HT to Powerline!When Virginia narrowly sent James Webb to Washington, one attractive facet of his character stood out. Webb's principled independence guaranteed that he would never get too comfortable in D.C. and become part of the problem. Now some local veterans are having doubts.
as Powerline notes, these are the perils of electing an egomaniacal jerk, LOL
The story starts this summer when local veterans groups in Hampton Roads invited Webb, then a mere candidate, to be part of the Nov. 11 Veterans Day festivities planned for Virginia Beach.
back when he needed their support...
Back in August, well aware that he might be Virginia's next senator, Webb agreed to attend and give a speech. Priscilla Bede, the Virginia Beach doyenne of parade planning, launched into overdrive. With limos rented, hotel rooms reserved, programs printed, press releases flying and eager vets primed for Webb's speech, the newly minted senator backed out with less than two days to go, blaming his new Senate responsibilities.
such as....?
Reaction ranged from Bede's disappointment to something close to fury. Patrick Callahan, combat vet and president of a local Vietnam Veterans of America chapter, is one of the angrier bunch. "Ditching us was uncalled for and it will not be forgiven," he says. "I can't tell you the number of vets who came up to me and said, 'Where's Webb?' I just didn't have a good answer to give them."
Count Larry McCauley, a Navy vet, among those who are more than a little miffed. "I did something I never did before - voted for a Democrat," he says, "He owes us. We busted our asses to get him elected."
buyer's remorse before he even gets in office? And there's that crass snub of Bush at the reception where W asked about his son...
The Vietnam Veterans' state council president, Charlie Montgomery, says this isn't the first time Webb stood up vets. Last spring, both Webb and Sen. George Allen pulled out of a Williamsburg meeting at the last minute.
Webb, who blamed the latest snub on his new Senate responsibilities, did send a surrogate. And Col. Clayton Robertson, USMC-Ret., apologized for Webb's absence, reading from a Webb e-mail.
Webb and his staff claim that they flagged organizers a month before the event that he might not be able to make it. Nobody we talked to, including Webb's stand-in Col. Robertson, remembers getting more than 40 hours notice. Many of the snubbed vets are unimpressed with Webb's explanation, complaining that he didn't call organizers personally and that the candidate knew going in he might be Senator-elect Webb on Veterans Day.
The only actual Senate responsibilities Webb's staff could name on Veterans Day were a Senate reception and the need to read materials related to his upcoming orientation. Something he didn't need to do and something he could have done on the drive down.
That's not the kind of demanding schedule that makes a politician disappoint a crowd he cares about.
See link for his sniveling response