At a small gathering at the residence of the Italian ambassador Tuesday, Republican Senator Chuck Hagel took serious issue with some of the things John McCain has been saying lately about “appeasement,” urging him to elevate the level of discourse in the campaign.
“We know from past campaigns that presidential candidates will say many things. But once they have the responsibility to govern the country and lead the world, that difference between what they said and what responsibilities they have to fulfill are vastly different. I’m very upset with John with some of the things he’s been saying. And I can’t get into the psychoanalysis of it. But I believe that John is smarter than some of the things he is saying.”
Hagel also warned that he would not hesitate to seek the impeachment of President Bush if he unilaterally attacked Iran.
When asked to respond to rumors circulating within political circles that the Bush administration was ginning up the possibility of war with Iran, the Senator even raised the specter of impeachment.
“You’ve got the power of impeachment, now that is a very defined measure if you are willing to bring charges against the president at all. You can’t just say I disagree with him, let’s impeach him,” said Hagel. An attack on Iran without Congress’ consent, he added, “would bring with it… outstanding political consequences, including for the Republican Party.”
I appreciate that Hagel isn’t pulling any punches given that he’s retiring this year.
John Amato: If only his voting record matched his rhetoric.
Filed Under: Campaigns/Elections, George W. Bush, John McCain
Tags: Appeasement, Impeachent
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Chuck, thanks for waking up. Although you voted with Bush on many bills, glad to see you’re leaving the party that left you.
Come on over to the good side…in retirement
So why Impeachement over Iran — but not Iraq?
No logic there …
Should we hold our breath waiting for Chuck Hagel to do more than shoot his mouth off about impeachment?
Hey, I see a table, and it’s got a stack of papers on it. Hey Nancy, check this out, the papers talk about impeachment, and they’re on the table!
As the right wing crooks…let us go down the list my friends, the blathering, and bloated Rush Limbaugh, das fuhrer and devil incarnate Bill Oreilly, Dick Cheney (perhaps one of the most evil men in the universe), Sean Hannity (a man who needs no introduction, nor explanation), and their evil ring leader, right wing rock star George F. Will, express their tepid support for the John McCain candidacy (by the way McCain is French for “son of Cain”) we liberals thank God, …well,many of us do not believe in God, but we would fight in a legal, constitutionally declared war (which was in the parameters of international law) to the death to defend your right to believe in a God,…But I digress, we thank God that there are heroes of the republic like Chuck Hagel, Keith Olberman, John Stewart, Al Franken, and yes John Amato of crooks and liars, who know, un beseechingly, and unrelentingly, that the pen is mightier than the tomahawk missile, and that through the painstaking, and un beseeching, fire filled dedication to the non-stop reporting of the truth through all forms of media available in a modern society, that YES, we will take our nation back, we WILL, fight for truth again, yes, American, yes we can…WE CAN HAVE HOPE AGAIN,…YES AMERICA, YES WE CAN! (source: http://jviz.blogspot.com)
So, which position in the Obama administration is my senator lobbying for?
Patching up his legacy. Whatever that is.
“But I believe that John is smarter than some of the things he is saying.”
Algae is smarter than some of the things he is saying.
It’s never too late to impeach. As for John McCain, he is a very scary man. He’s a liar and a loose cannon. He belongs in the “crazy house”, not the White House”. And if I hear him say “my friends” one more time, I think I’ll scream. He really creeps me out.
As the right wing crooks…let us go down the list my friends, the blathering, and bloated Rush Limbaugh, das fuhrer and devil incarnate Bill Oreilly, Dick Cheney (perhaps one of the most evil men in the universe), Sean Hannity (a man who needs no introduction, nor explanation), and their evil ring leader, right wing rock star George F. Will, express their tepid support for the John McCain candidacy (by the way McCain is French for “son of Cain”) we liberals thank God, …well,many of us do not believe in God, but we would fight in a legal, constitutionally declared war (which was in the parameters of international law) to the death to defend your right to believe in a God,…But I digress, we thank God that there are heroes of the republic like Keith Olberman, John Stewart, Al Franken, and yes John Amato of crooks and liars, who know, un beseechingly, and unrelentingly, that the pen is mightier than the tomahawk missile, and that through the painstaking, and un beseeching, fire filled dedication to the non-stop reporting of the truth through all forms of media available in a modern society, that YES, we will take our nation back, we WILL, fight for truth again, yes, American, yes we can…WE CAN HAVE HOPE AGAIN,…YES AMERICA, YES WE CAN! (source: http://spiritual-political-self-help.blogspot.com/)
Jusker @ 4:
Well a ton of Super Delegates-Delgates are elected officials so let me guess was he or she was elected by Clinton Voters? (Ugggh the thought of it)
So, any job you got?
