Mickey Kaus points out that bringing Chuck Hagel along to Iraq may not be the best choice: he’s another one who blew the call on the surge. But really, who is Barack Obama going to travel with? All the Democrats opposed the surge and the Republicans, even the ones previously ambivalent, are seeing the light and aren’t about to help Obama climb out of his cul de sac.

Still, Hagel may be a worse choice than others. His prominence in the Obama foreign policy crew has set off another flare from Jewish voters. Matt Brooks of the Republican Jewish Coalition puts out a press release declaring, “Of all the senators with whom Obama could have traveled with, Hagel’s record on Israel is one of the worst. ” And as proof, they cite a list of votes and actions — previously put out by the National Jewish Democratic Council.

Let me guess the response: Hagel is just an advisor who doesn’t share Obama’s views. (But he’s vouching for Obama on Iraq– that’s different somehow?) Hagel can get in line with Tony McPeak, Robert Malley, and Zbig Brzezinski as yet another person from whom Obama takes advice, but claims is not really all that important and whom, when necessary, can be minimized as an “informal” or “occasional” advisor. One only hopes that on Iraq Hagel’s views and his atrocious record of predicting the surge’s demise will, upon further reflection, earn Hagel a shove under the proverbial bus.