Charles Timothy "Chuck" Hagel (born October 4, 1946) is a former
United States SenatorThe United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral United States Congress, the lower house being the House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate and the House are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution . Each U.S state is represented by two senators,...
from
NebraskaNebraska is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha....
. A member of the
Republican PartyThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP, despite being the younger of the two major parties. In the U.S...
, he was first elected in 1996 and was reelected in 2002. On 10 February 2009, he was elected as Chairman of the Atlantic Council of the United States, succeeding General
James L. JonesJames Logan Jones Jr. is the current United States National Security Advisor and a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general....
, who left to become
National Security AdvisorA National Security Advisor serves as the chief advisor to a national government on matters of security. He or she is not usually a member of the Cabinet but is usually a member of various military or security councils....
to President
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office, as well as the first president born in Hawaii...
.
Early life and family
Born in
North PlatteNorth Platte is a city in and the county seat of Lincoln County, Nebraska, United States. It is located in the southwestern part of the state, along Interstate 80, at the confluence of the North and South Platte Rivers forming the Platte River. The population was 23,878 at the 2000 census, and an...
,
NebraskaNebraska is a state located on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha....
, to Betty Dunn Hagel and Charles Dean Hagel, who had
GermanGerman Americans are Americans of German descent. They form the largest self-reported ancestry group in the United States, outnumbering the Irish and English. They account for 50 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population...
and
PolishA Polish American , is a citizen of the United States of Polish descent. There are an estimated 10 million such Polish Americans, representing about 3% of the population of the United States....
ancestry, he graduated from St. Bonaventure High School (now
Scotus Central Catholic High SchoolScotus Central Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Columbus, Nebraska. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha.-General Information:Scotus Central Catholic is located in Columbus, Nebraska...
) in
Columbus, NebraskaColumbus is a city in Platte County, Nebraska, United States, 80 miles west by north of Omaha on the Loup River, a short distance above the confluence with the Platte. In 1900, 3,522 people lived in Columbus, Nebraska; in 1910, 5,014; and in 1940, 7,632. The population was 20,971 at the 2000...
,
the Brown Institute for Radio and TelevisionBrown College is a for-profit school and is a subsidiary of Career Education Corporation. It is located in Mendota Heights, Minnesota, near Minneapolis/St. Paul...
in 1966 and the
University of Nebraska at OmahaThe University of Nebraska at Omaha is the Omaha campus of the University of Nebraska system, and is the third-largest institution of higher education in Nebraska, after the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and Metropolitan Community College. After its foundation as Omaha University in 1908, the...
in 1971. Hagel is a
Vietnam War veteranVietnam Era veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War. The term has been used to describe veterans who were in the armed forces of South Vietnam, the United States armed forces, and countries allied to them,...
, having served in the
United States ArmyThe United States Army is the branch of the United States Military responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military and is one of seven uniformed services...
infantry, attaining the rank of Sergeant (E-5) from 1967 – 1968. While serving during the
Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
, he received the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, two Purple Hearts, Army Commendation Medal, and the
Combat Infantryman BadgeThe Combat Infantryman Badge is the U.S. Army combat service recognition decoration awarded to soldiers — enlisted men and officers holding colonel rank or below, who personally fought in active ground combat while an assigned member of either an infantry or a Special Forces unit, of brigade size...
. After returning from Vietnam, Hagel worked as a
bartenderA bartender serves beverages behind a bar in a bar, pub, tavern or similar establishment...
and radio newscaster while finishing college.
Hagel married Lilibet Ziller in April 1985. The couple live with their daughter, Allyn, and son, Ziller, in
McLean, VirginiaMcLean is an unincorporated area in Fairfax County in Northern Virginia. The community had a total population of 38,929 as of the 2000 census....
.
Hagel has two brothers: Thomas, also a veteran of the Vietnam War, is a professor at the
University of DaytonThe University of Dayton is a private Roman Catholic university operated by the Society of Mary located in Dayton, Ohio...
School of Law, and Mike, an accomplished and well known artist who currently resides in Omaha, Nebraska. Hagel's third brother, Jim, died in a tragic car accident at the age of 16.
