From the interview this morning... (kevindruff - 7/8/2006 2:47:36 PM)
Enjoy!
SUNDAY, JULY 9, 2006
Guests:
[...]
* Sen. George Allen, R-Va., candidate for U.S. Senate in Virginia
* James Webb, D-Va., candidate for U.S. Senate in Virginia
[...]
Then, I go "On The Trail" to explore how the war in Iraq is heating up the race for U.S. Senate in Virginia. In exclusive interviews, incumbent Sen. George Allen, R-Va., and his challenger, former Reagan Navy Secretary James Webb, debate the president's strategy in Iraq, immigration reform, and what impact Webb can have on Allen's 2008 presidential ambitions.
[...]
See you Sunday,
George Stephanopoulos
ABC News' "This Week"
Enjoy!
You should have put that in the article. I had to look it up. The link doesn't show it.
It looks like times vary from 9 AM to 11:30 AM
Allen lightheartedly and playfully and RUDELY and snidely attacked Webb the whole time; not surprising after the view he got upon entering the building yesterday. ;)
Yep-like always-Webb had people and happy faces getting TONS of attention (I have the FUNNIEST quote made by a Republican to me-saving it for a post brunch Sunday open thread and diary rescue) and Allen had signs set up by some paid staffers. So maybe Felix was terse bc he had to say hello to us in front of the cameras outside.
*Webb correctly states that the Bush Administration has "never articulated a clear end point" in Iraq, but in fact is building "4 large permanent bases" in the interior of that country. According to Webb, "that implies something very different" than a withdrawal from Iraq anytime soon.
*Webb is concerned that the Administration might move American troops to those bases in the interior of Iraq, and hunker down there indefinitely as the Iraqis fight it out in the cities.
*Webb thinks we CAN be out of Iraq in 2 years, but doesn't want to set "arbitrary deadlines."
*Allen says "we'll still have a presence after 2 years."
*Allen says "I don't see why the United States would have to have a presence there any longer than necessary." Is that clear as mud?
*Webb says he'll give a 5% tax break to every veteran. This will not be expensive, especially since the "average income of a veteran is just $33,000 per year."
*Webb will pay for this by getting out of Iraq, and also by rolling back the Bush tax giveaway to the top 1% wealthiest Americans (in a time of war and massive deficit).
*Webb says that he's running not because he always wanted to be a politician, but because he saw a "lack of leadership" in this country. He is NOT running because he has anything personally against George Allen, but Allen has not been the Senator Webb thought he would be back in 2000.
*Allen claims that his 97% rubber stamp of George W. Bush won't hurt him in Virginia, where people know "my record of performance." Oh really? WHAT record of performance, that's what many of us want to know.
*Webb says that he is proud to have served under Ronald Reagan, and that he suspects if Reagan - a former liberal Democrat turned Republican - were alive today, he might be coming back to the Democratic Party himself, as Jim Webb has.
*Allen snickers at this thought and sneers that Webb is a member of the same party as Ted Kennedy and others who caused people to leave the "Democrat Party" in the first place.
*Webb says he is comfortable as a Democrat, that he supported Bob Kerry for President, and that the main reason he left the Democratic Party was because he was angry after Vietnam.
*Webb says that, "after 9/11, I lost all my anger" about the treatement of Vietnam Vets after that war.
*Webb says that the Democratic Party, with its beliefs in "fairness" and "justice," is the "best place to be."
*Webb says he will support the Democratic nominee in 2008, even if his "old friend" John McCain is the Republican nominee.