http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Hackett

He's being asked to run for Senate from Ohio.  Check it out.

He's reminiscent of a young John Kerry - who was willing to testify in Congress against the Vietnamese War.

More and more, it's starting to look like a full-fledged Civil War in Iraq, with the Sunnis, Shias and Kurds at each others throats. If Civil War does break out, we'll be hard pressed to keep the supply lines open to our troops in Iraq, and maintain the integrity of the Green Zone in Baghdad.

-- Modified on 9/30/2005 9:10:51 PM

Here are some gems from Mr. Paul Hackett in a recent interview with "The Hill"    

Hackett says: "Every peace organization in the United States has contacted me. I don't think they necessarily get that because I'm critical of the war in Iraq -- I'm not wearing peace beads and hugging trees and singing John Lennon's … 'Give Peace a Chance.' -- I joined the Marine Corps. I love the Marine Corps. I happen to think it's being misused in Iraq."

Hackett is clearly to the right of his party's leadership, at least when it comes to the Second Amendment. "The Democratic Party is wrong on guns," he said.
 
I would like to see him run against Sen. Mike DeWine. Mr. Hackett speaks his mind and is not you're run-of-the-mill liberal Democrat.

on either side of the aisle.  The Dems need more guys like Hackett, and the GOP needs more guys like Kerry, and nobody needs the draft-dodging chickenhawks who want everybody else to go to war.

The Gang of 14 in the Senate comes to mind. I disagree that Sen. John F. Kerry thinks for himself. To the contrary, he walks lock-step with the left wing of the Democratic party on virtually every issue.
With that said, your point about Mr. Hackett is a good one. I hope he runs.

-- Modified on 10/2/2005 8:39:05 PM

Actually, it would be nice just to have the balance struck between rushing in to a hornets nest and lying back, getting hummed, and hoping history only remembers the good stuff.

Hackett seems okay by me...

more specific. What exactly do you consider "lock-step" with the left wing?" Is it Choice? Civil Rights? I would hope that Kerry agrees. Regarding the war, he is not lock step at all.
All that the Gang of 14 did was capitulate to the wishes of the current administration on approving far right judges. You seem to only approve of Democrats who agree with Republicans. I find it amazing that the Right Wing has control of all branches of government and is still not happy. They have passed everything that they wanted to pass and Bush has not vetoed anything. This country is now a Republican nirvana. Rejoice.

Even though I live in LA. I dream of the day a member of Congress will stand up in session and, on the congressional record, call Bush et al chickenhawks.
Then, of course, there's the matter of bringing integrity back to government. Kind of the same thing, when you think about it.

would take a lot of the gas out of the chickenhawks' bags.

I find it interesting that the NRA won't back him, despite his position.  Another indicator of the polarization of American politics.

or better yet, put some $$ where your mouth is.  Puck & I have already.

[nice just to have the balance struck between rushing in to a hornets nest and lying back]

I'd be happy if they'd put .01% of the time & cost of a project into forethought.   I have no problem with rushing into a hornets' nest, as long as (a) we've spent a fraction of a second thinking about it, and (b) WE DON'T CRY & BLAME SOMEBODY ELSE WHEN WE GET STUNG!!!!!!!!!!

I don't disapprove of Sen. Kerry, but I do believe he is liberal. There's nothing wrong with that.
I believe that Mr. Paul Hackett is more of a moderate. There's nothing wrong with that.

As a Republican, I am naturally going to find more common ground with a moderate Democrat than with a liberal one.