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Title: Jim Webb, Iron Intellectual
Source:
The Trail
URL Source: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the- ... im_webb_iron_intellectual.html
Published: Jun 6, 2008
Author: Alec MacGillis
Post Date: 2008-06-06 19:33:05 by a vast rightwing conspirator
Keywords: None
Views: 2588
Comments: 219
By Alec MacGillis Both men, of course, have been mentioned as possible running mates for Obama -- and, in the eyes of the veep-obsessed press, that made the event into an audition of sorts. There's no doubt that Webb is tough. He's stood up to President Bush at a White House reception and has a concealed-carry gun license. But he also sees himself as a serious, free-thinking intellectual. He has a bevy of fairly well-regarded books under his belt and prides himself on writing his own stump material. If yesterday's joint appearance was any indication, far from canceling out Obama's Ivy League pedigree, an Obama-Webb ticket could be one of the most literary pairings ever to take the field. Whereas Kaine served up a fairly conventional Democratic rallying cry, Webb embarked on a meditation on American history and self-conception over the past forty years. He noted that it was the 40th anniversary not only of Bobby Kennedy's assassination but also of his own swearing into the Marine Corps. He took the audience back to that "tumultuous year" -- the assassinations, the Tet offensive, the riots in which "the African American sections in many American cities had erupted with frequent violence" and the Democratic convention in Chicago. Webb said he was giving the history tour "because we all know that the United States of 2008 is also a troubled and divided place in a quiet but equally disturbing way." "The tumult of those earlier years," he went on, "convinced me and others that we needed to learn our love our country more deeply for all its ugly flaws, because it required us to sit back and reconsider the beliefs and values that had once been handed to us as our national legacy. We went through an intellectual challenge in justifying America's uniqueness on fresh grounds and this caused us to believe all the more strongly that ... that this was the moral beacon of the world, that for all or problems we had the will to solve them, the patience to undergo the painful debates that might identify solutions ... and the constitutional system that will provide remedies and thus hold us together as a people." "He is man of great intellect," said Webb. He then drove home the praise by punctuating the final sentence of his introduction with a loud fist pound on the podium.
Barack Obama
Jim Webb, Iron Intellectual
Lost in the hubbub over Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton's secret rendezvous at Sen. Dianne Feinstein's house last night were some of the intriguing ramifications of Obama's previous appointment, a rally at the Nissan Pavilion in the Northern Virginia exurbs that was also attended by Sen. Jim Webb and Gov. Tim Kaine.
This was particularly true for Webb, who, unlike Kaine, was making his first appearance in the role of an Obama booster, having stayed neutral throughout the primaries. One thing quickly became clear, as the red-haired senator introduced the presumptive nominee: those pushing for Webb because they think he will bring muscular, regular-guy credentials -- Marine hero in Vietnam, former Navy secretary, Scots-Irish roots -- may need to think again.
After a bit more in this vein, Webb got around to introducing Obama -- whom he praised, before all else, not for his toughness or determination, the qualities one might expect the ex-Marine to highlight, but for his brains.
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#179. To: bush_is_a_moonie (#175)
Establish a panel?
Maintain 12 carriers? How many do we have now? Bars known terrorists
from abusing U.S. asylum laws Would this include bin Laden who Arator and
many others claim is a CIA asset?
Good answer. You sure can't vote against the establishment by voting for one of its hand-picked candidates.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. I daresay if this term was used more, more folks might wake up. Good point. I agree with you. Using the "Ruler" reference instead of President would definitely wake up even the sleepiest of American voters. "Ruler" causes a nasty mental image to pop up in a rube's mind.
How about RULER OF THE NORTH AMERICAN UNION (ROTNAU).
Obsession? No, no....it was more that it took three direct questions to get an answer. Some aren't comfortable in their own skin. Go figure.
The next inaugural address the Ruler can say "I've got the power, and I'm going to use it ROT-NAU!"
