You don't need to look very far to see the active workings of the right-wing noise machine at full volume. Following the well-reported exchange the other day where Preznit Yellow Stripe tried to make small talk with Jim Webb, the right-wingnuts are having a hissy fit because Webb did not bend over and lick the shoes of the deserter.
On top of that, George Will writes the "Disrespectful Democrat" column in the Washington Post, and selectively chooses what was reported to have been said, to make Webb look like the asshole. Well, two assholes were uncovered, and both share the same first name. George.
Here's the exchange as reported by the actual news side of the paper that sends Will a paycheck:
"How's your boy?" Bush asked, referring to Webb's son, a Marine serving in Iraq.
"I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President," Webb responded, echoing a campaign theme.
"That's not what I asked you," Bush said. "How's your boy?"
"That's between me and my boy, Mr. President," Webb said coldly,
...
Note the snide, imperial tone that Beloved Leader takes: "That's not what I asked" as if Webb did not know what he asked. Webb, a decorated combat veteran whose son is serving in the war of choice that was started to get the First Fool re-elected and distinguised Naval Academy grad is smart enough to know what the C-student deserter was asking.
So Will, not bothering to read the article (although he cites it), goes to work doing the republican thing, rewriting history:
Wednesday's 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...
Oh, the civility. Not. Will leaves out the snotty comment from Dear Leader entirely. Why? Because then it looks like the incivility is all on Webb, the man who succeeded against all the odds that the entitled punditry like Will had calculated against him.
The long knives are out now in the new era of "bi-partisanship" that he republicans seem to want now that they are headed into the wilderness. The rules that they set up are now going to ensure that they are left without a voice, or that if they have a voice it will be that of the Kewl Kidz and hacks like George Will, David Broder and Tim Russert.
It would be nice if the one George was more careful and intellectually honest than the other, but apparently that's not to be. Interesting how we get two fools named George in one city and both are so full of themselves that they can never be wrong, isn't it?
Memo two Georges: Fuck with Webb at your peril. I think his capacity for suffering fools gladly is pretty low, and lower still as long as his son is in Iraq.
posted by Jo Fish on 12.01.06 at 01:18 AM
Comments:
And the president needs to watch whom he calls "boy." Everyone serving in Iraq is more of a man than he, including the women.
posted by: Lex on 12.01.06 at 06:42 AM [permalink]
It struck me odd that Geo Will was presenting this as an indication that the new Senate Democrats were bent on undermining the 'civility' of that august body. I'd say that horse had pretty much escaped the barn when Dick Cheney told Pat Leahy to "f*@# himself" on the floor of the Senate chamber.
posted by: Gilgamesh7 on 12.01.06 at 03:00 PM [permalink]
"How's your boy?" sounds like something from somebody who might think "My Daddy staged an ass-kicking war--so can I!"
posted by: 2/9er on 12.01.06 at 03:38 PM [permalink]
I agree with Mr. Webb it is between him and his son. And for a man without a person in his family "the President" in Iraq. Why doesn't Mr. Bush meet with Mrs. Sheehan and find out about her son who was killed in Iraq?
posted by: Paladin on 12.03.06 at 12:43 PM [permalink]
"Where there's a Webb, There's a Will
Memo two Georges: Fuck with Webb at your peril."
Hey Jo (where are you going with that gun in your hands). No need to post this comment, just keep up the good work. And keep those (Jim) Webb headlines coming. I am tempted to get that second one printed up on a t-shirt and wear it around the econoblogs.
And as far as I know Jim is not even a cousin. After all you can't throw a random rock in the Appalachians without hitting a Webb. We may be a little common, in both senses, but we are all kind of ornery.
I kind of like the "Webb for President" thing too.
One thing I'd like to point out also concerning Baby Bu$h's military record: Three years of service(or thereabout) could not logically be considered as a "reasonable commitment" when one considers the amount of time, training and resources our government invested in producing a single tactical air pilot fer God's sake. How long was the training and where was the service?
posted by: T.J. Hogan on 12.03.06 at 02:16 PM [permalink]