Career in Washington
In 1971, Hagel was hired as a staffer for Congressman
John Y. McCollisterJohn Yetter McCollister is a Nebraska Republican politician.He was born to John M. McCollister and Ruth Yetter McCollister in Iowa City, Iowa. In 1939 he graduated from Washington High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and in 1943 he graduated from the University of Iowa in Iowa City. He...
(R-NE), serving until 1977. For the next four years, he worked as a
lobbyistLobbying is the practice of influencing decisions made by government . It includes all attempts to influence legislators and officials, whether by other legislators, constituents, or organized groups. A lobbyist is a person who tries to influence legislation on behalf of a special interest or a...
for
Firestone Tire and Rubber CompanyThe Firestone Tire and Rubber Company was founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company was a pioneer in the mass...
, and, in 1980, he served as an organizer for the successful presidential campaign of former
CaliforniaCalifornia is the most populous state in the United States, and the third largest by area. California is the second most populous sub-national entity in the Americas, behind only São Paulo, Brazil...
Governor
Ronald ReaganRonald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States and the 33rd Governor of California .Born in Tampico, Illinois, Reagan moved to Los Angeles, California in the 1930s...
.
After Reagan's inauguration as President, Hagel was named deputy administrator of the
Veterans AdministrationThe United States Department of Veterans Affairs is a government-run military veteran benefit system with Cabinet-level status. It is responsible for administering programs of veterans’ benefits for veterans, their families, and survivors....
. In 1982, however, he resigned his post over a disagreement with V.A. Administrator Robert P. Nimmo, who was intent on cutting funding for V.A. programs, and who had referred to veterans groups as "greedy", and to
Agent OrangeAgent Orange is the code name for a herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. military in its Herbicidal Warfare program during the Vietnam War...
as not much worse than a "little teenage acne".
Business career
After leaving government employment, Hagel co-founded
Vanguard CellularVanguard Cellular Systems, Inc. was a cellular carrier formed in 1984 by Steve Leeolou, Haynes Griffin, Rich Preyor and Chuck Hagel. It was the largest independent non-wireline cellular carrier in the 1990's. Vanguard was acquired in 1999 by AT&T Wireless, which was later acquired by Cingular...
, a
mobile phoneA mobile phone or mobile is a long-range, electronic device used for mobile telecommunications...
manufacturer that made him a multi-
millionaireA millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth exceeds one million units of currency. It can also be a person who owns one million units of currency in a bank account or savings account...
. While working with Vanguard, he served as president and
chief executive officerA chief executive officer or chief executive is one of the highest-ranking corporate officers or administrators in charge of total management...
of the
United Service OrganizationsThe United Service Organizations Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that provides morale and recreational services to members of the U.S. military, with programs in over 135 centers worldwide. Since 1941, it has worked in partnership with the Department of Defense , and has provided support...
and the Private Sector Council, as deputy director and
chief operating officerA chief operating officer or chief operations officer is a corporate officer responsible for managing the day-to-day activities of the corporation and for operations management...
of the 1990
G7 SummitThe Group of Eight is a forum, created by France in 1975, for governments of the six richest countries in the world: France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In 1976, Canada joined the group...
, and on the
board of directorsA board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. The body sometimes has a different name, such as board of trustees, board of governors, board of managers, or executive board...
or advisory committee of the
American Red CrossThe American Red Cross is a humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States, and is the designated U.S...
, the
EisenhowerDwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was a five-star general in the United States Army and the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. During the Second World War, he served as Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe, with responsibility for planning and supervising the...
World Affairs Institute,
Bread for the WorldBread for the World is a non-partisan, Christian citizens' movement in the United States to end hunger.Bread for the World members are organized by congressional district into local networks nationwide. They write, call and visit members of the United States Congress, and generate media attention...
, and the
Ripon SocietyThe Ripon Society is a centrist Republican think tank, founded on December 12, 1962, in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The name is a reference to Ripon, Wisconsin, the birthplace of the Republican Party; the Society sees itself as urging a return to the party's founding principles...
. He also served as Chairman of the
Agent OrangeAgent Orange is the code name for a herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. military in its Herbicidal Warfare program during the Vietnam War...