Gold old boy funny :P
Obama voting record/position... a small list Ok for state to restrict late-term partial birth abortion. Teach teens about abstinence and also about contraception. Can't do anything at home with $12 billion a month on Iraq. Protect consumers with Credit Card Bill of Rights. (must not trust the FED hmmm) More accountability in subprime mortgages. Bush stimulus plan leaves out seniors & unemployed. Account for every single dollar for new proposed programs. Help the homeowners actually living in their homes. Take China "to the mat" about currency manipulation. Regulate financial instruments to protect home mortgages Return to PayGo: compensate for all new spending Bush's economic policies are not working Require full disclosure about subprime mortgages. The politics of fear undermines basic civil liberties No black or white America--just United States of America Politicians: don't use religion to insulate from criticism Decisions about marriage should be left to the states (100% correct.) Opposes gay marriage; supports civil union Strengthen the Americans with Disabilities Act. Voted NO on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration (Pro-freedom of speech vote) Voted NO on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage (The Constitution is to keep government from doing things... not citizens. That is the job of the states) Cap the farm subsidies for Fortune 500 companies (pro-worker, anti-elite) End tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas (He is against outsourcing? How anti-American LOL). Hold corporations responsible for pensions & work conditions Tax incentives for corporate responsibility Close tax loopholes for US companies relocating abroad. Remember the homeland reinvestment act? If American corporations get their way, they will receive a six-month tax reprieve allowing them to bring hundreds of billions of dollars of overseas profits into the United States without paying the normal tax rate. The Senate Finance Committee just passed a bill, the Homeland Reinvestment Act, which will slash the normal tax rate on bringing these profits into the United States from 35 percent to a fraction of that amount – 5.25 percent. Short of paying them to leave, there is nothing more the federal government could do to persuade businesses to move overseas. As such, the act is incredibly shortsighted. Desperate to provide some sort of economic stimulus before election season next year, Republican support for this bill is widespread. In the short run, backers of the bill say it could lead to these corporations bringing as much as $300 billion into the United States economy. Sounds like a good idea right? Wait a second; let’s not get distracted by all those dollar signs. If Congress approves the Homeland Reinvestment Act, the terrible precedent of rewarding companies for moving their operations overseas would be established. It would make it far more profitable for companies to outsource overseas and wait for another tax holiday to bring their profits back into the country instead of staying in the United States and paying the regular tax rate. Senator John Breaux (D-L.A.) told the Mercury News: “The company that left Louisiana is going to pay a 5 percent tax on the widgets they make overseas, and the company that stayed in Louisiana is going to pay a 35 percent tax. If that isn’t an incentive to leave, I don’t know what is.” www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/archives/id/25648/ REAL USA Plan: Reward companies that create domestic jobs. Voted YES on repealing tax subsidy for companies which move US jobs offshore. Pushed Illinois bill to videotape all capital interrogations. Voted YES on reinstating $1.15 billion funding for the COPS Program. Require chemical resellers to certify against meth use. Get parents re-engaged in educating the children. STEP UP: summer learning opportunities for disadvantaged. We left the money behind for No Child Left Behind. Pay "master teachers" extra Pay teachers more money & treat them like professionals. More teacher pay in exchange for more teacher accountability. Supports charter schools and private investment in schools. First Senate bill: increase Pell Grant from $4,050 to $5,100. Sponsored legislations that recruit and reward good teachers. Voted YES on shifting $11B from corporate tax loopholes to education. Stop sending $800M a day to Mideast dictators for oil. Give Katrina contracts to locals, not to Halliburton Reduce mercury and lead to protect community health. Never negotiate out of fear, and never fear to negotiate President must abide by international human rights treaties. Strong labor, safety, and environmental standards on trade (No globalism) Strong labor, safety, and environmental standards on trade Enforce environmental & labor provisions in trade agreements Enforce existing safety laws against Chinese products. Stand firm against CAFTA for labor & environmental standards Congress