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Hagel wheels out big guns

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By DON WALTON / Lincoln Journal Star

Thursday, Apr 26, 2007 - 12:47:04 am CDT

On the heels of this week’s firefight between Sen. Chuck Hagel and Attorney General Jon Bruning, the senator on Wednesday fired a cannon shot across Bruning’s bow.

The Hagel for Senate committee revealed plans for a six-figure fundraising dinner next month hosted by Gov. Dave Heineman and a bevy of Omaha’s corporate leaders.

Participants will be asked to contribute between $1,000 and the federal maximum of $4,600 per individual, or $9,200 a couple.

Story Photo
Senator Chuck Hagel (LJS File)

A $100-per-person fundraising reception on the same day co-hosted by a separate list of hosts will be announced later, Hagel political director Kevin Chapman said.

The dinner reception May 18 will be held at the Happy Hollow Country Club in Omaha.

The early display of Hagel’s fundraising prowess followed Bruning’s release of poll results from his own campaign organization showing him leading Hagel by 9 percentage points in a 2008 Republican Senate match.

Chapman has dismissed those results as not credible.

Among the co-hosts for the Hagel dinner are Walter Scott, chairman of Level 3 Communications and former chairman of Peter Kiewit Sons; Jim Young, president of Union Pacific; Ken Stinson, chairman and CEO of Peter Kiewit Sons; Bruce Lauritzen, chairman of First National Bank; and ConAgra Foods CEO Gary Rodkin.

Others include HDR chairman Richard Bell; Valmont CEO Mogens Bay; Tenaska CEO Howard Hawks; and Mike McCarthy, chairman of the McCarthy Group.

Also on the list were Duane Acklie of Lincoln, chairman of Crete Carrier; and retired businessman and former national Republican operative Dick Herman.

Although neither Hagel nor Bruning have announced plans to enter the Senate race, both are positioning themselves as potential candidates.

The attorney general has said he’s preparing to challenge Hagel over his opposition to the Bush administration’s Iraq war policies and the senator’s criticism of the president.

Hagel has said he’ll announce later this year whether he’ll seek a third term, pursue the presidency or leave elective office at the end of next year.

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.


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Tortis wrote on April 26, 2007 2:46 am:
" Well, well now Mr. Hagel is going to get the big dudes out and fight his battle. When will people realize that he is not the right man for the job. Even if he were to get elected, he still isn't the right man for the job. He has hurt the nation more than helped it. I hope he wins, but that is only because no one else would have a chance with the big dudes helping him. Money talks and little leagues walk. That is not the way it should be. But then what else is new in this day and age. When we have crap flying all over in the Nations Capitol and most of the members of congress have either received funds in a manner not really quite right, and many are bought out before they even begin to run, why else would we expect anything different. I will not be very interested in anything that happens in 2009 if Mr. Hagel gets elected again from this state. I will just wait until someone with some common sense and a sense of responsibility decides to run. "

 Bob wrote on April 26, 2007 5:28 am:
" Why not have a fund raising dinner for Senator Hagel. All of the money he rasies for a re-election bid he will be able to keep if he decides later this year not to run for re-election. So makes sense to me to scam more money out of people before you leave office. Nice more Senator Hagel still just looking out for yourself and not caring at all about the people you were elected to represent. "

 Charles wrote on April 26, 2007 6:13 am:
" Anyone surprised that Brunings numbers in his ridiculous poll are suspect? Look at his record. For all of you "Chuck Bashers" out there, take a close look at his real record; not the information that the media likes to skew to raise a ruckus. Iraq? Hagel is so right about this. We're chasing a rabbit in a briar patch that doesn't want to be caught. A lot of people have fading memories about 1964 to 1974 (Vietnam). It is happening again, people. Support your Senator Hagel: he's right and isn't afraid to stand up and say what it true. "

 Craig wrote on April 26, 2007 9:23 am:
" Hagel will not win reelection as a Republican for Senate unless he runs in the primary unopposed. His love of media attention caused him to sell his soul and betray his state and our countries soldiers. Now he will have to live with it. "

 not credible wrote on April 26, 2007 1:02 pm:
" Kevin Chapman dismisses Bruning's poll as "not credible." Does he not have to explain why he beleives that? Hagel's behavior since Brunings announcement has been very unsenatorial. His press release the other day resorted to name calling and his hired gun chapman has kept it up. That signals blood in the water folks. Hagel having a 100K fundraiser to get checks from people who will support him anyway, hastily arranged after Bruning's announcement by the way, is in my opinion not credible. "

 Nebraskan wrote on April 26, 2007 4:02 pm:
" I am not a republican, but I admire Chuck Hagel for his courage. He is right on the mark when he says that we can't win in Iraq. We simply can't outlast a group of native people in their own country. Would you give up if our country were invaded? Many of us feel that President Bush is guilty of crimes against humanity for his actions against the Iraqi people and for sending American Troops to fight a war under false pretenses. But I would fight any occupying force that came here and tried to remove him from power. We can do that ourselves, through our constitutional authority, should we so choose. The Iraqis were treated terribly by Saddam, few, if any disputes that. But their lives are worse today than they were before the invasion. READ what they have to say about their lives...WE have done irreparable harm and created a new generation of enemies who are hell-bent on avenging our nations unilateral invasion. To those who cite the aid of the British, Spanish, and Australians, use your head, we have sent 300,000 troops and they have sent, collectively 15,000. Hardly tit for tat. "

 mary wrote on April 27, 2007 9:45 pm:
" please let your reader, bob, know that it has been years since elected officials (federal) have been permitted to keep their excess campaign funds as some sort of "bonus" for having served. "

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