DU has a new crush: Jim Webb

[cali]

But sure as the sun blah, blah, blah, Webb will say something or vote some way that will elicit howls of outrage. That's the trouble with setting up heros, and it's why I try not to do it.

[Kelly Rupert]

1. He's a fairly moderate Democrat.

Which means that on DU he'll be another "DINO TRAITOR" before his term's up.

[NYCGirl]

3. Hell, I'll give it a week after the Congress is back.

(I think the guy's terrific, BTW.)

[sandnsea]

8. Because the media said so??

So far, I haven't heard much moderate come from his direction.

[Kelly Rupert]

16. Then you'll be very disappointed when he starts voting.

[sandnsea]

17. Not from what I've heard

He doesn't support any of this global militarist bullshit, is an economic populist, fairly liberal on social issues, everybody's an environmentalist these days - what's not to like?

[Virginia Dare]

23. Especially when you consider the alternative...

we could have Felix Macacawitz in there for another term. I think Webb will be a great Senator, but I certainly don't expect to agree with everything he says or does. Personally, I feel that he's off to a great start, there needs to be some changes made in the way Democrats do business in Washington.

[Leilani]

34. Did you read his Wall St Journal op ed?

He is a populist.

He's speaking for me on economic issues, like no one else has.

[sandnsea]

39. Yes I did

It was great. I know the media and the Republicans and Clintons would LOVE to claim Webb as a moderate Dem win - but I don't think that meme is going to last long. Not with Tester either. I haven't been so excited about the possibilities for change in my entire life!

[pushycat]

40. His words are what a true leader says. He has my interest!

[tridim]

10. I disagree.. He's a moderate Democrat in a Democratic majority

Big difference.

[TahitiNut]

11. "A fairly moderate Democrat"? A member of the Reagan/Bush administration?

Quelle surprise! :dunce: It's funny (scary?) how far right our "standards" have shifted.

[sandnsea]

15. Or that people's eyes are opened

And they suddenly realize where those right wingers are really taking this country. Besides, if you read a bit about Webb, he didn't do so well in Reagan's administration anyway. Something about not thinking it was the Navy's job to protect oil or some such. And he supposedly hated Ollie North, so you know he can't be all bad.

[MADem]

13. He's actually a conservative Democrat on some issues, being an ex-Republican

But who cares, he's got the D, and we've got the Senate.

Politics IS the art of compromise; not the art of "my way or the highway."

We've seen six years of that horseshit, and it hasn't worked out too well.

It's a big tent we have, and the liberal, moderate and conservative Democrats have every right to stand up and state their cases. The mainstream citizenry will give the party their cues, as they did in this last election.

The idiots who pull that 'DINO traitor' crap are showing their ignorance, and just don't know how the system works. They look at politics as sport, with teams/factions and abiding hatreds, when it's actually much more cooperative than that.

[Virginia Dare]

21. It's all relative...

remember who he's replacing?

[Kelly Rupert]

27. Lieberman was better than any Republican who would have replaced him.

The netroots still wasted millions trying to kick his ass out of office.

[Leopolds Ghost]

42. You are absolutely correct in asserting that no Republican would have replaced him

Which your statement logically implies, given that Lieberman is essentially a Republican who runs as a Democrat in order to get elected in a liberal state.

[liberalnurse]

24. Stick around a bit longer and you'll see

that DU'ers do not eat their own.

[Kelly Rupert]

26. Joe Lieberman would disagree. So would Hillary Clinton.

So would the entire DLC. Or do you define "your own" as "those who we do not eat?"

[liberalnurse]

36. Joe Lieberman is no longer a Democrat.........

Hillary takes her share of hits around here when warranted but we don't call her a DINO..... O8)

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

29. That's a joke. (nt)

[Kelly Rupert]

31. Oh, I get it.

Whoops. Sorry.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

38. That reply was not meant for you.

I meant her statement was a joke - completely absurd. We're completely happy to eat our own and we do so with alarming regularity. I apologize that I was unclear.

[Kelly Rupert]

41. Ah, I thought you were saying it was *intentionally* absurd.

Yes, I misunderstood and I apologize for doing so.

[xultar]

2. Are you kidding. Him wanting to punch out lil boots makes him a keeper

in my book. He'd have to call me a nigger to get me to hate him now...or vote against pro choice measures.

[BOSSHOG]

4. I remember that son of a bitch

when I was a young Sailor and he was Secretary of the Navy. Hard as nails, ass kicking kinda guy. But no one ever doubted who the boss was or what his goals and priorities were. I think he will serve Virginia and the Nation well.

[warrens]

5. I like moderates

They do 90 percent of what I want done, and they get reelected. The guys in such safe districts that they could call for communist revolution and still win kinda scare me.

[k_jerome]

6. soon he'll be a DLC'er. Or a moderate. nt.

