Dodgers run for Senate

Kay Hagan has a lot of energy. She's an exercise fanatic who loves yoga, hiking and running.

She also plays dodgeball. When she visited The N&O recently, we thought she was going to talk about issues. And she did.

But on the biggest issue of the moment -- and perhaps of the decade -- she dodged.

Hagan, a Democrat running for the U.S. Senate, visited on Oct. 1. The Senate was scheduled to vote that day on a $700 billion bailout bill for the nation's financial system.

If she were in the Senate, how would she vote?

"That thing is changing morning, noon and night," she said. "I don't want a rush to action. ... Any bill that is passed needs ... oversight and accountability, limit to CEO pay, mechanisms to keep homeowners in their homes. And obviously [is] fair to taxpayers. I want to look at a bill in its entirety before I could say whether I could go for it or not."

Now that's a dodge that would make Vince Vaughn proud. If you are not an aficionado of fine movies, Vaughn was the star of "Dodgeball," the 2004 classic in which Vaughn's character leads a team of average Joes to victory.

Hagan eventually got in the game and said how she would have voted -- after the wo-man she is trying to beat, Sen. Elizabeth Dole, voted against the bailout bill. Hagan said she would have voted against it, too.

Hagan has criticized Dole for a lack of leadership. In this case, the whole country was watching. Hagan had a chance to make a name for herself, put forward some fresh ideas and show why voters should elect her to what's been called the most exclusive club in the world.

And she dodged.

In this race, Hagan isn't the only dodger. Dole has some moves, too -- a nice little stutter-step that could get her on Vaughn's team.

As to whether the Navy should be permitted to put a landing field in Eastern North Carolina, Dole says she opposed it.

Dodgeball players need to be able to stretch -- and that's one of the best stretches of the season.

Actually, Dole sat on the sidelines for years as residents of Washington and Beaufort counties fought the landing field and filed lawsuits. She sat there after others in the congressional delegation opposed the landing strip.

Maybe Dole, who is spotted in North Carolina only occasionally, didn't know those counties are in North Carolina.

More likely, Dole was stuck between the Navy, which she wanted to please, and the residents of Eastern North Carolina, whom she wanted to please.

Dole stayed uncommitted -- until spring 2007, shortly after The N&O published a front-page story about her indecision. Then Dole finally told the Navy she was opposed to the proposed location for the landing field.

Dole is still dodging. She says she's willing to debate Hagan and did once in June. But she's turned down five others.

Dole and Hagan can star on our new team, the N.C. Dodgers. Each has shown she can play politics. Each has shown an ability to wait out an issue until it's mostly decided, then choose sides in the most expedient way.

That's fine if that's what you want from a U.S. senator. The motto for Vince Vaughn's dodgeball team was "Aim low." Too bad Dole and Hagan haven't aimed a little higher.