subsidizes megafarms & hurts family farmers. Amend NAFTA to add labor agreements. Reinvest in communities that are burdened by globalization Insist on labor and human rights standards for China trade. Fair trade should have tangible benefits for US Voted NO on implementing CAFTA for Central America free-trade Lobbyists & special interests have strangle-hold on agenda. Need a government that listens to the people again. Release people in bankruptcy due to health care problems Bad idea to over-classify information. bush's signing statements are a clear abuse of prerogative Create "Google for Government" to track government spending. Sponsored bill to disclose earmarks on Internet End corporate jet travel subsidized by lobbyists. Voted NO on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress. Voted YES on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity Sponsored bill criminalizing deceptive info about elections Sponsored bill to post earmarks on the Internet Ok for states & cities to determine local gun laws. The problem with health care is about affordability Take on insurance companies; drive down health care costs. Allow prescription drug re-importation. Voted NO on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium. Voted YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D. Voted YES on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D. Voted YES on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics Voted YES on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug. No torture; no renditions; no operating out of fear. Unacceptable to have veterans drive 250 miles to a hospital. Al Qaida is stronger now than in 2001 as Iraq distracted us. No presidential power for secret surveillance No holding US citizens as unlawful enemy combatants Congress decides what constitutes torture, not president No torture; defiance of FISA; no military commissions Human rights and national security are complementary America cannot sanction torture; no loopholes or exceptions. Close Guantanamo and restore the right of habeas corpus. Get first responders the healthcare and equipment they need Battling terrorism must go beyond belligerence vs. isolation Give our soldiers the best equipment and training available. Balance domestic intelligence reform with civil liberty risk Improve veterans' mental health treatment & PTSD benefits Address the deficiencies in the VA system. The cost of the Iraq war should not shortchange VA benefits Make sure the outpatient facilities work for veterans. Comprehensive plan for our veterans healthcare Support veterans via the Dignity for Wounded Warriors Act Voted NO on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad. Voted YES on limiting soldiers' deployment to 12 months Voted YES on preserving habeas corpus for Guantanamo detainees Voted YES on requiring CIA reports on detainees & interrogation methods Voted NO on extending the PATRIOT Act's wiretap provision Voted YES on restricting business with entities linked to terrorism. (like the bank where bush uncle was an executive). Voted YES on restoring $565M for states' and ports' first responders Sponsored bill for Iraq budget to be part of defense budget. Restore habeas corpus for detainees in the War on Terror. Much more. Of course there are also many negative votes/opinions.
Going to debate or just whine?
If my choice is not to vote for anybody or vote for the one who will do less damage to our country, our freedom, our economy and the future of our children I have to vote for the lesser of two evils because I believe not voting is casting a vote for the greater of two evils. We have to realize that there are maybe 3 or 4 politicians who are worth any kind of vote for any office but we just can't turn our backs and let it all go to hell. If we do that then we will never be able to vote FOR somebody.
I recognize your position completely, and I respect it. You don't see quite the level of vitriol from me toward the Obama supporters. But I do not agree. We already are in hell.
Lets begin at the beginning and his 2nd amendment position as a state senator,
then we can work on up thru each of his Senate offerings. Shoot.
Voting for the lesser of two evils is the program designed by the elite to keep the election process a closed two party system, with the elite owning and operating both. There is no justification any longer for voting for evil, none at all. The best example was Ross Perot. When given a chance to REPUDIATE the "two party" system, twenty million Americans did just that. It was an enlightening experience to see that so many people at that time were aware of the swindle of our presidential election.
In people's sincerity and love of country, they are furthering our enslavement. All the good civics lessons are wrong when the people do not own their own government.
Hearing the adage that..."It is ones civic duty to vote"....makes me gag.
The citizen has one primary duty. That is to think.
