NE Sen. Chuck Hagel Surfaces

The Daily Show strikes again. Monday, March 31st, Nebr. Senator Chuck Hagel (Rep.) appeared to promote his new book, America: Our Next Chapter, Tough Questions, Straight Answers. Clearly the Senator is testing the waters --surfacing-- as a potential running mate to Senator McCain. On Stewart's show Hagel denounced the Iraq War and apologized to the American public for not asking tougher questions when Bush pushed for Congressional support of his preemptive strike. Hagel was an early favorite for the Republican Presidential nominee (and was profiled in a cover story by The New York Times in 2006) but failed to drum up the money to make a competitive run. Hagel could make a solid counterweight to McCain naysayers who worry about McCain's bullishness on Iraq. And the Senator could help haul in middle country "Heartland" states that are currently up for grabs. I only wish he'd consider crossing Party lines for a first-ever U.S. bipartisan ticket.