Jim Web's just the Reagan Democrat Obama needs -- Margaret Carlson

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601039&sid=aik0SUNrVznA&refer=home

SNIP

After another drubbing at the hands of Senator Hillary Clinton in Kentucky, to say that Obama lacks appeal among non- college-educated, working-class Ronald Reagan Democrats -- the voters Clinton calls ``hardworking white Americans'' -- is to call the Grand Canyon a hole in the ground.

Barring putting Clinton on the ticket -- and most Obama folks do -- there's another Democrat who fills the bill, the freshman senator from Virginia, Jim Webb.

Webb is all over the place this week -- ``Meet the Press,'' NPR, ``The Late Show With David Letterman,'' a party at the Four Seasons in New York -- promoting his book, ``A Time to Fight: Reclaiming a Fair and Just America.''

This isn't your typical Capitol Hill book of pasted-together speeches. Webb, 62, has written a vivid analysis of the folly of our foreign policy and the unfairness of our domestic one. He makes the case for the ordinary Joe who punches a clock and goes down in a coal mine to work for The Man, who makes in an hour what he earns in a year.

SNIP

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(He also happens to be solidly pro-choice.)

....

into the big tent so we can get them with the program. I think we agree with these people more than disagree; it's just that we've been talking past each other because we speak different languages to say the same thing.



When Bush asked Webb during a White House reception how his son fighting in Iraq was doing, Webb answered, ``I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President.''

``That's not what I asked you,'' the president said. ``How's your boy?''

Webb replied, ``That's between me and my boy, Mr. President.''

to shake Bush's hand.

Good for him.

Neo-cons, pseudo or otherwise, mixed up in those "Reagan Democrats"? Webb signed a letter in support of PNAC principles. There could be a difference between that and what HC did for her resume with the IWR, but how can he talk to us about that in a way that works? He seems very honest, but I've gotten a whole lot less trusting these last 5-6 years.

...

beyond silly.


I was raised in a religious cult, and didn't leave till I was 36. I used to be a member of a religious cult. Now I'm not.

Carter Presidency. And then he returned to the Democrats.

This is the kind of person we want to pull back into the party, and he could help to lead them back, IMHO.

Of course, that view of things would make Reagan a RHINO, since he was an FDR progressive Democrat before he was a Republican.

promote that idea. Clark would bring the same advantages Webb would bring. Of course, Webb could help turn VA solid blue.

Clinton's supporters are already at risk. Why put someone with a history of discriminatory attitude against women on the ticket?

and apologized for his statements of long ago. For what that's worth.

any hook to hang their grievances on.
Pick someone else.

Personally, I'd be thrilled with Biden, happy with Wes Clark or Jim Webb. Who would you suggest?

Webb I've stated my concerns.

I flirted with Biden (after I grieved for Gore) but I don't really know if he's got what it takes to make nice with Clinton supporters.
But I'd personally support him.

I realize that I'm still a Deaniac at heart.
I can't imagine anyone more deserving of national office then Dean

during the current negotiations, which are critical.

I think Dean likes Obama, though. Their is a similarity to their messages. They understand their current roles and get along well. I think that bodes well for the outcome -- that and the fact that they're both also brilliant.

which was nearly 30 years ago, BTW. His reasoning was that men are by nature more violent and crude. I can sort of see where he was coming from, even if I don't agree with the position he once held. In that same paper, he also mentioned his admiration for women in power, and said he'd like to see a female president some day.

that wouldn't bother me.

What matters is what his position is now.

and the Clinton supporters are looking for excuses to payback the Democrats over their candidates.
For that reason, I don't think Webb is a good choice.

in the most violent, male dominated, macho organization on earth, Webb took a position that excluded females.


But that is such a small sin, and from such a bygone time, and a position he's since refuted, that this "Webb has a woman problem" canard is purely manufactured.

for VP on the Dem ticket.

I saw Webb on television last night, and he made John Kerry seem charismatic. Maybe Obama has a lock on the charisma for the Dems, but Webb was utterly unimpressive. He might get the insomniac vote.

He does have some visability and a reputation that won't hurt Obama. He would be okay.

There is too much baggage with the Clintons for Obama to chose her.

Tex Shelters

someone suggested this in another thread, and I had been thinking of it myself (not realistically, just in a fantasy way). Jim Webb should come out for Hillary Clinton really strongly now all of the sudden, and when Obama gets the nomination, he can be the "Clinton supporter" that is chosen for VP. I hate that the '79 statement would be used as leverage to woo female voters, because other than that, I am really beginning to be sold on him. Someone also mentioned that he would be "swift-booked" (infamous "dad puts boys penis in his mouth" passage from his fiction), but John McCain offered a glowing book review to Random House as part of the marketing of this book, maybe that could...um, assuage it?

That's the point.

Webb would balance Obama in a similar way to Lyndon Johnson balancing John Kennedy.

And Lyndon Johnson, to the surprise of some, used his unKennedy-like political skills to accomplish the "Great Society."

I guess that's correct. Only the choice of Clinton of Leiberman would make me consider staying away.

However, I am not impressed by Webb at all.

Tex Shelters

Webb's tough as nails. I was just telling my husband today that Obama/Webb would be the ultimate good cop/bad cop ticket.

I'd hate to Webb's governors seat.

