Hagel's Wife To Back Obama

RICHMOND, Va. — The wife of Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel plans to endorse Democrat Barack Obama.

Lilibet Hagel has scheduled a 10 a.m. news conference in Alexandria, Va., on Tuesday with Susan Eisenhower, the granddaughter of Republican President Eisenhower. Susan Eisenhower also is an Obama supporter.

Hagel, R-Neb., has made no endorsement. Lilibet Hagel said in an Associated Press interview that her decision was independent of her husband. She said she didn't know whether he would make an endorsement or whom he would support.

"You'd have to ask him," Lilibet Hagel said.

She said it will be her first endorsement of a Democrat and that perilous world conditions were a factor.

"The fact is we're in two wars, two of the longest we've ever been in. We've run up a third of our nation's debt in just the past eight years. We're in the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression," she said.

The Hagels know John and Cindy McCain, and she said her endorsement was not meant to slam them.

"This isn't anti-McCain. This is pro-Obama. I'm just convinced he's the right person," she said.

The Hagels vote in Nebraska, but they have lived in Washington's Virginia suburbs since Hagel won his first Senate term in 1996.

A moderate Republican and veteran wounded in combat in the Vietnam War, Hagel has been a fierce and credible critic of the Bush administration's Iraq policies. During the summer, he accompanied Obama and Democratic Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island to Iraq and Afghanistan. He was briefly the object of speculation as a possible surprise Obama running mate selection.

Hagel has decided not to seek re-election, and will leave the Senate when his second term officially ends in January.

(This version CORRECTS Corrects that Susan Eisenhower is granddaughter, sted daughter of Eisenhower.)

Comments

[Fight4USA8]

------Thank you, Senator Hagel, for always saying "USA First."

-----Being your wife and living with a "High Caliber Man" it's no surprising that Mrs. Lilibet Hagel endorsed Senator Obama.

[Jaxy]

Dear Pronto:

Your unsupported snide slam on Senator Hagel (either individually, or through his wife) is indicative of a basic lack of respect for personal choice. How very sad.

Be advised that a person may belong to a party and not subscribe blindly and unthinkingly to all the rhetoric spewed by that party. I call that exercising independent judgment. The main problem with Republicans is that they are increasingly inclined to play follow-the-leader, regardless of how devastatingly wrong, lacking in candor, and out-of-touch, that so-called "leader" might be.

The comparison is disturbing, however, it must be said: This kind of robot-like, knee-jerk, unquestioning adherence to party ideals is what primarily aided the rise of Hitler in 1930's Nazi Germany. At the time, nobody openly challenged Hitler's perverse, genocidal propaganda. And we know how horrifically that whole affair ended. We should be very careful of a repeat.

[bluerednot]

Hello??? Did this actually happen? There was a press conference - yes? Why isn't there any coverage of this? I can see if FOX ignored it but - why no photos - nice quotes etc?
Would think you try to get a double hit on this - announce that press conf is scheduled .... and then get the an additional splash with the coverage of the actual event - when it becomes "official"

[jubei]

SEN.CHUCK HAGEL AND SEN.RICHARD LUGAR IS 2 OF MY HEROES AS WELL AND I GURANTEE BOTH OF EM IS GONNA B WORKING INNA OBAMA/BIDEN ADMINISTRATION AS WELL AS GEN.WESLEY CLARK,MUCH RESPECT TO LILIBET HAGEL AND SUSAN EISENHOWER AS WELL AS ED KOCH GOP FORMER MAYOR OF NEW YORK!!!

[kev89]

I agree with you completly. Both senators are good men and I really hope they have a part in Obama's cabinet. By picking respecable republicans like these men, it will prove that Obama is serious about change and willing to work accross the aisle to get things done. I agree Wes Clark would fit in there and I'd like to see Jim Webb (who's currently an excellent democratic senator from my state of Virginia) in there as well.

[peacegurl48]

Hagel is my hero! And his wife too!
Hagel is a wise and honorable man and I hope he will reject the hateful tactics of McCain/Palin!

