Hagel is an independent thinker, and I like his views. I don't think he'll be chosen, but I think it would help if he was in the Purple states.

Hagel visible, but may not be viable as veep

Nebraska Republican would have assets as Obama running mate, but …

Sen. Chuck Hagel, R- Neb., has been a harsh critic of President Bush's Iraq policy, but has a quite conservative voting record on issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.

By Tom Curry
National affairs writer
MSNBC
June. 18, 2008

WASHINGTON - Were we looking at Barack Obama’s running mate, perhaps the next vice president of the United States on Wednesday afternoon?

You couldn’t help but wonder, as Sen. Chuck Hagel, R- Neb., showed up at the Washington think tank, the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), to discuss his new book, "America: Our Next Chapter," before an audience of Washington insiders, business executives, and diplomats.

In the inside-the-Beltway scuttlebutt about Obama’s running mate, Hagel’s name comes up as do the names of such Democrats as Sen. Jim Webb of Virginia and Gov. Kathleen Sebelius of Kansas, and a few non-politicians, such as retired Marine Corps Gen. James Jones, a former NATO commander.

Some Democrats think Obama would be smart to pick Hagel.

One veteran Senate Democratic staffer, speaking on condition he not be identified by name, called Hagel “the strongest pick Obama could make, particularly if he is serious about his ‘there are no red states, there are no blue states’ rhetoric. After eight years of division, it would be the most immediately healing gesture that Obama could make, as well as a gutsy, brilliant political move, too.”
Link: Hagel visible, but may not be viable as veep - Decision '08 - MSNBC.com