Decision ‘08

Will On Webb: Define ‘Jackass’

George Will on the new senator-elect from Virginia:

That was certainly swift. Washington has a way of quickly acculturating people, especially those who are most susceptible to derangement by the derivative dignity of office. But Jim Webb, Democratic senator-elect from Virginia, has become a pompous poseur and an abuser of the English language before actually becoming a senator.

Wednesday’s Washington Post reported that at a White House reception for newly elected members of Congress, Webb “tried to avoid President Bush,” refusing to pass through the reception line or have his picture taken with the president. When Bush asked Webb, whose son is a Marine in Iraq, “How’s your boy?” Webb replied, “I’d like to get them (sic) out of Iraq.” When the president again asked, “How’s your boy?” Webb replied, “That’s between me and my boy.” Webb told the Post:

“I’m not particularly interested in having a picture of me and George W. Bush on my wall. No offense to the institution of the presidency, and I’m certainly looking forward to working with him and his administration. (But) leaders do some symbolic things to try to convey who they are and what the message is.”

Webb certainly has conveyed what he is: a boor. Never mind the patent disrespect for the presidency. Webb’s more gross offense was calculated rudeness toward another human being — one who, disregarding many hard things Webb had said about him during the campaign, asked a civil and caring question, as one parent to another. When — if ever — Webb grows weary of admiring his new grandeur as a “leader” who carefully calibrates the “symbolic things” he does to convey messages, he might consider this: In a republic, people decline to be led by leaders who are insufferably full of themselves.

Yep, that about sums it up…

10 Responses to “Will On Webb: Define ‘Jackass’”

1 mikebdot Says:
November 30th, 2006 at 10:12 am
Yep, sums it up. Hardy har har.
2 Dmac Says:
November 30th, 2006 at 11:04 am
VA elected him, now they’re stuck with him - caveat emptor.
3 Fargus Says:
November 30th, 2006 at 2:08 pm
Yeah, Mark, Will omitted passages from those remarks that definitely cast it in a different way than the full transcript makes it seem.
4 Mark Says:
November 30th, 2006 at 2:56 pm
Fargus, Mike, I’ve seen a couple of variations of the remarks…it’s true that Wills’ version differs from the others. He shouldn’t have doctored the qoute, if he did…the reason I linked to it, though, is that under all three versions, it was pretty damn rude…the President of the United States made a nice, civil gesture to reach out, and Webb slapped his hand…pretty cocky for a not-yet-seated senator, and uncalled for…
5 mikebdot Says:
November 30th, 2006 at 3:12 pm
The rudeness depends on how you take Bush. Was his tone mocking? Various sources reported as such. I refuse to pass judgement as I don’t care enough about it and to do so would be ill-informed at best. One of my favorite quotes all time was during a PP presentation I read once that said in order to run a successful meeting you should “talk about ideas, not people”.
6 Mark Says:
November 30th, 2006 at 4:01 pm
I find it hard to imagine a scenario where the President of the United States would ask a man whose son was serving our country how he was doing in a mocking tone, but suit yourself…
7 Dmac Says:
November 30th, 2006 at 5:53 pm
“Was his tone mocking?”

Gee, what other tone do you think his words could’ve possibly meant? My word, this man’s comprehension skills are at the level of a pre - schooler most times.
8 Fargus Says:
November 30th, 2006 at 8:40 pm
I just don’t see how it was so rude of Webb. Bush asked how his son was, he said he wishes he would come home (adding “Mr. President,” I might add, which was omitted by Will). Also omitted was Bush’s initial response of, “That’s not what I asked.” That’s the line that sounds testy and inappropriate to me. Webb is under no obligation to be friendly with the President, and if Bush approached me and tried to be convivial with me, for instance, about my cousin who was accused of manslaughter in Iraq and remains in the Pennsylvania National Guard, I can’t say that I’d respond warmly. Respectfully? Sure. “Mr. President” and such. But warmly? No. And that’s all Webb was lacking, was warmth.
9 peter Says:
December 1st, 2006 at 7:01 pm
Given that on the Senate floor, Dick Cheney told Pat Leahy to impregnate himself, Webb’s remarks seem innocuous by comparison.
10 T. G. Says:
May 7th, 2008 at 5:18 am
Gee, did someone hurt George W. Bush’s feelings? I mean, is it even possible that out of the thick crowd of yes men and sychophants that surround Bush that someone was impolite? Gee, that must have hurt his feelings! And when you also take into account his awsome stature, it’s inconcievable that anyone would stoop to such rudeness. I mean, this is a man who has lied his way into the Iraq war, which has since taken the lives of over 4,000 American soldiers. And perhaps as many as a million Iraqi civilian lifes. And so, with the ongoing surge collapsing under the weight of further insurgent atacks, how could it be anything other than sheer outrage for senator Webb to refuse Bush the civility of polite conversation?