Senator-elect Webb (D., VA): White House leaked hostile exchange

[DeepModem Mom]

CNN: Webb: White House leaked hostile exchange

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In an upcoming interview with the New York Times, Sen.-elect Jim Webb accuses the White House of leaking his somewhat hostile and widely-publicized exchange with President Bush at a White House gathering last month in an attempt to define the Virginia Democrat before he is sworn in, according to the Editor and Publisher trade journal.

In the now infamous exchange, Webb said he would like to see the troops return from Iraq after the president asked how his son, who is currently on a tour of duty there, was doing. "I didn't ask you that," Bush reportedly snapped back.

"This was something that emanated from the White House," Webb told the New York Times Magazine in an interview to be published Sunday. "I did not say anything about this for two weeks. I said nothing publicly at all."

When asked why he thought the White House would leak the exchange Webb said, "Probably as an attempt to try to define me between the election and the beginning of the Congress," Webb replied. "And that's all I am going to say."

http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/blogs/politicalticker/2006/12/webb-white-house-leaked-hostile.html

[brer cat]

1. Probably an attempt to wipe out

anyone who didn't bow down to the boy king. How dare Webb be his own person and stand up the the king. :sarcasm:

[phaseolus]

3. 2009 can't come soon enough

Not only for the obvious reason, but with Bush out of office, many will be emboldened to speak freely about how the Bush administration threatened & twisted arms to get their way. I'm expecting the press corps to start talking right away, followed soon by politicians, bureaucrats, others. It's gonna be glorious seeing everything come to light...

[brer cat]

5. We need to support Webb

and others who are willing to stand up while the chimp is still in office.

I agree with what you say, but we can't afford to wait until * is out of office for people to get a back bone.

[The Backlash Cometh]

13. You have to admit that the White House, at least, knows who can

do them the most damage. A Congressman with a bloodline risk in Iraq. I know why they're afraid of him.

[peacetalksforall]

7. You're on track. Few have not bowed down. Vote after vote after

vote. The media still hasn't gotten to their feet. Still prostrate, kissing the ermine trim on the robe.

Anyone who has tried as hard as he has to destory this country and anyone who has lied as much as he has should not expect us to defer.

The Republicans changed everything with their horrible treatment of Pres. Clinton (and Pres Carter and Pres Kennedy).

He and the people who tell him what to do and say have blown it.

[napi21]

2. No doubt Webb is right on this one! Unfortunately, I think the WH

LOST this battle. Most everyone I know sides with Webb, and the snotty remarkby Shrubwas uncalled for!

On rethinking my statement, I should have never said Unfortunately! It was unfortunate for the WH! Sure looks like KKarel is losing his touch!

[sandnsea]

4. "Because that's what they do"

Every Democrat needs to say those words every time the White House or RNC does this. People will not understand what is happening until they're called on it, every single time.

[calimary]

46. Yes indeed! Good thing to repeat.

"Because that's what they do."

"That's what you get when you vote republi-CON."

They wanna play the marginalization game? They want to play the "WE define YOU" game? FINE. Game ON.

[Fridays Child]

6. The correct word is "smear," Senator Webb.

[caledesi]

41. OH yeah. Webb PURPOSELY avoided * at the party, but *

weaseled his way over to Webb. He deserved to get smaked down. Go Webb!

[Phredicles]

8. While I have no trouble believing Webb about who leaked this, it

makes no more sense than anything else this administration ever does. I mean, it's sure not like the account of the exchange put the Dear Leader in a flattering or sympathetic light; it makes him look like a pissy little snotball.

[Leilani]

9. They were trying to Swift Boat him.

Right after the incident was leaked, the right wing noise machine went to work on him.

George Will wrote a particularly nasty column against Webb, & all the rest of the chorus chimed in: FOX, Drudge, Freepers & other right wing sites.

It was apparent that it was staged outrage.

[Phredicles]

43. "Staged outrage": I actually don't remember hearing that phrase

before (although it does seem like I must have), but it sure is apt here. My understanding is that George Swill's column was so patently dishonest it backfired. But I agree, it looks like there was an attempt to set up Webb here.

[The Wizard]

16. What do you mean

makes him look like a pissy little snotball? That's what he is, and that's a charitable definition.

