James Webb Angers Veterans

http://powerlineblog.com/archives/016233.php ^

[chessplayer]

"It's never exactly been a secret that James Webb a jerk. But even before he takes his place in the Senate, this fact is becoming common knowledge. First, he turned a kind inquiry about his son from President Bush into a confrontation. Given the president's unpopularity, Webb figured he could get some mileage out of his boorish conduct, which he proceeded to publicize."

"However, Webb doesn't figure to get much mileage from stiffing veterans in Virginia Beach. Webb promised to appear at a Veterans' Day event there, but pulled out at the last minute on the theory that attending would have "eaten up an entire weekend." Webb then purported to be "perplexed" because the veterans weren't sufficiently understanding of his circumstances."

"According to the Virginian-Pilot, reaction from veterans ranged from disappointment to fury. Said Patrick Callahan, combat vet and president of a local Vietnam Veterans of America chapter, "ditching us was uncalled for and it will not be forgiven,"

[ShowMeMom]

bump

[Skybird]

Webb remained beligerent and withdrew .. Webb wrote that he wanted to punch the President because he was so angry yada yada ... but the President was doing a respectable thing, asking about his son, and Webb turns it into a media event - disgusting!

Webb saw an opportunity--and Bush got suckered into a situation by being a gentleman.

If Bush ASKS him about his USMC son, Webb can reply as he did with indignity and classness.

If Bush DOESN'T ASK about him, he can bitch and whine about how the President doesn't care.

Message to President Bush--Don't invite Webb to any events.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Webb a US Senator. What a joke.

People are simply idiots for voting for him.

[mrsmith]

Jimmy Webb has more important veterans in his thoughts
Veterans he can identify with and truly admire.

If Jimmy gets a little more money together to support John in the fashion to which John is used to... well, John Kerry may make an honest woman of him!

[sinanju]

"He is absolutely, certifiably, undeniably NUTS, and it is only going to get worse. The guy thinks that he has been dissed his entire life because he is Scots-Irish and isn't from "the elite". He has a chip on his shoulder the size of Gibraltar, a hair-trigger temper, and a poorly disguised disdain for women and minorities."
___________________________________________________________________

Maybe he can go after Bill O'Reilly's job after he loses re-election...

[tanknetter]

Good Lord, I'd have to say that probably Virginia has the largest percentage of any state of military personel and vets. Sounds to me like he's making very bad career moves.

It depends on what Webb's definition of career "success" is.

Webb was a one-trick pony in the campaign - he ran almost exclusively on an anti-Bush platform. Right after he won the Democratic nomination he had an interview with the editorial staff at the Washington Post. When they actually started asking him questions about important topics other than Iraq (I think one had to do with the transportation infrastructure issues in Northern Virginia) his response was "well, my staff is busy figuring them out for me. Once they tell me where I stand on them, I'll get back to you".

No joke on that, btw.

So in a way, his career "success" as a Senator peaked on the day he was elected - and had his anti-Bush hatred validated by 50.01% of VA's voters. My guess is that he won't even bother trying for reelection - afterall in 2012 his (at least in his own delusional mind) arch-nemesis Bush will have been a "former President" for four years. Assuming that he doesn't get Potomac Fever and is captured by the DC political system, starting January 20, 2008 my guess is he's going to be very, very bored with being a Senator and having to help little old ladies get their SocSec checks, responding to people who want potholes filled, etc.

In the meantime, the silver lining is that with the Dems in the majority he has to play as part of their team and be part of the solution ... rather than just slinging arrows down towards 1600 Penn Ave. And we all know what a phenominal team player Webb is, right? (/sarc) I think he's going to be much more of a problem for Dems than for Republicans ...

[Democratshavenobrains]

If George Allen said something as lame as "eating up an entire weekend", all the lefties would have screamed he was disrespectful to vets.

[PISANO]

Before things get out of hand......I will say it.

Blame BUSH!!

[tanknetter]

Webb saw an opportunity--and Bush got suckered into a situation by being a gentleman.

I don't think so. Except for the hard-core Dem base (MoveOn'ers, DUers and other Party faithful) Webb comes across looking like a jackass to everyone who hears about the confrontation.

Look at it this way - the MSM LOVES, to report on confronation. When such confrontation makes Republicans look bad, of course. If Webb's confronting of Bush was beneficial to the Dems, the story would have been trumpeted from the rooftops. Instead it gets a quick flash-in-the-pan treatment and is buried.

[Cicero]

Anyone who has read the extracts from his disgusting novels, or has taken the trouble to listen to him, knows that Webb is a crazy scum, a second McCain.

Regretably, as I understand it, these very same military people in Virginia who are mad at him now for insulting them just VOTED for him in droves a month ago. They weren't paying attention. They foolishly thought he was one of them.

Now they have gotten what they voted for.

[Darnright]

>Just because he's Scot-Irish doesn't mean he has to be a wild boar colossal boor.<

There, that's better.

[MNJohnnie]

How you liking this Senator you worked so hard to elect now?

Next time think before backing someone simply because they once wore a uniform.

[AmishDude]

Speaking of which, Casey is already the incredible shrinking Senator. Idiot Pennsylvanians.

[AmishDude]

Wow, meandog AND leadpenny are BOTH supporters of the great Senator Ass?

[therut]

Well I'm scots-irish woman and may just have to kick this butt before this is over. Surely he knows the women of this ancestory and meaner than the men. We are just more passive agressive about it. So when we bite it hurts more cause it catches the men by surprise.

[Princip. Conservative]

I fully expect James Webb to be a loose cannon during his career in the Senate.

[Mark17]

a hair-trigger temper, and a poorly disguised disdain for women and minorities.

Doesn't this accurately describe most Democrats?

[dmw]

Sad, isn't it?