Rusty Shackleford @ 6:
He doesn’t know what he’s saying.
He won’t get better.
Whatever brain destroying drugs that Bush has been on, McCain is taking now.
Hey! McCain, go beat that beehive with a stick!
“Chuck Hagel slams McCain, talks about possible Bush impeachment”
Oh, no! Bush is in trouble now. Hagel will shake his fist at Bush like he’s never shaken it before!
That’ll show him just how serious Hagel is!!!
Democrappers, file the charges or shut the hell up. Please.
Have we not learned anything yet? The campaign
Promiseslies of republicans are rarely fulfilled. The stuff shrub promised has rarely materialized unless it was a handout to his favorite industry groups or other friends. He should have been on the fast track to impeachment during his first term! Thank You Nancy!I don’t even know how to respond to this. It’s pretty rare to see a Senator telling the TRUTH… even though it’s not “sanctioned” by his party leaders. It’s even MORE rare to hear that coming from a Republican. It’s even more rare to hear that coming from a Republican during the after-math of Republican ROVIAN politics.
Why wait until even more damage is done? Sure Congress gave bush somewhat tacit approval to invade Iraq, but now they know the information bush gave to congress was, to say the very least, doctored.
Anyone who has been paying attention knows the white house is talking up the dangers of Iran both in Iraq and in terms of nuclear weaponry. They are laying the groundwork for justification for attacking Iran. Why wait and see if it happens, act now and guarantee that it doesn’t.
These crimes must not go unpunished.
It’s TOO LATE for talk of impeachment! It’s time for a War Crimes Tribunal for the Bush cabal.
Rusty Shackleford @ 6:
hahaa
I can see fox noise graphic “Chuck Hagel (D) NE” ..
pissed off patricia @ 14:
True of course. And even if Obama wins perhaps the first week, month or so in the Oval Office he may be confronted with some kind of Iran incident involving U.S. military casualties and deaths and the Generals will be in closed high security meeting with Obama and say. . . Mr President we need to ATTACK NOW! We have beemn attacked by IRAN.
This will be the sword dangling over Obamas head.
Talking about impeachment, but not doing anything about it.
Chuck Hagel could be a democrat.
Spicegal @ 7:
I feel the same way. There’s just something about him that makes me real uncomfortable. His mannerisms and the empty look in his eyes when he’s reading a speech. I’m still in shock that he is a serious candidate for the president of our country, especially at a time like this.
I have this little test I apply to candidates. Would I trust them to take care of my house, pets and personal financial affairs while I was away a month on vacation? Just thinking of McCain being left to look after those things is nightmare material.
pissed off patricia @ 14:
OOOO! I know the answer! Because the Dems are bluffing! Problem is, the Neo-Cons aren’t.
jimbo92107 @ 3:
The fact that ANYONE, particularly a Republican is even mentioning the “I”-word is a huge step forward.
He may have started late, but Hagel has been putting his head on the GOP chopping bloc for over a year now and I think he deserves much credit.
I see an Obama/Hagel ticket as unbeatable.
More words… words designed to make us believe that some of these corporatists still believe in the rule of law.
Puh-lease. This country is so down the tubes, we will not get it back. Not with Obama, not even with a back-from-the-dead Bobby Kennedy.
Myself, I’m really done pretending that our liberal outrage, and the websites, and the PACs will be able to turn back the tide. Mass media is now strictly a marketing tool for corporations, and that will not change in our lifetime. In fact, it will probably get worse. Our congress, including our beloved liberal dems, vote according to shrewd negotiations, not what is right. I am about 2 months or so from completely detaching myself from this endless cycle of impotent rage I feel when I read the blogs.
