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James Webb in Virginia

James Webb won the Democratic primary in Virginia, and will oppose George Allen in November. Just over 3% of voters went to the polls. Here is Mac Owens’ piece on him when he announced. While I do not think he will win, it will be an interesting to watch. Note the electoral map in the WaPo article. Is this the way the Dems should go in the future? Should they get an old-fashioned un-Lincolnian conservative Southerner, with isolationist tendencies and pro-military passions, to pick up their fallen standard(or what’s left of it)?

Discussions - 10 Comments

I went to the polls in Virginia with the usual mission of damaging the Democratic Party as much as possible.

But I just could not bring myself to ask for a Democratic ballot. I would rather carry around rabid roadkill than identify myself as a member of the Democratic Party in public. It would be difficult to live with the shame.

Here’s hoping Allen absolutely trounces this cut and run clown Webb.

I didn’t like him during the Reagan administration, he had the appearance of a mental dolt. Reagan didn’t hire idiots, but in Webb, he made an exception. Webb removed any doubt about his mental makeup during his wild, unbalanced and unhinged opposition to the first Gulf War. And now, compounding his previous idiocy, he enters the party of the clueless.

Webb carried the less "Southern" parts of Virginia, Miller the Dixie-like regions. His success in the increasingly liberal Northern Virginia suburbs suggests of one of two things: One, he is getting votes from military and ex-military people who are fooled by the uniform. Two, many of the liberal activists who voted in this low-turnout primary are comfortable with him.

The problem with Webb isn’t that he is "un-Lincolnian," "old-fashioned," or a "conservative Southerner," or that he has "military passions." The problem is that he has lined up with a radically irresponsible party that will harm, not help, the interests he professes to hold dear. If Webb were seriously at odds with Democratic ideology instead of fooled by it or in cynical alliance with it, he would not have been permitted to win that party’s nomination, even in Virgina.

David: Interesting observations-although it is hard to read clearly the regionality of the race and meaning given such a low turnout.

John: Admittedly, it is. I do think Webb will get some votes in this military-laden state due to military-based pride, from people who really shouldn’t vote for him. I also suspect that a lot of liberals liked the idea of running a man who turned against the GOP with a vengeance. There might be an exit poll that explains Webb’s victory, but with such low turnout, it wouldn’t tell us much, in itself, about his sources of strength or weakness in the general.

Peggy Noonan today has a nice description of Webb: "Nancy Pelosi with medals."

He’s also a terrible campaigner, can’t speak off the cuff, told his opponent to "shut up" during a debate and hates fund raising.

Another huge loss for the Democratic Party - looking forward to this idiot’s concession speech.

It’s unlikely that he will win. But it still hurts to think that good conservative people will, in some cases, be fooled by Webb’s honorable background.

I’m thinking that some pundits who are saying this will help Allen are right. If he is a legit target, or even portrayed that way, and wins handily it will be good news for him and launch his 3rd or 4th place candidacy. Allen is not tested; in many ways he needs a some accomplishment.

Also, since we are all reading into a race that I admit means little, some are saying that this is a maturing of the Democrats. Could party leaders be looking to the mainstream and towards serious people (or at least those who appear serious)? In many ways thats why they chose Kerry over Dean, preventing a huge disaster. sometime they’ll hit it right

Assuming a nasty campaign by Webb (and I tend to), it will be good experience for Allen, I agree. Assuming also that he wins.

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