Jim Webb: One Trick Pony

Other than the Iraq War, Webb has nothing to offer the Democrats and absolutely nothing to offer America as a whole.

A man who is all about himself and only himself is not Senate material. Along with being rude, he'll create plenty of problems for the Dems and probably not get through a D primary in 2012. Let them live with him until then. I don't see him hurting conservatives at all.

Acting like a petulant, classless little boy in Washington isn't going to take Webb far. Our politics are divisive enough as it is. Webb's sort only make it much worse. The country really didn't need him. The D's were just desperate for another vote and Allen turned out to be a facade.

"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.

Comments

[lilly]

I'd LOVE to see Webb kick Bush's delusional hind end. Pay per view???? I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we've got another president here with Alzheimers!!! Mr Bush, please swallow your aricept!!

[Critic]

An they say Web is a Conservative at heart. Acts like a self=righteous, pompous lib, if you ask me. The President should have asked him when his next graphic novel is coming out. I'm sure he would of had a lot to talk about on that subject.

[nova]

I dont like the guy. I didnt vote for him. But I do like that he will be shaking things up in the Senate. But he will shake up everybody. I predict big trouble for Webb. He is no smooth back slapper. He will find it hard going on Capitol Hill. He will end up with everyone hating me for his rudeness an crudeness. But I kind of like it. I live here in the D.C.area and we dont get many of these mavericks any more. He is different. I have to like him for that. What I dont get is that if he wants the troops to come home why did he let his son go over there. Is Webb just another case of Vietnam Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome?
Is he a real Manchurian Candidate?

[Blud]

Acting like a petulant, classless little boy in Washington got President Bush elected to a second term. Hard to argue with success!

[nova]

The comment above should read, " He will end up with everyone hating HIM for his rudeness and crudeness". Sorry for the typo.

[jaime]

"petulant"

I'd be petulant too, if my son were in a war that Bush started and can't finish whil his kids are transmitting STD's in Argentina.

[larry]

looking forward to the day when a mere *constituent* gives webb a political speechette in response to a polite, generic question. think webb'll make a frowny face? think he'll cry like a little bitch?

of course he will: he's a democrat.

[mishu]

Kos kids are out in full force. Truth to power!

[nova]

Bush was trying to co op him with politeness and it did not work. Webb was rude and crude. Looks like that will be his "style".

[jaime]

Waaa! Somebody was mean to da pwesident! Waaaaa!

Look at you little p***ys crying because someone was impolite to your king. Fuck that dumbshit cokehead failure. If only more people would pierce that Bush bubble.

[Seekeronos]

My, and aren't you quite the little pottymouth Liberal. Why is it that the most rabidly moonbatly liberals always the ones utterly incapable of conveying thier thoughts without resorting to vulgar speech...?

Surely it couldn't be for lack of anything truly intelligent to contribute to the discussion, eh, Jaime?

Now go crawl back to your little rock out in Kos-land and think of something constructive to bring to the discussion. Oh, and Jesus loves you too. :)

And as for Webb...

A senator should be expected to have at last a certain degree of decorum when engaging (or at least responding to) a United States President. Granted, Bush is certainly not the brightest man to hold the title and office of the POTUS, but he certainly was smart enough to get the job. And Senators are about as close to passing for titled gentry as one gets in this Republic. (The Senate as the upper House is roughly analogous to the House of Lords in the UK, and similar houses constituted of thier nations peerage).

Even if Webb has legitimate grievances against Bush, a gentleman does not treat the POTUS with open disdain like some street kid; he returns the greeting and makes polit cnversation as fits a man of his stature (a US Senator).

His churlish response to the POTUS only proves what a perverse bumpkin he really is. Perhaps he should keep his day job of scripting pornographic novels or whatever it was he did, and leave the governing to somoene with the presence of mind not to insult dignitaries.

Though it falls upon deaf ears, I call for Sen. Webb's resignation, and an apology to the POTUS.

[jaime]

"Though it falls upon deaf ears, I call for Sen. Webb's resignation, and an apology to the POTUS."

Why? Because he didn't get on his knees to smoke the royal knob? You people are crazy. No wonder you people can't win elections.

