What I would’ve given to be a fly on the wall during this exchange! Senator-elect Jim Webb mixed it up with President Bush today during an informal meeting between new senators and the President. Check out this exchange:
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.
I’ve admired Webb after reading about him in The Nightingale’s Song. I’m glad he’s not backing down from the President. People like Jim Webb are just what Dubya needs – someone to wake him up from the fantasy world he’s been living in the past six years.
“My son would be doing a lot better if he wasn’t in Iraq.”
“How are your girls, doing Mr. President? Have they been kicked out of Argentina yet?“
Commentators seem to be saying how touchy Webb was in his response to Shrub but when J. and I saw it on the news the first thing that came to mind was that he was acting like a father who’s concerned about his son. I certainly hope he keeps it up! Our government needs more “fathers” who’s kids might be sent off to war. Perhaps that would make them think beforehand.
I totally agree. CNN’s been spinning it as “Angry Webb,” but he did what any father would do. In Iraq, Webb has more at stake than 99% of Congress and 100% of the White House.
And Dubya is showing his usual level of tact, i.e. none.