Posted on 02/08/2006 7:55:26 AM PST by SDGOP
Yeah running the "War Hero" John Kerry really worked out for the Democrats did it not? Did you see the polling data where Webb got about 26% support against Allen?
Good. They must be really scared of Allen.
You are exactly right!
How about liberal?
He certainly hasn't been a liberal in the past. We'll see what he campaigns on.
Take a look at his current positions on Iraq and the war on terror.
He's not going to just waltz into the Democrat Party and secure the nomination without taking leftist positions.
I'm a Virginian...and I know from experience that he will most certainly have to appease the following groups:
A. The Teachers;
B. The Unions; and
C. Gay and Lesbian Groups.
You just watch. He'll piss away whatever proud legacy he had theretofore.
George Allen ping.
I can't be around much during the day anymore. Anyone who wants to can grab the Allen ping list from my profile page.
I see nothing wrong with his positon on Iraq. Nothing at all. Not all of those who question what we're doing in Iraq are Michael Moore types, and Webb is uniquely positioned to mount a reasonable critique of Iraq.
I fear you are right about the leftists in the Virginia Democratic Party. If they have any brains, they'll nominate Webb as he is, and let him have a substantive debate with Warner over Iraq. But they've never given any evidence of brains in the past.
You're spot on.
Anybody not taking the Webb candidacy seriously is not a good student of politics. We can easily lose a seat here. Moreover, well have to commit a lot of resources we otherwise might not have had to, were he not so formidable.
He'll campaign very well.
To those of you who want to casually dismiss him, fine. Let me know when you wake up.
Take a look at post #16.
Look, if you won't take my word for it, do some research. The guy has been trending left for a number of years now. There are many Reaganites who question whether he was ever truly a conservative.
I'm not going to name names but there are many bonafide movement conservatives (those who were there at the revolution)who are absolutely sick over who and what he has become.
The first big indication that he was moving left came in 1994 when he endorsed Chuck Robb over Oliver North. Yes, there was some bad blood between him and Ollie. However, he started keeping different company then at that time.
Webb has done more than critique Iraq. He was opposed to the entire operation -- and for that matter -- no longer seems to support any application of force. It's one thing to critique Iraq by stating that greater force must be applied but entirely something different to state that force should have never been applied.
Why? I agree with General Odom, Reagan's NSA director, who has stated the attack on Iraq was the greatest strategic blunder in American history. It's hard for me to see how the United States has benefited from pouring tens of thousands of men and hundreds of billions of dollars into a country that did not threaten us, and that is well on its way to voting itself into an Islamic republic, as a result of our insane plan to bring democracy to the Middle East.
Take a look at these numbers:
Virginia Senator
George Allen (R) 57%
Webb (D) 26%
Other 7%
RasmussenReports.com
Chances are, most of those 26% supporting Webb in this poll are doing so only because there is a (D) next to his name. My educated guess is that his name recognition is very low. Outside of political circles, most do not even know who he is or what he has done.
Virginia is divided into these subparts: Northern Virginia and Tidewater (called the "The Golden Cresent"), the Piedmont Region (including the Shenandoah Valley, Central Virginia (including Richmond), Southside, and Southwest Virginia.
I'll say this loudly and boldy, Webb will never draw any serious support outside of Northern Virginia or Tidewater.
As to whether he'll be able to campaign well, I seriously doubt it. He won't be up to par with Allen. Allen is formidable as a candidate. He wins in historically Democrat strongholds.
Just check out the numbers for Buena Vista, Virginia in his run for Senate or his 1993 race for Governor. He is the kind of guy who can go into blue collar areas...and talk in a manner that the average guy on the street likes.
Webb cannot do that. He is too vain.
Outside of his tenure as SecNav, Webb has no political experience. He will be untested...and the stress of the campaign will get to him.
So, you can see no benefit from removing Saddam Hussein from power? How is that?
We have spent thousands of American lives and hundreds of billions of dollars to remove from power someone who posed no threat to the US. Our troops are still there, figthing and dying, as the Iraqi political process we initiated is turning power over to Shiite religious parties that are allied with Iran. No, I see no benefit to the US in that.
Your background is full of BS. North didn't resign, he retired after 22 years of service in 1990. Iran Contra broke in 1986 before Webb became SECNAV and he resigned in 1988 before North retired.
Webb knows that the application North submitted when he went to work for the NSC should have been rejected on the grounds of it being fraudulent. North was required to disclose his past psychiatric treatment and hospitalization, circa 1974, and he did not. By failing to disclose that, North committed a felony, thus disqualifying himself from being able to work at the NSC. Had North been properly vetted in 1981 it's unlikely that Iran Contra would have ever occurred. The importance of the outcome of the boxing match in Webbs' dislike of North is blown way out of proportion. Anyone who knows Webb knows that he's always been a mean, vindictive, overbearing SOB. That's why he was such an effective combat officer.
I stand correct on retirement v. resignation. That was a poor choice of words.
However, I refer to Iran Contra, not to what could be characterized as the policy initiatives that led to what was known as the "Iran Contra" scandal, but rather the series of investigations resulting in the wake therefrom.
North retired for a number of reasons. It was his choice to do so. However, he did feel some indirect heat from both SECNAV and the Commandant...ultimately leading to his decision to retire. And, yes, Webb did resign in 1988 before North retired. However, he certainly didn't help North any during that period of time.
With respect to yor comments on North's NSC application, Webb wasn't there. Webb wasn't on the NSC so I seriously doubt that he had any knowledge on that subject from his position as first Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs.
If he was so damned sure on that subject, why didn't he make a criminal referral? People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
"Anyone who knows Webb knows that he's always been a mean, vindictive, overbearing SOB. That's why he was such an effective combat officer."
This is precisely why...notwithstanding George Allen's popularity...that he will never be elected.
Yeah, you call Webb a "candy ass" and you'll do more damage to George Allen's candidacy than to Webb's. Jim Webb could kick both our butts thirty years ago, and probably still could today. We can argue that Webb is wrong on issues, but calling him a "candy ass" is so demonstrably wrong that it will alienate many voters who know better, and relegate some of Allen's best supporters to the kook fringe.
He retired because his career as a Marine was over. When Al Gray becomes your career planner it's not a good thing.
With respect to yor comments on North's NSC application, Webb wasn't there. Webb wasn't on the NSC so I seriously doubt that he had any knowledge on that subject from his position as first Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs.
It was common knowledge, particularly amongst his classmates from Annapolis, at HQMC and in DC that North spent three weeks in Bethesda on psych hold and suicide watch. Webb was at Georgetown at the time.
If he was so damned sure on that subject, why didn't he make a criminal referral? People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
That's one of Webbs' greatest regrets that he didn't speak up about North. He chose to ignore North's omission when he found out about it. He wasn't the only one who was shocked to learn that North was working in the White House with the NSC.
I suggest you read The Nightingale's Song for more details on the subject.
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