Hagel: McCain On "Thin Ground" With Recent Attacks

On CBS' "Face The Nation," Chuck Hagel responded to John McCain's recent attacks on Barack Obama's trip abroad and withdrawal plan: "John is treading on some very thin ground here when he impugns motives and when we start to get into, 'You're less patriotic than me. I'm more patriotic ... "it's just not responsible to be saying things like that."

Hagel also said he doesn't think McCain's new ad bashing Obama for not visiting troops in Germany is "appropriate."

Partial transcript:

BOB SCHIEFFER: Let me just ask you this, Senator Hagel. You're a Republican. For a long time you were very, very close to John McCain-I want to ask you later, are you still that close-but he has been very, very hard on Senator Obama all this week. And I mean the gloves have really come off. This morning in an interview on ABC he said, I think it was seven times, that Senator Obama simply doesn't understand the stakes in Iraq. he doesn't understand the situation there. And earlier in week, we'll look at some tape here, here is how he put it at one point.

JOHN MCCAIN: Senator Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a campaign.

BOB SCHIEFFER: He said this morning that Senator Obama's strategy was based, basically, on political expediency, that he chose-and these are Senator McCain's words-"a political path that would get him the nomination."

CHUCK HAGEL: Well, let me begin by making this comment in answering your question. Both of these men are smart, capable, decent men who love their country. I think we, as a nation, are far better off for these two capable men-one will have to govern this country and bring the country together as well as lead the world and bring the world together-and that's going to take a bipartisan consensus, to govern. They're better off to focus on policy differences. I think John is treading on some very thin ground here when he impugns motives and when we start to get into, "You're less patriotic than me. I'm more patriotic." I admire and respect John McCain very much. I have a good relationship. To this day we do. We talk often. I talked to him right before I went to Iraq, as a matter of fact. John's better than that. And he's not asked for advice on this, but since you've asked me the question, I think both he and Barack have to be very careful here because it's just not responsible to be saying things like that.

...

BOB SCHIEFFER: Well let me-just in line with what you said, the McCain campaign came out with a new ad because Senator Obama chose not to visit those troops in the hospital in Germany. Let's take a look at this.

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NARRATOR: Barack Obama never held a single Senate hearing on Afghanistan. He hadn't been to Iraq in years. He voted against funding our troops. And now he made time to go to the gym but canceled a visit with wounded troops. Seems the Pentagon wouldn't allow him to bring cameras. John McCain is always there for our troops. McCain-country first.

JOHN MCCAIN: I'm John McCain and I approve this message.

...

CHUCK HAGEL: Let me add to that. As you know, Bob, the congressional delegation that you referred to ended when we parted in Jordan. At that point, it was a political trip for Senator Obama. I think it would have been inappropriate for him and certainly he would have been criticized by the McCain people and the press and probably should have been if on a political trip in Europe paid for by political funds-not the taxpayers-to go, essentially, then and be accused of using our wounded men and women as props for his campaign. I think the judgment there-and I don't know the facts by the way. I know what you've just read. No one has asked me about it other than what you've just asked about. But I think it would be totally inappropriate for him on a campaign trip to go to a military hospital and use those soldiers as props. So I think he probably, based on what I know, he did the right thing. We saw troops everywhere we went on the congressional delegation. We went out of our way to see those troops. We wanted to see those troops. And that's part of our job to see those troops, by the way, and listen to those troops, Bob. And we did.

BOB SCHIEFFER: Do you think that ad was appropriate?

CHUCK HAGEL: I do not think it was appropriate.

BOB SCHIEFFER: You do not.

CHUCK HAGEL: I do not.

Read more of the transcript here.

Comments

[Rockwell]

IF the republican party had more Hagel's, that would be an opposition I could respect.

[OldKnute]

Rockwell,,

They do, the Republican party does, but most have been forced out of office by the withholding of Party support in favor of Oil monies, special interest withdrawals of funding and or more open support of women, gays or moderation of views on war or abortion.

A purge that has focused on only the leanings to the Radical Extremist ratings of the Armageddon Crusaders and Neo-Con press for the Imperial presidency.

Slandered, misused and pressured by Fundamentalist Fringe of anti-science, anti-race, anti-equality, anti-privacy, anti-progress they are GONE.

The centrist, OPEN and yes, compassionate conservative movement, of 50 years of William F. Buckley, Ronald Regan and their work, died with them.

What has taken center stage is WAR,, DEATH,, FEAR and MOB RULE to the extreme. The greatest are gone. Men and women of honest bearing, sober demeanor, kindness and LOVE of America.

You are looking at the last, the greatest of American Republicans.

Yes,, I admire this man. A rare, diapering breed with courage!

I always will.

All the best

Knute Neo-LIB

[cariintexas]

On June 16, 2008, Dr. Lawrence Hunter endorsed Sen. Obama for president. Dr. Hunter is a lifelong conservative activist and worked for Pres. Reagan, also assisted Newton Gingrich in the contract for america. He is also a well known economist. Why are so many conservatives endorsing Sen. Obama? Because he has a winning plan to move our country forward and try to pull our country and people up from where we are today.