[Seekeronos]

Once again, Jaime has to strain himself to think of a clever retort, but sadly, falls short as he opens his mouth only to have raw sewage dribble out of the corner of his lips.

No sexual favour needed or requested, just respect for the office of POTUS. As a former career officer, Webb *should* already know this. The petulant "that's between me and my boy" response was undignified.

An calmly, evenly delivered reply such as:

"Actually Mr. President, with all due respect, I *DID* answer your question. And he told me he'd like for you to bring him and his fellow soldiers home. Please end this war."

...would have actually made a much more far reaching impact on those in earshot, especially if he did it with a pleasant look on his face. That pic of him in the WaPo makes him look like he missed his laxative.

But as a cranky little liberal, he can only muster rudeness and an appalling lack of professional decorum when he thinks his feathers are getting ruffled.

[jaime]

"But as a cranky little liberal"

Liberal? Ummm...Jim Webb is not a liberal. You gotta remember that or your 'conservative Democrats won the election' meme goes down the pisser. Or have you reverted to calling everyone with a (D) after their names an america hating liberal?

The entire rightwing noise machine called (and still to this day call) our last president a latent homosexual, a rapist, a drug dealer, a traitor, and a cold blooded murderer.

The blood of tens of thousands of people are on this failure of a man's hands. If he were a quarterback, he'd've been benched or cut by now. Thank God him and his supporters were thoroughly defeated. Now we can let ACTUAL war heroes with ACTUAL military gravitas handle his failure.

[G. Weightman]

Mr. Seekeronos:

You fail to understand. Crude sexual imagery, grammatical howlers, and wild-eyed hyperbole are the badges of moral authenticity. You are in the presence of a Rousseauian Noble Savage. Listen and learn.

[Purple Avenger]

"whil[e] his kids are transmitting STD's in Argentina"

Very classy. I'm going to have to post that one...Oh look, I just did!

http://purpleavenger.blogspot.com/2006/11/moonbat-accuses-bush-daughter-of.html

[Critic]

"Now we can let ACTUAL war heroes with ACTUAL military gravitas handle his failure."

You mean war heroes like John (medal thrower) Kerry or John (the House Dems don't care much for him) Murtha? I don't think so. Americans may be stupid enough to "get stuck in Iraq", but they'll never be stupid enough to let them guys handle our national security...or will they be that stupid?....oh my!

[Seekeronos]

Here, here, Purple Avenger. Well spoken, and well done. :)

[Carol_Herman]

All kinds of people get elected. They're the ones who are willing to get out of bed every day. And, handshake till they get you to give them "some" money. I remember Bella Abzug. To stand out, whe wore hats. Big ones. And, she represented a district in Manhattan; back in the days whe Chuck Shumer did the same stuff in Brooklyn. "It's a service industry" job, so to speak.

How will Webb do? Who knows? It sounds like he's got "copy" written on him; so he'll get quoted a lot. But he's gonna be competing for limelight space, just the same.

And, up ahead? It seems this president has botched is presidency pretty badly? So Webb will have a target. What did Jimmy Carter give us? A yellow sweater. And, "malaise."

This will probably be Bush's worst weekend. With the Saudis still "calling the shots." Sometimes you learn that old admonition, taught to kids in kindergarten: "Pick. Your. Friends. Carefully." Too bad for us, we see James Baker, back.

His dad lost in 1992. Specifically because Americans weren't impressed with Gulf War 1. And, toss poppy out of office. I really have no idea what motivates junior.

Or if, ahead, a lot of powers won't end up in Congress. As they did when Nixon represented presidential timber.

We are a long way from finding solutions to our problems. "Getting snippy" with Bush? Didn't Gore do that? Or did Gore say Bush did that? I can hardly remember all the garbage that's preceeded the mess we are in. If we're lucky? Webb will have competition in the marverick department.

[Charles Warren]

Webb is a father whose son may die because of Bush's unresolved father issues and Seekeronos is practically calling for the return of the proskynesis.

If Webb had belted Bush, Bush would have had it coming.

