UPDATE on Webb v. Bush - West of Shockoe was right about NLS being right!
Not Larry Sabato first reported that Jim Webb's son had a "brush with death" in Iraq when three members of his group were killed by an IED explosion under their vehicle. Some claimed it was a lie, unconfirmed gossip, etc. - then, West of Shockoe confirmed it was indeed TRUE. Now I'm not only going to confirm it (again), but also put another twist on the story.
Turns out, Bush not only KNEW of the loss that Jim Webb's son's brigade suffered, but according to a report on "Countdown w/ Keith Olbermann" tonight, Congressman Jim Moran says that BUSH WAS URGED TO AVOID WEBB, AND HAD BEEN WARNED BY STAFFERS PRIOR TO THE EVENT OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED, AND WEBB MIGHT BE MORE SENSITIVE THAN NORMAL ABOUT THE SUBJECT. Bush however, as we all know by now, ignored his aides.
UPDATE: Raising Kaine has a post up about it too.
9 comments:
I'm failing to see a problem here? Webb's son had a near brush with death. Why WOULDN'T someone's parent (senator or not) want the President to personally and genuinely ask him if their son was alright. I know I would. I really don't understand what was wrong with what the President did in asking. He showed compassion and worry--it's what a caring person, President, and father should do. It was Webb's retort that was wrongly placed.
Pretty sad that Jim Webb simply saying "I'd like to see them come home, Mr. President," pisses so many people off, including George Bush, apparently.
I guess the truth really DOES hurt.
I'll spell it out for you, JohnMaxfield. Webb holds Bush responsible for the mess in Iraq. He gets news that his only son has been in an ambush and nearly killed and then a few days later finds himself at the White House as a guest of the very man he considers most responsible for the danger his son and every other soldier in Iraq faces. His anger is exacerbated by his great worry for his son. Bush approaches and glibly asks "how's your boy?" Instead of picking up the football Webb tosses him and running with it, which you would expect from a man who knows about the situation and that he's supposed to be more sensitive, Bush challenges Webb and practically orders him to talk about his son. How obnoxious is that? Why wouldn't Webb feel like hitting him?
Catzmaw for the win!
Lots of Folks are PISSED off that George Bush has inflicted his extremist ideology onto the American people and LIED to us to take us into an UNNECCESSARY WAR that has killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people, killed and seriously wounded tens of thousands of our troops, RUINED the lives of MILLIONS of people AND is BANKRUPTING our nation ......
Why shouldn't ALL of us be giving Bush a piece of our minds. Especially since he and his cronies have made huge profits off of this disaster?
I'm surprised more folks haven't said alot worse to the man.
Buzz...Buzz...
Terry,
That is not what Webb said. According the newspapers which quote him, he said, "I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President." Even though it is a difference of a few words, the implications brought forth are astronomically different. The President was asking about Webb's son--not how his father thought about the war. It's about respect for the official position. There could have been many other respectful ways of answering the President of the United States and that was not one of them. In the end, this isn't even a question of politics as such. It is more of a question of how could a junior senator be so thoughtless and uncaring towards a genuine and thought-filled question by the President of the United States.
kitty,
I doubt that you were there to know how the President phrased his question--and I doubt it was glibly. You act as though he relishes the thought of sending these boys off to fight and die. Never in the releases do I read him practically ordering Webb to answer. I'm sure the President was upset that Webb, once again, had to turn it around to make the President the bad guy. The President was getting Webb back on the issue at hand--that's something the Dems usually have trouble with. And that issue was a genuine worry for Webb's child in Iraq.
mosquito,
Unecessary war? Right.....I'll not even going to touch that. I wouldn't have time. I'm to busy looking for your sign--and your tickets to the upcoming Bill Engvall concert. Hundreds and thousands of innocent people? Sources please. Tens of thousands of troops? Yea, right. Sources please. Ruined the lives of many? Financially or what? Bankrupting our nation? I guess so, if you discount the huge hike in our stock market the likes of which has not been seen in YEARS (funny that it dropped again as soon as the Dems came into power. Hmmmmmmmm.....) and that whole 4.4% unemployment rate in America.
We have the luxury in America to give the President as much hell and grief or laud and praise as we want. We are private citizens. When you get to be in a position of power, like Webb, that changes. You are still free to speak out or agree to your hearts content. It is all about how you do it though. And respect and proper timing are the keys. Obviously Webb lost them in transit.
Oh, and I couldn't resist--huge profits off of this disaster? What disaster and what profits? Sources please.
Looks like they are still googling for those sources.
Hey John, nice try, but incase you weren't aware (and apparently you're not) the stock market doesn't really have much to do with the fact that THIS COUNTRY IS IN DEBT, and how could we not be, running billions in deficits year after year. Funny you bring up the "record high' stock market too...funny it took Bush 6 years to even tie the high it reached under Clinton. WOW, Bush took 6 years to tie a record reached under Clinton about 7 years ago. IMPRESSIVE!!!!!! You can say "I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President" and "I'd like to see them come home, Mr. President" change the matter all you want, you're only kidding yourself. The fact is GEORGE BUSH HASN'T EARNED ANYBODIES RESPECT.
Who needs google.
Go to Iraq Casualty count
Go to Johns Hopkins
Go to the ISG report today
Eric, if you head is so far up bush's ass that you refuse to accept these basic facts, there is nothing that can be done for you but offer you a towell once you have extracated that head from that location
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