Jim Webb
From Conservapedia
James "Jim" Webb, Jr. (b. 1946) is the junior United States Senator from Virginia and a member of the Democratic party. He also served as Secretary of the Navy under President Ronald Reagan from 1987-1988. Webb is a graduate of the US Naval Academy, and a decorated Vietnam war veteran.
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2006 Senate campaign
On February 7, 2006, Webb announced that he would seek the Democratic nomination for the 2006 Senate race against one-term incumbent Virginia Senator George Allen. He narrowly won the Democratic primary with 53% of the vote in a race with a low turnout. He benefited after Senator Allen used the word "macaca" to refer to one of Webb's campaign workers. On November 7th Webb narrowly defeated Allen and was elected to a six year term in the U.S. Senate.
Naval Academy controversy
As a popular political figure, Webb has been the subject of many controversies. During his Senate campaign a group female graduates of the United States Naval Academy accused him of fostering an air of hostility and harassment towards them within the academy. In a 1979 article by Webb, entitled "Women Can't Fight", he said he had never met a woman "whom [he] would trust to provide those men with combat leadership", while he was serving in the Vietnam War. Webb also characterized the U.S. Naval Academy as "a horny woman's dream."
Exchange with President Bush
On November 28, 2006, at a White House reception for those newly elected to Congress, Senator-Elect Jim Webb refused to have his picture taken with Republican President George W. Bush. The President asked Webb "How's your boy?", referring to his son, a Marine serving in Iraq. Webb replied "I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President." Bush responded, "That's not what I asked you. How's your boy?" Webb responded, "That's between me and my boy, Mr. President." Webb was so angered by the exchange that he was reportedly tempted to "slug" the president. He later said "I'm not particularly interested in having a picture of me and George W. Bush on my wall."
United States Senator
On January 4, 2007 Webb was accompanied by Senator John Warner (R-VA) and sworn in to the United States Senate by Vice President Dick Cheney. Webb currently serves on the Committee on Foreign Relations, Committee on Armed Services, Committee on Veterans Affairs, and the Joint Economic Committee. On January 23, 2007, Webb delivered the Democratic response to the President's State of the Union address and threatened to "show President Bush the way." March 26 2007, an aide of Jim Webb, Phillip Thompson carried a concealed firearm into the Senate building. Routine scanning of briefcases turned up a loaded pistol and two loaded clips. He was immediately arrested by Capitol Police.[1] Charges against the aide were dismissed.
Controversy
Jim Webb's descendents were officers in the Confederate army. [2] He is so very proud of his descendants that he denies the war was fought about slavery. Webb says the Civil War was about sovereignty for southern states. He said "Love of the Union was palpably stronger in the South ". That doesn't make sense to the majority of people. Many detractors consider his statement sovereignty to continue slavery.
External Links
References
- ↑ http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2007/042007/04282007/279797 , AP Webb aide's gun charge dropped by prosecutor, April 28, 2007
- ↑ http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0608/10994.html , POLITICO Webb's rebel roots: An affinity for Confederacy, June 10, 2008
