Republican US Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska surprised most political-watchers this morning by announcing nothing. It had been widely reported that he would be announcing his candidacy for President at a news conference this morning.

Instead, he announced that he would not be making any announcements or decisions on his political future until later this year.

Hagel had recently hinted that he might consider running as an independent, rather than as a Republican, and had favorably mentioned Unity08. Hagel is best known as a vocal opponent of Bush’s Iraq policy who has grown increasingly antiwar in the past year. In spite of this, Hagel is also the Senator who voted most often with the White House in 2006.