An essay from an active duty officer with more than 25 years of service, addressed to his fellow USNA alum, Senator James Webb. Senator Jim "Copperhead" Webb, Why did the new Democratic majority select Senator James Webb (D-VA) to give the Democratic response to the president's State of the Union Address? Since when does this privilege fall to a freshman, even a freshman senator? It's seems that despite the bad experience with nominating John Kerry to be their standard bearer in 2004, the Democrats have learned nothing. At least they recognize that they have a serious national security credibility problem...