Obama and Hagel? Maybe, but not in Israel

Election Central '08

By Ami Eden · July 14, 2008

In the ooops category ... The Republican Jewish Coalition issued a statement Monday blasting Barack Obama for planning to take Chuck Hagel with him on his upcoming trip to Israel [UPDATE: RJC has taken down the statement from its Web site and issued a new statement]. To hammer home the point, the RJC cited a previous statement put out by the National Jewish Democratic Council in 2007, raising questions about the Nebraska Republican's record on Israel.

Only one problem ... While Hagel and Obama are taking part in the same congressional trip to Iraq and Afghanistan, Obama is separately visiting Israel, and Hagel won't be with him on that trip, according to the Obama campaign.

But before you spend too much time poking fun at the RJC ... Hagel has been rumored to be on Obama's short list for Veep and Pentagon chief.