Settlement Fund and is a member of the
Council on Foreign RelationsThe Council on Foreign Relations is an American nonprofit and nonpartisan membership organization dedicated to improving the understanding of U.S. foreign policy and international affairs...
.
Although he was pressured by some to run for
Governor of VirginiaThe Governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Democrat Tim Kaine.- Qualifications :...
, where he had lived for 20 years, in 1992 Hagel moved back to Nebraska to become president of the McCarthy Group, an
investment bankingAn investment bank is a financial institution that raises capital, trades in securities and manages corporate mergers and acquisitions. Investment banks profit from companies and governments by raising money through issuing and selling securities in capital markets and insuring bonds An investment...
firm. He also served as a Chairman and was CEO of American Information Systems Inc. (AIS), a
voting machineVoting machines are the total combination of mechanical, electromechanical, or electronic equipment , that is used to define ballots; to cast and count votes; to report or display election results; and to maintain and produce any audit trail information...
manufacturer, this same company electronically counted 80% of the votes in the state in the very same election that he had his stunning upset. He did not disclose his position as CEO of the company in his mandated disclosures, until its name-change to
Election Systems & SoftwareElection Systems & Software is an American company that provides voting services.ES&S is a subsidiary of McCarthy Group Inc., which is jointly held by the holding firm and the Omaha World-Herald Company, the publisher of Nebraska's largest newspaper. As of 2007 it was the largest manufacturer of...
(ES&S) in 1997. He had ownership interest in ES&S through its parent company The McCarthy Group as of January 29, 2003, when
The Hill reported that, due to his ownership interest, “Hagel’s ethics filings pose disclosure issue”.
Senate career
In 1996, Hagel ran for the US Senate against
Ben NelsonEarl Benjamin "Ben" Nelson is the Senior U.S. Senator from Nebraska, where he was born and has lived for most of his life. Nelson is a Methodist. A Democrat, he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000, and is now one of the leading conservative Democrats in the Senate...
, who was the sitting governor of Nebraska. Although many people believed he had no chance of winning, he won a "stunning upset" in the election, receiving 56% of the vote (Nelson was later elected to Nebraska's other Senate seat, in 2000). During his first campaign, Hagel indicated that, were he to be elected, he would retire in 2008 after two terms in the Senate.
Six years later in 2002, Hagel overwhelmingly won re-election with over 83% of the vote, the largest margin of victory in any statewide race in Nebraska history.
Since his election to the Senate in 1996, Hagel served as deputy whip for the Republican Caucus. He was chair of both the Senate Global Climate Change Observer Group and the Senate Oversight Task Force. He served as co-chairman of the Congressional-Executive Commission on
ChinaChina is a cultural region, an ancient civilization, and, depending on perspective, a national or multinational entity extending over a large area in East Asia....
. He also served on the
NATOThe North Atlantic Treaty Organization ); ), also called "the Atlantic Alliance", is an intergovernmental military alliance based on the North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4, 1949...
Observer Group. Hagel was a member of four Senate committees:
Foreign RelationsForeign relations may refer to:* Diplomacy, the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or nations* Foreign policy, a set of political goals that seeks to outline how a particular country will interact with other countries of the world* International relations,...
; Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; the Select Committee on Intelligence, and the Committee on Rules and Administration.
Hagel's name was widely rumoured to be one of those considered by
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush was the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000....
as a potential
running mateA running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were...
in the 2000 election. In October 2002, Hagel voted in favor of authorizing the use of military force against Iraq. In August 2004, Hagel acknowledged that he was considering a
presidential campaign in 2008The 56th quadrennial United States presidential election was held on November 4, 2008. Outgoing Republican President George W. Bush's policies and actions and the American public's desire for change were key issues throughout the campaign, and during the general election campaign, both major party...
.
Hagel appeared as himself on the HBO series
K StreetK Street is a 2003 HBO television series about lobbyists and politicians in Washington, D.C. It was named for a street that is home to many lobbying and legal firms.-Format:...
in 2003, on the episode entitled "Week Four".
