President Bush has pledged to work with the new Democratic majorities in Congress, but he has already gotten off on the wrong foot with Jim Webb, whose surprise victory over Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) tipped the Senate to the Democrats.
Webb, a decorated former Marine officer, hammered Allen and Bush over the unpopular war in Iraq while wearing his son’s old combat boots on the campaign trail. It seems the president may have some lingering resentment.
At a private reception held at the White House with newly elected lawmakers shortly after the election, Bush asked Webb how his son, a Marine lance corporal serving in Iraq, was doing.
Webb responded that he really wanted to see his son brought back home, said a person who heard about the exchange from Webb.
“I didn’t ask you that, I asked how he’s doing,” Bush retorted, according to the source.
Webb confessed that he was so angered by this that he was tempted to slug the commander-in-chief, reported the source, but of course didn’t. It’s safe to say, however, that Bush and Webb won’t be taking any overseas trips together anytime soon.
I can't wait until the new Congress is seated. It will be good for the President - he will finally be forced to reign in his arrogant ego and actually accept that he can't always get his way, especially when that way is based on emotion and stubborness, instead of concrete realities.
But more importantly, our six new Senators - Jim Webb (VA), Bob Casey (PA), Sheldon Whitehouse (RI), Claire McCaskill (MO), Jon Tester (MT), and Sherrod Brown (OH) - will join our remaining 45 Democratic Senators and our 30 seat majority in the House as Democrats bring a refreshing and much needed change in US policy in Iraq. While President Bush may resist a new direction, the American people will certainly welcome it. (You can read three possible paths for US strategy in an excellent piece by our own Ryan Greenfield here.)
My reaction on the conversation? Too bad Webb didn't swing.
Just Kidding. :)
1 Comments:
Just kidding?
I doubt it. ;-)
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