Arming Obama - Jim Webb - Vietnam Vet, 'Redneck' is Emerging As the Democrats' Military Point Man

WSJ ^ | June 21st, 2008 | MONICA LANGLEY

[The_Republican]

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- With his two Purple Hearts, three tattoos and spoiling-for-a-fight attitude, Sen. Jim Webb is emerging as the Democrats' point man on two of the most profound matters facing the electorate this November: national defense and the military.

A highly decorated war veteran who opposes the Iraq war, Sen. Webb is considered by many Democrats to be the best person to go into battle against another war hero, expected Republican nominee Sen. John McCain. The ex-Marine, who hails from the important swing state of Virginia, could also become Sen. Barack Obama's go-to person on national security, where the Democratic presidential candidate's résumé is weak compared with rival Sen. McCain's.

His rising star has been enhanced by the expected passage of a GI bill he championed, which provides money for veterans to go to college, and which President Bush recently accepted despite his earlier veto threat. All that makes Sen. Webb one of the most talked-about possible vice-presidential contenders.

Yet, Sen. Webb, a politician for less than two years, could be a risky combatant for the Democratic party. The 62-year-old lawmaker and novelist has a zeal that sometimes defies political niceties: He didn't shake President Bush's hand when the president asked about his son's deployment to Iraq. Some of his views aren't politically correct. He contends that "poor whites" are an oppressed class, and defends Confederate soldiers for fighting for state sovereignty.

A spokeswoman says Sen. Webb "speaks artfully about complex issues that many politicians shy away from, and it's his authenticity that is so compelling."

The self-described "redneck" occasionally carries a concealed pistol, and is still suspect to some Democrats for having served as Secretary of the Navy in the Reagan administration.

[Clintonfatigued]

Jim Webb also gets mentioned as Obama’s running mate, although he has distanced himself from such talk.

[gunnedah]

Authentic alright,from his book I believe he is a pervert.

[muawiyah]

No rational person thinks of Jim Webb as a “redneck” ~ a crazoid ~ a whack job ~ something, but not “redneck”.

[HokieMom]

Has Webb ever considered himself a Republican? Has he always been a Democrat?

[RDTF]

major barf. Shower now needed.

[MovementConservative]

Jim Webb doesn’t speak “artfully” ever. If he were to be an attack dog on McCain, that would be extremely foolish. McCain is a polished politician, Webb is not. Obama has his own flips and gaffes to cover for, he needs a non-confrontational safe VP. Sam Nunn or someone like that.

[Perdogg]

Yes, he was Reagan’s SecNav. Republican up to 2003.

[Abbeville Conservative]

Webb has time to discuss these military issues? I thought he would be out giving felatio to some Asian boy.

[FlingWingFlyer]

I guess the ‘RATS have gotten tired of exploiting Fat Jack Murtha. Webb probably won’t mind his military service being used if it will help bring Communism to America.

[Clintonfatigued]

Webb was apparently a Republican back in the early 1980’s. He was Secretary of the Navy during part of the Reagan Administration.

[reg45]

Webb is just Murtha with a southern accent.

[conservativeharleyguy]

"...The ex-Marine, who hails from the important swing state of Virginia..."

Uhmmmm.....an "important swing" state where a sizable number of Virginians now regret having elected him.

[HokieMom]

Yes, he was Reagan’s SecNav. Republican up to 2003.

Right, though I'm wondering if he was a Republican back then or a Democrat. If he switched over from GOP to DNC, has he ever said why?

[Chickensoup]

Authentic alright,from his book I believe he is a pervert.

I read one of his books.

Why do you think this?

[WHBates]

I keep hearing that Nunn is high on the VP list and that he would like the job? I use to have a lot of respect for Nunn even if he is a Democrat but if his desire to run with Obama is true then I will lose all respect for him.

[gusopol3]

Like Obama, he opposed the surge that Bush was about to announce in his Jan '07 Dem response to SOYU:

The majority of the nation no longer supports the way this war is being fought; nor does the majority of our military. We need a new direction. Not one step back from the war against international terrorism. Not a precipitous withdrawal that ignores the possibility of further chaos. But an immediate shift toward strong regionally-based diplomacy, a policy that takes our soldiers off the streets of Iraq's cities, and a formula that will in short order allow our combat forces to leave Iraq.

[july4thfreedomfoundation]

Isn’t Webb the same guy who, during his college days, scared the hell out of black people by driving into the Watts section of Los Angeles, pointing an unloaded gun at his intended “victims,” and pulling the trigger?

Can you imagine if a Republican politician had engaged in such conduct? The media would tear him to pieces.

[HokieMom]

It seems unusual that Webb moved from Republican to Democrat and I was wondering if he was a Dem in the Reagan administration or at least nominally a Republican. Wonder what changed his mind if he switched. He must have said. Maybe it’s on his website. I should poke around over there.

[freespirited]

Authentic alright,from his book I believe he is a pervert.

He's alleged to be quite the womanizer. One reason I don't see how he could get past competent vetters.

VA Political Muddle

[rlmorel]

This is Jim Webb on Defense related issues:

He is a Democrat, and not a Democrat in the Zell Miller mold.

The libs constantly try to find some military person who will present them in a positive and strong light, and they always come up with people like John Kerry.

Bottom line: They are Liberals, and CANNOT be trusted with defense or national security related issues.

Rank and File military personnel understand this implicitly, and it is why the vast majority of them are conservatives.

History has shown that Liberals are inept in these areas.

