Reply #16: Webb Questions and Answers

[beachmom]

My questions:

Hi Lowell (4.00 / 3)
We met at dKos, and I gave a long comment for why I was supporting Harris Miller; well, apparently I didn't have all of the facts (I found the Diebold stuff especially troubling). Plus the Kerry endorsement of Webb was very significant because it removed a HUGE issue for me, in regards to past things Webb said about Kerry regarding Vietnam. If Kerry can be forgiving, well than perhaps I can be, too. Still, I'm in a place where I don't particularly care for either candidate due to all of the negativity. Here are my questions:
1. Will you guys stop the negativity and ONLY be positive about Webb from here on (official and nonofficial)? Because I know people who are planning to write in Thomas Jefferson or Mark Warner. Negativity can only get you so far.

2. What precisely is Webb's position on Iraq NOW? Would he be willing to support Kerry's Sen. res. #36? This calls for all combat troops to be out of Iraq by the end of the year, in addition to calling for a Dayton like summit to get all Iraqi parties together plus the U.N., NATO, and countries in the region including Syria and Iran. Or is Webb more apt to go with Joe Biden's position which is far more vague, criticizing Bush, but essentially keeping troops in Iraq indefinitely?

3. Any guarantee that Webb intends to remain a Democrat? Will he suddenly switch to Independent when he gets in the Senate or will he truly join the Democratic caucus, and compromise, which is an essential thing for a Senator to do?

4. Will Webb improve on his knowledge of domestic issues (Miller was much stronger in the debate on this), come up with more concrete plans, and simply talk about it better?

5. Will there be more discipline in the Webb campaign as to organization, fundraising, and the steady job of getting the message out? Can Webb try to control his temper and not be caught saying things like "Shut your mouth", because Allen will be MUCH worse than Miller in annoying Webb, I can tell you.

Sorry, it's a lot of questions, but all of these things are bothering me. I'm probably going to go over to Alice's blog with a similar list of grievances. I WILL make a decision on this primary and not cop out with a write in. Thanks for your time.


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by: beachmom @ June 05, 2006 at 08:35:10 MST
< Reply >


Lowell's answers:

* Thanks for the questions, let me try to answer them (4.00 / 2)
Hi beachmom, and thanks for stopping by RK! :) Let me try to answer your questions as best I can.
1) If by "you guys" you mean me, aka "Lowell the Crazy Blogger," I can definitely say that I PERSONALLY plan to focus on Webb's positives over the next week. I will also PERSONALLY rebut any charges against Webb that may or may not be leveled by Harris Miller or his surrogates. As far as others who post on this site in diaries or in other forums (fora?), I can't control them. However, I believe that the Webb mailers hitting mailboxes this week will be overwhelmingly positive. With John Kerry's endorsement, and an almost-certain lead over Miller, I think that we can afford to talk about how great Webb is. (of course, then we'll be attacked by some people for being "blindly pro-Webb" or whatever...such is life!)

2) Aside from opposing the invasion in the first place (Miller supported it), Webb has been very clear that "We went into Iraq precipitously; we have to get out carefully." He has talked about a 2-year time frame. He has also said that we should state unquivocally that the United States has NO interest and NO intention of remaining in Iraq permanently. Overall, we need to work with our allies in the region (and elswhere), and we need to get out.

3) Obviously, there are no guarantees in life. However, Jim Webb has spoken eloquently and strongly about why he has switched to the Democratic Party. Personally, I believe that Jim Webb is one of the most sincere people I've ever met, almost too sincere for the nasty game of politics. For instance, yesterday he was pressed by two Republican for his positions on abortion and the "marriage amendment," and he didn't back down at all from his pro-choice, anti-marriage amendment stances. In other words, Webb doesn't just tell people what they want to hear. Here's Webb on why he became a Democrat - and why I believe he will stay one the rest of his life:


When I started studying Andrew Jackson, I realized that I was really a Jacksonian populist Democrat. Jackson believed that you don't measure the health of a society at the apex but at the base. I believe that too, and that's why I'm a Democrat.
I have personally heard Webb say that he intends to remain a Democrat the rest of his life.

That, combined with his Progressive stands on many issues, is more than good enough for me!

4) Webb is a voracious reader and a brilliant man with insatiable curiosity. He has been studying up on issues on which he had been relatively unfamiliar, like the intricacies of "No Child Left Behind," etc. I have heard Webb speak 3 months ago, and I have heard him speak recently, and I can definitely say that he's getting "up to speed" fast. Of course, this is a guy who taught himself how to write while at Georgetown, and proceeded to pen one of the greatest Vietnam War novels ("Fields of Fire"), so why am I not surprised? :)

5) I can't speak with a GREAT deal of authority about the Webb campaign, but I WILL say that this has been a 100-day campaign when it should have been a 1-year campaign. I have talked to Steve Jarding, who teaches this stuff at Harvard, and he has told me that normally you would NEVER run a campaign in this way. However, for a variety of reasons, Jim Webb was late getting into this race, meaning that we had a lot of catching up to do. I see definite signs of improvement, and expect a lot more after June 13.

As far as Webb's "temper," I haven't really seen it myself. The comment to Miller was made because Webb couldn't get a word in edgewise. However, I think your point is valid about not losing one's temper against George Allen. Of course, it works the other way around too. I can't wait to see George Allen try to debate the issues with Jim Webb. This should be fun! :)
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Well, I hope this helped you make your decision. Let me just close with some words from Time Magazine this week:


Webb may turn out to be a crucial figure in the recent history of the Democratic Party. For the past 25 years, the tide of political conversions has been running in the opposite direction, from Democrat to Republican, and most of the converts were people like Webb: white, Southern, middle class or poorer, patriotic and, often, with a strong family tradition of military service...Webb's conversion may be a sign that those sorts of people may now be willing to give the Democrats a second look. A standard-issue Democrat like Miller would probably be cannon fodder for a Republican incumbent like Allen, a party star and probable presidential candidate. It wouldn't be an easy race for Webb either, but his candidacy might begin to redden the Democrats' necks in the South. And with his pugilistic history—he fought a famous bout against Oliver North at Annapolis—Webb would surely give Allen a tussle.
Thanks.


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by: Lowell @ June 05, 2006 at 09:29:18 MST


I liked that Lowell did acknowledge a couple of my complaints. Bloggers definitely get nicer when you say you're undecided, don't they? I forgot to ask about the Alito filibuster, and also what Lowell says about Miller supporting the Iraq War doesn't jive with what Alice said. I'll follow up on those two things.