On immigration, Senator Hagel supports a "pathway to citizenship" and a "guest worker program" for undocumented immigrants. On May 25, 2006 he voted for
S. 2611The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act was a United States Senate bill introduced in the 109th Congress by Sen. Arlen Specter [PA] on April 7, 2006. Co-sponsors, who signed on the same day, were Sen. Hagel [NE], Sen. Martinez [FL], Sen. McCain [AZ], Sen. Kennedy [MA], Sen. Graham [SC], and...
, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006, which passed the Senate before reaching a stalemate in the House in late 2006.
On June 26, 2007, Hagel joined with Senator
Ted KennedyEdward Moore "Ted" Kennedy was a United States Senator from Massachusetts and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in November 1962, he was elected nine times and served for 46 years in the U.S. Senate. At the time of his death, he was the second most senior member of the Senate, and...
to support the
Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007The Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, or, in its full name, the Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007 was a bill discussed in the 110th United States Congress that would have provided legal status and a path to citizenship for the approximately 12 to...
(S. 1639).
In July 2007, Hagel was one of three Republican Senators who supported the legislation proposed by Democrats to require a troop withdrawal to begin within 120 days.
"This thing is really coming undone quickly, and [Prime Minister] Maliki's government is weaker by the day. The police are corrupt, top to bottom. The oil problem is a huge problem. They still can't get anything through the parliament—no hydrocarbon law, no de-Baathification law, no provincial elections" (from
Robert NovakRobert David Sanders "Bob" Novak was a syndicated columnist, journalist, television personality, author, and conservative political commentator...
's interview with Hagel, published in the
Washington Post: "Hagel's Stand".)
Nebraska State Attorney General
Jon BruningJon Bruning is Attorney General of the state of Nebraska.A Republican, Bruning was sworn into office as Nebraska's 31st Attorney General in 2003.-Education:...
announced plans to challenge him in the primaries in 2008 if he did not retire. After considering running in the
2008 presidential electionThe 56th quadrennial United States presidential election was held on November 4, 2008. Outgoing Republican President George W. Bush's policies and actions and the American public's desire for change were key issues throughout the campaign, and during the general election campaign, both major party...
, Hagel announced in 2007 that he would retire from the Senate at the end of his present term and would not seek the presidency. He has joined the faculty of Georgetown University as a Distinguished Professor in the Practice of National Governance and will begin teaching in the fall of 2009.
Senator Hagel's differences with his party's platform on Iraq are reflected in a change to his voting record. As reported in :
" ... [A]ccording to Congressional Quarterly, in 2006 he voted with the President ninety-six per cent of the time... Hagel's support for Bush's policies declined—in 2007, he voted with the President just seventy-two per cent of the time."
The New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded in 1851 and published in New York City. The largest metropolitan newspaper in the United States, "The Gray Lady"—named for its staid appearance and style—is regarded as a national newspaper of record...
reported on Saturday, September 8, 2007 that Hagel would retire from the Senate at the conclusion of his present term, and would not seek the Republican Party nomination for the Presidency in 2008.
Hagel had a tradition of wearing costumes to work on
HalloweenHalloween is an annual holiday celebrated on October 31. It has roots in the Gaelic pagan festival of Samhain and the Christian holy day of All Saints. It is largely a secular celebration but some have expressed strong feelings about perceived religious overtones...
, usually masquerading as colleagues or other notable political figures. He has arrived at work dressed as Joe Biden, John McCain, Colin Powell, and Pat Roberts in past years.
Committee assignments
- Committee on Foreign Relations
The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is a standing committee of the United States Senate. It is charged with leading foreign-policy legislation and debate in the Senate. The Foreign Relations Committee is generally responsible for overseeing and funding foreign aid programs as...
- Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs
- Subcommittee on African Affairs
The Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs is one of seven subcommittees of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs
The Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs is one of seven subcommittees of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs, and International Environmental Protection (Ranking Member)
- Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
The United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs has jurisdiction over matters related to: banks and banking, price controls, deposit insurance, export promotion and controls, federal monetary policy, financial aid to commerce and industry, issuance of redemption of notes,...
- Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment
The Senate Banking Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance, and Investment is one of five subcommittees within the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.-Jurisdiction:...
- Subcommittee on Financial Institutions
The Senate Banking Subcommittee on Financial Institutions is one of five subcommittees within the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.-Jurisdiction:...
