Rules Stacked Against Bi-Partisan Ticket

July 17, 2008 — -- Nebraska Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel may be joining Barack Obama on his fact-finding trip to the Mideast next week, but a bipartisan "Obama-Hagel" campaign is likely a "dream ticket" only in a Chuck Hagel nocturne.

"Take a look at the rules," suggested a Senate Democrat with a laugh. "The Party won't allow it."

And sure enough, the rules don't.

Despite the bipartisan ambitions of the candidates and dreams of many pundits, party rules of both the Democratic and Republican National Committees seem to ensure that neither Hagel nor Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman will be nominees for Vice President this year.

Let's start with the Democrats.

"Rule K" of the Democratic National Committee's own "Delegate Selection Rules" clearly states that "all candidates for the Democratic nomination for President or Vice President shall … have demonstrated a commitment to the goals and objectives of the Democratic Party as determined by the National Chair and will participate in the Convention in good faith."

National Chair Howard Dean would be hard-pressed to convince his Party faithful that Hagel, who was a co-chair of McCain's presidential campaign, has demonstrated that required commitment. Though he has sided with Obama on the Iraq War, the senator from Big Red country hasn't exactly turned blue.

Hagel as a Democratic VP candidate "won't fly," said one Democratic senator who asked not to be identified. "He's way too conservative on social issues."

Hagel voted with the Republicans 79.4 percent of the time, according to a Washington Post analysis of 311 votes between January and September of last year. Both Americans for Tax Reform and the National Right to Life Committee rate Hagel with a 94 percent lifetime voting record. The American Conservative Union rates Hagel at 87 percent.

Hagel also took contrary positions to Obama on Supreme Court nominations, voting in favor of conservative Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito. And he was, according to some speculation in 2000, on George W. Bush's own short list for VP.