Will Bush Veto GI Bill? Will Jim Webb Be Obama’s VP?
Will Bush Veto GI Bill? Will Jim Webb Be Obama’s VP? — by Catherine Morgan (cross-posted at The Care2 Election Blog)
Jim Webb on Meet The Press discussing the President’s threat to veto the GI Bill.
This is from a post at Think Progress…
On NBC’s “Meet the Press” this morning, Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) discussed his 21st Century GI Bill, which would dramatically expand educational benefits for returning veterans. President Bush, however, has vowed to veto the bill. Webb blasted Bush for this unprecedented action:
No president in history has vetoed a benefits bill for those who served. … The Republican party is on the block here, to clearly demonstrate that they value military service or suffer the consequences of losing the support of people who’ve served. … The president has a choice here to show how much he values military service.
From Crooks and Liars…
Full transcript via MTP below the fold:
SEN. WEBB: I introduced this G.I. bill my first day in office. The idea was to give to people who’d been serving since 9/11 the same educational benefits, the same right to a first-class future as those who served in World War II. We, we started working hard on this bipartisan, nonpartisan, hopefully; we have now got 58 sponsors in the Senate, 300 sponsors in the House of Representatives, and a, and a good number of the, you know, the thinking Republicans have moved to us.
And now the president says he’s going to veto this bill. No president in history has, has vetoed a, a benefits bill for those who’ve served. So on the one hand, we have this rhetoric, which goes to what I was writing saying, “This is the next greatest generation, these guys are so great.” And then we see this president, he’s fine with sending these people over and over again where they’re spending more time in Iraq than they are at home. He’s fine with the notion of stop loss, where we can, we can make people stay in even after enlistments are done. And then we say, “Give them the same benefit that the people in World War II have,” and they say it’s too expensive. So I think the Republican Party is, you know, is, is on the block here to, to clearly demonstrate that they value military service or suffer the consequences of losing the support of people who’ve, who’ve served.
To me, Senator Jim Webb is the perfect VP pick for Barack Obama. As I watched him on Meet the Press yesterday, I was struck by how he hits the notes Obama cannot. I think it’s fair to say that in the general election (if indeed, Obama is the candidate), John McCain makes Obama very, very vulnerable on issues of defense and foreign policy. I doubt Obama can beat McCain in such a time of insecurity about foreign policy, and even the economy. While the DNC may cut ads in which McCain seemingly brags the US might be in Iraq for a hundred years, the real McCain is smarter than this: he is a nuanced, strategic thinker and I don’t think Obama can easily beat him, no matter what national polls say right now.
Webb, a veteran, is a seasoned foreign policy thinker, but he is also young and from a purple state, Virginia. Webb is thoughtful and macho. He joked he has a purple heart and three tattoos. Webb says he would negotiate with foreign leaders, but he’s also sponsoring a GI bill to offer educational benefits.
From The Daily Kos…
Senator James Webb of Virginia is the best possible Vice Presidential Democratic nominee due to his military experience.
He could serve as a shield and sword against John McCain and Republican “Swiftboat-like” attacks on Barack Obama’s patriotism.
A 1968 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Webb served as a Marine Corps infantry officer until 1972, and is a highly decorated Vietnam War combat veteran. Webb served as the first Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, then as Secretary of the Navy.
Here is Jim Webb in response to President Bush’s State of the Union in 2007…
Remarks of Senator Barack Obama on the Senate Floor on the Webb Amendment that Honors Troops’ Sacrifice and Strengthens Military Readiness…
Also See:
From Pam at Pam’s Coffee Conversation — Webb As VP Pick?
Is Our Military Really a Back-Door Draft?A Care2 member has started a petition to encourage Barack Obama to pick Jim Webb for Vice President — You can see the petition HERE.
Jim Webb for VP site
