It was the staunch Conservative Christian Republicans who got us into the mess we're in now. They poured money and volunteered hours to elect Bush once. They observed his incompetence for four years, blindly supporting him and suggesting that those who questioned him were traitors. Then they poured more money and time into re-electing him.

Now they are saying what they said in 2000 and 2004: "We need to elect a TRUE conservative to get us out of this mess."

The lesson I have learned is that Conservatives can't govern because they have sold out lock, stock, and barrel to corporate interests. They don't do what they say they will do and they don't say what they really intend to do. You can't trust them.

I have also learned that the best Christians are in the pews. The Christian leadership is corrupt and is undeserving of the support of the mostly fine people they have misled. Christian congregations have been hornswaggled into supporting politicians and policies that will result in lower incomes and reduced freedom for their own membership. By falsely promising their members family values and a return to Norman Rockwell America in return for their votes, Christian leaders have sold out for power, fame, and money.

Interesting and typical GOP comment – anyone in your party who thinks for himself, questions the leadership of doesn't follow blindly along, truck to tail, isn't a "true Republican." True-blue Republicans are those who drink the kool-aide and watch Faux News. Keeps them calm and in line.

Mr. Hagel is a credit to himself and what he tried to do. Those who did not serve in Vietnam are all for the war ... easy to fight a war using someone else's children ... those who have served in wartime, especially Vietnam know the true price being paid.

I'd hate to see him leave. Though I do consider myself 'democratic', hes one of the more respectable persons in congress, regardless of political status.

*He* is someone I'd vote, president wise.

You mean, homophobic *homosexuals," the ultimate in petty self-loathing and hypocrisy. That's what makes this so sweet.

Who cares what sexual proclivities Americans have, as long as the acts are legal. But when they're hating hypocrites, like Larry Craig and Reagan cabinet member and McCarthy lawyer Roy Cohn, an incident like this is very uplifting and happy.

HA-ha-ha-ha-ha. Good one.
Lieberman is one of the most pitiful cowards in Senate history. The man who "stood up to Hollywood!" but was too much of a coward to stand up to a Republican, is welcomed by the Repubs. You can have the lightweight. He's not a Dem anymore anyway.
S.O.B. should apologize to Americans for that Judas-kiss he got from our Worst. President. Ever. The history books will be most unkind, if they mention him at all, to weenie Joe and his spineless character.

I always thought that Gore chose the Worst. VP. Ever. to run with him in Lieberman.

Thank you, Ray, It's haters like you, unable to see the misery the Bushies have created, that will bring about a huge Democratic victory and health care crafted by the Clintons.

With Hagel gone, there's no chance the Repubs will do anything but lose seats in the Senate.

You keep supporting the Darth Vader far right. In fact, form a new party, and don't lie this time.
Name it, the Fascist Party, in honor of its Hitler-like non-support of human rights and basic decency, and its cowardly, preemptive strike against a country that threatened ours not one wee bit.

I don't agree. Hagel would easily win reelection, with his courageous stance against our Worst. President. Ever.

I think Hagel is sick to his stomach of the current GOP, but can't turn Democrat either.

He's retiring because he's embarrassed to be associated with today's anti-science, religiously-deluded, preemptive war starting morons that run the GOP right now.

Barry Goldwater is spinning in his grave. A real conservative, not a fascist like today's "conservative," I remember fondly his quote just before his death, when the far right was trying to get automatic weapons legalized for "hunting":

Barry: Anyone who needs more than one bullet to kill a deer shouldn't be out there anyway.

A pragmatic conservative. What's happened to that breed?

Fare thee well, Senator Hagel, fare thee well.

Is the Republican Party Bushwhacked so badly that the incumbent senators don't see another victory at the polls?

The legacy of President Bush: The Clintons get to create universal health care, afterall.

How these people can call themselves "public servants" is beyond my grasp. It doesn't really matter which party they represent because both seem to kiss the butts of the highest bidder. It's been a long time coming, yet for any tiny piece of the entrenched majority in Washington to get out and go home, I am grateful.

Thank-you Mr. Hagel, for at least having the decency to leave. Which lobbying group do you plan to work with following your retirement?

There are not that many Republicans in congress that are willing to openly state how they really feel.

Their ship is sinking faster than expected.