Hagel: Palin "Arguably The Thinnest-Résumé Candidate" For VP In U.S. History

In early June, Senators Chuck Hagel and John McCain met in Hagel's office on Capitol Hill. McCain, the presumptive Republican Presidential nominee, considered Hagel--a fellow-Republican and the senior senator from Nebraska--among his closest friends in Congress. Six months earlier, in December, 2007, McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, had asked Hagel to endorse McCain and campaign with him in the upcoming primaries. Hagel had demurred. ...

Hagel skipped the Republican Convention, choosing instead to go, with two aides, on a fact-finding trip to Latin America. He did hear McCain's speech, which, in its evocation of the need to bridge a disabling partisan divide, echoed the theme of his discussion with McCain in their meeting in June. But, Hagel said, he's been "very disappointed" by McCain's campaign. "He gave one unifying speech and then has spent fifty million dollars to destroy his opponent." Hagel may be the only senior Republican elected official who has publicly criticized McCain's choice of Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate. "I don't believe she's qualified to be President of the United States," Hagel told me. "The first judgment a potential President makes is who their running mate is--and I don't think John made a very good selection." He scoffed at McCain's attempts to portray her as an experienced politician. "To try to make the excuse that she looks out her window and sees Russia--and that she's commander of the Alaska National Guard." He added, "There is no question that this candidate is arguably the thinnest-résumé candidate for Vice-President in the history of America."

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[jusion]

Given the media drumbeat highlighting Alaska governor Sarah Palin"s lack of international policy experience and the corollary proposition that she"s unfit to be a heartbeat from the presidency, it might seem heretical to suggest that she"s the more qualified of the two vice-presidential hopefuls to assume the position of president should the need arise.
Yet Senator Joe Biden"s performance on the campaign trail over the last several months must give even the casual observer pause. Unlike Palin, whose tentative interview responses often seem like a recognition that she"s still on a learning curve, and whose default mode is discretion until she has the necessary facts, Biden has made a career of running his mouth " even when he has no idea what he"s saying.
I"m not talking about Biden"s comic gaffes " which were legendary even before Barack Obama tapped him as his running mate. More troubling than Biden"s blooper reel, however, is his habit of pontificating from a position of ignorance or outright error.
For all the questions that have been raised about Sarah Palin"s qualifications to serve as vice president, Biden now seems like the riskier running mate. After all, experience comes with time. Knowledge is acquired through study. But temperament doesn"t change.

[Samalabear]

Good article, really good. Hagel is more of a maverick than McCain ever was or ever will be. Hagel in his sensibilities towards the issues of people in general reminds me of Biden. It's a amazing that he is friends with McCain.

[heartsick]

Hagel appears to be an honorable man. McCain should have watched him to learn how a man with honor behaves.

[topkatnc]

What a great article. Mr. Hagel is the only republican that I can say for sure that I admire and respect. If you ever run for president I will vote for you. { as long as it is not against OBAMA.

[TKFraz]

Good Morning Hagel -- Now's the time.

Do it.

It's one week until election day; the day, I pray America will become refined and renewed.

Endorse Barack Obama for POTUS.

We can not and should not reward hypocrisy, hatred, self-righteousness, greed, blatant lies, hopelessness, stagnation, overspending, invasion of a nation for wrong reasons (Iraq) -- with our votes.

Hagel, it's time to rebuild America and possibly the republican party.

Obama is our guy!

[Puller58]

Hagel is a shining example of what a GOP candidate for President should be.

[1differentdrummer]

Hagel: country before party. Here's a concept foreign to this day's Republicans.

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[JenMI]

Ah..I don't believe Palin even has a resume that pertains to national office...but she does have an agenda.

[mysterygirl18]

Well said sir...you are a man of integrity and honesty...I find it amazing that your own party would put you aside for the sake of a vain, uneducated woman....

http://www.myspace.com/wakeupnowpeople

[pearl89]

I hope Hagel gets asked and accepts a position in the new administration. He is a rarity in the Republican party - a man with real integrity.

[WestCoastWoman]

I would like to add that hateful Sarah not only has the thinnest resume in history but the thinnest BRAIN! Caribu Barbie is the most hateful, dumb and nasty person I've ever seen. Go home Sarah!
We will deliver this election to Obama and Biden. They are smart and are true leaders! Vote early if you can everyone! Go Obama! We want "That One"! "We Are The Change We've Been Waiting For".
PEACE

[DrDemon]

Hagel is the only one of two Republicans I like. The other is Specter. The rest are a bunch of lying-A$$ hypocrites!

[NotMcCain]

I don't think he'll endorse Obama (out of past friendship to McCain--and maybe not wanting to hit a guy when he's down, too).

But that's okay. It will give him more credibility later, because it looks pretty likely he'll be in Obama's cabinet as SOD.

[Tom95134]

Hagel will not endorse Obama even though they are on the same side of the Iraq war issue. Hagel is very conservative but in the true meaning of conservative. I think he would be a good person for Obama to have in his Cabinet because he is not afraid to speak truth to power.

[Carsy]

I think by criticizing Palin, that in a way is an endorsement of Obama.

[Josol]

My goodness a Republican that can think for himself. Maybe he can re-kindle some sanity over there.