G.I. Bill Needs Updating

Wes Clark and Jon Soltz take to the op-ed pages of the LAT to urge John McCain to support a massive increase in educational benefits for our veterans. The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act, sponsored by Sens. Jim Webb (D-Va.) and Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), will restore the promise of a cost-free education to those who serve in the military. The ...

Obama-Webb 2008

I've mentioned in passing several times, both here and on OTB Radio, that Jim Webb would be the Democrats' smartest choice for Vice President, particularly if (as seems exceedingly likely) Barack Obama is their nominee. Alex Massie makes the case in detail. Some excerpts: The political considerations first: the Democrats have no other plausible candidate with anything like ...

Quote of the Day

"When government towns become boom towns, that’s the beginning of the end for a nation." - Stephen Green in an exchange on why Virginia is trending purple and my judgment that putting Jim Webb on the ticket would likely give the Commonwealth to the Democrats.

Florida Primary Postmortem

The victories of John McCain and Hillary Clinton in Florida last night presage what will happen in next week's Super Duper Tuesday contests and have significantly reshaped the race. Polls and Predictions Compared to Final Results The polls finally got one right, correctly predicting the winners and the order of finish of all challengers with uncanny accuracy. The final RealClearPolitics ...

George Allen Comeback?

The Swamp: Rebounding George Allen, rising Fred Thompson Former Sen. George Allen, who made "macaca" a household word and upset his once-promising political career, already shows signs of preparing for a possible comeback. His new Web site, www.georgeallen.com, touts his travels around Virginia, mostly in Republican-friendly territory. A press account posted on his site of a Republican fundraiser in Harrisonburg quotes ...

Plan to Send Immigrants Home Defeated

The Senate has killed amendments by Kay Bailey Hutchison (R, TX) and Jim Webb (D, VA) that would have required those who are here illegally to return home to apply for the new "Z visa" and limit legalization to those who had been in the country at least four years, respectively. Both concepts seem reasonable on paper and would answer ...

Army Considers Longer Combat Tours Again

Just weeks after announcing shorter tours to provide more stability for its troops, the Army is contemplating longer tours. The Army is considering whether it will have to extend the combat tours of troops in Iraq if President Bush opts to maintain the recent buildup of forces through spring 2008. Acting Army Secretary Pete Geren testified Tuesday that the service is reviewing ...

Jim Webb Finally Claims Gun, Makes Up with Bush

Senator Jim Webb has finally admitted that the gun an aide was arrested for attempting to get past Capitol security was his in an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Sen. Jim Webb has dispelled any lingering mystery about it: The pistol involved in the arrest of a top Webb aide was the senator's. "It's my gun," Webb, D-Va., acknowledged in an ...

Karl Rove Raps at Correspondents’ Dinner (Video)

President Bush continued a long tradition by doing a self-deprecating stand-up routine at last night's Radio and Television Correspondents' Association dinner. He had plenty of good lines. "A year ago my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the Supreme Court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had shot someone," President Bush said Wednesday night during the ...

Webb Staffer Arrested for Carrying Boss’ Gun into Capitol

I received an emailed tip from a reliable source that a staffer for Senator Jim Webb (D, VA) was arrested this afternoon by Capitol police for trying to bring "a loaded handgun and two fully loaded clips" into the Russell Senate Office building, hidden in a bag. The gun was reportedly registered to Webb. Capitol Police have confirmed the gist ...