I otherwise think very highly of Don Beyer.  He's taken some pretty brave stands in the past (notably speaking out against the war before it became convenient for the rubber- stampers -- like Hillary Clinton -- to join in, and in being national treasurer of the Howard Dean campaign). 

[Notably, Howard Dean would never have minimized the importance of service.  His (Dean's) position against the war was expresed as opposing sending our men and women into harm's way based on untruths. And Dean believed when troops are sent, they should be properly equipped.  After the war began, however, Dean said, however, we had to make things right.  (Now, of course, we know things can't be made right because of Bush, misleads, miscalculations, and downright stupidity).  Now the longer we stay the worse things will likely become.  But Dean's position was always respecful of the men and women who serve. 

The bottom line is that I am baffled about this article.  Has friendship with Miller, if he has one, gotten in the way here?  I can't imagine why Don would say these things.  I am very disappointed.

Nice Ingrid...I love this quote and wil have to use it more:

"And what has former corporate lobbyist Harris Miller done for his country lately?"

This is baffling to say the least and does not reflect well on Mr. Beyer.  While there are exceptions, veterans distinguish themselves not with glamor, but with an ethic based on service and a commitment to country over self.

Perhaps those values are so rare these days that they do indeed seem glamorous to some.

his service adds an extra component to his character. Someone who is willing to fight and die for their country makes the ultimate commitment. They generally don't back down and when it comes down to brass tacks they will take a stand for everyone including the ones who are generally forgotten. If they are wrong, they state so, correct the situation, and move on.

Leadership and the qualities that we find in our politicians come from all aspects of our personalities. Jim just happens to have his rooted in a military background. We need as much of that type of drive and determination in the Democratic Party as we can get.

Beyer did not suggest veterans are not electable (remember that Beyer has campaign such well known veterans as Balliles, Wilder, and of course, Chuck Robb), Beyer suggested that making one's service in Vietnam as the central theme of your campaign will not work. That is a very different thing.

my questions to the Lt. Gov.  Are you his spokesperson?

but I can read

As a combat veteran, I been called many things over the years.  Glamorous is not one of them.  For Don Beyer, the choice of the word "glamorous" was a bad one to describe any veteran.

Over the years the former Lt. Governor has been a supporter of veterans and their issues.  However, he has made an astute observation.  Being a veteran, especially one seeking to confront a Republican, chaw-chewing, cowboy wannabe, is an important asset. Yet, by itself it is not enough.

I'm confident that once Jim Webb succeeds in winning the nomination, Don Beyer will join the rising chorus of Democratic voices, not just veterans, who support him.

Being a veteran does not inoculate you from having an incompetent campaign. The Kerry campaign, run by Bob Shrum and Tad Devine, made many mistakes, not the least of which was failing to respond quickly enough to slime attacks and slander.

The Bush operatives were well known for their willingness to attack other candidates. They made it a full contact sport to denigrate the service of veterans who made unimaginably hard sacrifices for this country that they love, including John McCain and Max Clellan.

Meanwhile, their boy, Bush, was a chicken hawk deserter who sat out the war, first in a Champagne unit of rich kid National Guardsmen who played weekend, sunshine soldiers. Later, Bush didn't even bother to show up for that. Instead, he campaigned for Republicans in Alabama and partied with debutantes.

Kerry should have answered back the Swift Boat Veterans for Untruth and called them liars. Then he should have hammered Bush's phony swagger. His campaign ran scared of being considered negative. But when you don't answer your critics, people believe what those naysayers say.

Also, the country was looking for a fighter because of their fear of terrorist attacks. Kerry, by not answering back, looked too weak. That's why he lost. Not because he was a veteran. So let's put a rest to the "veterans can't win" crap.

on behalf of Miller.  Asking for $ and including a March article re Harris from a NoVA paper.  I sent the whole mess to Webb HQ.  Sounds like Harris is calling in his chips.
What part of "Not electable" don't these people understand?

I think you go way over the top with indignation in suggesting that Don Beyer is in any way making a mockery of military service.  The knee-jerk defensiveness of some Webb supporters about ANYTHING that ANY Harris Miller supporter says is really going way too far, and this is just one example of it.

The Winchester Star paper quoted the adjective "glamorous" that Beyer used, but it didn't quote the entire sentence in which he used it.  Given that Webb has held star-studded fundraisers in Hollywood for this run, given that he's worked in Hollywood, and given that he's a fairly well known author, that's about as close to "glamor" that most politicians ever reach.  I don't see how this adjective is offensive at all in this context.

