On Saturday, Jim Webb and George Allen both appeared before the state convention of American Legion members in Chesterfield County. About 25 Webb volunteers from around the area were present with signs, flags, lapel stickers or buttons when George Allen arrived. There was a sign man with his truck there busily putting up huge Allen signs inside and out, along with many yard signs, but no "sign" of a grassroots group to greet him. Guess Allen doesn't need volunteers when he can pay everyone to do his bidding.
At any rate, shortly after Allen arrived, here comes Jim in the camo Jeep, accompanied by Phillip and Mac. I was excited that Webb stopped to be introduced to Tonia Golden, a newly found Webb supporter. Tonia was an Army nurse who served in Vietnam in the years preceeding Webb's service. She is enthused and passionate about Webb's candidacy and was thrilled to meet him.
The volunteers there for Webb didn't think we'd be permitted inside, so we were prepared to leave after he arrived. Instead, we got the treat of being able to stand just outside the doorway to the large room so we could hear the speeches. When we arrived outside the room, Webb was waiting in the door, listening (I guess) to George Allen pontificate on the wonderful things he's done for veterans, Virginians, Americans and even Martians. You'd think he'd hung the moon personally and without help. There were several times during his comments, particularly on the "no retreat, but success in Iraq" theme and the "the opponents of this amendment call it free speech, but its not speech! It's an action!" comment on the flag amendment--that the audience applauded. Because we were in the hall and couldn't see them or how enthusiastic they were, it was hard to gauge. But it was applause nevertheless.
Eventually, Allen finished his discourse and wound it up. Webb was introduced with warm and good comments, and he took the podium. Right off the bat, Jim made note of the time constraints he'd been asked to observe (12 minutes) and the fact that Allen had taken quite a bit more. He started by saying his talk to this group wouldn't be political because in matters of security and war, and in talking about service to our country, we were all Americans. He emphasized instead his 30 years of service to the country and on behalf of veterans. Over the next few minutes, he talked about the many ways he has served fighting men and women, both as active military and as veterans over the years. While we all know what he's done, its quite impressive when stacked up and looked at all at once. And it would seem to me that the legionaires sitting there listening would get the picture that Jim Webb knows them and their special circumstances better than Felix. Webb stressed that when he served as the House Counsel for Veterans Affairs and worked with that Congress, fully 2/3 of the members had served. In this current Congress, maybe 10%. His point: you need someone who understands and stands up for what you've done and what you need. Webb also laid out his plan to strengthen the GI Bill for our current service members, contrasting what they now get to what GI's returing from earlier wars were entitled to. Also mentioned the tax break. Well, of course that got a hearty burst of applause.
Jim thanked Sen. Warner several times for his kind comments, his tireless work for veterans, and the fact that he had been a mentor for Webb in many areas. Webb was glowing in his thanks and respect to John Warner. Webb never mentioned the Allen.
Webb's message was simple: I'm the one who knows you best, who has worked for you and alongside you for 30 years, and who will represent you better than George Allen will (Webb didn't say that in so many words). Since Webb spoke last, I'm hoping his words resonated strongest since Allen was already off the stage.
Another important point that Jim made was the respect he has for opinions of veterans on the war, even if they differ. However, Webb pointed out, there must be a debate and it does not call into questions someone's patriotism. It was clear that George Allen's lack of service does not give him a basis to comment.
I also wanted to mention that I saw several of the Legion members in full dress with Webb stickers on. I didn't see Allen stickers, but then, I didn't get in the room. Allen did have a mega sign operation with a truck complete with pipe-smoking man making sure that 20 or so 4x8's were in strategic places, and yard signs everywhere. And the most absurd thing of all...right before we the sign holders went inside, a young man in a cream colored summer suit (kinda silly looking actually), walked by us carrying the football. I couldn't imagine what they'd do with it inside a vetarans convention! Later, when outside the room listening to Felix talk, the same cream colored suit was standing against the wall in the hall way holding the football. A ridiculous notion overcame me--that George Allen wants to run for president and have someone with the REAL "football" following him around. In the meantime, all he's got his is pigskin football--it must have to travel with him like George's pillows from home, or Linus' security blanket. Allen never touched it (unless he used it for a prop in his interview on TV this morning), but the football was never far from him.
As we were leaving, passing by the tables set up in the open area, I heard a Legion member comment to another fellow, "George Allen is here with 3 or 4 people, and Webb comes with an army". I hope that was intended in as positive a manner as I took it!
All events like this should be captured on video in the future. This would have been a prime speech to tape and get out to other, local American Legions and various veterans groups. A Webb supporter in an outlying area wanted a copy to show at her local American Legion meetings (she's a member). That's a terrific way to spread Webb around where he doesn't have time to go.
It did not appear to me that any of the Webb volunteers were actual veterans. It's great to have 10 people at an event for Jim, but we should try to recruit members of the organization to staff an event like this.
Allen had an entourage of about 15 veterans and a table set up with bumper stickers ans stuff on it.
I think you guys did a great job. (and everyone knows that yard signs don't matter) But I think it really looked bad that all of our people were college kids and all of theirs were actual veterans. In the future, we should do a better job of recruiting veterans.
But this just motivates people like me to work harder. I am going to get my buddies at my VFW and Legion post to star showing up in "Born Fighting" attire.
Oh, how I do appreciate you saying we were all college kids! Besides the Army nurse, who is likely in her late 50's or early 60's, the 70 year old woman, I am 56, another man is retired, several gray haired women were with us. In fact, as I count them mentally, only about 6 or 7 could have been under 40.
Where exactly were you sitting that we all looked like college kids??
The report from Shad Planking in the Virginian-Pilot about Jim's contingent of supporters described us as young flower children types. Reading that description was very amusing. There were a few people under 30 in our bunch, but most were over 40. Some had been retired for many years. There were combat vets from many different wars in our group. We were a group of young flower children? Interesting.
BUT...Wilson, the guy who does the Allen truck, told me that the Republicans are doing something wrong, bc every year the Democratic women look better and better in comparison...we all cracked up and thanked him. He then told me that he calls his truck the "tacky truck." Pretty funny.