What if it was about getting rid of legislators that rubberstamp the poor decisions made by the Whitehouse? What if it is about immigration, budget deficits, foreign trade imbalances, health care, national security, AND Iraq? 

My citation is a paraphrase of a statement that Webb made during his radio interview in Charlottesville recently. He was talking about principles for foreign policy, and making the point that this administration was rash to have invaded Iraq as we did. The principle of foreign policy that he spoke of was to avoid unwise, hasty use of military force.

The Webb quote that you cited is from his statement today is about the ongoing conflict called the war on terror.

The subjects of these two quotes differ substantially in that the war in Iraq was initiated by an invasion authorized by the Bush administration to preempt the use of WMDs (which weren't there), while the war on terror was begun in response to an attack on the United States. You can try to split hairs if you like, but you're using words out of context.

In addition to this, you need to realize that my blog entries here are my opinions, and not authorized by James Webb or his campaign. I'm not on the campaign staff. While I support Webb's candidacy, your assertion that "you and Webby need to get your story straight" isn't so much of a knock against him as it is against me.

What is George Allen's philosophy on foreign policy? Is it different in any way from that of Bush? What has George Allen done as Senator to secure us against the threat of terrorist attacks? I know he voted to send HS funding out of our area to more rural districts, but what has he done to help?

To Those Who Think it Can’t be Done . . .

To those who are still thinking that unseating an incumbent Republican Senator in the Commonwealth of Virginia is an impossible task, I say the results of the primary election in Connecticut is proof to the contrary.  I just spent the last three days volunteering for Ned Lamont at their campaign headquarters.  The following are a few thoughts on why we should take encouragement from the Lamont victory.

Most obvious, of course, are the similarities between the incumbents in both Virginia and Connecticut.  Both tow the Republican party line. Both fit the definition of “conservatives without conscienceâ€Â� (see John Dean’s book by that title).  And both meet the voter frustration threshold of “stay the courseâ€Â� and “business as usualâ€Â� politicians that Democrats and Republicans in Connecticut told me had to be swept out of office.

But what was most encouraging to me was what I learned from talking to Connecticut voters in their neighborhoods, on the phone and on their way to vote at the polls.  For example, there were numerous, approximately 11 thousand by one news report, registered independents who went to the trouble to change their affiliation to Democrat within the last few months so they could vote in the primary because they viewed this election as a watershed.  By my reckoning, there seem to be a lot of independent minded voters in Connecticut, many more than in Virginia.  And in previous elections they would not have bothered to vote in the Democratic primary.  But this time they were bothered, hot and bothered. I can’t say that all the independents who changed affiliation voted for Lamont, but based on the level of concern I heard from those I spoke with, I think most of the independents that voted did so because they wanted to help change the course, not stay the course. 

One independent on his way in to vote told me that if Lamont did not win the primary he wouldn’t be able to bring himself to vote ever again.  His determination to make a difference did indeed make a difference, and his effort was rewarded with a  renewed faith in our system.  His example should renew our faith and determination as well.  I think the frustration level here in Virginia is as high as it is in Connecticut, and that many in Virginia will come out on election day to make what they would say is their last stand.  I predict, that like our brother in Connecticut, the efforts of these Virginia voters will be rewarded with a renewed faith in our system.

Then there was the Republican poll worker who was not at the poll to support the incumbent, but was there to encourage voters to vote in an upcoming referendum.  Those of us working the polling place for Lamont spent much of the time listening to this Republican list the many reasons she thinks its time to unseat the incumbent Senator from Connecticut.  Her reasons were many of the same ones that were bringing Lamont supporters out to vote.

The majority of the Lamont supporters I came in contact with are unassuming, but they seemed to have the determination of a person on a mission.  This was no ordinary election for them.  They told me this was something that had to be done.  They knew it wouldn’t be easy, but they were determined to be heard.  Frankly, even though Lamont was leading in the polls when I arrived there, I, like all of the campaign workers I met, could only bring myself to be very cautiously optimistic.  But the quiet determination I witnessed outside a polling place the morning of the election convinced me that those voters would be celebrating Lamont’s victory that night.

Lastly, I take encouragement from the similarities between the Democratic challenger in Connecticut and Jim Webb here in Virginia.  Obviously, they are both newcomers to national electoral office.  And what was very important to the Connecticut voter, they are outsiders when it comes to what appears to be an incestuous, inside Washington alumni.  But a couple of other things stood out to me.  Lamont supporters I spoke with mentioned that they thought they could trust him.  Integrity is on the line in this election, and Webb is taking the high ground on this front.  And Lamont supporters also liked the fact that when they hear him speak he didn’t talk in the language of “mediaspeak.â€Â�  When Lamont speaks, the listener hears uncoded, clear and plain language.  That’s the way Webb speaks too, and that’s what the voters want to hear.

I, like many others, had thought that a win for Lamont in Connecticut would be a great boost for all the Democratic challengers around the country.  So I went up there to be where the action was.  What I didn’t know was how much encouragement I would take from talking to those determined and courageous voters there who proved that it can be done.

and/or MyDD as well.  If you need help, let me know (lowell@raisingkaine.com)

Thanks.

Jim Webb fought in Vietnam not Iraq.  I'm sure it was a slip. I'm the typo king, but you ought to clean that one up.

It was highly insulting to compare Virginia voters to those in Connecticut and say that we are different because the Pentagon was attacked on that awful day.  Doesn't this truly stupid man realize how many people in Connecticut commute into New York City and how many of them were victims in that tragedy?

Whatever reason they had for voting for Ned Lamont, being unscathed by that attack wasn't a factor.

Being against the war in Iraq has nothing to do with being soft on national security.  Iraq never was involved with al Qaeda.  And while our clueless Administration squandered our resources over there, the true perpetrator of that evil over here is still running around free in the wild tribal lands of Pakistan, still taunting us and exporting terror.

The sooner we get the Georges out of office - Allen out of the Senate and Bush out of the White House - the safer we'll all be.

I bet you Connecticut residents lost more lives than even Virginia.  A good family friend of mine was on his way from Connecticut to the WTC on the morning of 9/11.  He was turned around.  Every day tens of thousands of Connecticut residents go to New York City to work.  It is very likely than many of those killed in the towers that day came from Connecticut that morning.  Connecticut felt 9/11, and anyone who thinks not CAN'T pass 3rd grade geography!

if we want to create buzz about this race, we should pick a story and stick to it, instead of continually posting "Webb good, Allen bad!". It's getting old and isn't getting us anywhere in terms of developing a scandal for the MSM.