'NYT' Sunday Preview: Sen. Jim Webb Says Story on Rift With Bush 'Emanated from the White House'

[kpete]

'NYT' Sunday Preview: Sen. Jim Webb Says Story on Rift With Bush 'Emanated from the White House'

By E&P Staff

Published: December 22, 2006 12:40 PM ET

NEW YORK In an interview with Deborah Solomon that will appear in this Sunday's New York Times Magazine, the newly-elected U.S. senator from Virginia, Jim Webb, discusses his recent widely-publicized exchange with President Bush over an Iraq pullout.

At a recent White House reception the president had asked about Webb's son, who is serving in Iraq. Webb suggested that troops should start coming home from Iraq, and Bush snapped back, "I didn't ask you that."

Webb calls the coverage of that "vastly overblown" but adds: "I think what I said was appropriate." He also stated, "This was something that emanated from the White House. I did not say anything about this for two weeks. I said nothing publicly at all."

So why did the White House push the issue? "Probably as an attempt to try to define me between the election and the beginning of the Congress," Webb replied "And that's all I am going to say."

more at:
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003524724

[ChairmanAgnostic]

1. it does stink of Rove, no?

He creates enemies just so he can do an "us v. them" sort of thingie.

[chimpymustgo]

3. Great post kpete. There is no bottom to the depths to which they will sink.

Vile, vile, vile.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Ok, help me out here

How does defining Webb help bush? I just don't see the connection. Webb has 6 years before his next election-4 years of his term will be with bush out of the WH. Right now, the fact that Webb stood up to Bush on an unpopular war has, if anything, raised him in the esteem of many.

[NewJeffCT]

6. They want to portray Webb as a boor

Since Webb is rather outspoken compared to most Democrats, if they portray him as a boor, he is less likely to be taken seriously when he makes his strongly worded comments. They can isolate him as just solely a Bush-hater with no substance who should not be taken seriously

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

9. Ah, thank you!

I hadn't thought of that angle. I couldn't see Bush doing anything that wouldn't help out Bush directly. Now you've explained it to me! :yourock:

[buddysmellgood]

17. That seems to have backfired. They are seriously off their game.

[NewJeffCT]

18. They're good at repetition

They didn't demonize the word "liberal" overnight - it took years of work.

[sallyseven]

12. Bush is nuts and fancies himself

as the emperor. He didn't like webb's responses so he must be punished. Let out the news about how little he thinks of the emperor. Bush thinks that people will be shocked. He doesn't know that most of us think of him as insane.

[hvn_nbr_2]

13. Bush probably thinks what he did makes him look tough.

In his narcissistic, ersatz cowboy, photo op fantasy world, he really showed that peon who's the decider around here.

[Jack from Charlotte]

4. Webb won this one. If Rove is responsible for leaking this story then....

he screwed up. Again.

I'll bet a high percentage of Virginians would side with Webb on this deal. Even when the right wing media falsified the "quotes" between Webb and The AWOL/moron.

[Lucky Luciano]

5. Well done Mr Webb

:patriot:

[wakeme2008]

7. A kick and nom this is

really overblown.... Sounds like the WH to me.

And funny how the Sandy Berger story is hitting the headlines AGAIN :grr:

[tanyev]

8. Good point. If this was a private conversation at a private reception,

how did the story get spread so far and wide? Karl was busy.

[Stevepol]

10. I think it's not necessary to make everything into some Rovian

machination. This comment of Bush's I suspect is just an example of his ignorance and impatience. I'm not sure he would be able to keep two things in his mind at once.

This exchange certainly has not hurt Webb one iota. The American people are in favor of a change in policy in Iraq by 90%. What does Bush have to gain by initiating and publicizing this encounter?

I think Webb has gained a lot from having it publicized. People are glad to see somebody stand up to Bush.

[lolly]

16. Maybe not the exchange itself, but the publication of it

That's what looks like a Rovian tactic, albeit a failed one.

Remember how quickly Faux and the wingnut sites jumped on it, painting it as an example of those rude, disrespectful Democrats? George Will was even ready with a redacted and distorted version that was supposed to make Webb look even worse.

I agree with those above who saw it as an attempt to neutralize Webb. There are plenty of Americans who know nothing about Pelosi and have never even been to San Francisco who now "know" that Pelosi is a fashion-obsessed, vindictive, emotional nutcase who will turn the whole country over to demonic gay people if she's allowed to exercise any power--all because of Republican propaganda disseminated by our "unbiased" press. He was hoping to achieve something similar with Webb. Everybody would "know" that Webb was a violent, unstable, unreasonable boor whose opinions were dangerous, so he would be neutralized.

[NewJeffCT]

20. Easy to tell you what Bush gains

Webb is one of the most outspoken people against the war. The WH is very afraid of his blunt ways, as it will likely play well if he went on the various talk shows - Webb - man who was appointed by Reagan and got praised by him - saying, "George Bush is a failure" is a lot more effective than John Kerry saying the same thing over 90 seconds or two minutes.

When Bush/Rove leaked news of the encounter, it was quickly followed by several RW pundits (like George Will, Joe Scarborough and a few others) declaring that Webb was a boor with no class. If they had succeeded in painting Webb as some sort of wacko weirdo type who is a loose cannon with his mouth, he would likely lose a lot of chances to get on talk shows.

[NoAmericanTaliban]

11. His response should have been - When are your daughters

going to Iraq to help my son and the others fight your war.

The WH knows no limits when it comes to the art of personal destruction. In this case it backfired on them. It made Webb look like he wasn't going to be intimidated or bullied by Bush.

[AspenRose]

14. I really love this guy.

Well done, SENATOR Webb. Don't take any of their bullsh*t. :patriot:

They are messing with the wrong Democrat....

[Greeby]

15. What morans

The idea that a story that Webb almost took a swing at this snot-nosed bastard is supposed to make him look bad? Riiiiiight :eyes:

[SpiralHawk]

19. Bush White House: "Whine, whine, whine."

What a bunch of chickenhawk crybabies -- Commander AWOL and his Whiney Chickenhawk Cronies

They can't handle a real veteran -- someone who served America with honor.