Jim Webb has been assimilated. That is all. n/t

[Subdivisions]

[Armstead]

1. I disagree

He's giving his honest assessment, consistent with what he's said all along.

[Subdivisions]

2. Surge is working. No impeachment. It is my opinion that the

reason the surge appears to be working is because some other dynamic is causing the decrease in violence and Webb is letting Bushco get away with every crime they've ever committed.

The bulldog he was during and just after the '06 election that put him in his seat has given way to the demeanor of a beaten and broken bulldog that cowers in the shadow of his masters.

[Atman]

4. delete

delete -- wrong place

[Atman]

5. How do you KNOW the surge is working?

Bush has fired any general who will not toe the line. No reporters are actually allowed into Iraq. The media is owned by the corporations benefiting most from the war.

So...who told you the troop escalation is "working," and why do you trust your source?

.

[dsc]

11. You are totally misrepresenting what the man said

He actually did say that much of the improvement we have seen has been pre surge.

[Hippo_Tron]

18. The surge isn't providing a political solution

And that's the key thing. The increased troop levels may be temporarily be decreasing the violence. Doesn't mean we're any closer to a solution.

[demnan]

3. Jim Webb has been a huge disappointment in many ways

As a Senator his responsiveness to his constiuents is a joke. Write a letter to him and it falls into the abyss. The Veterans for Peace in Northern Virginia couldn't even get his office to send them a box of Constitutions for their Summer Fairs, much less a meeting with him about the Iraq war.

He has done a few good things I will grant that, but by an large he has been a disappointment.

[Atman]

6. I'm sure there are plenty of skeletons in Webb's closet, too.

Think about it. Is anyone reading this -- anyone adult in the same age range of most of our "leaders," in their 40-50s, who've achieved some level of success -- free of at least SOMETHING that that couldn't bring down a campaign or even a career? If you've lived 50 years and haven't done something most people might think is a bit "odd," I'm not sure I'd trust you anyway! Be it drugs, a porn video, something, there is dirt on just about everybody. Webb is a "tough guy," and probably has attended his share of tequila-drenched donkey sex shows or something, and GHW's CIA and W's NSA knows all about 'em. If you happen to be clean, you get a Thank You card filled with white powder instead.

I see no other reason that everyone -- everyone in our government -- has surrendered their souls to the President with the most disastrous and damaging policies and the lowest approval ratings of any president in history. If someone's got a better explanation, I'd love to hear it.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

17. BINGO FOR YOU, REMEMBER THEY CREATED BUSH I THEIR IMAGE

[LeftCoast]

7. LOL - Fickle DU

One minute they're a hero...the next a zero.

[OzarkDem]

9. That's not a DU problem

The problem is with the Dem members of Congress. They've learned to say what is needed to get elected, then ignore it when they get to DC.

[cali]

12. that's the problem with the juvenile practice of hero worship n/t

[mmonk]

14. agreed

[OzarkDem]

15. Its a problem of naivete and trust

neither of which has much of a place in politics these days.

[OzarkDem]

8. Like others, it began before he was elected

More and more these days, I'm beginning to realize that most Dems running for Congress, sell out before they get there.

As candidates, once they've received the blessings to run from their caucus leadership they change overnight. Their loyalty is no longer directed towards their constituents, but to folks like Schumer and Reid. They're instructed to say all the right things to the Dem base to get elected, but reject those values once they're in DC.

When they campaign they know which hot button issues to address to get the support of voters, donors and volunteers, but its mostly an act. I think many of them actually believe they're superior to the Dems in their state or district.

They know once they are accepted into the brotherhood in the Senate or House, they'll no longer need or care about what goes on back home until its time to raise money and volunteers for re-election. Then they'll switch on the charm, begin again

One pundit referred to this Dem leadership practice as "treating the Dem base like a vacation home in the Hamptons" visiting once a year and a few times on weekends.

Has it always been like this? No.

It probably has more to do with the attitudes of current Dem leadership in Congress and arrogance bred by the corrupt influence of corporate money and lobbyists in DC. Now that Dems are in the majority in Congress, they're the target of much fawning, praise and largesse. And some end up either actually believing it or think they should to please Schumer, Reid, Pelosi, et al. Real Dem leaders from days past would be disgusted by the whole charade. Its not Dem leadership in the tradition of Truman or Mike Mansfield or even Tip O'Neil. Its the slick, shallow, self-centered, power hungry leadership style of a few Dem leaders who secretly envy Republicans and want to be like them. Most of the rest are just along for the ride.

Webb and others like him (I won't mention any names here, but there are several more that I'm aware of) are victims of the inept, arrogant culture of Dem leadership in DC. It must be difficult to resist, but they've abandoned principle for power.

[LibDemAlways]

10. He was never a progressive. It's just that next to Allen he

looks and sounds intelligent.

[Howardx]

13. he was in the reagan admin.

why anyone thought he would act differently now is beyond me.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

16. IF THE MAIN STREAM MEDIA SAY IT THEN.........

IT IS PROPAGANDA