagel as he flirted with a possible presidential bid.
His national profile reached its zenith in March, when he headed to Omaha to hold a press conference on his political future.
But amid wide speculation that he was leaning toward a White House run, Hagel announced that he would disclose his plans later in the year.
No, I don't think that's right at all. His popularity with the press reached its height in March - up until he held that absolutely bizarre non-newsworthy news conference. At that point even the press realized the guy was a posturing fraud. And they dropped him like a hot potato and stopped covering his nonsense, pretty well sealing his fate. I guess he can go get that job selling shoes now. In a way, I've missed the press covering Hagel. As I pointed out back in February, the farce is strong in this one, Luke. And he was soooooo easy to photoshop.
Worst of all, Dan Riehl grabbed the best description of Chucky's latest news: "There'll be no Child's Play 5: Chucky Runs For Prez co-starring Michael Bloomberg."
Other Links to this Post
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G.O.P Senator Chuck Hagel to retire at the End of his term. - The Detroit Times — September 8, 2007 @ 3:01 pm
By feeblemind, September 8, 2007 @ 7:53 am
Hooray!
By Anthony (Los Angeles), September 8, 2007 @ 9:21 am
At least this is one Senate seat I can count on the Republicans hanging on to, or, given Hagel, actually being won by a Republican.
By FedUp, September 8, 2007 @ 10:47 am
Too bad… so sad… Bye, Chuck!