Okay - what do you think: Biden/Webb. Educate me. nt

[gateley]

[jillan]

1. As a ticket?

I don't know. They are both so strong on Foreign Relations.

Plus Webb has only been in the Senate since November.
I like him alot and think he will emerge as one of the leaders of the Dem party.

[PatSeg]

2. Actually sounds kind of good

Webb is a conservative Democrat and from the south. He was a former republican who crossed over and was Secretary of the Navy under Reagan I think. He also has a son in Iraq.

[gateley]

3. As always, thanks for your replies.

Never saw him before his questioning of Petraeus and a few more clips I looked up on YouTube. I liked what I saw, but don't know anything about the guy which is why I came to the Mountain for input. My gut feeling is he's passionate (I obviously like that in a person -- it makes them more "real" to me), and he's young and inexperienced enough not to butt heads with Joe. I could see Biden as being kind of a mentor, of each respecting and liking the other enough to listen to their views, and to really become a team. All this after a few 4 minute film clips!


I take comfort that having fantasies about the next Administration is an indication I've matured somewhat since the days when they were of David Cassidy.

[PatSeg]

4. Actually he is very youthful looking but he's no kid

He is 61 years old and served in Vietnam. He is also a prolific writer of both books and movies. He wrote and produced "Rules of Engagement".

He received a lot of media for a terse exchange with GW in November 2006:

On November 28, 2006, at a White House reception for those newly elected to Congress, Webb declined to stand in the line to have his picture taken with the president, whom Webb often criticized during the campaign. The president approached Webb later and asked him, "How's your boy?", referring to Webb's son, a Marine serving in Iraq. According to Congressman Jim Moran of Virginia, aides warned the President to be "extra sensitive about talking to Webb about his son, since Webb's son has had a recent brush with death in Iraq."<24> Webb replied "I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President." Bush responded, "That's not what I asked you. How's your boy?" Webb responded, "That's between me and my boy, Mr. President." Webb was so angered by the exchange that he was reportedly tempted to "slug" the president and later remarked, "I'm not particularly interested in having a picture of me and George W. Bush on my wall."<25><26>

In response to the incident, some conservatives criticized Webb, including George Will, who called Webb a "boor" and wrote, " already has become what Washington did not need another of, a subtraction from the city's civility and clear speaking."<27><28> Others, such as conservative columnist and former Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan, reserved their criticism for Bush.<29>

Webb was asked about the exchange in a January 4, 2007 appearance on Hardball with Chris Matthews. He told Matthews:

"My feeling about that — first of all, it's been kind of a bit overblown. But I think when people are now seeing how John McCain is handling the situation with his son being in the Marine Corps, perhaps they can understand a little bit more what I was having to go through during the entire campaign. I greatly respect my son‘s service and all of the people who are serving. At the same time, I have not commented, even to many of my friends, about the operational side. That‘s personal to me in terms of my feelings about it. And it was not a casual comment. As I said in the piece that you just ran, I think the best article that was written on that was by Peggy Noonan in the Wall Street Journal when she basically said that the lack of civility was not mine and I feel that way."<30>

[gateley]

5. Sixty one! I NEVER would have thought that!

Either I'm going to start eating what he does, or get the name of his plastic surgeon.

I actually did see a photo of him with someone I assumed was his wife, but then thought, no -- that just doesn't look right. And I was kind of wondering how he'd gotten all that experience and all those appointments under his belt at such a young age.

Thanks again, teach.

[PatSeg]

7. I think his wife is Vietnamese

Very interesting guy.

I'd like to know his secret too. Damn he looks like he's in his forties.

[Breeze54]

6. You can learn all you want about all the reps & candidates here!

Project Vote Smart is a fantastic site to learn all about representatives!!

http://www.vote-smart.org/index.htm

Presidential Candidate Coverage

Candidates are already campaigning to seek your vote for the 2008 Presidential Election.
Project Vote Smart is covering them all. http://www.vote-smart.org/election_president.php?type=alpha">Click here to access our Presidential Coverage.
We're adding more candidates and information each day so check back often to get the facts
on those hoping to represent you.

Also at the same link, you can look up NPAT results for all your representatives to see where
they stand on issues.

I like Biden but he voted for that major controversial change in the bankruptcy and credit
cards bill. He made a lot of people angry over that vote.

Webb is a conservative Dem who won the election, literally by thread, in a very red state.
He's a nice guy afaik and has military background but I'm not sure if he's a 'social issues
Dem', as in caring about education, choice, jobs, health care, low income, etc.
I don't know if he's a corporate DLC "dem" type.

Good luck!

[PatSeg]

8. Thanks

Webb is definitely conservative, but he is a more traditional conservative - minus the BS and PR. And he got rid of that ass George Allen!

[Breeze54]

9. The Voters got rid of George Allen!!

And I helped that to happen!! ;)

Your welcome!

[PatSeg]

10. And we love you for it!

What a horse's ass that guy was!

[jillan]

11. Howdy Doody

Thank you Breeze! That was a very happy day when he was defeated.

[PatSeg]

12. Love it!

What an idiot and the picture captures it so well.

[gateley]

13. Thanks for the link and the info -- I'll check it out now.