Jim Webb Emerges As Democrats' Military Point Man

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.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[engineer68]

Webb is to much of a hot-head. We need him in the U S Senate. Every seat counts if we are to get anything done. Wesley Clark has more qualifications than Webb. He looks like a VP, also.

[Doofus]

With Webb for VP, there's a better chance of winning
VA, WV, KY, PA, OH & IN: 78 electoral votes in all.

(Arguably) with Clark, you get Arkansas, for 6.

Of course, with Webb, you'd also get Arkansas.

[JimR]

He has repeatedly and forcefully spoken out against Bush's war, something Reid and Pelosi have repeatedly failed to do. If that makes him a hothead, we need a lot more like him.

[Doofus]

Webb, hothead? Clark, NOT hothead?

Wesley Clark's 'High Noon' Moment
Katrina vanden Heuvel - The Nation - 09/17/2003

'On June 12, 1999, in the immediate aftermath of NATO's air war against Yugoslavia, a small contingent of Russian troops dashed to occupy the Pristina airfield in Kosovo. Clark was so anxious to stop the Russians that he ordered an airborne assault to confront these units--an order which could have unleashed the most frightening showdown with Moscow since the end of the Cold War. Hyperbole? You can decide. But British General Michael Jackson, the three-star general and commander of K-FOR, the international force organized and commanded by NATO to enforce an agreement in Kosovo, told Clark: "Sir, I'm not starting world war three for you," when refusing to accept his order to prevent Russian forces from taking over the airport.' ...

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/edcut?pid=945

[NotMcCain]

Clark's career, unlike Webb's, seems far from a "hothead". A different view (wikipedia). :

"One of Clark's most argued decisions during his SACEUR command was his attempted operation at Priština International Airport immediately after the end of the Kosovo War.

Russian forces had arrived in Kosovo and were heading for the airport , two days after the bombing campaign ended, expecting to help police that section of Kosovo.

Clark, on the other hand, had planned for the Kosovo Force to police the area. Clark called then-Secretary General of NATO Javier Solana, and was told "of course you have to get to the airport" and "you have transfer of authority" in the area.

The British commander of the Kosovo Force, General Mike Jackson, however refused to block the Russians through military action saying "I'm not going to start the Third World War for you."

Jackson has said he refused to take action because he did not believe it was worth the risk of a military confrontation with the Russians.

American General Hugh Shelton called Jackson's refusal "troubling," and hearings in the United States Senate suggested it may amount to insubordination, with Senator John Warner suggesting holding hearings regarding whether the refusal was legal.

Russian military action in Kosovo was eventually stopped peacefully, as some nations, including Bulgaria and Romania, disallowed Russian aircraft to fly over their territory, halting their ability to bring in forces."

[armadillious2002]

Wesley Clark definitely needs a place in the Obama Whitehouse. He won his war and United all the countries involved in what was a huge success in Kosavo. He is a commander, a planner, and knows how to win wars and unite the forces. But, I'm not sure if VP is his calling. There are many other slots where he would fit very well.

As far as Webb goes - I am still in the undecided column.

[speakingtruth2power]

For those who think we need a brilliant VP with an impressive military background,

the best choice is Wes Clark. Wes finished first in his class instead of second from

last as McCain did, or W would surely have. We can't fill the Cabinet w/ our Senators!

[jsinclair]

Excellent points. There are lots of great senators, but better to keep them in the Senate than at HUD, Interior, etc.

As for Clark? I agree. Clark's got it all (except the superficial thing: height. They don't look as good standing together as some other pairings, but that might work, too, as it means although Clark is clearly an impressive man in his own right, he doesn't overshadow the President , side-by-side. And they still look 100xs better together than Obama & Webb)

Obama/Clark would be a great ticket.

[riverhouse]

Please note this is a WSJ article representing the hopes of the gop to weaken the nominee with a vp who opens up large lines of criticism which will benefit the gop nominee. It's pure wishful thinking. It's not going to be.

[speakingtruth2power]

Webb may be anti-war regarding Iraq but he is not a social liberal by any means.

If the Republican party had not been taken over by the faux-conservative neocons,

he would have run as a pro-military Republican instead of a moderate Democrat.

[lbrillante]

I think Wesley Clark is a better military point man. He has the clout to go toe to toe. Don't want to see him as VP though. I prefer John Edwards.

OBAMA/EDWARDS '08

[JimR]

I prefer Edwards as attorney general.

[jsinclair]

But is Webb supportive of OBAMA?

I haven't heard him say anything enthusiastic about Barack since he became the party nominee.

Has he?

I don't trust Webb. Just a feeling.

[starboymikey]

God, we were all so ecastaic when Webb captured that senate seat, and now some of us are calling him a Republican. Get a life people. You want ideological purity? Then accept the fact of being the minority party pretty much forever, and having Republican presidents pretty much forever.

You want it, you got it.

[JimR]

Hit the nail on the head there, Mikey.

[pilgrim7]

A black man and a redneck running together. America at its finest.

[MissT]

Sounds like a unifying ticket to me. His redneckishness is a main reason he's worth a look. Give the people what they want. His hotheadedness is different problem.

[rosal]

I notice certain bitterness. Why? Did your candidate lost? Or is your candidate too old to be America's finest?