uh huh. Just wait until he tells his old lady that. She will slap the dog $#it out of him, ahaha. Not that he is any friend of whitey either, just about everything you posted, with the exception of the actual votes, is bs campaign rhetoric and not to be taken seriously. And even with the votes you have to acknowledge, or at least I do, that even a blind squirrel or a flaming Marxist would have to get something right every now and then. A broken clock is right twice a day.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. uh huh. Now we know who helped George Orwell write the novel, 1984. War is Peace and all that. Brilliant, just brilliant.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. "If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice" - Rush, Free Will
And they write innumerable books; being too vain and distracted for silence: seeking every one after his own elevation, and dodging his emptiness. - T. S. Eliot
I don't care if "Free Willy" said it, it doesn't make sense. Not voting is not voting and generally means you don't care which of two sorry choices wins because you recognize that neither of them is worth wasting the time and gas to go to the polls. Having said that I will probably go and do my protest vote for Chuck Baldwin but I will NOT vote for any establishment whore like McCain or Obama. I may have been born at night but not last night.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. Oh give me a home Act Responsibly: Don’t Vote! - Wendy McElroy, September 21, 2004
And they write innumerable books; being too vain and distracted for silence: seeking every one after his own elevation, and dodging his emptiness. - T. S. Eliot
That's right. Unless you have a real patriot like Ron Paul to vote for, voting does nothing but encourage the statists (and their enablers) who are destroying this country.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. I'll never fault anyone for voting, bless their hearts, but it saddens me how foolish they are. John McCain? What gives, man, are you Rod Freaking Serling?
And they write innumerable books; being too vain and distracted for silence: seeking every one after his own elevation, and dodging his emptiness. - T. S. Eliot
Where did I ever say I would vote for McCain? I won't vote for ANY establishment whore and of course that includes both McCain and Obama.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. McCain won the primaries, my invective was directed at everyone who voted for him. I should be more specific in the future, doggone it.
And they write innumerable books; being too vain and distracted for silence: seeking every one after his own elevation, and dodging his emptiness. - T. S. Eliot
Every time I start thinking that Diebold nominated him, someone tells me "welp, McCain isn't the best, but think about the alternative."
I should be more specific in the future, doggone it. Anyone who voted for McCain, Clinton, or Obama deserve all the invective you can heap on them. Go for it.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. A daily kick to the head or ribcage by flashy Moroccan republican guards?
And they write innumerable books; being too vain and distracted for silence: seeking every one after his own elevation, and dodging his emptiness. - T. S. Eliot
No, I think that's what they'd want for me, since I'm not "with" them, I must be "against" them.
I think what we're stuck with is one big, giant, insurmountable truth: even hard-working, blue collar people have been hoodwinked into believing they need the entire federal government looking over them like some sort of fairie godmother if they expect to survive. Even white-collar people, for that matter. Someone, it seems, wants to turn everyone into a slave.
And they write innumerable books; being too vain and distracted for silence: seeking every one after his own elevation, and dodging his emptiness. - T. S. Eliot
And some of them seem more than happy to put on massa's collar and choke chain.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. Not my problem until they put their chains on me, so I guess, yeah, they've already won. Loan me a videocamera and I'll go get snarky with one of them.
And they write innumerable books; being too vain and distracted for silence: seeking every one after his own elevation, and dodging his emptiness. - T. S. Eliot
My only concern is if McCain gets in we will definitely end up in WWIII and it will be nuclear. Again, I don't care for Obama but there is no way I could ever justify doing anything or not doing something that would put McCriminal in office.
This is not on your conscience.
If I had one I would certainly loan it to you for that worthy cause.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. Yep. That's the bottom line. Obama may not be perfect. But McCain is abominal. The lesser of the two evils is so much lesser now, there is no choice. Vote Obama and destroy the GOP. It's that simple.
Check out my blog, America, the Bushieful.
How does that happen? What are the precise mechanics of their destruction? I, for one, think the Rs perform much more effectively as a minority party and expect the same to hold true if O gets selected.
i find it hard to believe he won with people's votes.
You sure?
And they write innumerable books; being too vain and distracted for silence: seeking every one after his own elevation, and dodging his emptiness. - T. S. Eliot
2. The lesser of the two evils is so much lesser now, there is no choice. 1. Understatement of the month no doubt. 2. bs. There is no difference in puppets when the same puppet master pulls the strings of both of them. Are you really as deluded as you sound these days? The GOP that you hate so much is just the other side of the evil coin that gets flipped every four years and dumbasses keep on thinking that they can somehow change things if they just vote for the D instead of the R. Pitiful, just pitiful.
