principles.  Like fairness for all Americans.  Like rebuilding America's infrastructure.  Like separation of powers, and reining in the power of the out-of-control Executive Branch.  Like defending our consitution and our civil liberties.  Like protecting womens' right to choose.  Like looking out for the right to privacy in our personal lives, medical decisions, etc.  Like promoting FAIR trade not so-called "free trade."  Like not outsourcing our jobs. Like cleaning up Washington DC from the smarmy lobbyists.  Like not giving tax breaks to oil companies and the super rich, especially when we're at war.

Also, you might want to tell your mother that Webb was a "Reagan Democrat," like tens of millions of other Democrats.  Are none of those people, including my own lifelong JFK/LBJ Democratic father, "real Democrats?"  Webb is EXACTLY who we need to come home to the Democratic Party, along with those tens of millions of working class and middle class Americans.  Webb can reach people in rural America who have felt alienated from the Democratic Party on "cultural" grounds, because Webb comes from that culture.  In other words, Webb can help rebuild the Democratic "big tent" coalition that we lost in 1968 and 1972...

...but it seems like there's something she just can't stand, in a visceral, emotional way, of someone who used to be a Republican.  She seems not to believe that Webb has really changed his mind, or that even if he has, that it came awfully late; she seems able to forgive his being for Reagan, but not for Shrub.  She seems to think that changes of political opinion mean you don't know what you believe.  I've always been a Democrat, so what can I say to that?  I don't have a good answer.

I need to convince her that Webb is sincere.  She refuses to take my or Webb's own word for it.  She seemed closest to wavering when I mentioned Byrne's backing of Webb, but she quickly went back to the first criticism.  How can I convince her that Webb really means it when he espouses progressive things today?

Well, it could be a lost cause.  I mean she has a hard time forgiving people who didn't vote for McGovern in '72.

Maybe that's the answer.  If not, I dunno...

from Sen. Leslie Byrne do?  You can ask Ms. Byrne if she would mind talking to your Mom.  Woman to woman.  Might work.

But man, this was resistance I wasn't expecting.  I mean I was really disappointed.  I thought for sure she'd take Webb over Miller.  But with my mom, if you didn't loathe Bush with every fiber of your being from the moment you saw him, you were a fool.  I told her that's easy for a diehard Democrat to say, but that a lot of people projected onto Bush whatever they wanted, especially people who had some, any, beef with the Democrats as they were then.

I would invite her to read this . . .

http://democracyupsidedown.blogspot.com/2006/05/no-contest-why-ill-vote-for-james-webb.html

The Webb fundraising letter that was sent out on the 23rd was also a great call to action. 

I would also emphasize to your Mom that we can't win without support from people like her.  Hopefully she'll give this some more consideration.

If Americans want the Dems to ever win back the majority, they better start embracing those that woke up and have crossed over from the dark side.  Actually, and nothing against your mom, its attitudes like that that keep us from winning.

I wrote this to someone who had similar views as your mom, and I think it applies:

I was unhappy with Harris Miller as a candidate in this race LONG BEFORE James Webb entered, and I will continue to support James Webb even if he was a Republican at one time.  How dare we, as members of the Democratic party, go against our slogan and treat others as if we were not the "party of inclusion?"  We should EMBRACE those that have seen the light, no matter WHEN they decided that their former voting choices were wrong.  Personally, I think James Webb sings the same song as many Virginians, who did trust the POTUS to do what was right for the country and ALL of its citizens.  Unfortunately for everyone, those that voted for Bush at any time were wrong.  There is no way we can turn back the clock.  Yes, James Webb may have voted for George Bush, and yes; he may have supported George Allen.  But so did many, many people.  I wonder if Harris Miller would like to change his attack ads to include ALL VIRGINIANS who voted for George Bush.  Is he willing to do that?  Until he is, his words are garbage, and they are filled with hate and misinformation.

Additionally, I cannot believe that anyone would have the gall to say that just bc someone voted for Bush-a someone who DID NOT support the Iraq war, Bush's worst mistake-is a bad candidate for Senator.  I mind much more that someone may have voted for Al Gore or John Kerry, but thought that going to war in Iraq was a good idea, which HARRIS MILLER DID.

and you shouldn't be mean to your mom.  :)

I was being harsh to Mark Plotkin, or someone writing in his defnse.

But she has a way of taking this stuff much more personally than I do.  I mean I dislike Bush very much, but I try not to let it get personal.  I think she takes it personally.

Sadly, I think than nothing less than actually seeing Webb in action, and proving by his own actions that he's one of us, will changer her mind.  After all, she dislikes Miller too, saying that he calls himself a Democrat while busily promoting an anti-worker agenda.

Well, he clearly isn't a Republican now.  Unless of course, you actually think that the whole anti-war, pro-union, anti-outsourcing, pro-gay rights thing is all an act.

My significant other used to be a Republican.  A few days ago I told her about someone who felt similar to your mom at first.  She was furious!

You can also let her know that it is well-documented that Miller specifically worked against Gore and Kerry (and hence worked for Bush) in very substantive ways through his lobbying.

Just familiarize yourself with the facts and this shouldn't be problematic.

If there was ever an issue which defines the difference between a true Democrat and a Republican it is the labor arbitrage exploitation of American workers.

We need representatives to stand up for the American poor and middle class and Webb has vowed to do that.

That makes him more of a Democrat than many of our current "Democrats".

There were a lot of people hood winked by Bush in 2000, thinking he would support national security, the military and be fiscally responsible.

They were betrayed...so hopefully she can look at issue positions.

Webb is most definitely a Democrat by his actions and words.