[Probus]

There are plenty of dems with foreign policy expertise. We don't have to rely on someone like Webb who was first a dem, then became a republican as Reagan's Secretary of the Navy and then switched back to being a dem. We have plenty of dems who served in the military and have foreign policy experience. We don't blue dogs like Webb.

[JimR]

If you think America is ready to embrace 2 liberals on the ticket, the Dems are going to lose. AGAIN.

[southafrica4obama]

Webb is fine, but has a conferderate problem.

[musselmanm]

As the guy that always stood up for the working men and women, I was never afraid to lose my job for what was right. I have always been willing to step up and say the hard things everyone was afraid to say.
I was always called a mans man. I don't really think they meant gay so hold the jokes.
Senator Webb is a man that I would be proud to stand and fight with to right any wrong and I would trust his judgement when the chips were down.
I believe most men admire Senator Webb.
I believe I would trust my country, my life and my childrens life and future to him.
You know where he stands on every issue, he will tell you if you just ask.
I worked with many men like him and after not working with them since 1997, I still miss those men. And a few women that I worked with.
Jim Webb is worthy of your trust. Do not fear the Republican smear. We are trying to get over the divisive politics of the last 30 years.

[geobushono]

Webb is a republican...stop acting as though there aren't any Democratic Veterans............I'm available.
I was never captured..........I fought in the jungle..........I'm a rabid Leftist with payback as my priority.

[markj757]

I think as Dems we have to be more open to an Obama/Webb ticket. I'm a Virginian, and we most likely would have not won that senate seat without Webb on the ticket. And it was because of his Republican background and prior experience as Secretary of the Navy under Reagan. He took on a popular Senator who had an excellent shot of becoming the presidential nominee instead of McCain. And if you think McCain is a Bush clone, then you haven't seen anything until you've listened to former Senator Allen of VA. I think it makes a strong statement and brings balance to the ticket with Webb as our VP nominee. I like General Clark as well, but I think Webb is a much better candidate to bring over more republicans and independents to our cause to get Obama elected. And I think he will serve Obama well as his No# 2.

[Intelligentia]

I agree with your theory of bringing over soem Republicans, but, it depends on the type of Republicans you're talking about. We need the Colin Powell progressives, not the Hannity regressives!

[NotMcCain]

If he's that good (and rare) as a conservative Democrat in the Senate for VA, that's probably where he'd be best to stay. Plus, he really seems like less a flunky (for want of a better word) and more of a maverick.

Great in the Senate that way. Not so great as a VP.

[markj757]

Actually, I think he will be easily replaced by our current popular Governor Tim Kaine who is also being considered as a VP pick. I'm proud of the fact that Virginia has some amazing conservative Democrats like Webb, Warner, and Kaine. All of whom were being considered as VP nominees until Warner removed himself from consideration when he accepted the nomination to be our Democrat Senate nominee. Overall, Webb may not be the best pic, but he should be strongly considered and widely accepted if he is chosen. He is definitely my pic for the VP job. And keep in mind, VA would be a lock for Obama with Webb on the ticket.

[AdamND]

I like clark but if you remember his 04 you can see he was kinda weak. I just hope he puts those sweats in the closet this time around.

[MissT]

I had the same reservations, but I heard him recently on "Morning Joe". It seems he has learned since his 2004 campaign. He is much more articulate. I was very surprised to hear him lay out how even though McC was a POW he really has no military leadership skills. I think he could do a good job for O. Also his temperment seems better matched than W ebb, whom I had tagged as far back as January for either HRC or BO. The more I observe him, I'm afraid he may be a little to hot headed.

[riverhouse]

It has always seemed nonsensical to me to equate pow experience with military leadership but somehow M*Cain seems to be getting away with that faulty premise.

[MuchMadness]

"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. "

A hero? What did McCain do that was heroic? Brave, yes, persevering, yes, but heroic?

[JimR]

"In mid-1968, McCain's father was named commander of all U.S. forces in the Vietnam theater, and McCain was offered early release. The North Vietnamese wanted to appear merciful for propaganda purposes, and also wanted to show other POWs that elites like McCain were willing to be treated preferentially. McCain turned down the offer of repatriation; he would only accept the offer if every man taken in before him was released as well.

In August of 1968, a program of severe torture began on McCain. McCain was subjected to repeated beatings and rope bindings, at the same time as he was suffering from dysentery. After four days, McCain made an anti-American propaganda "confession". He has always felt that his statement was dishonorable, but as he would later write, "I had learned what we all learned over there: Every man has his breaking point. I had reached mine." His injuries left him permanently incapable of raising his arms above his head. He subsequently received two to three beatings per week because of his continued refusal to sign additional statements."

[zendem1]

He wasn't a very good pilot. His time in captivity doesn't earn him a free pass to the White House.

[nonofyabusiness]

Plus he came home alive....58,000 others did not (and over 1200 are stil MIA and have never come home)

[markj757]

I'm a veteran and a die hard Obama supporter, but I still strongly believe McCain is a genuine American hero. Any man or woman who's willing to lay down his life to preserve and protect your freedom, is a hero in my book. I don't care whether its a cop on the street, or a soldier in the line of fire. We can respect his service, and profoundly disagree with his politics and the direction in which he wants to take this country.

[riverhouse]

He was