Why am I supposed to dislike Webb?

I live in Northern Virginia and every Democrat I know in this liberal enclave is backing him because . . . he isn't Allen and he opposes the War. That's all that matters. I was recently polled and I said I had unfavorable views of both Allen and Webb.

The difference is that Webb will vote "D" when it's time to elect a majority leader and committee chairs. I don't really care what he does after that.>

In my opinion, the average every day Democratic voter isn't any more actuality represented by the lefty caricature the press portrays, than the average, every day Christian is accurately represented by Jerry Falwell, ect.

I think a lot of us, myself included, have rather embarrassingly and lazily let ourselves be manipulated into believing that it's "us vs them" or "our side vs theirs".

Obviously there are genuine, legitimate differences in the governing philosophies of liberals and conservatives. But this idea that people whom we differ with on this policy or that policy, is bad or evil or un-American, has torn this country apart.

When someone (like Frank Schaeffer) comes to this realization, I look at it not as with win or loss for either political party, but a gain for our country.>

"Sound crazy?"

Yes, actually!>

Rod--why shouldn't you like Webb? Well, for one thing, he supports Roe v. Wade.

">http://www.issues2000.org/Social/James_Webb_Abortion.htm>

Rod,

Why should you dislike Webb? You're kidding right?

The passages you cited from Ferguson's piece are reasons why DEMOCRATS should dislike Webb.

You should dislike him because: 1.) He has no formed opinions on domestic political matters and thus will adopt those that are most likely to facilitae the accumulation of power. 2.) He is, even for a political candidate, incredibly intellectually dishonest -- a lifetime Republican, a recent supporter of Governor (and Senator) Allen, a recent aggressive critic of Bill Clinton, and a man who refused for decades to shake hands with John Kerry -- who has nonetheless turned on Allen, and embraced both Clinton and Kerry, all in the name of power. 3.) He, quite simply, does not believe in the constitutional principle of civilian primacy over the military. For all the imaginary complaints about Bush and Cheney taking away civil liberties, here's a guy with truly despotic ideas. 4.) He was a respected soldier, philosopher, historian, and novelist; but after this campaign, he is nothing more than a self-absorbed, self-righteous bully, easily as much a bully as his opponent. 5.) He is pro-"choice."

Can I stop now?>

There's not much I can add to Bob and Steve's capable evisceration of Webb--the guy is a chameleon.

It's going to be a "near-run thing" in Virginia. That said, I'm made more confident that Allen is going to win by the "yard sign quotient:" Webb signs far outnumber Allen signs in what I've seen of VA, and that quixotically works in the GOP's favor (our state was lousy with Kerry signs in '04)>

I don't think it's fair to say that Webb is sleazy because he's been a Republican his whole life and has switched to the Democratic Party. He might feel betrayed by the Republicans.

He's right that the GOP does nothing for the working man. How does joining the GOP benefit the working man? The GOP(in power for the past 12 years in Congress)have done nothing to help with rising health care costs. The GOP has fixed it so that if you have a catastrophic illness, you can't declare bankruptcy. It doesn't take much of an illness for it to be catastrophic to a working man. Health care doesn't seem to be a concern within the GOP. Webb thinks that a minimum wage hike could help the rednecks. He might be right. The GOP worries more about those pesky estate taxes that millionares need to concern themselves with at a time when they should be banking more money. The fact that Webb is a military man and is outraged by the position that our men and women in uniform have been placed is a sign of integrity. As a long standing Republican, he could have swallowed the Bush bull and climbed the ranks within the party by using his military bankground as clout. He could have been a swiftboater and been rewarded substantially for being a GOP sleaze man. Instead, he's supporting the troops.

What's not to like?>

Rod,

Webb is pro-choice & pro gay marriage. Is that enough for you not to support him?>

I can understand why conservatives might be disgusted with the very leftist tactics Allen has resorted to, but I can't understand how pro-Webb conservatives can look past his opposition to Justice Alito. If one really supports the Second Amendment, then they should favor judges who are not likely to gut it of any meaning should a definitive case on it reach the Supreme Court. Webb says a Virginia marriage amendment is not necessary, yet he opposes the type of judge who is unlikely to make that statement false by voting for a Sup Court imposition of gay marriage/civil unions on the entire nation. The only areas where Webb truly may be the conservative in the race is on women in combat (I don't think either candidate has been asked about their views on the issue today, as it relates to front-line ground combat units), and on racial preferences. Allen's lowest moment in the one debate that I watched was when he completely brushed aside a question about aff action/rac preferences, while Webb at least said that if it is to be based on 'diversity' grounds, then disadvantaged whites should also be included.>

Webb is a Death Eater, so that's enough that I'll never vote for him.>