[lindastano]

I am a life long resident of Nebraska and a registered Democrat. Senator Chuck Hagel has been an intelligent voice of reason in these past years. Now, I know that his wife is too! Thank you Mrs. Hagel and please use your influence on your husband. His endorsement would mean a lot right now to our wounded nation.

[justobserve]

Palin, an uneducated politician, is doing more harm than good for the presidential campaign. She has cheapened it to the lowest level ever. Hopefully more Republicans would have the courage to reject this kind of politiking. we are a first world country for God sake. If we drag our leaders to the mud, who is going to respect our leader when he/she has to deal with them? What do they think of our leader when he/she winks at them to cover-up his/her ignorance of the topic of the discussion? McCain's judgment in pulling an unknown governor who won by winking her way up is the worst. When he saw that she had jumped over the line on the sand and not falling over, he was so pleased that he asked his audience "Heheheh, how about Sarah Palin. Heh? Heh?" his action was so disgusitng! Do we elect our leader by his/her ability to fill up debates with nonsense? Without the ability to talk about issues effecting us? McCAIN-2008: YOU ARE NO McCAIN-2000. PALIN: EMPTY-HEADED FRAUD, PROMISED OPENNESS BUT SECRETIVE IN GOVERNMENT. GAMBLE OUR COUNTRY WITH TWO DIVISIVE, RECKLESS MAVERICKS IN THE WHITE HOUSE?

[MsYellowDog]

After 8 years of The Travelling Goony Birds Show that Shrub puts on everytime he leaves the country,I am so humiliated by our having elected him---TWICE---that I don't think I could go any lower. Obama(and Biden)are the ONLY candidates running this year who will(perhaps)begin to restore some dignity to the office.Maybe people overseas will perceive,if he is elected,that we are not all buffoons and clowns who sing cute little ditties about bombing another country---NOT FUNNY---any more than Shrub massaging the shoulders of the German prime minister or holding hands with the Saudi King(just to name two embarrassing incidents---then there's his Village People outfit he wore to proclaim "Mission Accomplished"---I must stop this,I'm making myself miserable)---are amusing.The last 8 years have been a nightmare to all thinking people,please don't let's extend the disaster.

[freethinking moderate]

Anyone care to make a wager that Hagel is going to be Secretary of Defense in an Obama administration?

[kelvinstinks]

I would bet for that. Hagel is great and I actually hope that would happen.

[ladydriver]

Senator Hagel is a REAL American patriot, and he would be an asset to the Obama administration.

[claudiam]

Aw, a woman with integrity! How admirable. claudiatucsonaz

[ladydriver]

Her husband has integrity also.

[395spoons]

Thank you so much! Please get your husband to do the same!

[Ivygreen]

This is a wonderful antidote to the ugly picture that McPalin have been painting this week.
Thank you so much Mrs. Hagel and Ms. Eisenhower!

[eus]

Its good to see people thinking and voting beyond party lines-- thinking and voting for the good of the country. Palin and McCain are so full of vitriol and snide toward those who dont agree with them. America needs a team that can help unite our country to make it strong again.

[yhgtup]

I've been waiting for this official endorsement from Mrs. Hagel since last summer when it was reported that she donated to the Obama campaign, twice. Eisenhower came out couple weeks ago. This is great!! Hope MSM jumps all over what these two Republican women are saying like they cover every piece of spit that drools out of Palin's mouth. Next, one of the Bush twins, who said months ago that she was "not necessarily" going to vote Republican because of her father. Would LOVE to see that!!

[Liberoservative]

I hope that they make a television ad of Repubs for Obama and actually air it....

[JT16682]

Thank you very much, Ladies! Hope that millions of thinking, rational, women (and men) will follow your step regardless of party affiliations.

[myangeldog1]

My deepest gratitude to Susan Eisenhower for her patriotic loyalty to her country. It takes great courage and an intelligent, reasonable mind to go against ones own party for the betterment of her country. I can't help but think that her grandfather would be very, very proud of her!

Susan...We Salute you!