OMAHA (AP) -- Outgoing U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel said Thursday he wants to continue influencing the direction of the country, but it’s yet not clear how the Republican will do so after returning to the private sector.
Hagel and his wife, Lilibet, traveled across Nebraska Wednesday and Thursday, saying farewell to supporters. He didn’t seek a third term and will be replaced by Republican Mike Johanns, a former Nebraska governor and U.S. agriculture secretary.
John Sieler, vice chairman of Nebraska’s 2nd District GOP, said some state Republicans tend to forget how much Hagel has helped the state party since he emerged on the political scene to run for Senate in 1996.
“He almost single-handedly rebuilt the Republican Party in the state of Nebraska,” Sieler said.
In the early 1990s, Democrats dominated the state: Jim Exon and Bob Kerrey held both U.S. Senate seats, Peter Hoagland represented the Omaha-dominated 2nd Congressional District, Ben Nelson was governor, Dawn Rockey was state treasurer and John Breslow, who later switched parties, was state auditor.
Now Republicans hold all major offices in Nebraska except the Senate seat of Nelson.
Sieler came to Eppley Airfield in Omaha Thursday to thank Hagel for his service.
“On the majority of issues, he’s been right for Nebraska,” Sieler said.
Hagel was introduced at the Omaha stop by Mike McCarthy, one of the senator’s former business partners at McCarthy & Co., an Omaha investment banking firm.
McCarthy said Hagel “tackled the hard stuff,” and brought energy and excitement to his Senate job.
“He made the decision not to fight a popularity contest,” McCarthy said.
Hagel faced criticism from fellow Republicans in the past few years, mostly over his willingness to break with President Bush over the war in Iraq, which Hagel called misguided and poorly managed.
But Hagel pointed out Thursday that he agreed with Bush on other issues ” such as immigration reform and social security ” that many Republicans split with the president over.
“That is going to occur more and more,” Hagel said. “That fragmentation of parties, of loyalties to parties, is going to get deeper and wider.”
Candidates are raising money and communicating with supporters in new ways, Hagel said, ways that used to be possible only through the parties. Obama used the Internet to gather a massive following and win a historic election, Hagel said. And people are growing tired of partisan politics, he said.
Nelson said in a brief speech on the Senate floor last week that Hagel was a patriot and one of the Senate’s “most outspoken and candid members.”
Since Hagel defeated Nelson in a bruising Senate contest in 1996 ” Nelson later won a Senate seat in 2000 ” their connection has seemed cool.
But Hagel said the media has projected something that’s not there when it comes to his relationship with Nelson. Hagel said he thought he and Nelson worked well together.
“Any time you have political rivals, you are going to have a certain level of tension,” Hagel said. “That doesn’t mean you don’t like each other. That doesn’t mean you don’t work well together.”
Hagel said he’ll share more about his plans after he leaves office Jan. 3. Some had speculated Democratic President-elect Barack Obama would offer Hagel a role in his administration.
The senator said he has spoken with Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden.
“I’ve told them I’ll support them and help them, and I’m prepared to do that,” Hagel said.
McCarthy presented the Hagels Thursday with a portrait of the senator painted by Hagel’s brother Mike. It will be on loan to the University of Nebraska-Omaha, which will host an archive of Hagel materials from his years in office.
Steve Shorb, dean of the university library, said Hagel’s donations will be sorted through and likely embargoed for a few years. But the painting will be on display at the campus library.
Hagel said his family will keep their home outside Washington, D.C., for at least the next two years, as their children Allyn, 18, and Ziller, 16, finish high school.
They still have family in Nebraska and plan to be back and forth, Hagel said, and he plans to stay involved with UNO through guest-lecturing.
He said he always thought it was best to leave a job when it’s difficult to leave, “when you still like the job.”
“I will miss this job. I will miss this job very much,” Hagel said.
“It’s been a hell of a run.”
””””
On the Net:
U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel, www.hagel.senate.gov
Print This Story
Email This Story
