Jim Webb #62 on Esquire's "Most Influential People of the 21st Century" List

By: Lowell
Published On: 9/18/2008 3:59:27 PM

This is pretty cool, but Jim Webb might want to watch out that John McCain doesn't start attacking him as a "celebrity" or "Hollywood movie mogul" or something. :)

Jim Webb, Democrat of Virginia, has done more to repair his party's relationship with the military than anyone since the Democrats ran afoul of the rank and file during the Vietnam era by appearing not so much antiwar as antimilitary. Webb's new GI Bill, passed this year, will treat returning Iraq veterans much the same way World War II veterans were treated when the GI Bill was first conceived. A highly decorated marine in Vietnam, a secretary of the Navy under Reagan, and an early favorite to be Barack Obama's running mate, Webb withdrew from consideration, saying that he was content in the Senate, prompting Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to tell us: "Jim Webb is that rarity in Washington. He knows himself." Which is why he will have the ear of whoever wins the presidency. For all his varied and influential career in public service, Senator Webb, the author of nine books, thinks of himself first and foremost as a writer, and says the rigor and watchfulness required of writing influences all of his work in Washington.

Congratulations, Senator!  


Comments



Scooped! (cycle12 - 9/18/2008 4:15:50 PM)
Thanks, Lowell; I rarely know anything before you guys post it here on RK, but I did scoop you on this one by a good four hours:

http://raisingkaine.com/showDi...  

Regardless - and more importantly - thanks again for keeping the blogwaves continually loaded with important, useful information!

Steve



Nice job! (Lowell - 9/18/2008 5:10:53 PM)
Sorry that I missed your "scoop," but congratulations! :)


Went and read the entire article (Catzmaw - 9/18/2008 5:08:37 PM)
Terrific piece, and a reminder of why so many people worked so hard to elect him to the Senate.

Webb's one of the few who's keeping his eye on the ball, as witnessed by his efforts to make sure the Administration doesn't do an unsanctioned end run on the American people with any long-term agreements with Iraq.  



Congrats Webb! (danduckwitz - 9/18/2008 8:53:27 PM)
As a soldier who recently returned from Baghdad (this may) it is hard to describe how much it means to me personally to have Jim Webb as one of my Senators.  Congratulations Sir!


And thank you for your service to this country. (Catzmaw - 9/18/2008 10:01:20 PM)
Maybe some day we'll see a diary from you about your experiences in Baghdad or just as someone who was boots on the ground in Iraq?    


webb on maddow (pvogel - 9/18/2008 9:45:44 PM)
0pm and 11pm