I don't typically enjoy quoting right-wing media windbags, but when one of them displays a rare "moment of clarity" in public I usually take notice. Laura Ingraham was part of "The State of Conservatism" panel hosted by the National Review Institute last Friday. When the panel began discussing Senator Jim Webb's rebuttal to Bush's SOTU, she had some very interesting things to say.
I'm having to paraphrase from the video (links are below) because I can't find an actual transcript:
"A friend of mine, very close friend of mine, very Conservative from Kentucky, his Dad called him up after the speech, his Father is a very right wing Christian Conservative, and said, 'Did you just hear this Webb guy? I haven't heard a Democrat talk like that for years.' I hear more and more people saying the same thing."
Video
Follow me below the fold for more.
Laura continues later on during the panel (once again I'm paraphrasing):
This might shock some of you, what I'm about to say, but I think James Webb's response to President Bush's speech, was, if you're a Democrat, you've got to be very pumped up to hear that speech. He said America's the greatest country on the face of the earth. He's quoting Eisenhower, quoting Teddy Roosevelt, focusing on his military background and his family's military background.The one thing he was doing, which John Kerry could never do, he was talking about the little guy. And if the Republican party goes down the road, back to the country club, focusing on what's best for only the business community and the people who want cheap labor in the United States, and forget about the working class people who became Republicans, because they were fet up with the elites in the Democratic party, then the Republicans are going to deserve what they get which is a lot of time in the wilderness.
My view is, which ever party comes off as the party that represents the American worker is going to be the party that wins in 2008.
Video
I'd like to take a moment to correct Ms. Ingraham about one thing. The Republican Party won't be GOING BACK to the "country club" because it never LEFT the country club. Perhaps we should all send her a copy of What's The Matter With Kansas for a little dose of reality. But aside from that, I think (for once) her political observations aren't that far off the mark.
Many of us know that one of Jim Webb's principle political strategies is to bring "Reagan Democrats" back home to the party. I personally felt that he wasn't able to do this with much success during his Senate race for reasons that were mostly beyond his control (controversy over the first Reagan ad/media obsession with his Iraq war position/the Macaca incident etc). But given the opportunity to speak unfiltered to the American public, Senator Webb took his message of economic populism and patriotism to the masses. And if Laura Ingraham knows anything about her own base, then those Reagan Democrats heard Senator Webb loud and clear.
So for once I actually find myself agreement with Laura Ingraham. She's at least right about two things. Republicans would be wise to fear Mr. Webb's strategy, and Democrats would be wise to embrace it.
Hat tips to Cliff Schecter and Taylor Marsh for catching this first.
He is a unique and powerful voice which could change the course of our nation's future.
prophetic
I fear we here at Raising Kaine, being so focused on ever word Webb utters, may look at his affect on the world with special glasses.
Dear Lowell,Thanks for the note and your encouragement of Secretary Webb. I do not know Virginia well enough to speak with your confidence, but I am confident that Jim Webb is needed in the U.S. Senate today. I have been encouraging him to run and will do everything I can to help him if he decides to go for it. He is a unique and powerful voice which could change the course of our nation's future.
Unfortunately, I cannot advise what you (or I) should do to get him to do this. That's a work assignment for his remarkable heart.
Bob
Prophetic is right!
You don't tug on Superman's cape
You don't spit into the wind
You don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger
And you don't mess around with Jim
you can listen to it over at myspace for free.
It is interesting though, if you do a Google search for "Jim Webb" news items still come up with some absolutely bile ridden LTEs and diaries. Webb scares the living sh-t out of some GOP folk, and I think it's likely that we'll continue to see a campaign of character assasination from now until Nov. 7, 2012.