(Ranking Member)
- Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development
The Senate Banking Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development is one of five subcommittees within the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.-Jurisdiction:...
- Select Committee on Intelligence
The United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence is dedicated to overseeing the United States Intelligence Community—the agencies and bureaus of the Federal government of the United States who provide information and analysis for leaders of the executive and legislative branches...
- Committee on Rules and Administration
The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration is responsible for the rules of the United States Senate, with administration of congressional buildings, and with credentials and qualifications of members of the Senate, including responsibility for dealing with contested elections.The committee...
Criticism of the Bush Administration
On August 18, 2005, Hagel compared the
Iraq WarThe Iraq War, also known as the Occupation of Iraq or Operation Iraqi Freedom, is an ongoing military campaign which began on March 20, 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a multinational force led by troops from the United States and the United Kingdom.Prior to the war, the governments of the United...
to
VietnamThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
and openly mocked Vice President
Dick CheneyRichard Bruce "Dick" Cheney served as the 46th Vice President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 in the administration of George W. Bush....
's assertion that the
Iraqi insurgencyThe Iraqi insurgency is composed of a diverse mix of militias, foreign fighters, all-Iraqi units or mixtures using violent measures against the United States-led multinational force in Iraq in Iraq and the post-2003 Iraqi government, or by propaganda or money supportive thereof...
was in its
"last throes".
In November 2005, Hagel made a much-publicized statement:
"To question your government is not unpatriotic — to not question your government is unpatriotic." (This was in reference to the lack of open debate in Congress regarding the Iraq War, and in defense of his assertion that the United States should withdraw its troops.) In December 2005, in reference to Bush, the
Republican PartyThe Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the Grand Old Party or the GOP, despite being the younger of the two major parties. In the U.S...
, and the PATRIOT Act, Hagel made a much-publicized statement:
- "I took an oath of office to the Constitution
The Constitution of the United States of America is the supreme law of the United States. It is the foundation and source of the legal authority underlying the existence of the United States of America and the federal government of the United States...
, I didn't take an oath of office to my party or my president."
In January 2006, Hagel took issue with
Karl RoveKarl Christian Rove was Senior Advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff to former President George W. Bush until his resignation on August 31, 2007. He has headed the Office of Political Affairs, the Office of Public Liaison, and the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives...
over controversial statements the White House advisor made concerning the mindset of Republicans and Democrats. Hagel said,
"Well, I didn't like what Mr. Rove said, because it frames terrorism and the issue of terrorism and everything that goes with it, whether it's the renewal of the Patriot Act or the NSAThe National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States government, administered as part of the United States Department of Defense. Created on November 4, 1952 by President Harry S...
wiretapping, in a political context." He also said that "dark clouds" are hanging over the Republican party, and
"If you look at the environment and the atmospherics politically in this town, read any poll. The sixth year of a governing party usually ... is not good ... the country is tired, a lot of complications in these international issues, we're at war." Hagel further criticized the Bush administration, saying,
"National security is more important than the Republican Party or the Democratic Party. And to use it to try to get someone elected will ultimately end up in defeat and disaster for that political party."
In July 2006, Hagel again took issue with the Bush administration, this time on its handling of the Israel-Lebanon issue saying
"The sickening slaughter on both sides must end and it must end now. President Bush must call for an immediate cease-fire. This madness must stop." Following heavy Republican losses in the 2006 midterm election, Hagel penned an editorial in the
Washington Post highly critical of military strategies both employed and proposed for Iraq. He unequivocally declared that
"There will be no victory or defeat for the United States in Iraq," and called for a "phased troop withdrawal" — making Hagel one of the most prominent voices in his party to do so.
According to a
SurveyUSASurveyUSA is a polling firm in the United States. It conducts market research for corporations and interest groups, but is best known for conducting opinion polls for various political offices and questions...
poll, Hagel has a 10% higher approval rating among Nebraska Democrats than Republicans.
OnTheIssues.org rates Hagel as a "libertarian-leaning conservative".