Furthermore, all I read here is Beyer simply cautioning the party that being a Vietnam veteran does not automatically make you "electable" because of that veteran status.  Surely we all know that by now, from John Kerry's run, from Max Cleland's run, etc.  The Republican spin machine knows no bounds, has no integrity, and has no mercy, and the fact that someone is a decorated war veteran or a war hero does not inoculate a candidate from vicious attacks. 

That doesn't at all mean that Don Beyer was saying that veterans are "unelectable".  Many Virginia Democrats that I knew in 2003 said that they didn't like Kerry very much but that they thought he'd be more "electable" than other Democratic candidates because he was a Vietam veteran.  Since Beyer was a national leader for Dean, I'm sure he heard this "electable because of Vietnam" mantra more than most people.  And he's simply cautioning that Vietnam service in itself does not mean Virginians are going to choose Webb over Allen.

I think Beyer does make a very good point that the fact that Webb voted for and endorsed George Allen in the past.  Sure, Miller may have supported Dennis Hastert or a few other Republicans through the ITAA.  But I don't think the average Virginian is going to care all that much about past support for Dennis Hastert or Spencer Abraham.  Webb has a significant obstacle -- not an insurmountable one, but a significant one -- in explaining away the fact that he supported Allen last time, but he's running against him now.  I think that past support for the guy he's running against is going to matter a lot more to most voters than whether Miller made a campaign contribution to a Republican from some other state.

Beyer: “There’s a lot of conventional wisdom out there that says if you are a Vietnam War veteran you are very electable,� he said. “...It didn’t work for John Kerry at all in 2004.�

I find Jim Webb's military service and commendations compelling. I am overwhelmed with awe and respect for the courage and integrity Jim Webb has shown. He has done **nothing** to cause military veterans to question his personal honor, loyalty to country, or loyalty to his comrades. Among "Fighting Dems", Jim Webb is without peer.

Whatever the context of Mr. Beyer's comments, I believe that Jim Webb's military career can best be likened to those few elite soldiers awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Does this awe and respect for Webb transcend those who are Vietnam war veterans and military veterans, generally? I believe that the answer is "yes".

In Jim Webb's military service, many of us weary of lies, corruption and self-serving political hacks find a man of honor. We find a core of patriotism that burns like a torch in the night. We may not all agree with every position Jim Webb has taken or presently holds; we do not question his integrity or courage. He has proven this under fire.

Jim Webb's military service showcased his courage and willingness to sacrifice himself for his fellow Americans. This is something to celebrate and talk about in a country largely governed by a cynical political class.

Jim Webb's military service offers a window into a complex man whose independence, personal courage and democratic ideals have been repeated displayed throughout his career.

I think that Jim Webb's military service is an asset and the sort of "attention-getter" which will make people look at Jim Webb far differently than most aspiring office-seekers.

One of Webb's biggest supporters who was instrumental in getting him to run and is serving as his national campaign finance chairman is Bob Kerrey, recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor.

This is from Kerrey's dailykos diary http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/28/21724/6057:

I am a friend and admirer of Jim Webb who hopes the people of Virginia will rally behind a man who will never let them down.

Jim Webb has what it takes to be a great Senator:  Knowledge of the law; capacity to communicate forcefully, clearly and fearlessly; and a set of life experiences that will enable him to make good judgments on the crucial issues of the day.  He believes that working Americans should earn a fair share of what they produce.  He understands stress that the forces of globalism have put downward pressure on the wages and benefits of America's middle class.  And he knows that nothing threatens the future of our republic more than the gradual loss of hope and optimism shared by a growing number of Americans who work hard, play by the rules, and want merely to provide for their families and to do their part to make their communities a little better.

Jim Webb is a man who understands that freedom is not free; that the struggle to preserve the benefits of our liberty requires us to make sacrifices.  But he also a man that has the credibility needed to stand up to false patriots who use the rhetoric of patriotism without understanding that words alone are not enough to justify the use of our military in armed conflict.  If the cause is right, he will be a strong advocate of putting our young men and women, on the line.  If not, we will be a strong opponent.  This is not a man who will bend in the wind of temporary rushes of public opinion.

I trust Jim Webb to cast votes that will make our country stronger, better and more just, and to be proud representative of all the people of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Only one candidate for U. S. Senate from Virginia commands this level of respect from Americans of this caliber.

You can read the details of Bob Kerrey's Medal of Honor here:

http://www.medalofhonor.com/JosephKerrey.htm