[XME]

That thin ground gave way a while back and McCain is now just flailing in the abyss he's fallen into.

[schicklett3]

Chuck Hagel is a smart man and should be listened to. I'm glad he's on Senator Obama's side - he knows Obama is right and isn't afraid to say it.

John McCain is demented, and it's showing more and more every day. Don't be surprised if he dosen't get the republican nomination in november. They'll find a good excuse (illness) to remove him and insert Romney.

[Organic-Guy]

Can we swap Hagel for Lieberman? Send Lieberman over to the Republicans. I know he says he's an independent but we all know better.

Our country needs reason to govern the land now and not a bunch of ne-ocon delusions of grandeur like we've suffered for so long. Chuck Hagel and Barack Obama have the kind of temperment and perspective we need now.
I really hope everyone who votes is listening and willing to really think about our countries future objectively. I love my country and I've never been so scared abut our future than now. It keeps me up at night thinking that the Republicans are still willing to lie and denigrate people to get elected and might even conjure up a national crisis to stay in power and/or rig another election.

[exotic]

bring colin with you

[mamacat]

McCain is the one that doesn't understand the stakes in Iraq!

He doesn't understand that he shouldn't have voted for the war, and that Bush shouldn't have started the war.

The suggestion that it is OK to wage a war that was started on false premises is disgusting. The Iraqis have asked us to leave, and we should cooperate with them in handing their country back to them, in as orderly a fashion as possible.

After all these years of evidence that the war is an excercise in duplicity and lies, McCain still doesn't get it. He will probably go to his grave chanting "bomb, bomb, bomb Iran."

[losangelian1]

Diehard democrat that wouldn't mind having Hagel on the ticket. He would counter McCain's military experience in an important way. His going against McCain despite also being a veteran, despite having years and years of foreign policy experience, despite being a member of McCain's own party, would speak volumes. It would, in a way, negate much of what McCain is running on. And I think it would make the republicans' heads explode, as they seem to hate anyone who steps out of party line.

Talk about bridging the red states and the blue states. It would completely fit Obama's rhetoric, and his desire to have people with different viewpoints challenge him, rather than yes men, a la George Bush.

It would be bold. And most importantly, it would win. All these red states that are teetering on the edge, ready to turn blue...som­ething like this could make it happen.

[JiminNC]

Hagel - A real maverick.

[stepintothelight]

So true ... Now if the rest of the repug hoarde would get behind this type of representation I might actually listen when they chest thump "I love my country"!!!

[imusintheevening]

well said

[Azor]

Hate the term. What about "independent thinker"?

[laurie91020]

"COUNTRY FIRST/Party Second"! What a concept!!!!
Sen. Hagel, YOUR COUNTRY CALLS (again)!!!

[SSF]

Interesting how both of these men, being heroes of the Vietnam War,have taken such different paths in their lives. Hagel has remained a man of courage and principle while McCain has chosen to abandon such attributes and pursue wealth and power! No wonder Hagel supports Obama!

[Tane]

I like Hagel better every day! I hope he lands a place in Obama's cabinet, and I imagine from what I have learned about Barack's habit of seeking out advice and information from those with contrary opinions to his, it is very likely that he will ask him to join him in some way or another (Undersecretary of Defense perhaps). I foresee Lugar also being included to head up his focus on nuclear proliferation. Along with Biden, Dodd, Richardson, Edwards and Clinton, his Team of Rivals is certainly bound to be a force to be reckoned with. How refreshing!

[iswideopen]

Mr. Hagel, thank you for the truthfullness of your opinion. That is all we voters ask for; the rest we can read on Obama's website for an informed decision on his policies. I guess John McCain forgot that he has been confusing some of us with the "low information voters" who rely on Fox News for all things political. He truly is heading in the wrong direction, just as the country has advised him. He won't listen.

[jeffp26]

Obama Hagel 2008!!!!

[olivia]

No Republicans on the ticket. Not even Hagel. They can work together in other ways.

Unless he's willing to change parties.

[LibDrummer]

Agreed! With a Democratic president and a Republican VP, I would worry about the safety of the president. The right will stop at nothing for power and control.

[RCLGuard]

Not Obama Hagel 08. But definitely Hagel in the cabinet.

[writerjohnny]

The most telling part of BOB SCHIEFFER"s interview was when he asked Chuck Hagel "Do you think that ad was appropriate?" and Hagel said, "I do not think it was appropriate" , Mr. Schieffer felt obligated to say, "You do not" as if he hadn't gotten a truthful answer or at least not the answer he wanted. The MSM must make this a close horse race or who will watch their content. Why pay attention when it's obvious that Senator Obama is not only going to be a way better president but that it won't be close. Would Cronkite or Morrow be playing this game?

[Danigirl65]

I think I love Chuck Hagel. This man is a Republican who is not afraid to buck his party, as it should be and he's not afraid to speak what he feels is right. Give this man a big slap on the back for being an American first and a politician second.