Former Democratic Sen. Jim Webb Explores Presidential Bid

[Agnosticsherbet]

(NPR Interview)

Former Democratic Sen. Jim Webb Explores Presidential Bid
In considering whether to launch a presidential campaign, former Sen Jim Webb of Virginia tells Steve Inskeep his big challenge would be raising money to promote his ideas.

He talked about retuning to the Franklyn Roosevelt, Harry Truman, Andrew Jackson roots.

He also said Democrats could "Do a better job with white people."

He said in many cases white voters are being misunderstood as racist.

He wants to give everyone access to the corridor of power regardless of antecedents.

It is an interesting interview, but doesn't give much meat because the really doesn't talk about policies.

Well worth listening to.

[JustAnotherGen]

1. I will listen later - thanks for posting

I don't think he has a snowball's chance in hell . . . but I'll listen to any of them at this point.

[Agnosticsherbet]

2. Your welcome

[BlueCaliDem]

3. Jim Webb is one Democrat I will NOT vote for in the primaries.

However, should he win the general, I'll have to hold my nose and vote for him. I just hope he doesn't.

[JustAnotherGen]

4. I'm with you

But I'm interested in what he has to say about white voters. He could be an interesting VP pick!

[BlueCaliDem]

10. I feel that Jim Webb is a little too conservative for my taste.

But I'm with you...I'm interested in what he has to say about White voters, too.

[Agnosticsherbet]

5. I want to see a real statement on policy from Senator Web.

It is going to come down to who actually is interested in running. There are a lot fewer Democrats thinking about running than Republicans.

[BlueStater]

8. I share your opinion on Webb.

But don't worry. Hell will freeze over before he wins the nomination.

[1StrongBlackMan]

15. My nose and a couple other body parts ...

while wondering, what the hell happened to the Democratic Party.

[BlueCaliDem]

17. If Democrats try and foist Webb on us, it will be a sign that they intend to undo

everything President Obama has done for us, as well as a sign that they want to return to their DLC-positions now that corporations are reporting astronomical profits and have money to burn - thanks, in large part, to President Obama's policies.

Those policies have trickled upward through steady job-growth that allow consumers more disposable income in order to buy stuff. Although I dislike having this distrust for Congressional Democrats, after having watched them stab the president in the back more times than not, I believe that they are more loyal to corporations and their cash, and the Republican (Koch Bros) Party. They just don't want to let us in that little secret although anyone paying attention can't help but see that President Obama has been stood alone for most of the six years he's been in office.

[1StrongBlackMan]

18. I disagree on two parts ...

First, it wouldn't be Democrats doing the foisting ... it would be Democratic voters.

Secondly, it wouldn't be the DLC, as despite what DU says, the DLC is largely supportive of the Civil Rights positions Webb opposes ... much more so supportive of these issues than they are supportive of Webb's economic positions.

So I'm thinking ... a Webb candidacy would be far more DU friendly than DLC (or the Democratic base) friendly.

[BlueCaliDem]

20. Your first point...I don't know if we can lay the blame entirely on voters there.

They can't vote for people they don't know are running or know anything about.

As an example, I recall during Feinstein's primary, a Liberal and a consumer and civil rights attorney, Mike Strimling, had challenged her. He would have been so much better than she is, but he got NO help from the DSCC or - and this surprised me - Big Labor (and it pissed me off that they ignored him). In the end, he got less votes than Orly Taitz, and DiFi won the primaries with ease. All the money and political ads and Democratic allies were geared toward Dianne Feinstein's re-election. No one knew about Strimling, and that's a shame.

If the Democratic Party stood behind Strimling, I'm certain he'd be the Junior Senator today, and I think Senator Barbara Boxer wouldn't have decided to retire since she'd be the Senior Senator from California instead of DiFi. I could be 100% wrong here, but I don't get the feeling that DiFi and Boxer are "chummy-chummy" or ever have been.

As for your second point...point taken. Thank you. I didn't know about any potential Jim Webb candidacy until I read about it here on DU, and it surprises me. I mean, he's very conservative and pretty much pro-confederacy, which doesn't seem to fit on DU. And he was, once upon a time, a Republican, so...

