Webb: "Under No Circumstances Will I Be A Candidate For Vice President"

[ProSense]

Webb: "Under No Circumstances Will I Be A Candidate For Vice President"

By Greg Sargent - July 7, 2008, 3:25PM

Woah -- we think we're not alone in saying we didn't see this one coming.

Jim Webb -- the perfect on-paper Vice President for Obama and a target of much Veep-oriented speculation -- just put out a statement removing himself as a candidate entirely. From Webb...

"Last week I communicated to Senator Obama and his presidential campaign my firm intention to remain in the United States Senate, where I believe I am best equipped to serve the people of Virginia and this country. Under no circumstances will I be a candidate for Vice President."

We're not sure what the back-story is here, but we're def going to try to find out. Webb's full statement after the jump.

more

Considering that Webb voted for cloture on FISA and off-shore drilling, it probably wasn't a good idea.





Edited a second time to clarify Webb's FISA position, he was not among the 15 who voted against cloture.

[high density]

1. Didn't see it coming... are they being sarcastic?

Webb has been making this obvious for a while now.

[FSogol]

9. Exactly, several months ago, he said he would remain in the Senate

Its between whoever comes thru the vetting process better: Bill Richardson or Tim Kaine.

[beachmom]

2. Thanks for the breaking news. No doubt the folks over at RK

are going to be disappointed.

[Drunken Irishman]

3. RK?

[beachmom]

5. Raising Kaine, the Virginia progressive blog.

http://www.raisingkaine.com/showDiary.do;jsessionid=0B071AA4CB32DD55457B81D42FA06035?diaryId=14882">They are sighing over there as we speak.

[ErinBerin84]

4. heh, well that's pretty direct.

He has seemed more...coy about it, in the past. While I do think that he has assets, I was always afraid of him getting swift-booked. It makes me think of that writer (I can't remember if it was for the New Republic or The Atlantic) who knew Jim Webb,and said that he personally thought that Jim Webb would hate the actual job of being vice president, because he likes to be more of a free agent in terms of his career. It is kind of funny that these people feel the need to put out really dramatic statements saying that they are not interested.

[TexasObserver]

6. He was probably informed it wouldn't be him, and he's doing the right thing.

[ecstatic]

7. Good. The more I learned about

his Confederation affinity etc., the less I liked anyway. He belongs in VA.

[TwilightGardener]

8. Interesting. He was dancing around only a week ago on Keith's show--

I took that as a sign that there was some consideration going on on both sides. Interesting. What happened?

[Oleladylib]

10. I am very proud of Jim Webb...he is to be commended!

[Barack_America]

11. Not surprising.

It always seemed quite apparent to me that he wants to stay a Senator.

The blogosphere always seemed to be 10X more interested in him as VP than he did himself.

[Bullet1987]

12. Most of the people on DU who want him as VP will ignore this

as if he didn't say it. I didn't want Webb as VP anyway when I found out what he said about the Confederacy. But he also supports offshore drilling. Him and Obama just wouldn't connect on certain issues. Webb comes off as very Blue-Doggish...and Obama is not a Blue Dog Dem.

[PBS Poll-435]

13. W00t

Let's keep him in the Senate.

He has done a FANTASTIC job so far.

I loved his help in stopping GWB from recess-appointing lunatics this past year.

[Sensitivity]

14. That Webb was the CHOICE was on the wires. He had to go public to END the speculation.

[Johonny]

15. isn't the SOP for being VP

No one that says they want to be VP ever becomes VP. To get the job you have to declare you will not be VP.

[windbreeze]

16. I thought he said that a couple months ago...??? n/t

[JoFerret]

17. Good way to face save

(presumably he has received "the word")