[Evergreen Emerald]

49. I think it is worse than a pissy little snotball

I think it was a pissy-little-snotball with the power to put his son in a very bad position. It was scary.

[demnan]

10. Well, la-de-da!

Bush came off looking like an ass and Webb came off looking like a patriot. They can leak anything they want to. As a volunteer for Webb I found it a most rewarding exchange.

[exlrrp]

11. Webb should have told him to fck off !!

THAT would have been a rewarding exchange

[curiousdemo]

12. Webb is absolutely correct...

about these gutless cockroaches. Nothing is beneath them and their's unworthy coward IN CHIEF. Notice i said their's.

[passionatelib]

14. I LOVED Webb's comment!! I wish

I could have been there! Perfect comeback to assinine, condescending remark by bush.

[Buzz Clik]

15. Molly Ivins warned us again and again about this man.

In Shrub, she gave many examples of this kind of behavior. No one is surprised, but we remain disgusted that our President can act like such a hot-headed bully.

[Dinger]

56. How Is Molly Doing These Days?

I heard that she was fighting cancer, and if anybody can kick cancer's ass, it's Molly!

[eringer]

17. Webb is the Right Choice for Virginia

I am proud that I supported Jim Webb during the campaign. Jim will not let the American voters down. He will get us out of Iraq and that is what W fears him so. Once Iraq stabilizes under a regime mirroring that in Iran (the inevitable conclusion whether we stay one more day or ten more years), the price of oil will fall through the floor and all the American oil companies that supported W will be soiling their pants.

[The Wizard]

18. The entire reich wing

is in a state of cognitive dissonance from the election beating. Let's see what they try to do to distract from the impending subpoenas. Who knows? Maybe W will jack off that horse Pickles joked about.

[philosophie_en_rose]

19. Webb didn't say anything wrong.

And Bush has the diplomatic skills of a preschooler.

[exlrrp]

44. No, Preschooler's do better

Any war they start is ended by bedtime. If Bush was a preschooler, he'd get a lot of time out.

[DaveT]

20. This Leak Is Just SOP

for the Bush operation.

You should recognize that Bush himself is a lame duck who has lost all of his appeal. Even most of the hard core wingnuts who still support him recognize that he is not leading the Conservative Cause very effectively.

So if you are in the gutter, pull the other guy down there with you. It is not intended to help Bush -- it is supposed to hurt Webb.

This basic gimmick is a very common one -- anybody who opposes the RW position on anything is "angry."

And the George Will column shows that this is just another play that they run.



Please do not EVER expect the main stream media to do anything other than promote wingnut bullshit. Bush, the person, will take some lumps during his lameduckhood, but the basic corporate policy will remain the same.

[Blue Gardener]

21. Then the White House screwed up again

It just made Shrub look like the complete asshole we all know he is, and Webb came across as a concerned father.

[CompassionateLib]

22. Right on the war, wrong on behavior

On the war, Webb is certainly right.

Unfortunately we have politics as usual from both parties. Webb had no reason to be personally rude and the White House had no reason to publicize this.

Bush is pathetic, but Democrats have to stop acting in a way that is detramental to our cause as well. We do not getting out of Iraq by personally snubbing Bush, even if he is wrong and his reply was also childish.

[Reverend_Smitty]

23. Bush *knew* Webb's son was almost killed in an ambush the day their exchange went down

and he still acted like a total dick. Given the circumstances Webb showed restraint, because I know I wouldn't have been that nice

[CompassionateLib]

25. Webb chose politics

If he can't handle it, he should have stayed out. Like Democrate play soft ball? The problem is that they both looked like jerks. He could have shook Bush's hand and then told his friends what as ass he is and there would have been no incident.

When we act like Republicans, we blur the distinction to those we need to convince to vote for us becuase we are right and we are worth voting for. The majority of voters go by impression. Even if every action Webb did was justifyable, the impression was bad. And it was not necessary.

[diane in sf]

26. I disagree

Webb did not look like a jerk, dear leader looked like a total troll.

[CompassionateLib]

28. You keep saying that Bush was a jerk

I keep agreeing with that.

But refusing to shake the hands of your opponent is classless. Sorry. And Bush being classeless is not an excuse.