[patricia92243]

7. Yeah, but it's fun while it lasts!!

[Virginia Dare]

9. Hey, nobody is perfect...

but we're in need of some heroes right now. I don't expect you to indulge us though. You're a better person than that, but you know that already I'm sure.

[mondo joe]

12. Fitz, Keith, Webb. Nice club!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

14. That's not just DU but more Democrats in general

We don't follow blindly and stand up for our convictions as a whole. When one of our elected leaders wanders off what we consider to be the correct path we usually let them know. Being a diverse group, sometimes what one considers a transgression others don't find fault in.

Sadly, too few Republicans practice these convictions. The ones who do are largely only the religions fanatical fringe or the corporate leaders.

[Fierce]

18. Very, very true.

Sometimes I feel like DU is a group of labs at an air show. "Look! Over there! NO, over THERE! Wait! OVER THERE! Woof!"

[Puglover]

19. Do you always paint with such a broad brush?

I doubt that over 1/2 of active DUers are even aware of the story. Thanks for the sage advice on heros.
:eyes:

[haele]

20. I remember when he was secretary of the Navy -

Very pragmatic, would actually require evidence to come to his views or change them. His politics tended to be blunt and out in the open - and he did consider his troops when making a decision.
That would often have him seem conservative in many social opinions, mainly because good morale in the "Uniformed Services" often meant everyone had to at least have a similar goal and there were rules to all interactions to decrease the chances of conflict within the organization.
He probably will piss off many progressive groups over his term(s) in office at any particular moment - especially the many who strive for the perfect at cost to the good.

Haele

[iconoclastic cat]

22. What's the deal, cali? nt

[cali]

28. It's this.

I like Jim Webb, but I'm fully aware that he's a moderate. He's probably gonna cast some votes that I don't agree with, but DU has a record of pouring out fury and scorn on politicians who it feels are DINOs.

[Zambero]

25. He beat a wingnut Presidential hopeful...

who never imagined he was anything less than a shoo-in. A left-of-center candidate would have assured Allen's re-election by a comfortable margin. The re-emergence of moderate Democratic candidates is one of the reasons the GOP lost Congress. It's time to start making "a few new friends", and focusing on points of agreement and not vice-versa.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

30. Truer words have never been spoken.

Like death and taxes, that DU will elevate and annihilate all moderates is a sure thing.

[lcordero2]

32. lemme see

He wrote a piece on social justice and economic class.
He is against outsourcing.
He believes that govt's power should end at his front door.

My kind of "Moderate" Democrat.

I'd like to exchange Clinton and Schumer in order to get him.

[More Than A Feeling]

33. He's written as a genuine populist who thinks its important

to heal the racial divide. He beat the racist walking football metaphor. What's not to love? The stuff that he would vote against us on probably won't even come up.

[aikoaiko]

35. He's a centrist on guns, too. w00t!!!!!!!!!!!1111!!

http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/story.asp?S=5304414
Jim Webb makes campaign stop at Roanoke Valley Gun Show

Jim Webb made his rounds in Southwest Virginia this weekend, and he stopped by the Roanoke Civic Center for the gun show on Sunday.

The democratic candidate for U.S. Senate says he's a big believer in gun ownership.

Webb strongly believes people should be able to carry weapons and defend themselves and their families.

He also explained his stand on the war in Iraq and how it's impacting foreign policy in the Middle East.

Jim Webb Defends the Second Amendment
http://rule-303.blogspot.com/2006/11/jim-webb-defends-second-amendment.html
From Jim Webb:

Dear Virginia Sportsmen and Gun Owners,

As a long-time member of the National Rifle Association, you can imagine my surprise when I received a mailing in the form of an Orange Card saying "VOTE FREEDOM FIRST ON NOVEMBER 7 - VOTE GEORGE ALLEN FOR THE U.S. SENATE!"

I am writing this letter to make certain that no Virginia sportsmen or gun owner has any question concerning my stand on Second Amendment and sportsmen rights.

To be clear, I value and will defend your right of self-defense. As a Marine combat veteran who shot "double expert" and once taught the .45 pistol to Officer Candidates, and as a former Secretary of the Navy under Ronald Reagan, I know first hand the importance of armed self-defense by law-abiding citizens as a deterrent to criminals, and in the long term, to would-be tyrants.

I have possessed a concealed-carry permit for many years, and shoot regularly. I have made no secret during this campaign of the fact that I carry. I support a national concealed carry permit. I also will sponsor a bill in the United States Senate that repeals the National Park Gun Ban that disarms only law-abiding citizens in Interior Department/National Park Service across Virginia. And I intend to get it to the floor for a vote.
//snip//

[NewJeffCT]

37. I have a crush on his wife

pretty damn attractive, and very bright as well.