From The Hotline:

Nebraska Democratic Party Spokesperson:

“I think it is extremely disappointing that Senator Hagel would bring the entire state of Nebraska to a screeching halt by holding an elaborate ceremony to announce absolutely nothing. Nebraskans are tired of waiting for Chuck Hagel to make up his mind. He has been toying with the idea of running for President for several years. Nebraska deserves no less than two full-time representatives in the U.S. Senate. It is time for Chuck Hagel to come to a conclusion – does he want to represent the people of Nebraska – or run for President?”

Read the rest of the statement here.

Chuck Hagel (R-NE), declaring that he is in no way an “anti-war” candidate has just announced in Omaha, Nebraska that he will not announce whether or not he intends to run for President of the United States until later this year. He will keep his options open. This was a very weird press conference and DoubleSpeak will continue to follow the Hagel story as it unfolds.

Chuck Hagel (R-NE) is expected to announce in the VERY near future, possibly as early as Monday that he will seek the Republican (or Independent??) nomination for President of the United States. More from National Public Radio.

From Political Wire:

“He’s not accountable anymore, which isn’t totally true. You can impeach him, and before this is over, you might see calls for his impeachment.”

-Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), quoted by Esquire Magazine, on President Bush.

Tomorrow is the day. Senator Joe Lieberman (D-CT) will face the voters of Connecticut for what COULD be the final time.

Win or lose, Lieberman and others must realize that Iraq is a bloody mess. We all know someone who is over there fighting under the stars and stripes and we want them home now!

Whatever justification Joe Lieberman, Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Chuck Hagel or John McCain had when they cast their vote in 2002, the situation has changed and all logic tells us that we have made a mistake in invading Iraq and now our brave men and women in uniform are dying in a un-winnable war.

There is a civil war breaking out and it’s time to get our troops home. The Iraqi people want us out, it’s time to get our troops home and above all, there is no end game. We’re in overtime, the game is over. We toppled a regime, stood by as Iraq formed a government and now we’re serving as babysitters to that government and we’re the ones with huge targets on our backs.

I hope Joe Lieberman goes down swinging tomorrow. Why? Not because I hate Joe Lieberman or because I am some radical anti-war liberal (as the GOP would tag me), but because I want leaders who lead with their eyes open and I want America to return to the great world leader that it has been and will someday be again. Joe, if you can’t see the mistakes you have made and if you can’t step up and be the leader than you say you are, even in the face of admitting that you made a mistake, then, I’m sorry; you deserve to fall on your sword.

Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), who will likely seek the Republican nomination in 2008, commented on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and his handling of the war in Iraq during a conference call with reporters. Right on, Chuck.

The concern I’ve had is, at a very dangerous time, (the) secretary of defense does not command the respect and confidence of our men and women in uniform.

There is a real question about his capacity to lead at this critical time.

I have had many conversations with military leaders about their concern about what’s happening at the Pentagon and with our force structure.