HYPOTHETICAL: HILLARY vs HAGEL

Could you envision yourself voting for a "moderate" Republican calling for an end to the war in Iraq over a corporate Democrat too scared to come out against the war (until a majority of Republicans do first)? I have some mixed feelings about Chuck Hagel. Aside from always voting the wrong way on everything, he's the one that seems to have gotten the electronic voting fraud craze going among the Republicans which led to them capturing the White House and the Senate. On the other hand, while we sit around watching smarmy Democratic "leaders" (Joe Biden, Joe Lieberman, Wes Clark, Evan Bayh, Hillary Clinton, et al.), either support the Bush Regime in Iraq, or give it cover with total silence and inactivity of any sort, or even demand harsher measures to win an unwinable occupation and suppression of a whole nation, Hagel has been fighting a lonely battle against Bush's war and occupation.

Imagine Hagel running against Clinton. She'd nominate better judges. He'd bring troops home (while she sends more there). I'm... well not sure as in 100% absolutely positive... but I think I'd wind up voting for the female corporatist instead of the male corporatist. But I know I wouldn't write any checks or knock on any doors.

Almost the whole Senate-- with 9 shameful exceptions from WingNutia (you know, irredeemably backward loons from Texas, Utah, Kansas, Oklahoma and Alaska)-- is supporting the anti-torture bill that is pitting Cheney (and now Bush) against John McCain (and the civilized world). But while the gaggle of Democratic hopefuls cluck around inconspicuously, hoping no one will accuse them of anything (not even standing up to fascism and tyranny), it was Chuck "the electronic voting criminal" Hagel who went in front of the mass media and rallied people against Cheney, calling the Regime's torture policy [in effect: We don't torture but we must retain the right to torture if we want to] "a terrible mistake."
And although non-presidential-candidates Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Carl Levin (D-MI) joined McCain and Hagel making the rounds to boost McCain's bill, where were the Democratic presidential hopefuls? Just waiting around to see which way the wind blows... even on an issue like this. I mean it really is revolting. How has our party fallen to this level when the so-called "leaders" are so afraid of their own shadows-- so afraid to get slimed by the Republicans and the mass media they own-- that they are absolutely worthless?

I guess they figure they can count on the Democratic base no matter what, especially after 8 years of Bush, and that if they can just keep the target off their backs a little, they can get enough independents to win 51%. It didn't work for Kerry and it certainly won't work for any non-fighter. We need someone to stand up and take them on. I haven't seen anyone do that but Howard Dean (and, more recently, Al Gore)-- and neither one of them is a candidate for '08.