Senator Chuck Hagel: The new John McCain?
I’ve watched with amusement over the last several days as the media has all but fallen at the feet of Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel, treating them like they used to treat Senator John McCain, which is to say, they are treating him like a ‘maverick’. Since McCain’s media darling days are over because he’s tried to break bread with the "Christian right" and is on friendly terms with the President over his surge plan, the media has been on the hunt for another Republican war veteran – one who is at odds with the President – who they can bestow their unofficial ‘maverick’ crown. Hagel, it appears, is that man and is now being portrayed as a "rebel" and even in certain conservative circles, a man with "guts", because of his opposition to the surge – and the Iraq war. Micky Kaus at Slate begs to differ on the assessments of Hagel as being ‘courageous’ on this issue: