Why not Chuck Hagel?

Or for that matter, Fred Thompson?

The Republican field in the 2008 election is shaping up to be nothing short of fascinating. Such things happen when a political party struggles over its entire philosophical direction.

Old school conservatism is in crisis, Bush Republicanism (George W. Bush, not his father) is tainted, and no candidate has emerged as the solution the GOP wants.

That’s why Hagel, the Nebraska senator and Iraq war critic, said Monday he might seek the presidency.

It’s why Thompson, the actor and former senator from Tennessee, said he is “giving some thought” to getting in the race.

Despite a somewhat silly announcement to say he’s not announcing for the race (a maneuver good-heartedly chided by friend and Democratic candidate Chris Dodd), Hagel was onto something when he spoke of the country “experiencing a political reorientation.”

He even hinted that he might seek the White House as an independent, saying “This movement is bigger than both parties.”

These appearances by Hagel and Thompson, along with the lingering presence of Newt Gingrich, may mean bad news for former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, the front-runner in the polls.

Giuliani’s strength is as a remainder candidate, drawing support from Republicans who can’t bring themselves to back the previous front-runner, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, or former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who has GOP establishment support but hasn’t made the sale because of exorbitant amounts of flip-flopping.

This should be an opening for a conservative dark horse, like former Gov. Mike Huckabee (Arkansas) or Sen. Sam Brownback (Kansas), but they have been unable to fill the void on the right.

Perhaps because even the most traditionalist conservatives reluctantly and quietly sense, as Hagel openly does, that the old formula isn’t working.

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