The Washington Post "In the Loop" column today is about Jim Webb, "The Fastest Gavel in the Senate."
For Sen. James Webb (D-Va.), it's not exactly a call to arms resembling his tours of duty in Vietnam. But, as a local senator and a freshman, Webb volunteered to make the drive from his Virginia home to host the first of the pro forma sessions held during a two-week Thanksgiving break. His brief appearance presiding over the Senate provided a minor media bonanza for the rookie senator: CNN carried the brief session live and then broadcast a post-session interview with Webb.Now, Webb has done pro forma work three more times, including the Sunday before Christmas. Under the current schedule he will have overseen five open-and-shut sessions when the Senate reopens Jan. 22 for legislative business. Aside from the personal sacrifices, it's not hard work.
It may not be hard work, but it's important work, and I'm glad that Jim Webb is there to do it. As Webb spokeswoman Jessica Smith says, "Though the senator is spending time with his family in Arlington for the holidays, he believes it is more than appropriate to drive into Washington to bang a gavel and preserve the constitutional process."
Preserving the constitutional process is one of the main reasons I'm thankful, as Webb's first year in the U.S. Senate comes to an end, that we "drafted" and elected him in 2006. In fact, it was almost exactly two years ago to this date that Corey Hernandez launched the Draft James Webb site, which ended up collecting 1,000 signatures (urging Webb to run) and $40,000 in pledges (to a potential Webb candidacy) in just a few weeks. Thanks to Corey, Lee, Josh, Greg, Mary, and everyone else who played a role in those early days of the "draft." And thanks to Jim Webb for banging that gavel and for preserving the constitutional process!