In January 2007, Hagel openly criticized President Bush's plan to send an additional 20,000 troops to Iraq. He called it,
"the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam, if it's carried out." Together with Democrats Joseph Biden and
Carl LevinCarl Milton Levin is a Democratic United States Senator from Michigan and is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. He has been in the Senate since 1979 and Michigan's senior senator since 1995...
he proposed a non-binding resolution to the Democratic-controlled Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which rejected Bush's policy as "not in the national interest" in a 12-9 vote. However, in a Senate vote of 94-2 to revoke
executive}}In the study of political science the executive branch of government has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the democratic idea of the separation of powers .In many...
power to replace federal prosecutors without a preliminary hearing, Senator Hagel and Senator
Kit BondChristopher Samuel "Kit" Bond is a former governor and current senior United States Senator from Missouri. He has been in the Senate since 1987 and is a member of the Republican Party. He announced on January 8, 2009 that he does not plan to seek re-election in 2010. Should Bond retire in January...
were the only opposition.
After an April 2007 visit to Iraq with Pennsylvania Democratic Representative Joe Sestak, Hagel expressed his belief that the occupation of Iraq should not continue indefinitely and defended Congressional actions to set a timeline for an end in occupation. In July 2007, Hagel expressed his intention to cooperate with Senate Democrats in voting for a bill that would set a timeline to get out of Iraq.
In November 2007, he rated the Bush administration "the lowest in capacity, in capability, in policy, in consensus—almost every area" of any presidency in the last forty years. He also revealed he was open to running as vice-president with the 2008 Democratic nominee.
In the same month, he said,
"I have to say this is one of the most arrogant, incompetent administrations I've ever seen or ever read about."
Despite his criticisms of the Bush administration, Hagel voted 78.1% of the time with the Republican party.
Decision to not seek re-election
On September 10, 2007, Hagel announced that he would be retiring from the Senate at the end of his term in 2009.
The announcement ended speculation regarding a possible bid for the presidency in
2008The 56th quadrennial United States presidential election was held on November 4, 2008. Outgoing Republican President George W. Bush's policies and actions and the American public's desire for change were key issues throughout the campaign, and during the general election campaign, both major party...
.
On its website
The TimesThe Times is a daily national newspaper published in the United Kingdom since 1785 when it was known as The Daily Universal Register....
reported that the Senator was a possible candidate for the cabinet position of
United States Secretary of DefenseThe United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the U.S. Department of Defense , concerned with the armed services and military matters. This position roughly corresponds to Minister of defense in other countries...
in the
Barack ObamaBarack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office, as well as the first president born in Hawaii...
administration:
Obama is hoping to appoint cross-party figures to his cabinet such as Chuck Hagel, the Republican senator for Nebraska and an opponent of the Iraq war […] Senior advisers confirmed that Hagel, a highly decorated Vietnam war veteran and one of McCain’s closest friends in the Senate, was considered an ideal candidate for defense secretary.
Senator Obama was quoted in the same article, when asked about Hagel as a potential cabinet member:
"Chuck Hagel is a great friend of mine and I respect him very much." Following Hagel's retirement from the Senate, in February 2009 he accepted a position as Distinguished Professor in the Practice of National Governance at the
Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign ServiceThe Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service is a school within Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., United States. Jesuit priest Edmund A...
at
Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown University is a Jesuit private university located in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Father John Carroll founded the school in 1789, though its roots extend back to 1634. While the school struggled financially in its early years, Georgetown expanded into a branched university after the...
in
Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. , formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States, founded on July 16, 1790...
Vice Presidential possibilities
Hagel was rumored to be a possible Obama pick for the Vice Presidential candidacy in his 2008 presidential election ticket. On June 20, 2008, Hagel said he would consider running with Obama if offered the VP spot. He had also been mentioned as a potential
United States Secretary of DefenseThe United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the U.S. Department of Defense , concerned with the armed services and military matters. This position roughly corresponds to Minister of defense in other countries...
to succeed incumbent
Robert GatesRobert Michael Gates is currently serving as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense. He took office on December 18, 2006. Prior to this, Gates served for 26 years in the Central Intelligence Agency and the National Security Council, and under President George H. W. Bush as Director of...
in the Obama administration.
and said that he would consider serving if asked. In August, Hagel indicated that he wouldn't endorse either candidate or get involved in their campaigns. However, his wife endorsed Obama. Obama later picked
Joe BidenJoseph Robinette "Joe" Biden, Jr. , is the 47th and current Vice President of the United States under the administration of President Barack Obama. He was a United States Senator from Delaware from January 3, 1973 until his resignation on January 15, 2009, following his election to the Vice...
as his running mate. Robert Gates was selected to remain Secretary of Defense for the Obama administration.
