Thursday, May 22, 2008

Somebody make this man a VP

Jim Webb should be VP. I'm saying it now, and I said it about a year ago. I just didn't know then who would be on top of the ticket.

You wanna know why? Many reasons....here's another one that I added to my list today. This is what he said about Obama's problems with Appalachia (which the MSM likes to describe as his "problem with the working-class" although it's really more of a geographical/cultural problem, and not a broader class problem). Just look at John King's maps.

"We shouldn't be surprised at the way they are voting right now," said Webb in an interview with MSNBC. "This is the result of how affirmative action, which was basically a justifiable concept when it applied to African-Americans, expanded to every single ethnic group in America that was not white. And these were the people who had not received benefits and were not getting anything out of it."
They've been forgotten year after year after year. Bitter, maybe? That problem being said, he still thinks Obama can win.
"The key thing," said Webb, is "if this cultural group could get at the same table with black America, you could really change American politics because they have so much in common in terms of what they need out of government."
The rest of the list would include things like: his bi-partisan past, his strong foreign policy cred, his ability to stand up to McCain like nobody's-business (does "He's so full of it" ring a bell?), etc. Good choice all around.

Plus, he's from southwest Virginia. He's my kind of peeps.

4 comments:

comoprozac said...

He feels a little too Bubba for my elitist-self. Why not Edwards? He's been saying the same thing forever. I personally think it will be Hillary (as VP) with Bill taking her Senate spot. Edwards will be the AG.

ks said...

I like Edwards a lot, but he's not strong enough on foreign policy to appease those independents that are weary from war but feel that Obama might be too Carter-esque when it comes to foreign pol. Webb's a good balance. The Hillary VP talks are underway as we speak (Friday AM), so we'll see what happens. Edwards should definitely be the AG...that's a perfect position for him.

Anonymous said...

You should be impressed with Sen. Webb -- after all, he's your distant cousin. No, really!

Webb was interviewed on NPR earlier this week and gave further examples of his strength as a political figure. One of his observations was that he thought Obama should make policy pronouncements that fully embrace affirmative action. However, it should be affirmative action that is based on "class", not on "race". That is the key to refocussing the issue on equality of opportunity -- not on perceived or real racial advantage.

ks said...

I KNEW it. I asked Mom last year if he was related. We're all tangled with the Webb clan. I heard the NPR interview, and it was very impressive. I think Obama has spoken to the need for adjusting/reforming affirmative action. I think he needs to go more, though, in the direction of which Webb speaks.