It was 9 months ago today that Lowell, Lee Diamond and I met with Jim Webb to talk about the possibility of him jumping in to the US Senate Race to take on George Allen.I've been called upon to talk about this a lot lately, as new volunteers flood the campaign with new energy, and as this race becomes the lynchpin of the Democratic takeover of the US Senate in 2006.
When we met Jim Webb, now the best boss I've ever had, I saw him in many terms and many viewpoints all at once. Personally, I found him charming, engaging, smart, savvy, and somewhat fearsome. In his writing office overlooking the Iwo Jima memorial and the National Mall, I had a sense of profound American pride and decency. This is a guy who you can have a beer with, but also a guy who doesn't just drink the beer, but takes in the hops, the barley, and the humanity of the men and women who grew it. In the East, they call it mindfulness.
Professionally, I honestly had no impression. Before taking this position coordinating the grassroots for the campaign, I didn't even consider that there are real people who earn a living doing politics. Apparently, there are careers in this. Who knew?
Politically, I saw Jim Webb as I see him now: as a critical confluence of necessary political flows that if engaged and properly channeled, can save this nation from impending disaster and return the Greatness that America deserves.
This moment in history is the moment at which the Democratic party can and must recover the mantle of national protector, national emblem, and national party from the failed conservative movement and the Republican party. Conservative extremists including Katherine Harris in Florida, and the Republican party of Texas are now calling for the creation of an evangelical national doctrine to surplant the First Amendment to the consititution. Under the influence of the cult of "free" markets, a new world order of corporate socialism has taken hold, putting the national interest second and the trust funds of a few elites above all else. The common decency that once held America together, that brought us through Depression, World Wars and the Cold War is being destroyed by the conservative motto: you're on your own. And a once great nation has allowed it's freedom and honor to be destroyed because of fear, as the little prince of conservatism, George W. Bush hapless cronies like George Allen drove us in to a $300 Billion war based on lies in which more Americans have now died than in the attacks on 9/11 that Bush and Allen failed to stop.
People ask me about the first time I met Jim Webb, what was I thinking? I was thinking that America needs a new Teddy Roosevelt. America needs to protect small business against large business. America needs to train its outdoorsmen to be stewards of creation. America needs to protect workers and wake up to the fact that the upper classes are winning the class war, because the middle class and lower class have given up the fight. America needs to stop preaching "family values" in favor of valuing families. America needs responsible government, strong families, healthy schools and communities, broad prosperity, fair trade, sustainable growth, and most of all, America needs to regain the true moral highground so that we can truly lead the world by example.
There is a greater America, an America for the 100% not the 1%, an America for the true of heart, not those who stand outside the temples of power with the largest wallets and the wildest tirades. There is an America worthy of the fulfillment of the American Dream of true freedom, based on security and opportunity, to go anywhere, physically, mentally or spiritually, rather than the illusion of the Dream of an endless treadmill, empty soulless reality TV and wage-slavery all based on the social darwinism of the "I got mine" generation.
There is an ENDURING DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY available to us if we can build it upon the solid foundation of Security, Opportunity and Liberty, Jim Webb embodies. It is time for the Reagan Democrats to come home.
The core of the Democratic party is the Core of the American nation. That core is strong, and when Jim Webb is elected, it will have the power to heal, recover and rebuild from this desperate age of conservative degradation.
I was concentrating on last years fall elections (Kaine & Poisson) and then the January special election for State Senate (Herring) and was not paying particularly close attention to the Senate (or House) race coming up when a fellow LCDC'er mentioned that there was a draft movement to encourage a former Secretary of the Navy to run against Allen.
After the special election was over I decided to do some research on the two potential candidates I had heard about, I quickly soured on Miller but was intrigued by Webb so I bought and read 'Born Fighting' and discovered a writer of surpassing intellect and curiosity. I then happened to mention to my friend and neighbor who is a pilot in the Navy (and a USNA grad) that I was excited about the possible candidacy of Jim Webb and he replied 'The former Navy Secretary? He is a hero of mine'. He suggested that I read 'The Nightengale's Song' and loaned me his copy (I have since purchased a hard cover copy of my own on Ebay).
I was hooked for all of the reasons you so eloquently state in the diary above. About this time I was pleased to find the draftwebb site that brought me to raisingkaine and what has become an extension of my family.
I have never been prouder of the quality and integrity of my candidates, I have never been prouder to be a Democrat, and I have never been prouder of Virginia. I whole heartedly believe that we will elect Jim Webb and begin the task of righting the listing ship that has been run aground by the current majority party.
We are the fulcrum upon which this election rests.
This site will take them step-by-step through the questions for which Virginia requires answers, then generate a PDF of a Federal Post Card Application (FPCA) all filled out and ready for signatue and date. The PDF also includes a Fax page that can be used to fax the registration in time to meet the deadline (they should, however, remember to snail mail the original to verify their registration).
The really good news is that Virginia can and will send them an email with a PDF of the ballot. I got mine last week, which is how I already cast my vote for Jim Webb.
Let's get as many Virginians living overseas as possible to do likewise.
Go Webb!
This great nation was founded on and thrives on LIBERTY. It's the Fear and Security card these Orwellian Bushwackers play and it infringes on our freedoms .... Don't ya think??
When I first "met" James Webb it was through a book. As a Marine officer.... in an "In Laws" family of accomplished Marines ....you hear about people like Jim Webb. Or maybe you read his directives as SecNav during a time of change in the Marine Corps (an institution on to itself) and the world as a whole. And you say to yourself ... finally there's somebody up the chain of command that knows what the fuck is going ...
But mostly the best way to meet James Webb is to read. For me it was to finally read "Fields of Fire" .... a tragedy for sure but uplifting all the same. The imagery in that book is incredible .... the humanity of that book ... more than compelling. And then as suggested elsewhere ... READ a "Nightengale's Song" which biographs Jim Webb's life in a very fair and balanced manner (Is that possible in these days of Foxy lies and spin??).
By reading ... it is relatively easy to know the man ... at least this man who lives within the words he scribes. Beyond that .... as a candidate Jim Webb has been far better than I might have imagined .... primarily because his focus is on being honest (to a fault??) and true to the Great themes of principal and integrity which he strives to honor as a author.
I mean think about it ... who would even venture to write what I penned above for most any other politician in recent memory??
What is inspiring to me in this Webb campaign is that the candidate has been true to himself as he humbly addresses the needs of this nation. He is faithfully answering the call of Liberty!!
Webb for Senate!! Because Integrity Does Matter!!
Always faithful ... TMSKI