Bush, Webb Have Chilly Moment Over Iraq

Democratic Sen.-elect Jim Webb avoided the receiving line during a recent White House reception for new members of Congress and had a chilly exchange with President Bush over the Iraq war and his Marine son.

"How's your boy?" Webb, in an interview Wednesday, recalled Mr. Bush asking during the reception two weeks ago.

"I told him I'd like to get them out of Iraq," Webb said.

"That's not what I asked. How's your boy?" the president replied, according to Webb.

At that point, Webb said, Mr. Bush got a response similar to what reporters and others who had asked Webb about Lance Cpl. Jimmy Webb, 24, have received since the young man left for Iraq around Labor Day: "I told him that was between my boy and me."

Webb, a leading critic of the Iraq war, said that he had avoided the receiving line and photo op with Mr. Bush, but that the president found him.

The White House had no comment on the reception. But it did not dispute an account of the exchange in Wednesday's Washington Post.

Webb, a Marine veteran of the Vietnam War and Navy secretary under President Reagan, defeated Republican Sen. George Allen by 9,329 votes out of 2.37 million cast, giving the Democrats control of both houses of Congress for the first time since 1994.

Webb left the GOP, in part over the Iraq war. He warned against the invasion, and criticized Mr. Bush over Iraq during the Senate campaign.

He said he meant no disrespect to the presidency during the reception, but "I've always made a distinction about not speaking personally about my son."

In interviews during the campaign, Webb said it was wrong to elevate the role of one Marine over others. Webb also expressed concern that a high profile could subject a Marine to greater peril.

He wore his son's buff-colored desert boots throughout the campaign, but refused to speak extensively about his son's service or allow it to be used in campaign ads.

[bushrocks1]

Would I send my son to this war? You might ask would I send him to World War II? Or Vietnam? Maybe you would distinguish those conflicts and whether you would send your son to fight in them. But that question is misdirected in a very important way: I can't command my son to go to war. He has to make that choice. So the better question would be: would I volunteer to fight in Iraq, WW II, Vietnam? Would I volunteer to fight in any war? Respond if drafted? I don%u2019t know. I'm not equivocating, only addressing that it is a hypothetical. To a hypothetical, I can answer, sure I'd fight. But I have nightmares of battle (from my past life as a Jacobite). So how do I feel toward those who do volunteer? Impressed and maturely knowing that many things go into their decision. But I do strongly believe that a country that can't find those men is doomed. The fact that we can find them is one reason why I say there is no failure in Iraq. Objectively, I also believe it for other reasons. An attempt to establish democracy in the Middle East is a bold, brilliant, noble effort, facing a high chance of failure. That's why I greatly respect and admire those who have made the attempt--the Bush administration. They have been resolute, something I have not seen in my lifetime. They may not succeed, for reasons outside their control or fault: traitors on the home front being a big one. Now those traitors have apparently occupied the high ground. Yet... we're still in Iraq. Why?...I'm waiting.

[j-whitman]

Webb should have brought the SOB down.

[firststate]

The Senator-elect showed the respect due the office, and he managed to do so without hiding the disdain for the individual. Webb refused to allow his campaign to "use his son's service" for political gain. If he declined to do so for himself, he certainly has the right to refuse to allow his son's service to be used for Bush's advantage.

Who'd dare to say that any positive information from the Senator-elect about his son wouldn't have worked its way into one of Dumbaya's carefully scripted "off-the-cuff" comments? In his desperation, he uses anything he can to make anything seem supportive of his policy-of-the-day. It's hard to put a positive spin on the response to "how's your boy?", twice with, "I told him that was between my boy and me." Dropping that question was one of his few wise decisions. Now that Dumbaya has finally been to Vietnam in his military role, commander-in-chief, he thinks he's a war hero and seems to want to swap stories with those who actually are. Going to Vietnam in an air force plane is more heroic than going drinking behind the National Guard hangar.

[pakaal]

"My prayers are with you, your Son, and all the troops on both sides everywhere (they are all just pawns of ill conceived and misguided political and religeous wars)."

Thanks for the comment, and your service to our country, just1vet.

[just1vet-2009]

"U.S. Military service may be hazardous to your health" and is perhaps more dangerous than smoking. The Surgeon General should have this statement placed on all U.S. Military posters and TV advertisements. I am a U.S. Army Veteran (enlisted Viet era) and proud of it. At age 17 I had no parental guidance or serious counseling before making this critical decision. Senator Elect Webb - You should have counseled your Son more strenuously if you or he had these feelings about Iraq. I would like to know how he is doing - and what he is doing. If you want to help your Son and our troops - Please spend your time and efforts by improving military recruiting practices - and the VA hospitals (we desparately need to protect the respect and dignity of our Veterans). Recruiters sell the military like a car salesmen without talking about the warranty of parts and service to be provided during and after the product starts sputtering and or dies. Recruiters fail to properly describe to young women and men the perils of life during, and after their military service. President Bush asked about your Son - Please do not squander this opportunity to tell "The President" something about your Son every day of his tenure in Iraq (tell all of us). My prayers are with you, your Son, and all the troops on both sides everywhere (they are all just pawns of ill conceived and misguided political and religeous wars).

[bluestardad]

GOD BLESS JAMES WEBB! STAND YOUR GROUND JAMES REMEMBER WHAT THE PEOPLE ELECTED YOU FOR!

[sandy5274]

Well said Frankly6 and I certainly agree with what you said myself! However,I would like to add
that the Liar in Chief George W Bush & Vice Liar
*** Cheney and their band of GOP Chickenhawk Axis of Evil Bush Weasels may very well have also
actually been planning or should we say plotting
the Invasion of Iraq long before 9-11 ever actually occured and which is fact that our own
mainstream newsmedia couldn't sweep under the
carpet fast enough once that started to come out!
And as they did,when a tv newscrew confronted
the Liar in Chief George W Bush about where were
your so-called WMDs and ask Bush why we were even
in Iraq? So here again is George W Bush's own
reply,"Well He (Saddamn Hussein)Tried To Kill My
Daddy,George H W Bush" and so there my fellow
Americans is your reason why we illegally invaded
Iraq and why Bush will not withdraw our troops
out of Iraq,as it is becoming clear Bush's so-called "Mission" is "To Stay The Course In Iraq"
..Until they hang Saddamn Hussein,and that most
certainly makes George W Bush & *** Cheney and
All The Bush Weasels International War Criminals
themselves! Wake up and smell the coffee people!

[sandycat2]

So Webb couldn't even be civil to the pres. If he didn't want his son in Iraq, his son shouldn't have enlisted in the military. No one made him enlist. What seems to have been forgotten is the US is still fighting a war against Islamic terrorists. That war hasn't gone away just because some of you people hate bUsh and are tired of the war. The Islamic terrorists are waiting for their chance to inflict more pain and death on us. When that happens who will you blame then. I'm sick of listening to some of you bellyache. You are sickening.

[frankly6]

I support my country allways but I support my government only when they deserve it. It's important to understand the difference.

People who can't defend the Presidents policies try to defend him by wrapping him in the flag or the honor of office in and attempt to place him above criticism. To insulate him from the consequences of his actions.

This President doesn't deserve to enjoy the honor of the office he holds. He has dishonored himself, his office, and his country in the eyes of most Americans and in the eyes of the world.

Thousands of people are dead or broken for life because of this President. He has been dishonest, incompetent and is utterly unwilling to take responsibility for his actions or take measures to repair the damage they've caused.

History will place him at the top of the list of the worst Presidents in US history.

[frankly6]

Winstrv

It's like wack-a-mole. You come in talking trash and you get wacked with the truth and disapear back into your hole.