Editor's Note
Mike Maio
Issue date: 12/8/06 Section: Opinion
Last week, Senator-elect James Webb (D-Va.) drew some attention for his encounter with President Bush at a White House reception for new members of Congress. Webb made it a point to avoid Bush, foregoing the usual meet-and-greet sessions, but Bush eventually tracked Webb down. "How's your boy?" he asked, referring to Webb's son who is a Marine serving in Iraq. When Webb responded by saying that he wanted his son and other soldiers to come home, Bush got testy. "That's not what I asked you," he said. "How's your boy?" Webb replied, "That's between me and my boy."
The incident makes clear the fact that Webb isn't the usual sort of glad-handing politician. He hasn't come to Washington to make friends, and that could bode well for Democrats over the next two years. Webb may take a leading role as a voice of opposition to the Iraq War, for his plainspoken manner and experience as secretary of the Navy under President Reagan gives him a high level of credibility in the eyes of many. Perhaps Webb was a bit curt to Bush, but it's refreshing to see that Webb is so acutely aware of the gravity of the Iraq fiasco that he isn't going to stand around making nice with the president.
The incident makes clear the fact that Webb isn't the usual sort of glad-handing politician. He hasn't come to Washington to make friends, and that could bode well for Democrats over the next two years. Webb may take a leading role as a voice of opposition to the Iraq War, for his plainspoken manner and experience as secretary of the Navy under President Reagan gives him a high level of credibility in the eyes of many. Perhaps Webb was a bit curt to Bush, but it's refreshing to see that Webb is so acutely aware of the gravity of the Iraq fiasco that he isn't going to stand around making nice with the president.
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