Bob Kerrey One Step Closer to Coming Home

Bruin606 had the quick draw on this story, breaking that the Lincoln Journal-Star had just broken the news that former Nebraska Governor and U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey has notified the trustees of New School University that he is seriously considering a return to Nebraska and a run for the U.S. Senate. Kerrey promises an announcement within weeks, no longer willing to let his friend Chuck Hagel sit back and dictate the entire decision-making timetable in Nebraska politics: Bob Kerrey stepped to the brink of a possible 2008 Senate bid Thursday.... A decision on whether to return to his roots and attempt to once again represent Nebraska in the Senate is likely "within the next couple of weeks," Kerrey said in a telephone interview.....   Kerrey said he has become convinced Sen. Chuck Hagel will not be a candidate for a third term next year. "I am more and more certain Chuck is not going to seek re-election," Kerrey said, "and my intention is to make my decision before he makes an announcement." Hagel is expected to reveal his decision next month.....

"This is a very personal decision for me," Kerrey said. It requires him to balance personal happiness with the opportunity to "try to do something good for my country," he said.... Kerrey said he has received no signal from Hagel about the senator's intentions. "The only signal I get is connected to the fact that I went through this too at the end of my second term," he said. "I know that with me it could have gone either way." There does seem to be a minor disconnect between Kerrey's attempts to be respectful of Hagel's indecision while announcing that he's not going to wait around for Hagel to make up his mind. Of course, that's nowhere near the outright insulting flip-flop by Attorney General Jon Bruning - going from calling himself "a Hagel guy" to attacking Hagel at every chance he could get in a matter of weeks. Should Kerrey run (not something we can firmly count upon until he actually commits), there's certain to be silly attacks that he's somehow a carpetbagger. The buffoon Bruning even used that term, delighting in the idea of using it against Kerrey as a potential opponent. But, Kerrey's work at the New School was an incredible opportunity for a man of his near-boundless creative instincts that he probably would have been a fool to pass up. It's hard to imagine how serving as President of an out-state University could honestly be said to nullify Kerrey's undeniable record of proven commitment to the people of Nebraska - especially when he was serving his country, helping us come to terms with one of the worst tragedies in our nation's history, as a member of the 9/11 Commission. Still, there will be plenty of time to talk of such things. For now, though, we remain in the realm of speculation. It's hard to be content with that when there's so much work to be done, but - take heart - the clouds are beginning to part and all will soon be revealed.