[1StrongBlackMan]

21. Per DUer - Brooklynite, who, as a self-confessed ...

Big Money donor, and therefore, one of the few knowledgeable about the activities of the National Party ... the Party, rightly or wrongly, does not support ANY candidate during the primaries.

(I have to run right know, but I'll try and find the explanatory his(?) posts.)

[BlueCaliDem]

22. Thanks, 1SBM. I'm looking forward to your post when you return. eom

[1StrongBlackMan]

26. See Brooklynite's response below. n/t

[brooklynite]

24. The notion that the Party "forces" candidates on you is a convenient excuse...

...for people whose preferred choice wasn't good enough to win. I've had discussions with people who insist that Dennis Kucinich would have won the 2008 nomination if only "they" hadn't stopped him.

Bottom line is that the Party provides no support (overt or otherwise) to any candidate in the Presidential Primary process. They set the ground rules for allocating delegates, determine the schedule for Primaries and Caucuses, and leave the rest to the candidates, aside from dispute resolution (e.g. the Florida Delegate dispute in 2008).

Now, there are certainly MEMBERS of the DNC who as individuals may support one candidate after another, including fundraisers, elected officials and Union representatives, but they have no special clout other than their own voices.

note - with respect to the DSCC's role in the California Primary, they didn't provide support for ANY candidate in the Primary period, although, as a matter of policy, they will support incumbents early on (in the case of Feinstein, I'm pretty sure she didn't need any help). Perhaps the fact that the "real" Democrat got fewer votes than Orly Taitz says something about the candidate, and not the Party's interference.

[1StrongBlackMan]

25. Thank you for clearing that up ...

though there will be those that will make the same argument again tomorrow.

[stevenleser]

33. Not only that, if the DNC is anything like the state and county organizations, they are prohibited

from taking sides in primary contests.

[BlueCaliDem]

40. I stand corrected regarding the DSCC in California. However, the California Democratic Party (CDP)

came ALL OUT for Dianne Feinstein in the primaries, and I was inundated with those expensive glossy flyers from Big Labor and groups like Emily's List and Planned Parenthood supporting Dianne Feinstein.

Perhaps the fact that the "real" Democrat got fewer votes than Orly Taitz says something about the candidate, and not the Party's interference.

Not necessarily. As I've stated in my post, people can't vote for a Democrat if they don't know s/he exists. The above-mentioned groups did nothing to support Mike Strimling who is a true Liberal and Progressive; a man with a resume that puts that of DiFi to shame when it comes to working, mostly pro-bono, for consumers. Also, California's turn out has been alarmingly low and dropping. In 2012 - a presidential year for chrissakes - it was a meager 33% and in 2014 only three-quarters (only 18%!) of registered voters opted to vote.

It's a good thing that the California legislature wants to push forward a law to automatically register Californians to vote. Perhaps then they'll finally realize, yes, we actually do have elections.

[karynnj]

38. I will not even vote for him in the general election - I live in VT so I can easily

not vote for a man I think is a creep. If VT is up for grabs, it would be an all time landslide.

[TwilightGardener]

6. Thank you for posting that.

[Kelvin Mace]

7. Webb is a conservative

We have too damned many of them now.

[Agnosticsherbet]

9. Check on on the Issues. (Link in the text) He appears to be left of center except for immigration.

Jim Webb on the Issues.

What do you think makes him a conservative?

[wyldwolf]

13. he's a confederate sympathizer

[Agnosticsherbet]

14. Yes he was, as the linked article shws.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/10994.html

And it would explain his wierd statements about misunderstood white Americans in the interview.

[1StrongBlackMan]

19. Wow ...

From the article at the link:

The greatest disservice on this count has been the attempt by these revisionist politicians and academics to defame the entire Confederate Army in a move that can only be termed the Nazification of the Confederacy.

"revisionists" defamed the confederacy? Didn't these guys take up arms against the established government?

[1StrongBlackMan]

16. Left of center on the issues ...

except for those that affect non-white, non-males ... you know ... the really important issues.

[Agnosticsherbet]

23. But he is seriously flawed when it comes to racial issues.

I posted this not in support, but because I think it is important for me as an informed voter to get to know the candidates that are applying to me for the job as my representative in the government.