Blah blah quackity quack … another Bush enabler figures out what the rest of us knew in 1999. Too later Chuckie.
On Hagel’s Iran observation — why not impeach now and save ourselves the worry?
L.A. Confidential @ 19:
I’m guessing there are a lot of people in the pentagon who will be happy as hell to see bush and cheney gone. Since Rumsfeld left, I doubt there are a lot of sane military personnel who are real excited about starting a third war.
Chico Hussein @ 23:
Oh yah a Dem and Con on the same ticket wonderful! Brilliant thinking there guy!
Anything but a Clinton though right?
Somebody wants to be McCain’s VP!
Here that Bush? Don’t fuck with Chuck!
blogenfreude @ 25:
There are just as many “Bush enablers” on the Democratic side as on the GOP side.
pissed off patricia @ 27:
The whole power structure of the Military is going to have to be overhauled. That means handing a lot of people High Powered Pro Bush military people their walking papers.
Should be interesting to see how that plays out.
MaxPower @ 29:
I think that slot is already filled by Lieberman. McCain needs him close by at all times to unscrew his screw ups.
L.A. Confidential @ 28:
I think that Obama would be throwing his entire campaign mantra out the window by offering a Clinton a VP slot, don’t you?
bilhelm-big-gay-X @ 34:
Yes I have no doubt Obamas cheering supporters would freak out immediately and dis own him faster then the time it takes to swipe an illegal download.
He’s a filthy republican, and you shouldn’t believe a word he says.
They all talk big when they know their party is destined for a roller coaster ride in November.
I’m fed up with every one of them. There is no such thing as a fair-minded republican.
L.A. Confidential @ 28:
NO ONE should automatically be awarded the #2 job just because they lost the primary. I have nothing against Hillary and I would vote for her enthusisatically if she won the nomination, but reality is reality.
A Dem/GOP ticket will go a long way in verifying that Obama does indeed want to RE-unite the country. If not Veep, then maybe Scty of Defense. I fully belive that Obama will indeed have a Republican somewhere in his cabinet. count on it.
It’s easy to show that you’ve got heart when you don’t have to worry about re-election. Remember: even Lieberman was elected by a popular vote. So just when you think you have a problem with a small handful of politicians, remember the millions of people who voted for them.
Loosely quoted from Bioshock. :-p
Why not? That didn’t stop the Republicans from impeaching Clinton on anything they could find no matter how flimsy or irrelevant.
Chico Hussein @ 23:
NO WAY. Hagel is right about the war, but he’s waaaaaaaay to much a social conservative.
Bush MUST BE STOPPED BEFORE he attacks Iran. There are already grounds to impeach him NOW. Please pass these videos on to others.
A Warmongering War President Catapulting the Propaganda
Don’t let Bush Trick Us into ANOTHER War.
n this letter to the editor of the Washington Post, Iran’s U.N. Press Officer, stated: “It is not amazing at all, the pick-and-choose approach of highlighting the misinterpreted remarks of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in October and ignoring this month’s remarks by Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that “We have no problem with the world. We are not a threat whatsoever to the world, and the world knows it. We will never start a war. We have no intention of going to war with any state. See video: Curly quotes, Iran, Israel, Ahmadinejad & the Media
let’s pass these videos on to others and get the word out.
L.A. Confidential @ 28:
How about all three??? Obama, Clinton, McCain Join Forces To Form Nightmare Ticket
Arlen Spector has said a bunch of tuff things about the Bush adminstration as has John McCain but in the end they all turn around bend over and spread em. I am sorry but I need to see some action, not just talk.
You step over this line and see what happens….. (I’ll move the line).
Another empty threat from our spineless Democratic leadership!
Newsflash for Chuck; Don’t you know impeachment is off the table?
Tom @ 41 has got a good point. What’s the use of impeachment hearings if the president ALREADY pushed “the button?” It would be too late by then and all congress would be able to say is, “well, we can’t leave now, it’ll leave Iran in chaos.” Sound familiar?
Talk is cheap.