Too Progressive

Lilibet Hagel, wife of Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE), held a press conference today in Old Town Alexandria near Waterfront Park (about a block away from your editor’s place of employment) and  endorsed Barack Obama.

Hagel, R-Neb., has made no endorsement. Lilibet Hagel said in an Associated Press interview that her decision was independent of her husband. She said she didn’t know whether he would make an endorsement or whom he would support.

“You’d have to ask him,” Lilibet Hagel said.

She said it will be her first endorsement of a Democrat and that perilous world conditions were a factor.

“The fact is we’re in two wars, two of the longest we’ve ever been in. We’ve run up a third of our nation’s debt in just the past eight years. We’re in the biggest financial crisis since the Great Depression,” she said.

The Hagels know John and Cindy McCain, and she said her endorsement was not meant to slam them.

“This isn’t anti-McCain. This is pro-Obama. I’m just convinced he’s the right person,” she said.

I’ve never been one to be swayed by another person’s endorsement and very seriously doubt this will have much of an impact. The only exception would be if she could convince her husband to follow with his own endorsement of Obama which could potentially help sway some independent or soft Republican voters.

[h/t Cobalt6]

Posted on October 7th, 2008