Posted on 07/15/2007 3:32:57 PM PDT by Vision
WASHINGTON - When senators from opposing parties call each other "friend" and pat each other as they talk, there's a fighting chance they're angling to wring each other's neck.
So it appeared on NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday when Democrat Jim Webb of Virginia and Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina testily exchanged views on President Bush's Iraq policy and troop welfare. An impromptu troop surge debate turned into a temper surge.
"Just wash your hands of Iraq," an animated Graham said to the war critics, including the Democrat seated to his immediate right. "History will judge us, my friend."
"It's been a hard month, Lindsey," Webb commiserated, wearing a tight smile. "You need to calm down, my friend."
"Lindsey's had a hard month," Webb repeated.
"It ain't about Lindsey having a hard month," Graham snapped.
The Democrat, a Vietnam veteran, lost an effort in the Senate last week to require specified periods of home time for troops deployed in the war, his bill winning majority support but falling short of the 60 votes needed to proceed. He took sharp objection when Graham asserted that high re-enlistment numbers are a vote of confidence in the Iraq policy by the troops.
"This is one thing I really take objection to — may I speak? — is politicians who try to put their political views into the mouths of soldiers," Webb said over his opponent's interruptions. He placed his hand briefly on Graham's back, then jerked his thumb in the Republican's direction.
"Have you been to Iraq?" Graham demanded.
"I've covered two wars as a correspondent," Webb said. "I have been to Afghanistan as a journalist."
Graham: "Have you been to Iraq and talked to the soldiers?"
Webb: "You know, you've never been to Iraq, Lindsey."
The Republican pointed out he's been there seven times.
"You know," Webb said dismissively, "you can see the dog and pony shows. That's what congressman do.
"Why don't you go look at the polls, Lindsey, instead of the seven or eight people that are put in front of you when you make your congressional visit?"
Graham tried to ease the tension. It didn't work.
"Let's — something we can agree on," he said, placing his hand on Webb's arm. "We both admire the men and the women in uniform. "
"Don't put political words in their mouth," Webb interrupted.
The exchange ended with Graham praising the troops: "God bless them and let's make sure they can win because they can."
And Webb getting the final, combative word:
"I'll let them judge what you said."
What did America ever do to deserve Webb?
Im no fan of Lindsey Grahamnesty but Senator Webb is a disgraceful boorish blowhard
I’m still trying to figure out what the heck Virginia did to deserve him. I didn’t vote for the idiot and nobody I know did either. I think we can thank Northern Virginia voters for him. He’s very creepy.
Webb is a poisonous, poll-following, “Look how BUTCH I am!” (... compensating??) jerk. I pity us for his having been elected.
Maybe we can blame it on a few million murders of the unborn. Whatever it was it must have been horrible or maybe we just lost our will.
“What did America ever do to deserve Webb?”
We never would have had him had the RNC done its job and prepared its candidates to not make a$$holes out of themselves.
Doesn’t Webb have a son in the Marines?
I wouldn’t give you two cents for either on of them.
Someone should tell this Jim Webb A-hole that it's not the senate's job to micro manage the army, dictate when and how long leave is taken, etc.
Quite wasting the little time senate actually sits to do the nations work, Jim Webb, or do you even know what you are supposed to be doing? I highly doubt it, it seems no RAT in either house knows what the job description of a senator our house respresentitive is. Not that they could do it anyways, since they haven't a clue what's going on in the country, never mind what's going on in the rest of the world.
They wanted to “punish” George Allen.
Someone should tell this Jim Webb A-hole that it's not the senate's job to micro manage the army, dictate when and how long leave is taken, etc.
Quite wasting the little time senate actually sits to do the nations work, Jim Webb, or do you even know what you are supposed to be doing? I highly doubt it, it seems no RAT in either house knows what the job description of a senator or house respresentitive is. Not that they could do it anyways, since they haven't a clue what's going on in the country, never mind what's going on in the rest of the world.
Yes, he does have a son in the marines. Found this story just now:
Just when you thought nothing could make Sen. Gramnesty look good, along comes this embarrassment to all Virginians, Sen. Webb.
Creepy is precisely what he is. He looks like something out of a grade B mental slasher/blood horror movie.
Too bad Graham couldn’t say: “Ok Webb! Off with your tunic! Now! Time for this to be settled, the soldiers old way, out past the picket line lights!”
I watched the exchange and it was disgusting to see Webb demanding silence when he spoke yet constantly interrupting every time Graham spoke.
It’s always two sets of rules for these creeps...
Webb is such an idiot. I don't know how he manages to feed himself.
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