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Jim Webb's Baggage
Before Democrats get too enamored with the idea of the seemingly perfect-on-paper Obama/Webb ticket, it is worth revisiting Jim Webb's background, and specifically an article he wrote for the Washingtonian in November 1979 entitled "Women Can't Fight." In the lengthy article, Webb is blunt and stark as he makes a case for why women should not be sent into military combat or train with men at military academies. Some of the more incendiary quotes from the article include the following:
I should say that I believe most of what has happened over the past decade in the name of sexual equality has been good. It is good to see women doctors and lawyers and executives. I can visualize a woman president. If I were British, I would have supported Margaret Thatcher. But no benefit to anyone can come from women serving in combat.
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There is a place for women in our military, but not in combat. And their presence at institutions dedicated to the preparation of men for combat command is poisoning that preparation. By attempting to sexually sterilize the Naval Academy environment in the name of equality, this country has sterilized the whole process of combat leadership training, and our military forces are doomed to suffer the consequences.
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What are the advantages to us, as a society, of having women in combat units? I don't know of any.
Those who followed the 2006 Senate race in Virginia between Webb and George "Macaca" Allen will remember that Webb was questioned about the article during a debate on Meet the Press. Tim Russert also showed Webb a clip of Cmdr. Kathleen Murray (Ret.), a 1984 graduate of the Naval Academy, stating at a press conference that "James Webb's attitudes and philosophy were major factors behind the unnecessary abuse and hazing received by me and my fellow Midshipmen." While Webb hedged on whether and how the article reflects his current views, he did not flatly apologize for or reject it.
In another year, in which a female candidate hadn't mobilized millions of women voters and hadn't come so close to capturing the Democratic presidential nomination, Webb's article may not have presented as much of a liability to prevent his joining an Obama-led ticket. But this isn't any year. Senator Clinton's historic campaign will almost certainly end in disappointment for her and her ardent supporters, many of whom blame the media's gender bias for her loss. To then be confronted with a vice presidential candidate who couldn't suppress a snickering smile when asked whether he regretted referring to the Naval Academy as "a horny woman's dream," may be rubbing salt in the Democratic party's already deepening wounds.
Clinton and her surrogates have not hidden the fact that she would be interested in joining the ticket as Obama's Vice President. But should she not be asked and instead be passed over for a military man who has held regressive gender views, Clinton supporters who are now threatening to sabotage Obama's candidacy in November may become even more resolved to do so. No matter Webb's current party affiliation, his past views on gender are far from progressive and will give many women and men, both Democrats and Republicans, pause before supporting a ticket of which he is a part.
Webb took pains to explain away as best he could his past statements during his Virgina Senate campaign, but Obama and his advisers will have to decide whether they want to choose a running mate who will then have to re-run the media gauntlet on this issue on a national stage. Strategy-wise, vice-presidential candidates are about adding to a ticket and not causing any distracting, substantive problems for the presidential candidate. For all Webb's attractive political qualities (military experience, blue-collar appeal), he simply may not fit that bill.
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There are other good choices, maybe better ones.
But I don't know if we should hold Webb's 1979 views against him anymore than we should think that Hillary is still a Republican.
Oh, wait......
But Webb is the only person in the Senate who makes Obama look experienced!!
I've given this some thought and have decided that, despite Webb's outdated, time-faded, 3-decade-old comment, Webb would make a splendid VP.
Those Hillary supporters who would not support him are the one wearing feminist-blinders, who likely won't support an Obama-minus-Hillary ticket under any circumstances. The rabid faction of the Clinton camp has already hijacked the primaries, against our better interests. Why give them license to hijack the general election against our better interests?
There are times, such as with children throwing temper tantrums, when you simply have to do the right thing, no matter how loudly they protest.
An Obama-Webb ticket would be a strong, well-rounded ticket, and would be good for this country, even as (but NOT BECAUSE) both candidates happen to be men.
I respect all these thoughtful opinions, but my reaction to this story is simple. It sounds like whining from former Clinton supporters who are trying to insert their hyperfeminist world-view into the campaign that shunned them. Webb is tough, doesn't mince words, and should NOT be discounted because of statements made half a lifetime ago.
Get over it. Stop whining. And let some toughness represent the Democratic Party. I, for one, am tired of mealy-mouthed uber-liberal thought-peddlers.
Those statements will be brought up regardless, and anger both Clinton's AND Obama's female supporters.
It's a really, really bad idea.
Here's A great Obama Adminstration:
Pres - Obama
VP - Kathleen Sebelius
AG - Edwards
Sec State - Richardson
Sec Defense - Webb
I agree. I'd also support Webb as VP and would welcome a woman as Secretary of Defense-- one who is strong, firm, honest and still human.
hear hear. altho i support wes clark for defense and mcaskill for state...frankly i cld give a flyin frack as long as all of the above are part of his administration.
my fellow americans, welcome to the millenium
Perfection.
You have got to get Joe Biden on this list. What a slap in the face to a great american. And Edwards would be better as Sec of Labor
Yes, perfect...and he would see to it that more poor people got a shot at job opportunities!