[seekeronos]

Thanks, Mr. Warren... I've learned a new word today:

"Proskynesis". According to my handy-dandy dictionary, it basically means "kissing up" with an element of prostrating one's self to someone of higher social station.

No, I am not calling for that. This is not Ancient Persia, nor Old China where the custom of Kow-towing would have been appropriate, nor even medieval Europe where it would be meet to bow or curtsy (as determined by one's gender) upon introduction to someone of the Peerage.

A simple modicum of respect for the office of the POTUS, even if one does not particularly agree with the man currently holding the office is reasonable, don't you think?

And let us please forbear the thought of Webb actually slugging the POTUS, as I am certain even *he* is not so stupid so as risk immediately getting jacked up by nearby Secret Service agents.

Showing a reasonable amount of respect due to a man's position or office isn't very hard. I met former President Clinton some years ago when he was the POTUS ... and while I had to scrub my hands vigorously for several hours afterward to get the slime off of my hands, when I talked to him, I remembered my military bearing, looked him in his bloodshot eyes and addressed him as "Mr. President", and "Sir", as is expected and appropriate of anyone who has served in the Armed Forces. Just as Webb seems to have forgotten, although he was formerly an officer in the US Armed Forces at one point in his life.

It actually reveals an alarming lack of integrity on his part to *not* remember his manners in spite of his personal opinions.

And one need not be a service member to appreciate this: one would think that it is basic courtesy, which unfortunately, the instruction in the same seems to be sadly lacking among our youth. Perish the thought of students actually standing up at their desk seats when called upon in public school classes to answer an instructional question, or youths removing their ball caps inside buildings or when addressing their elders!

And, if the significance of maintaining proper customs and courtesies to dignitaries is lost upon you, then may I humbly suggest that you study up on the subject. It is part of the glue that holds civilization together.

[Charles Warren]

When Bush brought up Webb's son, totally unsought, he got personal.

When anyone says to you "That's not what I asked you !" he is trying to make a servant out of you.

Deference when due is one thing. Letting yourself be pushed around is another. No Scotch-Irish Jacksonian is going to let some rich punk push him around no matter who he is.

[Charles Warren]

"I met former President Clinton some years ago when he was the POTUS ... and while I had to scrub my hands vigorously for several hours afterward to get the slime off of my hands, when I talked to him, I remembered my military bearing, looked him in his bloodshot eyes and addressed him as "Mr. President", and "Sir", as is expected and appropriate of anyone who has served in the Armed Forces. Just as Webb seems to have forgotten, although he was formerly an officer in the US Armed Forces at one point in his life."

Does being an ex-serviceman mean you're some kind of lifelong butler ?

[seekeronos]

No, I already have a decent-paying job. But if a head of state or other distinguished person addresses me, I will give a response that is polite and measured to the occasion.

And if that isn't good enough, then it is little surprise that our country's politicians cannot consort professionally amongst one another, much less expect our children to not ever have an example of what good breeding and manners are. I'll agree however, that it is not meet for anyone, regardless of station, to press for an answer to questions the other party is probably not willing to answer.

Yet, that does not negate the "offended" party from providing a gentleman's answer that both admonishes the errant asker, and yet still remains within good etiquette.

[larry]

the fun part would have been if webb had actually tried to throw a punch at bush. bush is in fantastic shape; and webb - for all his dark badass muttering - looks kinda old & slow & fat. can't you just hear webb squealing like a little bitch as the secret service pulls bush off of him? "waah! no fair! i wasn't ready! he hit me back first!"

of course, being a democrat, he'd then hatch a cunning plan to run away.

[David DeCarlo]

It is clear that Webb does not like the President, nor does he respect him. Then why did he go to the reception?
He stepped out of the reception line to avoid being photographed with the President. If you don't like someone why go to their house?
The only explanation I can think of is he planned to make a grand standing play like he did.

I wonder if that is in the best interests of his constituents?

Also, I understand he once refused to shake John Kerry's hand for how Kerry spoke against Vietnam vets, yet didnt Webb get Kerry to campaign with him?
Interesting.
By the way I have read all of Webbs books and I am a big fan.