Interesting Q&A from today's Washington Post chat with WTOP political commentator Mark Plotkin (bolding added for emphasis):Vienna, Va.: Hi Mark! The Virginia blogs, for the most part, have fallen head-over-heels for James Webb. I hate to rain on the netroots parade, but doesn't Webb's campaign appear disturbingly similar to Clark 2004? Or even Kerry 2004? What is your gut reaction to Webb? Thanks!
Mark Plotkin: Jim Webb is an interesting candidate. I think he's going to have to become a little bit more politically proficient, but he's never run for office before. He announced today in Richmond and he has a star studded resume, former Secretary of the Navy under Reagan, bestselling author, and a certain "red, white & blue charisma." But he's first got to get nominated before he can get elected. The June Virginia primary is still to be decided and Harris Miller will be well financed and knows politics. Larry Sabato, the alpha and omega of Virgina politics told me that if Webb is nominated he would give George Allen fits. If Webb is nominated, I am sure George Allen would have to put his presidential campaign on hold, at least for a while. We'll see whether Webb holds up during the course of the campaign, doesn't display any overt arrogance and whether credentials themselves are enough to carry the day. No one would likely pay attention to a Harris Miller/George Allen race, and I don't mean that in a mean way but it is just a political fact of life. Miller is not viewed as of now in the same way as Webb is. A Webb-Allen race would definitely spark national attention. I like your question about what my gut reaction is to Webb. I've spoken to him twice and there is a cryptic terse quality to him, but maybe he was just having a bad day. I'll be spending an hour with him on my politics program on WTOP, Friday March 17 at 10 a.m. and maybe we'll get a better idea of Webb. And then WTOP plans to have a debate the Friday before the June primary. Miller has accepted already and I would hope that Webb would too.