Caught By the Webb
I really was hping to use this clever title for something else, but well, Webb pwn3d Bush pretty good here. At a reception for new incoming congresscritters with President Bush, Senator-Elect Jim Webb answered Bush a lot more coldly and boldly than your average freshman senator would. President Bush asked after Webb's son, who's serving in Iraq. Webb replied "I told him I wanted to get him out of Iraq." Bush replied "That's not what I asked. How's your boy?" Webb responded that was between him and his son. Of course, there were cameras outside and Webb related the whole story a few times to cameras and reporters from the Post. Webb avoided the usual photo op with the president, usually so prized for points back home and on the Hill. The President found him anyway and had the above exchange. Which means two unusual things happened that day at lunch: A sitting second term president sought out a freshman senator of the opposite, majority party and a freshman senator sassed a president well enough to make the front page of every major newspaper in America.
Most freshman congresscritters, as incoming, newly elected officials are called, are very awestruck by meeting the President in the White House. Usually, they are a little weak kneed just from being elected and being sent to the seat of power that is Washington DC. Webb was Secretary of the Navy under Reagan, he's been through all this more than the average freshman has. Even those who were Representatives before being Senators probably didn't see this much of the President before this, or at least didn't get same kind of meet and greet. To Representatives, any kind of meeting with the president is a collateral for cool, or at least some kind of power. The more times you meet with the president, the more people respect you. Webb purposefully stepped away from the photo op line and tried to duck out before being flagged down by Bush. Webb was, obviously, there just as a pro forma affair. It was clear he didn't want to be there, it's clear he doesn't respect Bush, even father to father, and it's clear he's not gonna be voting with the Republicans very often.
Bush, on the other hand, really misplayed this. More than usual, even. Bush did one thing he has been pretty unwilling to do, reach across the aisle in a moment of compassion about the effects of the war. While Bush made great noises in 2000 about being a uniter not a divider, he has been pretty consistent in trying to make sure that everyone votes his way when he calls for it. Recently, more often than not, that means he loses, even while most of the Republicans are voting trunk to tail. Bush has not made a lot of photo ops in the past few years with Democrats and has not been well known for his ability to deal with Democrats. The last time there was a major deal with Democrats, it was No Child Left Behind with Ted Kennedy as a sponsor. And, now, NCLB is being challeneged in court, but that's neither here nor there. The point is, the president tried to reach out to possibly the most conservative, right leaning incoming Democratic senator and was shot down. Publicly.
Webb has, with this act, shown himself not just to be a democrat, but an independent minded one at that. He mangaged to show he's not just a Republican playing Democrat for Iraq and the war, but a Democrat who really will stand up to Bush becuase he has become just that disgusted with what the Republican party has become in the past few years. His singular act is possibly one of the strongest repudiations of the neo-conservative momvement. A former Reagan republican, an official no less, publicly telling Bush, in no uncertain terms, what effect he has had on his son. Which is to say, Bush has made his son's life a living hell and probably can't give a good reason why. It's one thing in debates to argue about need to stay the course, but to tell a father his son needs to possibly get killed. While Bush was trying to make nice, Webb saw it as an opporunity to maintain the message he got elected on.
Take a beat to love the irony of "staying the course" getting Bush in trouble.
So it is written, so do I see it.
Most freshman congresscritters, as incoming, newly elected officials are called, are very awestruck by meeting the President in the White House. Usually, they are a little weak kneed just from being elected and being sent to the seat of power that is Washington DC. Webb was Secretary of the Navy under Reagan, he's been through all this more than the average freshman has. Even those who were Representatives before being Senators probably didn't see this much of the President before this, or at least didn't get same kind of meet and greet. To Representatives, any kind of meeting with the president is a collateral for cool, or at least some kind of power. The more times you meet with the president, the more people respect you. Webb purposefully stepped away from the photo op line and tried to duck out before being flagged down by Bush. Webb was, obviously, there just as a pro forma affair. It was clear he didn't want to be there, it's clear he doesn't respect Bush, even father to father, and it's clear he's not gonna be voting with the Republicans very often.
Bush, on the other hand, really misplayed this. More than usual, even. Bush did one thing he has been pretty unwilling to do, reach across the aisle in a moment of compassion about the effects of the war. While Bush made great noises in 2000 about being a uniter not a divider, he has been pretty consistent in trying to make sure that everyone votes his way when he calls for it. Recently, more often than not, that means he loses, even while most of the Republicans are voting trunk to tail. Bush has not made a lot of photo ops in the past few years with Democrats and has not been well known for his ability to deal with Democrats. The last time there was a major deal with Democrats, it was No Child Left Behind with Ted Kennedy as a sponsor. And, now, NCLB is being challeneged in court, but that's neither here nor there. The point is, the president tried to reach out to possibly the most conservative, right leaning incoming Democratic senator and was shot down. Publicly.
Webb has, with this act, shown himself not just to be a democrat, but an independent minded one at that. He mangaged to show he's not just a Republican playing Democrat for Iraq and the war, but a Democrat who really will stand up to Bush becuase he has become just that disgusted with what the Republican party has become in the past few years. His singular act is possibly one of the strongest repudiations of the neo-conservative momvement. A former Reagan republican, an official no less, publicly telling Bush, in no uncertain terms, what effect he has had on his son. Which is to say, Bush has made his son's life a living hell and probably can't give a good reason why. It's one thing in debates to argue about need to stay the course, but to tell a father his son needs to possibly get killed. While Bush was trying to make nice, Webb saw it as an opporunity to maintain the message he got elected on.
Take a beat to love the irony of "staying the course" getting Bush in trouble.
So it is written, so do I see it.