I didn’t have many expectations, and early on I thought Webb would turn out to be another milquetoast DLCer. I think I’m starting to like him!
At a recent White House reception for freshman members of Congress, Virginia’s newest senator tried to avoid President Bush. Democrat James Webb declined to stand in a presidential receiving line or to have his picture taken with the man he had often criticized on the stump this fall. But it wasn’t long before Bush found him.“How’s your boy?” Bush asked, referring to Webb’s son, a Marine serving in Iraq.
“I’d like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President,” Webb responded, echoing a campaign theme.
“That’s not what I asked you,” Bush said. “How’s your boy?”
“That’s between me and my boy, Mr. President,” Webb said coldly, ending the conversation on the State Floor of the East Wing of the White House.
Webb was narrowly elected to the U.S. Senate this month with a brash, unpolished style that helped win over independent voters in Virginia and earned him support from national party leaders. Now, his Democratic colleagues in the Senate are getting a close-up view of the former boxer, military officer and Republican who is joining their ranks.
If the exchange with Bush two weeks ago is any indication, Webb won’t be a wallflower, especially when it comes to the war in Iraq. And he won’t stick to a script drafted by top Democrats.
“I’m not particularly interested in having a picture of me and George W. Bush on my wall,” Webb said in an interview yesterday in which he confirmed the exchange between him and Bush. “No offense to the institution of the presidency, and I’m certainly looking forward to working with him and his administration. [But] leaders do some symbolic things to try to convey who they are and what the message is.”
In the days after the election, Webb’s Democratic colleagues on Capitol Hill went out of their way to make nice with Bush and be seen by his side. House Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) sat down for a lunch and photo opportunity with Bush, as did Democratic leaders in the Senate.
Not Webb, who said he tried to avoid a confrontation with Bush at the White House reception but did not shy away from one when the president approached.
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November 30, 2006 at 6:38 pm
Anonymous
I was wondering why no one was talking about Webb for President. He’s head and shoulders superior to all the other shopworn Dems.
Will’s condemnation is the first sign that the Republicams see him as the most serious threat in 2008.
November 30, 2006 at 10:25 pm
Anonymous
Erik,
Do you know if Webb killed any babies or innocent villagers while on tour in Vietnam?
Did he rape and pillage in a manner reminiscent of Genghis Kahn?
Did he lord it over a bunch sorry black grunts from the ghetto and destitute rural towns?
Was he spit on when he returned home by people who think alot like you?
Just wondering.
November 30, 2006 at 11:40 pm
Eric V. Kirk
I don’t know. You’d have to ask him.
I have yet to actually hear a first person account of somebody who was spit upon. Not saying it didn’t happen, but the only event documented on camera was when vets were protesting the war at the 72 Republican convention and were spit upon by delegates.
December 1, 2006 at 2:52 am
Anonymous
Geez, Eric, didn’t we just suffer through a few rounds of that match a year or two ago in the local media?
I forget who the personalities were , but there was money involved; as in the doubter of the offense would pay anyone who could prove it happened, and an alledged spittee, the object of the doubters doubt. It dragged on for awhile and faded. Don’t we have enough reduxes already?
December 1, 2006 at 6:11 am
Anonymous
Spitting on returning veterans is a popular story, but that doesn’t mean it’s true.
Maybe it’s mass hysteria. It seems like every single veteran was spit on by some long-haired hippie with a peace sign on a stick when returning to the USA after their tour of duty.
Besides the furvor with which the story is told, over and over, is there any evidence that such spitting actually occurred?
Too bad so many Vietnam Veterans believe it and have been going around feeling unloved by their fellow-Americans.
Almost every person I knew who hated the Vietnam War wanted “our boys” as we used to call them, to come home and be safe.
Maybe ten years ago, an article was written about the “spitting story” in one of America’s better-known magazines. A Google search might turn it up. It’s well worth reading.
December 1, 2006 at 7:53 am
Carson Park Ranger
Of the many, many Vietnam veterans I’ve known, none were spat upon when they returned. It’s a canard which has served right-wing nuts for many years. Congratulations, now they can comfort a new generation of victims at Walter Reid Army Medical Center with stories of the wicked, anti-war left. Then, when the enlistment of the maimed comes to an end, we can turn them over to the tender mercies of the VA system.
December 1, 2006 at 8:02 am
Anonymous
If you want to hear veterans curse, just mention the VA hospital system.
December 1, 2006 at 4:07 pm
Eric V. Kirk
Anon 10:11 – I figure that it probably happened somewhere at sometime. The anti-war movement wasn’t free of assholes. But whatever did happen along those lines was certainly not representative.
December 1, 2006 at 9:49 pm
Anonymous
The VA gets a lot of bad raps. Unfairly I think.
There are two distinct parts of the VA system:
1. The VA health system, like the Eureka clinic, which provides vets with a good, low or no cost preventative health care program. I’m a VN era vet, I use the syetem and it’s great for keeping an eye on health problems as we all get older and making prescriptions almost free. Medicare should work so well.
2. Then there is the VA hospital system, which most of you are referring to. I don’t see this as being the fault of the VA but the political -think Bush/Cheney – powers that be who detest any kind of government endowment program and who have been cutting back on military spending – bases and hospitals – and putting that money into tanks and such instead.
I hope that with the changing of the guard this travestry will change.
December 1, 2006 at 10:39 pm
Anonymous
Erik, I have yet to hear a first person account of someone who was raped.
10:11, rape is a popular story but that doesn’t mean it’s true. Maybe it’s mass hysteria.
CPR, of the many, many women I’ve known, none were raped.
Erik, I figure that it probablt happened somewhere, sometime.
December 1, 2006 at 10:59 pm
Eric V. Kirk
I’ve heard plenty of first hand accounts of rape, including from personal friends who were raped. We also have plenty of jury convictions. Rape victims have testified before legislatures, on television shows, in books. There is no shortage of personal accounts of rape, most of which are probably true, and a few which are probably not.
But I have yet to meet or hear an ex-soldier who has said “I was spit upon.” I would like to hear somebody describe the incident, the location, the violating individual, and the words that were said. I don’t believe it was commonplace. I believe it’s an extreme minority and probably from people who were mentally unstable and looking for any excuse to be aggressive. But it did not reflect the sentiments of the peace movement in any way, not even the Marxist militants who stacked some of the demonstrations. Cop provocateurs maybe; we know from Cointelpro hearings that they burned some flags to make the movement look bad.
Find me public accounts of 10 people who say they were spat upon with at least one or two who could provide verifiable details, and I’ll concede that there may have been at minimum serious problem that the peace movement failed to address within its ranks.
But as it stands, I suspect it’s simply part of the lore used to slam the peace movement, along with stories made up such as Jane Fonda turning over notes from POWs who palmed them to her. Didn’t happen, but it’s all over the Internet anyway.
December 2, 2006 at 2:13 am
Anonymous
whatever you say Erik
December 2, 2006 at 7:37 am
Eric V. Kirk
Good answer.