He's more a non-racist populist than anything else I think, with a strong suspicion of anything that smacks of being politically correct. I think he'd be accused of trying to incite a class war, and I think his response would be "Hell yeah!' We've been in a class war for a long time, IMO, and it's time for the middle class to realize it and start fighting back!

He's more a non-racist populist than anything else I think, with a strong suspicion of anything that smacks of being politically correct. I think he'd be accused of trying to incite a class war, and I think his response would be "Hell yeah!' We've been in a class war for a long time, IMO, and it's time for the middle class to realize it and start fighting back!

other than that don't worry if there is one thing Virginia never runs out of it is lawyers/politicians (usually from UVa)

Gilmore has no shame and will run for anything as well.

Awwww but Tim Kaine would LOVE to be Senator....ooh that would be a good one.

Webb has been a front-runner for VP pick for some time, and for these very reasons.

Are we supposed to understand that he is now Bloomberg's pick? Is that the point of this article?

according to Ambinder.

But I guess I don't see any problem with people reading his book. He's got some great ideas.

Three wives (?--what does that say about character?), iffy passages about molestation in a book, changed positions on some issues over the years, lots of past writings that could come back to haunt. He doesn't always come off well, either, and while he has been around the DoD/DC a long time, he has less elected experience than Obama. I get the sense he's overrated, and people attribute way more credibility and experience to him than he's actually earned--Obama, in fact, slogged his way through 8 years of the Illinois Senate and paid his political dues, compared to Webb. I would support him, but I go back and forth over whether he would help the ticket enough to make it worth it to open his seat up for 2010.

I still think it will be Richardson, but I could live with Webb.

even though he and Webb are both highly intelligent.

It just isn't as blatantly obvious as it is with Obama.

wouldn't leave us a vote down in the Senate.

an no surprise, McCain skipped the vote. He is fundraising in California. If the GOP can use Obama's SF California fundraiser against him...can we use McCain's against him?




"Senate Republicans have broken with President Bush to help Democrats add support for veterans and the unemployed to a bill paying for another year of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

The 75-22 vote also added billions of dollars in other domestic funds such as heating subsidies for the poor and money for fighting wildfires to the $165 billion for the military operations overseas.

Shortly afterward, the Senate endorsed $165 billion to fund military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan into next spring, when Bush's successor will set war policy.

The vote on the domestic add-ons was a rebuke to Bush, who has promised to veto the measure if it contains the domestic measures. However, the president still has enough GOP support in the House to sustain a veto.

The House still has to act on the bill. Last week, it voted to reject money for continuing the war. It endorsed the help for veterans and the unemployed, but kept its version clean of most other domestic programs.

The huge tally in the Senate was driven by $15.6 billion over two years to extend unemployment benefits by 13 weeks and more than $50 billion over the upcoming decade to provide returning Iraq war veterans with sharply increased college aid.

But dozens of add-ons favored by senators in both parties contributed to the unexpectedly sweeping tally that embarrassed the White House.

The vote came after Bush, speaking to troops at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, urged Congress to pass a war funding bill without congressional add-ons.

Some 25 Republicans abandoned Bush to endorse money for grants to local police departments, repairing roads damaged by natural disasters and boosting health research. Just 22 stood with him.

Such initiatives included money for Louisiana and Mississippi for projects including levees and coastal restoration.

There's also $850 million for international food aid, $1.9 billion for military construction projects, and several billion dollars in various foreign aid programs _ all requested by the administration.

In another tally, the Senate voted 63-34 to reject Democratic efforts to urge Bush to begin redeployment of combat troops and place other strings on his ability to conduct the war in Iraq"


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/22/gi-bill-passes-senate_n_103091.html

:shrug:

But forgive me, that's a personal bias (problem) on my part. :blush: ;)

Putting Bill Richardson on the ticket gets you Latinos. Putting Hillary Clinton on the ticket gets you women. Putting Joe Lieberman on the ticket (back when he was a Democrat) gets you Jews. This is because we've never had a Female, Hispanic, or Jewish Vice President and the opportunity to have a first is extremely appealing.

Putting Jim Webb on the ticket doesn't get you Reagan Democrats (white men). There have been 43 white male Presidents and the fact that Obama has a white somewhat socially conservative guy as his VP isn't going to bring him white men who don't want a black president.

Jim Webb is without a doubt the kind of politician that could appeal to "Reagan Democrats" IF he were the number one spot on the ticket. But the fact is that people don't vote for the Vice President unless they are from his home state or for the reasons I mentioned above.

with Scots-Irish links to Pennsylvania and other parts of Appalachia. And he comes from another important swing state, Virginia.

And he's solidly pro-choice.

People don't switch their vote based on the Vice President unless very serious identity politics are in play. Webb's populism and background aren't going to deliver Obama any substantial amount of white working class voters. He's not some kind of hero among the white working class. He can appeal to enough of them in his own right that he can beat Republicans in red states, but he can't appeal to enough of them that they will vote for Obama in substantial numbers.

He may be able to help with Virginia but he's only been in the Senate for a year and a half.

Sen. Webb is great, Gov Schweitzer is great, Gov. Sebelius is great, Gov. Napolitano is great, etc., etc. . We do not suffer from a dearth of attractive and talented people to plug into the VP slot..

:)

unless obama choses HRC the race for the presidency is lost. Pure and simple. For whatever reason white blue collar hard working americans will not vote for obama is their decision, and I am no mind reader to say why they will not. Hell, could be they just do not like him. Simple as that....

the principles is superficial.

Id rather it be a governor