What I learned from this great thread, is that Webb is the worst possible candidate for the Democratic Party. His interview made me uncomfortable, especially his comments about misunderstood whites.

People here were able to show me a more accurate picture of Jim Web, which drops him to the bottom of the list or perspective employees for me.

At best, he is so enmeshed in white privilege that he is incapable of understanding why saying that white people are misunderstood is racism. More likely, he is a polite racist.

But his stand on race makes him unqualified in my eyes to be President.

[zipplewrath]

27. Andrew Jackson

I was struck by his reference to Andrew "Trail of Tears" Jackson in combination with his expressions about the poor misunderstood white male voter. I was never a big Webb fan, but that was just over the top.

[Persondem]

11. Well if he is worried about whites being "misunderstood" as racist ...

... he should drop the Andrew Jackson references.

[Agnosticsherbet]

12. I found that statement jarring.

[davidpdx]

28. Personally I wouldn't support him, but I welcome him to the race if he does decide to run

I have nothing against him personally, but his views are too conservative. I hope we have a vigorous primary with at least half a dozen candidates.

[Agnosticsherbet]

29. I've investigated him enough now to decide he is no a candidate i support.

But I do want to see more candidates.

[lynne]

30. Old news. He made the same announcement in November

and I'd not heard a thing since then. That's not unusual for him, he's fond of swooping in, talking big, and disappearing. As a Virginian I can tell you that pretty much describes his tenure as our Senator.

He wasn't impressive in the Senate. Based on that, I don't think he's presidential material and I certainly hope he chooses not to run.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/20/jim-webb-2016_n_6192356.html

[Sunlei]

31. I'm not interested in any presidential candidate who brings up skin color as his main issue.

[Agnosticsherbet]

32. That pretty much canceled my consideration, also.

[craigmatic]

34. A couple of thoughts on Webb. First Mark Warner would be a better candidate.

Second Webb is too much of a throw back to be viable now. If this were the 60's, 70's, 80's, or even the 90's he'd be top tier just based off of the state he represented and his military background. The problem with him now is that we already have a conservadem running sucking up most of the oxygen in the room and her name is Hillary.
He's right for wanting to take us back to FDR and reduce the government hand outs and restart the massive government employment programs in the form of infrastructure building projects.

[Agnosticsherbet]

35. He is utterly wrong in his comments about white peole being misundestood. He is unacceptable

to me for that reason.

I am not saying he is a racist. He lives a life where White Privilege touches everything.

One of things I learned here at DU was the process of "White Privilege." My experience is that "White Privilege" is like air. We didn't ask for it, but it exists and we benefit (we because I am white) whether we like it or not. And it can't be turned off.

Web seems unfamiliar with the concept, and that to me is a far worse thing that being a Conservadem. Neoliberals (I prefer that term to Conservadem because it is more accurate) main difference is in economic liberty and how it should manifest in our society. Moving away from the economic policy, most of the them will work for poor and middle class. There are states where a liberal or progressive will never be elected. If we want to change things for the better, we must have control of the House and the Senate. We need some of them.

I just don't think Webb is the best fit among the known candidates for the job of President.

He is infinitely more acceptable than any Republican alternative.

I won't vote for him in the primary.

[HR_Pufnstuf]

36. kick

kick

[HR_Pufnstuf]

37. MSNBC = Make Sure Nobody Beats Clinton

boo-ya!

Webb would have a better chance in the GE.

[Agnosticsherbet]

41. Have not seen him perform that way in any polls. If you have

A link, post it.

[Xyzse]

39. I like him, agree with some of his policies, but...

He would be my 3rd to the last choice for the Democratic primary.

If he wins, I'll support him, but he is at the bottom of my list.
Hillary below him, and if Al Sharpton runs, he is even far lower in the list.

Stating that, I still consider him as a moderate Republican.
I can agree with many of his positions and I consider him a decent Virginia Senator. However, I tend to think that we need someone a little bit stronger and insistent on the rights of the lower to middle class.

[davidpdx]

42. Either Chafee or Webb would be non-starters for me

both are too conservative. Assuming they both get in and Sanders and O'Malley both run, it will be a very weak primary.