Webb, Bush off to shaky beginning White House denies Sen.-elect's claim of leaks after icy greeting

Richmond Times Dispatch ^ | Thursday, November 30, 2006 | PETER HARDIN

[iceskater]

WASHINGTON -- Sen.-elect Jim Webb contends the Bush administration wants to paint him as a "hothead."

The former Navy secretary, whose election in Virginia put Democrats over the top in capturing the U.S. Senate, voiced that view yesterday.

A White House spokeswoman flatly denied Webb's charge.

"That is not true. At all," said spokeswoman Dana Perino in an e-mail.

Webb confirmed published reports of an exchange at a private White House reception when he declined an invitation to be photographed with President Bush, and next declined to answer Bush's question about his son stationed in Iraq.

He was told, Webb volunteered in an interview, that someone at the White House leaked a report of the episode, although he didn't know if that was true.

"I think one of the strategies of the administration, it seems to be to try to say early on that I'm a hothead, you know, or that I can't work in the political process, or whatever."

When informed of Webb's remarks about a possible White House leak and a strategy to depict him negatively, White House spokeswoman Perino said, "None of it is true."

[iceskater]

I am bothered by his use of his son's combat boots as a prop. Kind of ranks right up there with Clinton carrying the Bible around like a prop. You know neither of them mean it and they seem to hope the sheeple will be fooled by their acts.

[Dane]

This guy(Webb) is a head case.

No crap, Why do you think he was dismissed by Reagan and now praised by the DUmmies.

[Commiewatcher]

Bush could have borrowed a phrase from Lyndon Johnson which went (something like):

"Take a good look around you..this is the last time you will see the inside of the White House"

[RoseofTexas]

Let me ask a dumb question here....Can a senator be recalled if opponents or the folk in general, from that state, collect enough signatures to end his term?

[denydenydeny]

For a supposedly shoot-from-the-hip, straightforward, stand-up guy, Webb is sure quick to start spinning.

[Brilliant]

Leaked a report of the episode...

The implication is that the report was top secret. I wonder why Webb would want what happened at this meeting to be kept secret?

[Bahbah]

Of Bush's question, Webb said yesterday, "I think even he would probably understand that's a little bit over the line." He said the question was not an easy one to answer "when your son's in combat."

How ridiculous. If I encounter anyone with a family member in a combat zone, I would be sure to inquire about them. How hard is it to say he's fine, or he's not so fine...Webb didn't behave rudely because it's a hard question, he behaved rudely because he is a boor.

[iceskater]

I don't know that all that many conservatives voted for this waste of oxygen. Moose4 made a good observation on the election thread that the African American vote turned out and voted for the marriage amendment and then voted for Webb. Why African Americans continue to vote for these frauds is something I'll never really understand.

[SquirrelKing]

Webb is a giant in his own mind.

George Will gives Webb a spanking for this [and his ham-fisted use of the King's English] in his column. For cross-reference:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1746344/posts

[iceskater]

Not sure but I don't think so. Or if it's possible, it's so difficult to do that won't happen. I'm afraid we're stuck with this guy. Perhaps he'll go so far around the bend that he'll have to step down before his term is up.

[iceskater]

Exactly. I suspect he is as poor a loser as he is graceless a winner.

[TET1968]

His writings about a father enjoying his son's penis....and now Webb refuses to answer questions about his own son......Naaaa.

[NeoCaveman]

Webb is not a hot head
Bill Clinton is faithful
Ted Kennedy is sober
Jimmy Carter is not a loser

What else do they want me to believe?

[Williams]

Let me think, new senator, won't be photographed with the president, won't answer a polite question about his son, wants to PUNCH the president over it -

Yeah, I'd have to say that's a hothead with a problem operating in the political process.

[PeteB570]

Webb should follow the advice of...

"Never do anything you would be ashamed of if it got out into the MSM."

[AmericanMade1776]

[You Dirty Rats]

I doubt I could be that classless even the President was Clinton.

This guy is even more classless than Clinton himself. Hard to believe such a graceless boor could be elected from the same state that produced men of honor, dignity and class like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and Robert E. Lee.

I am ashamed that we sent Sherrod Brown (Communist-OH) to the Senate, but Webb is even worse.

Methinks Sheets will take care of Webb. That act will NOT go down well in the Senate.

[roses of sharon]

A moonbat showing symptoms of extreme Bush Derangement Syndrome.

[SargeK]

Respectfully, I don't think he is a clinical head case. Maybe, but my money would say that he is just building cred with the nutroots. First, he acts like an ass with the President. Second, he blames the fallout on a WH conspiracy.

The Daily Kossacks and the rest of the moonbats will eat this stuff up.

[ridesthemiles]

Kind of ranks right up there with Clinton carrying the Bible around like a prop. ""

I always figured Clintooooon had a doobie stashed inside his "Bible" which was definately a prop.