Of course. We graduates of Scotus Central Catholic High School (Columbus, NE) are a thoughtful bunch!
Seriously, hasn't Hagel been consistently better on the war than all the major Democrats? He also seems less interested in engaging in Orientalist grunting about Iraqis' needing to fight and take responsibility for themselves. See, e.g., here <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/24/AR2006112401104.html>.
Will the left support Hagel in 2008?
>ABC News' Z. Byron Wolf reports that Sen. Hagel reacted to President
>Bush's speech with a statement that is arguably more critical than
>any Democrat's statement. The Nebraska Republican uses some strident
>words, including "unwinnable swamp" and "wrongheaded" and "bog of
>Iraq," and "more American troops will make it worse."