I just got back a little while ago from a town hall meeting with around 400 residents of the Greenspring Village Retirement Community in Springfield. The meeting was with Gov. Mark Warner and Jim Webb, plus special guest stars Leslie Byrne and Brian Moran. More details to come, but for now, I wanted to post a few photos. I also wanted to report that Jim Webb won a lot of friends today, and that having Mark Warner as his #1 political ally totally rocks!
(see the "flip" for more pics and notes from the event)
Del. Brian Moran spoke first, pointing out that the 400 residents of Greenspring Village in attendance were so important that they got Leslie Byrne, Mark Warner AND Jim Webb. Moran also commented that when it mattered, George Allen did NOT stand with John Warner on stem cell research. Moran asserted that George Allen is against science and stem cell research.
Leslie Byrne talked about how she came to Greenspring during the primary to tell people about this great guy she met known as Jim Webb. Byrne said that she was "proud to be one of the first in Virginia to endorse him," that Jim had stood up on Iraq, on economic and social justice, and on corruption in Congress. In sum, Jim Webb is the right man for our time. Byrne joked that if astronomers can get rid of Pluto, then we can get rid of a few Republicans in Congress this year. Ha.
Mark Warner showed why he is loved in Virginia, grabbing the crowd's attention not with bombast, but with honesty, warmth, integrity and intelligence. Warner talked about his "great concerns for our country," asserting that he is 51 years old, and "can't think of a time when our country has faced more problems simultaneously." Warner talked about how the world needs American leadership badly, but how our standing in the world is at a low point.
Unfortunately, according to Warner, Washington doesn't have leaders that recognize the seriousness of these problems. That's why we neeed leaders who are independent, who will "do their constitutional duty," and will provide "appropriate checks and balances" on an Administration that's ignoring our own laws. Leaders like Jim Webb. In contrast, Warner pointed out that George Allen votes "97% in lockstep" with the President, and "that's NOT an independent voice."
Mark Warner talked of Jim Webb in glowing terms, of a man who "cares too much about the direction of our country not to step up." Warner noted that Jim Webb is "born fighting for the causes we all care about," that he is a man who "puts our country's interests first," and that he is "more about solutions than about partisan sniping."
Jim Webb thanked everyone, then asked how many veterans there were in the room; about 100 hands went up. Webb thanked the veterans for their service, and talked about how we are all "accountable to the people who came before us."
Webb said that he "never thought I'd run for political office," but that he became so concerned with the situation after 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, that he "decided to step forward." Starting with no money and no staff, 33 points down to George Allen, he noted that he had now pulled even with George Allen. Webb asserted that everywhere he's been able to go and talk to people, he's been gaining support.
Webb reviewed his now-familiar three main themes: 1) redirecting our national security policy, now in a "complete state of disarray" due to the invasion of Iraq; 2) addressing the "unhealthy" growth of income disparity in this country, where today we see the average CEO making 400 times the average worker (Webb joked about the CEOs, "no offense, but you guys aren't THAT good!); and 3) the need to stand up for our constitutional system of checks and balances against an out-of-control Executive Branch.
Other points by Webb:
*There are tax loopholes built into the system that actually ENCOURAGE corporate America to send jobs overseas. George Allen "has voted twice to keep those loopholes in place." That must stop.
*"George Allen doesn't fight back. I will fight back."
*The "realists" in the Republican Party - people like John Warner and Jim Baker - are starting to override the "theorists." According to Webb, "no great nation should be afraid of entering into negotiations with any other nation."
*"This [election] is a referendum on the Bush Administration."
*People who care about bringing change to our country need to go to the polls.
*We need leaders who understand how and when to use the military.
*"It's called the Department of DEFENSE" for a reason.; its job isn't to start elective wars.
*We need a GI Bill for current-day veterans; a modern-day Truman Commission to examine waste, fraud and abuse in Iraq; and an increase in the minimum wage.
Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign. The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.
I can not help but break out into my own grin every time I see a Mark Warner smile -- gets me every time.
I was honored to be part of the draftmarkwarner campaign and seeing Mark immediately go to Webb's side fighting for Va just makes me remember why I supported Warner for pres in 2008 in the first place.
Those are great pictures - they really capture the energy, and I would have loved to be there...