This is a real far reach, I would imagine most of us said or did something in 1979 that we would not do or say today.
Of my 3, one is a female and she could DEFINATELY handle what ever or whom ever, but I do not think women should be in 'combat' roles. I do think there are women that can do combat roles, as evidence by a recent female soldier in Afghanistan, with honors and then pulled from combat.
Jim Webb would be an excellent choice and I hope Sen Obama carefully considers all of his prospects. Sen Webb has military experience and also served as under Secretary of the Navy back in
the President Regan years.
I think that Jim Webb would be an excellent VP candidate but I would hate to see his talents wasted in what, until President Cheney, was a traditional backwater. What baggage are you talking about? Here is a guy who changed parties because he could see the massive sell out by the Republicans and the lunacy of invading Iraq. Remember, he was a long shot to win in Virginia until his opponent stepped into his own macaca. I would love to have Jim Webb or Chuck Hegel on the ticket.
How about Bob Wexler for VP?
I think we are trying to build hope and change within our government. I do not think Senator Webbs' views many years ago need to reflect his current views. The poiticians, all of them have changed their opinions on various topics.
I think that the admirable quality of having a vagina is not any more qualifiying for holding office than having a penis.Which in the view of some, is not an admirable quality!
We must keep our eye on the fact that we want a high minded team together on our ticket.
I do not really care whom Senator Obama chooses, there are many great choices.
There are many great choices but Jim Webb isn't one of those choices. I'm happy Webb beat Allan and is a Democratic Senator but the last place I;d want the man is a heartbeat away from the Oval office. Webb is not very progressive and he is perhaps slightly to the right of most Blue Dog Democrats. If Obama needs to pick a military man as a running mate I'd prefer General Wesley Clark. But I'm not sure we should have an ex-military man as a VP.
The statement effects a very, very, very small % of women......................................just those who want to see Action a but do their girlfriends agree with them?
Oh, please--let's get over the Clintons. Can't we govern without them? He was a disgrace while in office, remember? Hillary is not stable enough mentally to become the nominee. She needs to take a leave and pay a visit to their newly built house in the Dominican Republic. Just get the pair, plus the baby third, out of our sights. Everyone is sick and tried of them trying to rule and control the Democratic party. Who asked her to run anyway? Sure all of us might agree that a woman would be welcome in the White House but just not this Hillary Woman! Her anger and ruthless determination, to what she feels is an entitlement, are just too much. She thinks and acts for no one but HERSELF.
Believe this was about another subject, huh? YES, Jim Webb would be perfect running mate for Obama. But,I am beginning to wonder whether Obama can even win after all the damage incurred by the Clintons. Then, OM (Old Man) McCain will start hitting him with blow after blow, below the belt. Most of his issues will not even be truthful but those who are afraid of electing a smart black man will repeat it over and over. It will be more Rev. Wright, more Muslim rumors, etc. Just garbage--tossing and tossing. Hope that nothing sticks--and that Obama goes on to be a highly successful President.
I don't know...even as a feminist I can't find too much wrong with any rational that keeps anybody out of combat for any reason. I just wish he felt the same way about men and combat.
great, oft-missed point.
Either Democratic candidate could do better for a running mate than Webb. McCain, however, might find him attractive.
I still think Webb would be the best choice.
Good news for you though, Virginia polls show putting Mark Warner on the ticket has the best chance of swining VA into the Dem's column.
Also given Hillary's refusal to quit, and the over-sensitivity of her supporters, I think Obama's ultimately going to have to go with John Edwards (not one of the top three choices, but not bad either.)
Edwards is the only one of the remaining possible VP choices with the clout, and who Hillary supporters will feel has somewhat earned his position, to allow Obama to pass over Clinton. Plus Edwards polls well in OH and PA. Obama won't want to put Strickland or Rendell on the ticket, but he seems to like Edwards.
The kicker for me, when Obama website had that cropped picture of just Barack and Edwards' heads next to each other, looking like a Democratic ticket. Think he'll go for Edwards (who is good) if only to not piss off the Clinton supporters.
I agree. I have enormous respect for Senator Webb, and I would love for him to be the VP choice, but I think his baggage prevents it. Secretary of Defense maybe. Too bad--he really would be a great pick otherwise.
As a liberal democrat, I can see how Sen. Webb's opinion might not pass the party litmus test for political correctness. I am also a veteran. I find it difficult to balance the two sides of this debate. One the one hand, except for keeping one gender out of the other gender's bathroom, it seems reasonable to let anyone regardless of gender or any other census category shoot for whatever dream they have, including military service. And, in the military, combat experience counts quite a bit. On the other hand, I have seen firsthand the outrageous abuse women in the military endure. I also believe from experience that it is a minority of women in the military who are willing to face some of the extreme hardships that some with combat. The rest are kind of there because we liberal democrats never apply common sense when we advocate anything. I tell my daughters that I would never deny a women's right to serve, but I would never understand why they would want to.
One more thing... just how old was the senator when he said this? I mean, geez, are we now holding twenty somethings responsible for everthing they say?
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Posted May 23, 2008 | 05:49 AM (EST)