Military Women Strongly Endorse Jim Webb

The women spoke eloquently and forcefully of their support for Jim Webb as a "man of integrity and vision" who has the "deepest respect for everyone."  They also praised Webb as someone who, by opening billets as Navy Secretary to women in the Navy, started a "ripple effect" on all the services that was "crucial" and "has to be emphasized."  According to Kate Wilder, "Jim Webb started the ball rolling [on opening up leadership positions for women in the military] and that's big."

Wilder read a statement by Brigadier General Pat Foote, in which she said that Jim Webb would "serve more than the vetran population of this state," would "challenge the status quo," wouldn't "dwell on the past" but would "look forward."  In sum, according to Foote, Jim Webb is a "winner" and a man of "integrity, wisdom and courage."

Clara Adams-Ender related how she had joined the army in 1959 as a private, and how at the time, people thought she was joining to be around men.  Adams-Ender caused the entire room to laugh loudly as she proclaimed that "men have always flattered themselves" in this way.  Adams-Ender noted that a young man's sexual boasting was "hardly a basis do disqualify" someone, years later, from positions of leadership in our country.  Adams-Ender stated, point blank, that she is "absolutely confident about Jim Webb" vis-a-vis women today.  She said she "strongly endorsed" him for U.S. Senate.

Barbara Brehm declared that George Allen's negative ads about Jim Webb and women are "bogus." She talked about how Jim had taken the lead in setting up a "women in the Navy" study group, in putting "no restrictions on that group," and in accepting all the groups' recommendations.  Brehm thanked Jim for providing "genuine career opportunities" to women when he was Navy Secretary.  Brehm asserted that military women have "moved beyond Jim Webb's Washington article" and are more concerned with electing a leader who will focus on "current issues."

Barbara Lee talked about how Jim was a "young man" when he wrote the 1978 Washington article, and how far he's "moved along" and become "a seasoned leader," a "fully evolved leader," today.  In Lee's opinion, "the past is past, let's start planning for the future."

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Barbara Lee summarized the reasons for supporting Jim Webb.  First, "he is smart" and "understand the complexity of issues." Second, he is a "man of integrity" who will "search tirelessly for the best solutions."  Third, he is "ethical" and has "integrity."  Unlike many politicians today, Jim Webb "admits when he is wrong" and moves to "make amends."

Jim Webb talked about a "better future for the country."  He noted that Gen. Adams-Ender had stepped forward "right after George Allen's press conference."  He pointed to all the women in top leadership roles in his campaign - campaign manager, deputy campaign manager, press secretary, deputy press secretary, finance director, scheduling director - as an example of res ipsa loquitur, "the thing speaks for itself."

Webb talked about the "indisputable contributions by women in the U.S. military," and specifically noted that women were "fulfilling key positions in Afghanistan and Iraq."  Webb asserted that women were, today, an "integral part of our military."  He added that his "views have been misrepresented" by the Allen campaign.

Asked a question about George Allen's attack ads, Webb responded that he was involved in a "very emotional debate" back in the 1970s, and that he certainly regretted the "rhetorical language in that article."  Webb noted that he had been in two Senate confirmation hearings, and that his views on women in the military ahd been "discussed extensively" then. 

Webb spoke, with justifiable pride, about how opening billets to women was at his own initiative. Webb pointed out that one woman who had been at Allen's press conference later grew displeased with Allen's negative attack ads and endorsed Jim Webb.  On the Buxbaum ad, Webb noted that the woman complained about being misquoted by Webb even though she wasn't even in his article!  Webb concluded that all this "says something about the Allen campaign itself."

Kate Wilder put this issue in historical context, recalling that those were "tumultous times" and that "all of the men - with a few exceptions - that I dealt with were very disgruntled with the changes in the military" that were taking place.

Wilder stated forcefully that she knew about all this because she had "been there."  But, she pointed out, that was all "about 30 years ago" and that "life has moved on."  Today, according to Wilder, there's a "whole new generation of men and women who are serving" in the military, that younger men are used to working with women, and that "it's a new world."

In response to another question, Webb pointed out that Allen's campaign "is a Karl Rove campaign," one that seeks to "divide people with wedge issues rather than focus on affirmative leadership."  To date, Webb noted, he had stayed away from discussing "Allen's considerable negatives on womens' issues," but that this could change soon (hint, hint).  Webb said that he's trying to help the voters of Virginia get to know "who I am in an affirmative sense," which is why he's been talking about his three main themes. 

In contrast, according to Webb, George Allen is engaging in a "calculated effort to break away a key constitutent group that normally aligns with Democrats."  Webb pointed out that George Allen had "never stood up to Bush on his abuse of Presidential power."  And, Webb accused Allen of "dramatically misrepresenting my position on taxes," while avoiding discussion of his own spotty record on that subject (e.g., allowing tuition tax credits to die) and others (e.g., his "varying positions on choice").

In response to one last question as he was walking out the door, Webb said the welcomed George W. Bush to Virginia for a fundraiser with George Allen, and hoped he brought Dick Cheney too.  Webb went so far as to say, "we'll pay."  On his own fundraiser with Bill Clinton, Webb stated that "the Vietnam War is over," and that many issues surrounding that war went away for him on 9/11.

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