Both Obama and Webb speak our language, rather than DC-speak. That means both men often say things so clearly true and in such an unvarnished way that it startles us. We're not used that. Instead, years of Orwellian DC-speak has caused most of us to automatically tune out when ever a politician starts pontificating and boviating. The sing-song sloganism, the buzz same old buzz words, the same old sentimental ticklers... we've heard it all.. and don't want to hear it again.
Jim Webb also knows all that's needed to know about things military. As a decorated combat Marine and former Navy Secretary, he's been there, done that.
Webb won my admiration when, just after being elected Senator President Bush came up to him at a White House reception and tried to make small talk. As usual, Bush, clueless as ever, chose the wrong subject. Webb's son, also a Marine, had just been deployed to Iraq. Bush asked, "How's your boy doing?"
Rude? Hell no. How else would a real person, a real father, a real patriot, respond to such a question uttered by the very man who started the illegal war to which he then sent son, where he could be maimed or killed? Webb responded exactly the way I would have, and the way millions of ordinary Americans would have as well, if they'd had the same opportunity.
That's what I'm talking about. Speaking truth to power. And speaking truth to us, even when we don't want to hear it, even when telling the truth can be politically dangerous.
Obama congratulated Hillary Clinton last night. Hillary did not return the favor. Instead she locked her supporters into a deep bunker of ignorance, just so she could harvest the last drips of personal glory out of her moribund campaign.
Remember that in the days and weeks ahead as the Clintons angle for the VP slot. As Chris Matthews noted this morning, the Clintons are treating the vice presidency as if it's the silver metal in a race, that should automatically go to the second-place candidate. It is not second prize. It is not a consolation prize.
Maureen Dowd hit it right on the head this morning; "Whoever said that after denial comes acceptance hadn’t met the Clintons."
Obama was right when, at the beginning of this campaign he said that the time had come to close the book on the Bush's and Clinton's. It's long past time we moved on from all that. It's time to turn the page of history.
Amen.
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