Webb's Anger Was Justified - Reader comments at The New York Sun

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Reader comment on:
Dinner With Jim Webb
in response to reader comment: Answering Carla's Question

Submitted by Carla Ward, Dec 3, 2006 14:22

To be accurate, it was not Webb who told the news writer that he wanted to punch Bush but a friend relating a conversation with Webb. However, Webb's anger was justified. Everyone in Washington knows that Webb never talks about his son. He refused to discuss him with journalists, refused to do commercials with him, and almost never mentioned him in his campaign speeches except to explain why he was wearing his son's boots. Bush would have had to be living on Mars not to know this. His introduction of Webb's son to the conversation was really his attempt to assert authority and Webb refused to play his game.

As for Webb's self-control, he displayed an ample amount in the face of deliberate provocation. He was civil, he used the honorific, and he never raised his voice or made any aggressive gestures. Or are you suggesting that the bounds of civility require he fake friendliness?

I don't recall writing that Tyrrell "hates" Webb. I am saying that Webb is looking more and more like the target of a smear campaign brought by Will and the merry band of effete snobs at American Spectator: Tyrrell, Galen, and Bowman. They're all tut-tutting Webb's "boorishness" and accusing him of harming the chances of bipartisanship as if bipartisanship were even possible with an ideologue like Bush. Bipartisanship is going to have to come from the Senate, and as for Webb's cred there, it's good. He's on friendly terms with Chuck Hagel, John McCain, John Warner, and plenty of other powerful Republicans who respect him. He'll be a bridge between Democrats and Republicans.

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Other reader comments on this article

Comment	By	Date
Can't We Wage Aggressive War, Kill Thousands of Innocent People,Destroy American Liberty And Still Be Civil? [MORE]	Mister Manners	Dec 8, 2006 16:23
I am amazed at the comments of those blaming Webb for that interchange. Bush was clearly trying to present himself... [MORE]	Stuart Ewing	Dec 6, 2006 18:57
Facial to the loser, I would have asked, "how do you think he is Mr. President?" He is getting ass... [MORE]	Paul Cunningham	Dec 5, 2006 14:17
It's curious that Tyrrell doesn't mention in his hit piece on James Webb that Senator-elect Webb is a Naval Academy... [MORE]	Michael Paladin	Dec 3, 2006 08:30
In politics, there are going to be differences of opinion.There is the dry British approach, where political discoursehas a measure... [MORE]	Muggins	Dec 1, 2006 18:43
To be accurate, it was not Webb who told the news writer that he wanted to punch Bush but a...	Carla Ward	Dec 3, 2006 14:22
Mr. Dockery and PJR need to look at what actually happened between Webb and Bush before they impugn his character.... [MORE]	Carla Ward	Dec 1, 2006 13:41
Has conservatism been reduced to this? A critique of style and not substance? So, Senator Elect is rough around the edges?... [MORE]	JPT	Dec 1, 2006 03:19
As what I can tell Mr. Webb fits the mold for his elected party. A party that loves to demonstrate... [MORE]	Bill Dockery	Dec 1, 2006 09:02
It costs not a penny to be polite to someone with whom one disagrees. Leadership carries the responsibility of conducting... [MORE]	PJR	Dec 1, 2006 09:46
All conservatives want to do is to smear people and promote true hatred of any opposing party. It's one thing... [MORE]	Daniel Johnston	Dec 1, 2006 13:02
Think about how divided this country is now, and how. Its not because of crazy liberals. Extremism breeds extremism. Bush... [MORE]	Daniel Johnston	Dec 1, 2006 13:11
Read this article again, does anything here remotely remind you of politeness or dignity? You neo-conservatives are nasty. Look in... [MORE]	Daniel Johnston	Dec 1, 2006 13:17
let the smearing begin! how dare the senator-elect deign to avoid a pathologicallylyingdrydrunk, who has never seen combat! good judgement, i say!! [MORE]	ed grimley	Dec 1, 2006 16:22
Webb is an interesting fellow. I've never read any of his writings, other than the campaign excerpt wherein a boy... [MORE]	Bob Z Dylan	Dec 1, 2006 16:39
Wearing his son's boots, telling reporters he wanted to slug the president...? That's not arrogance nor rudeness. It's performance. And... [MORE]	Ojisan	Dec 1, 2006 17:04
In Webb's altercation with the President, Mr. Bush was asking about the welfare of Webb's son, which is a common... [MORE]	Frank Brander	Dec 1, 2006 17:13
Mr. Johnston: Please learn your history , most especially, the history of the democrats. They are, indeed, the party of... [MORE]	michael loehrer	Dec 1, 2006 17:39
It describes the Republicans who for the past 12 years have grown increasingly autocratic, exclusionary, and vituperative. They've been running... [MORE]	Carla Ward	Dec 3, 2006 14:39
Democrat or Republican, they are all the same. Makes no difference to me who's on top or who's on the... [MORE]	Bob Z Dylan	Dec 4, 2006 19:26

Reader comment on:Dinner With Jim Webbin response to reader comment: Answering Carla's Question

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Reader comment on:
Dinner With Jim Webb
in response to reader comment: Answering Carla's Question