And if it is, you are saying Republicans control us. We have no choice to act the way we do, they force us. In other words, they are in power. I do not accept that argument from my kids and I do not offer it to others to excuse my own behavior.

In the end, we pay for this two ways.

- We sacrifice our agenda for tit for tat gotcha politics. Do you want to get out of Iraq or get Republicans? Do you want to deal with our deficit or get Republicans?

- When we act the same way, how do voters tell us apart? When you see two rabid dogs with no interest above tearing the other apart, how do you tell who is at fault? And in the end if they have no other interest now, what difference does it make who was originally in the right? Neither is now.

So in the end, what is it? Is getting Republicans enough for you if we sacrifice all else to do it?

[agincourt]

52. When the GOP starts recruiting human beings for office,

I will shake their hands. I don't shake tentacles.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

54. You know, you have a real fear of a "get Republicans" agenda.

Something tells me, you're a little twitchy about the pending investigations and what might be uncovered.

And, "we" don't have to play nice, anymore. MKJ

[Jiyah]

37. Weak kneed democrats make me vomit.

good job, Jim Webb. . .put the chimp in his place and make sure he remembers where his place is.

I would not have been as polite. I respect people, not positions or titles. and the chimp has zero respect from me as a person. Position be damned. Something i learned watching the repukes attempt to crucify the clenis.

[Qutzupalotl]

47. What transparent crap.

Where do you get off implying Webb "couldn't handle it"? If anything, he gave our snitty dictatortot what he deserved, with restraint, valor and class. He wasn't acting like a Republican at all.

The "impression" was not bad. He came off as the winner in this exchange, if you'd stop regurgitating rightwing talking points long enough ask around.

It's telling that this excuse for a president never answers a question that he is asked, but can't handle it when someone won't answer his. Petulant little asswipe.

[ray of light]

48. Sorry. I don't shake hands with my child's attacker, rapist, murderer

I don't go in a courtroom and shake his hand after the trial and say, "Good job, George. Thank you for almost killing my child. Thank you for raping my child but not killing him. Thank you for dumping him in a rat-infested area where he's constantly in danger. Here...let's shake hands and call it even."


Webb showed restraint. He also showed Bush that politics is human and humane and it also showed Bush that FAMILY comes FIRST. (Oh..and this is something that dick-head McCain NEVER LEARNED and why I HOPE TO GOD that McCain wins the primary so that I can share that big message with his possible supporters. Someone who doesn't protect his own family is NEVER going to support your family.)

[Straight Shooter]

24. C. Lib, bush deliberately went out of his way to get in Webb's face.

Webb was conscientiously avoiding bush, because he knows of the chasm of differences between them. LIttle Lord Pissypants, filled with megalomaniacal ego, would have none of it.

There's a whole background story behind this exchange. Webb was absolutely right in his behavior. The only "politics as usual" about this story is that the Repubs can dish it out but they sure can't take it.

We need more Dems to fight back against the arrogance of the GOP and its infantile "leader." No one will ever accuse Jim Webb of not having a spine.

[CompassionateLib]

29. You are right

The Reprobates can dish it out but they can't take it. But that wasn't my point.

[Straight Shooter]

42. It wasn't your point.

But perhaps it is Webb's point, or the point of those who support him in this incident. ;)

[KingFlorez]

27. Oh, please

Bush was disrepectful first, Webb handed it back to him. Bush was the one who had no reason to be rude, Webb was just standing up to himself.

[CompassionateLib]

30. This is DC

Republicans suck. But I'm not talking about them. Webb ran for office. He's not exactly Mr. Congeniality so far either, which is good. We want someone to fight to get us out of the quagmire in Iraq.

But, he can't turn around and say boo hoo, Georgie was mean! He is certainly dishing it out.

[spooky3]

34. But Webb did NOT say that. You are interpreting his comments

well beyond what was said.

If they are still available, you might want to check out the 100's of reader comments in response to George Will's ridiculous column about this. More than 90% of the readers did NOT interpret Webb's behavior as you do.

[CompassionateLib]

36. You understand

I have not blammed Webb for the exchange, but both. However, particularly when Webb has been so (rightly) critical of the Bush administration on Iraq, he should have been all the more personally cordial when he met him. I don't care about Bush, but you have to look at DC and the animosity and that it's hurting everyone. And it makes us look the same.

