Hagel responds to Cheney's slur

If anyone had told me a year ago I would be more excited by the Republican candidates than the Demcratic ones in 08, I would have said they were crazy. Yet I find myself unenthusiastic about the Democratic field and find another reason to like Chuck Hagel.

Last weekend on Fox News Sunday, Vice President Dick Cheney claimed congressional opposition to the administration’s escalation plan undermines the troops.

Today, Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE) said it “is complete nonsense to say we’re undercutting the support of the troops.” Hagel added: “What are we about? We’re Article 1 of the Constitution. We are co-equal branch of government. Are we not to participate? Are we not to say anything? Are we not to register our sense of where we’re going in this country on foreign policy?”

We need much more of that kind of response from the Congress. It's not that I think all these resolutions and tough talk is going to stop Bush from doing what he wants anyway. I continue to think the only practical means of stopping him is to revoke the use of force resolution that he's basing his unilateral powers on, but at least it's better than just silently standing by and allowing our President to race towards ruin unremarked.