America: Our Next Chapter
In Senator Hagel's new book,
America: Our Next Chapter, he suggests that the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
should adopt independent leadership and possibly another political party. He also believes that the
Iraq WarThe Iraq War, also known as the Occupation of Iraq or Operation Iraqi Freedom, is an ongoing military campaign which began on March 20, 2003 with the invasion of Iraq by a multinational force led by troops from the United States and the United Kingdom.Prior to the war, the governments of the United...
is one of the five biggest blunders in history. Hagel is critical of
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush was the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000....
's foreign policy, calling it "reckless." He has been a major critic of the war since it started, and has stated that the
United StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
should learn from its mistakes in the
Vietnam WarThe Vietnam War or the Second Indochina War was a Cold War military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1959 to 30 April 1975...
. He considers Bush's foreign policy a "ping pong game with American lives".
Electoral history
Republican primary for U.S. Senate from Nebraska, 1996
- Chuck Hagel - 108,612 (62.11%)
- Don Stenberg
Don Stenberg is a Nebraska attorney and politician. He served as Attorney General of Nebraska from 1991 to 2003. He also served as legal counsel to Governor Charles Thone from 1979 to 1983....
- 65,753 (37.60%)
- Write-ins - 498 (0.29%)
Nebraska United States Senate election, 1996
- Chuck Hagel (R) - 379,933 (56.12%)
- Ben Nelson
Earl Benjamin "Ben" Nelson is the Senior U.S. Senator from Nebraska, where he was born and has lived for most of his life. Nelson is a Methodist. A Democrat, he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000, and is now one of the leading conservative Democrats in the Senate...
(D) - 281,904 (41.64%)
- John W. DeCamp (Libertarian) - 9,483 (1.40%)
- Bill Dunn (Natural Law) - 4,806 (0.71%)
- Write-ins - 832 (0.12%)
Republican primary for U.S. Senate from Nebraska, 2002
- Chuck Hagel (inc.) - 144,160 (100.00%) - unopposed
Nebraska United States Senate election, 2002
- Chuck Hagel (R) (inc.) - 397,438 (82.76%)
- Charlie Matulka (D) - 70,290 (14.64%)
- Jack Graziano (Libertarian) - 7,423 (1.55%)
- Phil Chase (Independent) - 5,066 (1.06%)
Awards and honors
Hagel is a
Nebraska AdmiralNebraska Admiral is Nebraska's highest honor, and an honorary title bestowed upon individuals by approval of the Governor of Nebraska, a triply landlocked U.S. state. It is not a military rank, requires no duties, and carries with it no pay or other compensation...
, an honorary title considering Nebraska is a landlocked state. On June 9, 2007, he gave the commencement address for
North Central CollegeNorth Central College is a private, 4-year comprehensive liberal arts college located in Naperville, Illinois. Founded in 1861, it is affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Comprehensive fees for the 2007-8 academic year total $32,811.-Academics:...
and was given an honorary
L.L.D.Doctor of Laws is a doctoral degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country, and includes degree such as the LL.D., Ph.D., Dr. iur., D.C.L., and S.J.D. or J.S.D...
External links
Official sites
Documentaries, topic pages and databases
Media coverage
- Hagel low on cash on hand, raising retirement issue, The Hill, January 30, 2007
- Joseph Lelyveld, "The Heartland Dissident", New York Times Magazine, February 12, 2006
- Chuck Hagel: A Christmas Present, and Past, Washington Post, December 22, 2005
- Interview C-SPAN Q&A, November 13, 2005
- Hagel’s ethics filings pose disclosure issue, The Hill, January 29, 2003
- Sen. Chuck Hagel Interview (video), The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, March 31, 2008
- Connie Bruck, "Odd Man Out: Chuck Hagel's Republican Exile" The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry published by Condé Nast Publications...
84/35 (3 November 2008) : 52-63
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