If you're interested in hearing Jim Webb, go here and click on "listen live." Or, just turn on your radio to 88.5 FM.
*Not much surprising in the Senate. Real surprise was the way the campaign was run, particularly in the Karl Rove era. Particularly awakening experience.
*Knew at the beginning that there would be a price to pay running for public office. Didn't anticipate it would be as negative as it was. One of the most negative campaigns in history. Like waking up every morning and crawling out of a sewer. Tried to stay on three themes: Iraq, economic fairness/social justice, accountability in government. As long as I feel like I'm getting something done, I'm happy where I am.
*Last 6 or 7 years has been particularly odious; the Karl Rove era. People are sick of it, looking for solutions now. This country is at as dangerous a point as it has been since Great Depression/WWII.
*The economy and foreign policy pretty much neck and neck in terms of peoples' concerns. It's time to focus on what's happening to average American worker. We really haven't seen that at top of either party for some time now.
*I've become part of a group very concerned with American trade policies, making sure we get rights of workers in bilateral trade agreements. Byron Dorgan was lone voice until the latest group of Senators came in.
*FISA debate is very troubling to me in terms of accountability. Noone other than people administering the program can see who has been listened to; that's a VERY dangerous precedent if you look in history at authoritarian/totalitarian governments. Need another set of eyes.
*In this age, there should be the right sort of leeway to do thing that are good for the national purpose. But administrative discretion has its limits. Need for accountability from someone outside. Checks and balances, that's the way our system was designed.
*Sitting back and watching the primaries. Have been saying John McCain would be on the rise; he's someone who people will gravitate towards, although I disagree with him on many issues. I would campaign against John and vote against him, but he has a very strong chance of being the nominee.
*On Democratic side, we have two strong candidates, high-powered intellects with strong bases.
Calls
*Suggestion that Webb should be candidate #1 for VP. Webb says this comes up from time to time, but he's got a lot on his plate.
*We are in a situation where we need to engage with people who could be our adversaries. This Administration threatens and ignores instead of engaging. You lose nothing as a great power by engaging in dialogue. In Middle East, our troops doing a marvelous job, but that's only 1/3 of the puzzle. Political progress in Iraq. Reach out in regional way, use power of U.S. position in world, diplomacy, bring diplomatic solution. We've pushed Iran and Syria closer together, even though they're not natural allies. The way we dealt with China should be a model for the situation with Iran.
*Predictable end result of invasion of Iraq was empowering of Iran. Arab nations are wary of Iran, but very conscious that 2,000 years from now they'll be living in same neighborhood.
*Iraq War: moment that should be jumped on in terms of right diplomatic approach. Lots of moving pieces out there. Some of the improvement was the result of the surge, also Al Qaeda situation has to do with the Sunni insurgency when Al Qaeda overplayed its hand well before the surge. International terrorism is fluid by design. If I were Al Qaeda, I'd be moving towards Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Shi'a in Iraq are taking 6 months to see if government works, basically a ceasefire. Kurdish situation is volatile. We should be moving strongly in a diplomatic way, as we did after invasion of Afghanistan, before we started calling Iran part of the "Axis of Evil."
Question on Kyl-Lieberman amendment (declared Iran revolutionary guard a terrorist organization). Sen. Clinton voted for it. Tim Russert didn't bring up that vote, or that Sen. Obama happened to be out of town that day. How concerned are you about encounter in Strait of Hormuz?
*Kyl-Lieberman amendment declared Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organization. I have a great deal of concern about that. Terrorism is non-state function. How can an actual entity of a government be a terrorist organization? Really saying you're at war with that country. Top 6 people on Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted against that amendment. Sen. Obama was not there, said he would have voted in opposition. Sen. Clinton voted in favor, later joined me in co-sponsoring an amendment saying we shouldn't go to war with Iran without consent of Congress.
*On Strait of Hormuz incident, we have a right to defend ourselves if attacked. I have certain doubts about how that incident was portrayed. We have to be very clear about authority of US Congress with regard to beginning wars. We need to be very specific on Iran.
Another question on FISA -- why did you vote for it?
*That wasn't what was on the table on that vote. I campaigned last year on this issue. Beginning of August, we were asked for 6-month extension of FISA act, not to make it permanent. That was a tough vote for me. There were rumblings at the time of new terrorist attack in the works. We needed a piece of legislation to cover the hole. Working with Sen. Feingold to come up with amendment that would pass.
*New GI Bill. Administration says this is the next greatest generation, but when people came home from WWII, they got a full ride. What our people today are operating under is called Montgomery GI Bill, peacetime bill...on average $700 per month. These young men and women having trouble even attending community college. Let's give them every shot at true first-class future, same benefits as WWII generation received. Stunned this administration would oppose something like that. They said it cost too much, we're spending $15 billion a month on Iraq/Afghanistan, this would cost $2 billion a year. They said it would be too complicated if you believe that. In 1946, they were able to do this for 8 million people on a memo pad with a pencil, today we have computers. Uncle Sam gave me my education, I know the value of it. John Warner was able to go to college on full boat. This is just thanking people for their service.
Question about Teddy Roosevelt, reconciling Republican past with Democratic present. Do you feel betrayed by the Republican Party?
*Never run for office before, very proud to serve in Reagan Administration. Economic fairness, social justice, foreign policy...natural home in Democratic Party. I would characterize myself as Reagan Democrat. Picked up 4 seats in Norfolk area in November, traditional Republican area. If the Democratic Party at the top can get smart enough about issues of economic fairness, you'll see a lot of people come back.
Question about bloggers.
*There's an upside and downside to blogosphere. People who are really smart and engaged poltically can talk. Downside is people can make any irresponsible accusation about you and not have their name on it. In general, the enthusiasm that came out of netroots community was one of the reasons I decided to go ahead and take a gamble. Very healthy thing for political process.
*Pocket veto -- fascinating constitutional question. Idea of Senate in session when House is not, therefore Congress is not in session, I don't think we've ever been here before in terms of Constitution. Every time we've tried to debate issues with regard to military, the Bush Administration hides behind "hurting the troops." Here we give him a defense authorization bill arrived at through painstaking debate, and he declines to sign it, doesn't even veto it.
The only time I ever heard Dianne Rehm get excited over an interview was the time she had Newt Gingrich on as a guest. He was scheduled for an hour. She interviewed him about his recent book and opened up the phones. He answered a couple of questions and then they had to take the usual break for a few minutes. Upon their return Dianne discovered that Newt had simply hung up the phone and gone away because he was "busy". She was almost beside herself with anger over the breach of his agreement to be available for an hour and the disappointment of the people who'd been patiently waiting to talk to him. Newt's such a jerk.
As this campaign progresses I keep hoping the national (i.e., Congressional) Democrats will pick up the progressive point of view on economics and trumpet it.* If they do not, the Republicans, who are already recognizing the rise of this issue over that of Iraq, will take the ball and run with it. Once again the lazy Democrats will let the entire discussion be framed by the Republicans. WHERE are the Democratic philosopher-policy-makers?
*So far Edwards' efforts to do so have not been acknowledged by the media, and have proven "too strident" to be taken seriously by most Establishment Democrats I know--- he frightens them, and they are convinced he is "too liberal" to win the election if nominated.
This election will set the future of the United States for the rest of the 21st century. Hell, yes, it is important.