Liberty is not a means to a higher political end. It is itself the highest political end. Why are you guys so sure that Obama will pick Webb? I like Webb overall, but this talk about him being BHO's VP seems like a lot of wishful thinking to me. Webb has said he's not interested, and Obama hasn't shown any interest. If I were a betting man, I'd say a BHO / Wesley Clark ticket is a hundred times more likely. And if Clark is VP, there goes the single issue (foreign wars) on which BHO is slightly better than Mad Mac.
#180. To: buckeye (#177)
We can start by not voting FOR them. Until we do that, there's really no hope.
Lord Acton
#181. To: PnbC (#178)
Au contraire, we need to start using the word "rule" a lot more often, because that is what is getting crowned next year, a veritable RULER. I recommend we stop talking about the next president of the U.S., and start referring to him as the next RULER OF THE UNITED STATES (ROTUS).
#182. To: PnbC (#178)
I recommend we stop talking about the next president of the U.S., and start referring to him as the next RULER OF THE UNITED STATES (ROTUS).
#183. To: Arator (#168)
What underlies your apparent obsession with my skin pigmentation?
#184. To: Jethro Tull (#182)
Election 2008 is the new Narnia: The Liar, The Bitch, and The Warmonger.
#185. To: PnbC (#184)
"I've got the power, and I'm going to use it ROT-NAU!"
#186. To: James Deffenbach (#170)
#187. To: Jethro Tull (#179)
#188. To: buckeye (#177)
#189. To: bush_is_a_moonie (#188)
...we just can't turn our backs and let it all go to hell.
#190. To: bush_is_a_moonie (#187)
Going to debate or just whine?
#191. To: buckeye (#189)
But I do not agree. We already are in hell.
#192. To: Cynicom (#191)
#193. To: buckeye (#192)
#194. To: Cynicom (#193)
#195. To: bush_is_a_moonie (#186)
No black or white America--just United States of America
Lord Acton
#196. To: bush_is_a_moonie (#188)
not voting is casting a vote
Lord Acton
#197. To: James Deffenbach (#196)
#198. To: Dakmar (#197)
Lord Acton
#199. To: James Deffenbach (#198)
I don't care if "Free Willy" said it
where the squids and whales roam...
#200. To: Dakmar (#199)
Act Responsibly: Don’t Vote! - Wendy McElroy, September 21, 2004
Lord Acton
#201. To: James Deffenbach (#200)
#202. To: Dakmar (#201)
I'll never fault anyone for voting, bless their hearts, but it saddens me how foolish they are. John McCain? What gives, man, are you Rod Freaking Serling?
Lord Acton
#203. To: James Deffenbach (#202)
#204. To: Dakmar (#203)
#205. To: Dakmar (#203)
McCain won the primaries, my invective was directed at everyone who voted for him.
Lord Acton
#206. To: buckeye (#204)
(Edited)
#207. To: Dakmar (#206)
#208. To: James Deffenbach (#205)
#209. To: Dakmar (#208)
Someone, it seems, wants to turn everyone into a slave.
Lord Acton
#210. To: James Deffenbach (#209)
(Edited)
And some of them seem more than happy to put on massa's collar and choke chain.
#211. To: buckeye (#189)
#212. To: bush_is_a_moonie (#211)
#213. To: Dakmar (#210)
Not my problem until they put their chains on me, so I guess, yeah, they've already won. Loan me a videocamera and I'll go get snarky with one of them.
Lord Acton
#214. To: bush_is_a_moonie (#211)
My only concern is if McCain gets in we will definitely end up in WWIII and it will be nuclear. Again, I don't care for Obama but there is no way I could ever justify doing anything or not doing something that would put McCriminal in office.
#215. To: Arator (#214)
Vote Obama and destroy the GOP. It's that simple.
#216. To: Dakmar (#203)
McCain won the primaries
#217. To: christine (#216)
i find it hard to believe he won with people's votes.
#218. To: Arator (#214)
(Edited)
1. Obama may not be perfect.
Lord Acton
#219. To: a vast rightwing conspirator (#10)
Say it again: "there's not one iota of difference between Obama/Webb and Hilly/Steinheim, McCain/Condi or W/Cheney.
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