In the end, this won't matter as an incident, it's just reinforces the view the choices are tweedle dee and tweedle dum. Two parties who look and sound the same. I am sure you and I study the issues and know that not to be the case. But roughly half the voters can name the Vice President and we need to make an impression that we are decent people and let the Republicans make themselves look bad rather than joining them.

[Jiyah]

38. sorry, but the two wrongs don't make a right argument

died in grade school.

politics is not that simplistic. and if you think or want it to be, go back the bed, pull the covers over your eyes and dream about fantasyland.

[CompassionateLib]

39. I'm hearing twilight zone music

What are you talking about? Can you address what I said?

[KingFlorez]

40. When you bring somebody's child into it, it crosses the line

Bush knew that was not something to say, he was wrong. Webb responded to him in the proper way, which is to hand his crap back to him.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

53. When did Webb say,"Boo hoo, Georgie was mean.", even paraphrased?

Please show me the context for your post. MKJ

[Evergreen Emerald]

50. disrespectful?

As Bush's daughters run naked down the halls of an Argentina hotel, Webb's son is avoiding car-bombs--because of Bush, the president who has the power to put his son in any danger he wants.

Disrespectful does not cut it. It was threatening and arrogant and so ugly it makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up when I think about it.

[jean]

31. Congressman-elect Tim Walz (MN) stood next to Webb while this went on

and talked about it on Al Franken's show, which was re-broadcast this past week.

He said the exchange was not how the press described it, not testy.

[DaveT]

32. Perhaps you are trying to read too much

into a 30 second exchange.

Ther reason why this is news today is that Webb is accusing the White House of making it news in the first place. Parsing the exchange to see who looked like what seems to me to be a waste of energy.

I am ready to believe Webb when he says he didn't intend this to be news. I think what he is getting at is that the Bush/Rove spin machine never rests, and that it never cares about the truth. The incident itself was less than trivial -- the WH spin is the only aspect of the incident that has any significance.

And not much at that.

As I suggested above, Rove doesn't necessarily care about lifting Bush who will never run for office again -- he will be trying to pull the newly elected Dems down.

[belpejic]

35. Whatever

No one is going to remember this event by next week save for us and Freepers. Who cares? Webb has cojones for basically flipping off Bush. Let's see if he has the same resolve in the Senate. If he doesn't he can look forward to joining Linc Chafee's consulting firm six years from now.

[elperromagico]

33. This reminds me of the concession retraction back in 2000,

when Bush got so pissy because his brother had guaranteed him Florida.

What a spoiled brat he is.

[butch1227]

45. Senator Jim Webb vs. Dubya

Bush HAD to make some sort of a comment, when he met Senator Webb............ With is limited mental capacity, his question about Webb's son, was all he could think of............ As we have all found out the hard way, Dubya ain't much for thinking on his feet.............or, for THINKING period....!!!! Furthermore, he was probably SCARED to death, to meet a real, courageous, American hero turned-politican......... unlike the wimp he is, who, not knowing a DARN thing about foreign relations, or Arab culture, or the consequences of a protracted war in the Middle East.... decided to attack Iraq nonetheless......!!! To bad Webb didn't punch his lights out....!!!!

[Imagevision]

51. Remember when Bush mimicked the woman in Texas pleading for clemacy before he executes her?!!

degenerate Bush actually made fun of the woman begging for her life. Face it, we've got a sick puppy calling the shots as 5 more US. troops were killed today!

[VotingVet]

55. "Please don't kill me"

That was the defining action of the "man" -- for me anyway. I think the quote appeared in Interview magazine, and was taken from an interview Bush had with Tucker Carlson. It amazed me then -- and still amazes me -- how anyone who pretends to have character and integrity could support a heartless sociopath who took obvious pleasure in another's pain. But I guess, in Carlson's case, like attracts kind.

I recall that this woman had committed a horrible murder but had undergone a serious religious conversion while on death row -- a conversion so convincing that Pat Robertson and Fatty Falwell -- among hundreds of others -- petitioned Bush to spare her life. I'm guessing that Bush wiped his piggy butt with those petitions. I'm also guessing that he still abuses himself with graphic thoughts of the execution.