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Interview With Senator Chuck Hagel

Aired May 26, 2003 - 15:15   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska is with me right now. He's not only a Vietnam veteran; he's one of the founding sponsors of the Veterans' History Project. Senator, why is it so important to have this kind of additional memory of what happened in wartime?
SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: Judy, I think it's important that we connect the past with the present, and especially the future for our young people. It's important that they have a better understanding of war, sacrifices made in war, the human dynamic, the losses the families go through.

It should be more than just an event in history. It should be an understanding of the personal dynamic, the human dynamic of war. And war is about tragedy. Sometimes, that's the only option, but war is always about suffering.

WOODRUFF: And about heroism. So you're saying the history books aren't enough, in essence, that have been written?

HAGEL: The history books are important. But to be able to sit down with someone who actually went through it, the personal dynamic of that, the feelings, the sense of responsibility of what they felt when they came back, what their families had to endure, history books can't capture that like you can see what was captured on tape.

WOODRUFF: I want to ask you the same question I just asked the secretary of Veterans Affairs, Mr. Principi, and that is, do you think Americans have an adequate appreciation of what veterans -- what the people who served in the military mean for our country?

HAGEL: Judy, I think they do in a general sort of way. It is woven into the fabric of our culture, our society. The depth of that, however, I think is not probably where it should be.

Obviously, after September 11, Iraq, Afghanistan, I think that's starting to shift. But we all need to do a better job of getting that deep (ph) into society so they have a appreciation of those who went before us and gave their lives.

WOODRUFF: There are fewer and fewer veterans like you among us and, therefore, fewer veterans in public service. Is it possible for someone to make the very difficult decisions of war and peace, to make decisions about terrorism? Is it the same for those decisions to be made by someone who has not had the kind of experience that you have had in wartime? HAGEL: Well, certainly. Those who have never experienced the military or war are qualified to make tough choices, but I do think, since we are all products of our own experiences, our own environment, our past, that to have some of that as a background might help us in some ways to make those tough choices. But certainly, we've had great leaders in our past who did not have military service that made tough choices.

But I, like many of us who had service in the military, am concerned that we are seeing fewer and fewer of the veterans in Congress, in public service. A balance is required and it's served our nation well over the years. We're out of balance there, and I would hope that many of these wonderful men and women who have served in the military, as they think about their futures, will think about running for office and being part of government and politics.

WOODRUFF: A good message to get across on Memorial Day. Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, it's very good to see you.

HAGEL: Thanks, Judy.

WOODRUFF: Thank you for coming by to talk to me. We appreciate it. Take care.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired May 26, 2003 - 15:15   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska is with me right now. He's not only a Vietnam veteran; he's one of the founding sponsors of the Veterans' History Project. Senator, why is it so important to have this kind of additional memory of what happened in wartime?
SEN. CHUCK HAGEL (R), NEBRASKA: Judy, I think it's important that we connect the past with the present, and especially the future for our young people. It's important that they have a better understanding of war, sacrifices made in war, the human dynamic, the losses the families go through.

It should be more than just an event in history. It should be an understanding of the personal dynamic, the human dynamic of war. And war is about tragedy. Sometimes, that's the only option, but war is always about suffering.

WOODRUFF: And about heroism. So you're saying the history books aren't enough, in essence, that have been written?

HAGEL: The history books are important. But to be able to sit down with someone who actually went through it, the personal dynamic of that, the feelings, the sense of responsibility of what they felt when they came back, what their families had to endure, history books can't capture that like you can see what was captured on tape.

WOODRUFF: I want to ask you the same question I just asked the secretary of Veterans Affairs, Mr. Principi, and that is, do you think Americans have an adequate appreciation of what veterans -- what the people who served in the military mean for our country?

HAGEL: Judy, I think they do in a general sort of way. It is woven into the fabric of our culture, our society. The depth of that, however, I think is not probably where it should be.

Obviously, after September 11, Iraq, Afghanistan, I think that's starting to shift. But we all need to do a better job of getting that deep (ph) into society so they have a appreciation of those who went before us and gave their lives.

WOODRUFF: There are fewer and fewer veterans like you among us and, therefore, fewer veterans in public service. Is it possible for someone to make the very difficult decisions of war and peace, to make decisions about terrorism? Is it the same for those decisions to be made by someone who has not had the kind of experience that you have had in wartime? HAGEL: Well, certainly. Those who have never experienced the military or war are qualified to make tough choices, but I do think, since we are all products of our own experiences, our own environment, our past, that to have some of that as a background might help us in some ways to make those tough choices. But certainly, we've had great leaders in our past who did not have military service that made tough choices.

But I, like many of us who had service in the military, am concerned that we are seeing fewer and fewer of the veterans in Congress, in public service. A balance is required and it's served our nation well over the years. We're out of balance there, and I would hope that many of these wonderful men and women who have served in the military, as they think about their futures, will think about running for office and being part of government and politics.

WOODRUFF: A good message to get across on Memorial Day. Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, it's very good to see you.

HAGEL: Thanks, Judy.

WOODRUFF: Thank you for coming by to talk to me. We appreciate it. Take care.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com