They HATE the military, and view it as wasted money that could be spent on social programs. Oh, they will never say it aloud.

But, if you could administer truth serum to them, I guarantee that 80-90% of them would gut the military so money doesn't have to be spent on it.

Guaranteed.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Murtha is damaged goods, Webb is the Democrat rent a vet.
Webb is a bully and opportunist.

[muawiyah]

He’s on his third wife.

[olezip]

Yet, Sen. Webb, a politician for less than two years, could be a risky combatant for the Democratic party. The 62-year-old lawmaker and novelist has a zeal that sometimes defies political niceties: He didn't shake President Bush's hand when the president asked about his son's deployment to Iraq. Some of his views aren't politically correct. He contends that "poor whites" are an oppressed class, and defends Confederate soldiers for fighting for state sovereignty.

Webb is just another arrogant Democrat with a clearly disordered mind. His response to my questions about the veracity of the LOST was condescending. Basically he told me that he knows much more than I possibly could about such because he was Secretary of the Navy at one time. He had zero answers to my questions. When I again asked the same questions, I got the same canned response his office provides to everyone by saying it is good for our country. He means the "country" that he and other socialist/Marxist/Communists want. They are well on their way to success, unfortunately.

[fieldmarshaldj]

That’s the one. I call him “Pig Vomit.” Absolute vermin. Reagan fired his ass as Navy Sec, and for good reason.

[fieldmarshaldj]

"He’s on his third wife."

There's a joke in there somewhere.

[Perdogg]

Iraq.

[ex-snook]

"Wonder what changed his mind if he switched. He must have said. Maybe it’s on his website. I should poke around over there. "

You can try his new book [Time to Fight] which I got at my local library. He is Naval Academy graduate who was a Marine in Vietnam. I don't recall him having any kind of Damascus experience other than him wanting to be the champion of the underdog. He thinks ordinary people are getting screwed by the gated rich. He became disillusioned with the GOP as the vehicle to redress any wrongs. He could become just as disillusioned with the Democrats. His fight for the GI Bill is an example of his challenging neglect. He is an army of one.

[popdonnelly]

The Democrats definitely need a token defense man. Ninety-nine percent of them loathe the idea of the military and don’t have the first clue about defending the nation.

[muleskinner]

His response to my questions about the veracity of the LOST was condescending.

??

[Reily]

and now Webb is a member of the party that are undisputed champions of screwing the common man particularly the demographic that Webb claims to be so concerned about !

Webb is for Webb and nothing else!

[HokieMom]

Thank you. His election is a blur and I really don’t know much about him.

[TribalPrincess2U]

http://www.iraqvetsforcongress.com/candidates.htm

[gunnedah]

That doesnt matter in America any longer. He could sleep with a cow and that would be alright to Liberals.

[gunnedah]

Back when he was running on one of the shows it read an exert from one of his books.There was no other purpose it was in there other than what I consider a sexual perversion or connotation.

[Wings-n-Wind]

IIRC....

Jim Webb was SECNAV...
...Under JIMMAH CAHTAH...

H-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-l--l-l-l-p-p us all...

[ex-snook]

" Jim Webb was SECNAV... ...Under JIMMAH CAHTAH... H-e-e-e-e-e-e-e-l--l-l-l-p-p us all... "

You gotta lay off the stuff someone is feeding you.

[mortal19440]

spoiling-for-a-fight attitude

He was spoiling for a fight at the Naval Academy and Ollie North kicked his ass.

[Perdogg]

Pres Ronald Reagan not Jimmy Carter.

[zert_28]

I keep hearing that Nunn is high on the VP list and that he would like the job? I use to have a lot of respect for Nunn even if he is a Democrat but if his desire to run with Obama is true then I will lose all respect for him.

Nunn used to be one of the 'sane Democrats', or in other words, strong on defense. If he runs with Obama, he will be a total sellout, IMHO.

I don't think that B.Hussein Obama is smart enough to pick Nunn. Obama will screw up his Veep pick. You just watch.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Yes, he was Reagan’s SecNav.

Webb was one of three men to serve as SecNav under Ronald Reagan and at ~10 months his tenure was the shortest.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Reagan fired his ass as Navy Sec, and for good reason.

Wrong. Webb resigned because of his dislike of Carlucci and the SecDef's budget cuts.

[A.A. Cunningham]

and Ollie North kicked his ass.

North won the bout but to claim he kicked Webb's ass is quite an exaggeration.

[A.A. Cunningham]

Republican up to 2003.

Wrong. Webb described himself as an Independent when he endorsed Robb in 1994.

[VanShuyten]

Isn’t he the guy who had a pistol brought to the Senate building by an aide, and then let the aide take the fall when he was caught?

[Perdogg]

Of course he endorsed Robb over his arch rival North. Webb wrote an editorial in the WSJ in early 2000s bashing the Clinton Administration.

[ClayinVA]

I could see Webb being Obama’s Secretary of Defence. That would make sense since Virginia has Dem Governor who can’t be reelected and who would jump at the chance to be a Senator. God help us. Obama as President, Hillary as VP, Webb Defence, Tim Kaine-D and Mark Warner-D as senators plus Rick Boucher-D in the 9th. That is one scary thought.

[mortal19440]

A win is a win.

[Chickensoup]

What are you talking about? I read his books about the Scots-Irish and remember no sexual perversion in it.

[gunnedah]

It was an issue in his campaign with George Allen after the press brought out the so called racial term Allen used. Look it up for yourself. It consisted of a sexual act between a young boy and a man and he had tried to tie it into a custom.