Women for James Webb

by Taylor Marsh

James Webb wears combat boots to honor his son who is serving in Iraq. A war Webb never believed was worth fighting. He told George Allen so, too. But when he wouldn't listen, Webb saddled up and got ready for the ride of his life, running against George Allen for Senate. Now Webb is finally getting the support he has earned.

We have a few things in common, the Irish and Scottish decent, as well as family members who have fought in war.

In a stunning piece of great news, the Washington Post endorsed James Webb over incumbent Senator George Allen yesterday. It was fantastic to see.

I can relate to this: Over the course of his career, in books and more recently in screenplays, Webb, 60, has been writing about the dignity of his people -- the gun-loving, country-music-singing, working-class whites of Scotch-Irish descent who fight in wars, staff the nation's factories and shop its Wal-Marts. One caveat, we shop at CostCo, not Wal-Mart.

Webb's gotten attacked for a feminist era article about women fighting on the front line, which Allen used in an attack ad that so misrepresented the facts that one of the women changed sides and now backs Webb. There are many others. When he was secretary of the Navy he opened up more opportunities for women than any other secretary in Navy history. He's got the ad to prove it, with Brigadier Gen. Clara Adams-Ender, U.S. Army (Ret.), Christine M. Gromek, 1984 U.S. Naval Academy Graduate, and Nancy McPherson, Coast Guard, YN1 Petty Officer First Class (Ret.) speaking out on Webb's efforts on behalf of women in the military.

James Webb has run a miracle candidacy that nailed a racist Republican, someone who has hidden stock deals, cried "Macaca" on tape, been rumored to have stuffed a deer head in an African American family's mailbox, and gotten away with a lackluster job performance, all because of the great respect for his father Coach Allen. People looked the other way until now. Democrats never had a candidate to challenge this man, but Webb has done that and more.

... Still, there is an even better reason to vote against Mr. Allen: Quite simply, he is a mediocre senator whose six years of undistinguished service do not justify rehiring.

His opponent -- former Navy secretary, former assistant defense secretary, former Marine Corps officer and former Republican -- is admirably independent-minded. He was prescient in warning, back in 2002, that the war in Iraq risked stranding the United States in a long-term occupation without an exit strategy. An intelligent man with a record of integrity, he has resisted the packaging of political consultants, which can only be a good thing. Those assets, as well as his deep familiarity with military and national security affairs, offer the promise that he would make an able, if unorthodox, U.S. senator. And the fact that his youngest son is deployed as a marine in Iraq gives him a perspective that is rare in today's Congress.

Virginia's Senate Race
James Webb mounts an independent-minded challenge.

It's still a tough, tough race for Webb. Taking it over the top to victory will not be easy. He will need all the help he can get. Get involved and help James Webb kick a racist out of Congress.

- Taylor Marsh

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