Hagel aifungidzirwa kuti angangove mukwikwidzi mutevedzeri wemutungamiri wenyika panguva iyoyo Senator Barack Obama, mumushandirapamwe wake wemutungamiri wenyika wa2008
. Musi waJune 20, 2008, Hagel akati aizofunga kumhanya naObama kana akapihwa nzvimbo yeVP, kunyangwe akawedzera kuti haana kutenda kuti Obama aizomusarudza pachinzvimbo. Panguva iyoyo akataurawo semutungamiri weUnited States weDziviriro kuti akunde Robert Gates muhurumende yaObama. Hagel akati aizofunga kushumira kana akakumbirwa.