He Woulda' Deserved It

Jim Webb, a man with super-human self control. Evidence in The Hill:

President Bush has pledged to work with the new Democratic majorities in Congress, but he has already gotten off on the wrong foot with Jim Webb, whose surprise victory over Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) tipped the Senate to the Democrats.

Webb, a decorated former Marine officer, hammered Allen and Bush over the unpopular war in Iraq while wearing his son's old combat boots on the campaign trail. It seems the president may have some lingering resentment.

At a private reception held at the White House with newly elected lawmakers shortly after the election, Bush asked Webb how his son, a Marine lance corporal serving in Iraq, was doing.

Webb responded that he really wanted to see his son brought back home, said a person who heard about the exchange from Webb.

"I didn't ask you that, I asked how he's doing," Bush retorted, according to the source.

Webb confessed that he was so angered by this that he was tempted to slug the commander-in-chief, reported the source, but of course didn't. It's safe to say, however, that Bush and Webb won't be taking any overseas trips together anytime soon. [Emphasis Mine]

I know everybody and their cousin has covered this story. I just want to say that if Mr. Webb brings that same kind of emotion to the Senate Chamber, we're set.

Go read Shake's take on the psychology of the exchange. I just wish Webb had hauled off and decked the guy. Bush's probably had it coming since he was old enough to realize he could get away with shit like that because his dad was important. It's to bad that now he's got a tax-payer financed security detail that prevents the people he's been screwing over for the past six years from getting as close as Senator Webb did...

Jim Webb George W. Bush