James Webb

James "Jim" Webb is the Junior Senator for the state of Virginia. He is a Democrat and was first elected in 2006.

Iraq War
The chief focus of Webb's campaign was the war in Iraq. Webb opposed the Iraq War from the beginning, stating in a 2002 speech to the Naval Postgraduate School, "We should not occupy territory in Iraq. Do you really want the United States on the ground in that region for a generation? I don't think Iraq is that much of a threat." Webb has described security policy under President Bush as "a complete failure" and favors a withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Webb's son is a Marine currently deployed in Iraq.

Environmental record
For more information on environmental legislation, see the Energy and Environment Policy Portal

Previous Statements on Women in Combat
Five female graduates of the United States Naval Academy held a press conference decrying an article written by Webb in 1979, entitled "Women Can't Fight". The women said Webb's article contributed to an air of hostility and harassment towards women at the academy. Webb later received an endorsement from nine military women who state that Webb is a "man of integrity" who "recognizes the crucial role that women have in the military today". Navy Capt. Barbara Brehm, who supports Webb, noted, "American military women have moved beyond Jim Webb's ... article."

Iran
Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va) has introduced a bill which would seek to prohibit the President from invading Iran with any funding, without congressional approval. 

Top aide charged with trying to carry loaded pistol into Senate building
On March 27, 2007, it was reported that Webb’s top aide was charged and imprisoned for attempting to carry a loaded pistol and extra ammunition into a Senate office building. 

According to authorities, Webb’s aide, Phillip Thompson, told police that the gun belonged to Webb. Thompson explained that he forgot that the gun was in a briefcase and meant no harm, they said. 

Thompson, 44, a longtime friend of Webb's and the senator's executive assistant, was jailed pending an appearance today in D.C. Superior Court. He was charged with carrying a pistol without a license and possessing an unregistered firearm and unregistered ammunition. 

Webb, a supporter of gun rights, declined to comment on the case or explain whether he wanted the gun in the Russell building. Jessica Smith, Webb’s, communications director, sent out a prepared statement saying the episode was a “mistake.”

"To our knowledge, this incident was an oversight by the Senator's aide," Smith said. "Phillip Thompson is a former Marine, a long-term friend and trusted employee of the Senator. We are still awaiting facts." 

On March 28th, 2007, Philip Thompson was released on his own recognizance. He is due back in court in May when he will face a possible sentence of up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Sen. Webb has distanced himself from the incident saying, “I have never carried a gun in the Capitol complex and I did not give the weapon to Phillip Thompson.”

On April 27, 2007, all charges were dropped against Thompson.

On June 17, 2007, Sen. Webb admitted that the gun his aid carried into the Russel building was indeed his gun, however, he also stated that he did not ask his aid to do anything with the weapon nor did he know why it was in Thompson's possession at all.

Bio
Born into a military family, Webb began his college career at the University of Southern California before transferring to the United States Naval Academy. After his graduation, he was commissioned as an officer in the Marine Corps and fought in Vietnam. In Vietnam Webb "served as a rifle platoon and company commander". Webb was forced to retire from the military after suffering debilitating shrapnel wounds. In his service Webb was awarded the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars and two Purple Hearts.

Upon being discharged, he earned his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University and went to work as a counsel on the House Veterans Affairs Committee from 1977-1982. In 1984 Webb went to work in Reagan Administration as the nation's first Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. He served there until 1987 when he was appointed to serve as Secretary of the Navy. Webb served as Navy Secretary for one year when he resigned after refusing to sign off on reducing the size of the Navy.

Throughout his career Webb has been a prolific writer. His fiction books include the 1978 Fields of Fire, which is on the recommended reading list for Marines, A Sense of Honor, A Country Such as This, Something to Die For, The Emperor's General, and Lost Soldiers. Webb also penned a non-fiction book detailing the history of the Scots-Irish contribution to American society titled Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America. Born Fighting is also the slogan for Webb's Senate run. Webb also wrote the screenplay for the 2000 movie Rules of Engagement.

2006 Senate race
On February 7, 2006, Webb announced that he would run for Sen. George Allen's Senate seat. Webb entered a primary race facing one other Democrat, businessman Harris Miller. On June 13, Webb won the primary with 53.5% of the vote. Allen had expected a fairly easy reelection race, but a combination of missteps, verbal gaffes,, and the difficulty of attacking Webb, a former Republican and decorated Marine, as a stereotypical liberal made the race increasingly tight.

In the general election of November 7, Webb narrowly defeated Allen, winning 1,172,671 votes (49.6% of votes cast) to Allen's 1,165,440 (49.3%). Election Night ended with two Senate seats--and the Republicans' control of the Senate--up in the air. The next day, Montana Sen. Conrad Burns (R-Mont.) conceded his race to Jon Tester, meaning that the Virginia race, still too close to call, would determine which party controlled the Senate.

Pundits believed that Allen, who barely trailed Webb with almost all votes counted, would request a recount. However, Allen conceded to Webb the next day, Thursday, November 9. 

Positions
Webb's economic platform "borrows from the Two Americas theme" of former Vice-Presidential candidate John Edwards. He is a strident critic of free trade policies and often applies populist rhetoric about jobs and the economy to his stump speeches. Webb opposes gun control, supports abortion rights, and supports civil unions for gay couples. 

2007 State of the Union response
On January 16, 2007, Webb was chosen to give the official Democratic response to President Bush's January 23, 2007 State of the Union address. 

Money in politics
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Committees in the 110th Congress (2007-2008)

 * Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs
 * Joint Economic Committee
 * Senate Committee on Armed Services
 * Subcommittee on Airland
 * Subcommittee on Personnel
 * Subcommittee on Seapower
 * Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
 * Subcommittee on African Affairs
 * Subcommittee on East Asian and Pacific Affairs
 * Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Peace Corps, and Narcotics Affairs
 * Subcommittee on International Operations and Organizations, Democracy and Human Rights

Local blogs and discussion sites

 * Snakes on a Senate, a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee website.
 * Richmond Democrat
 * Act Blue
 * Raising Kaine.com.
 * VA Progressive.com.
 * See how you compare to Jim Webb
 * Vivian J. Paige - All Politics is Local

Articles

 * Michael D. Shear, "Reagan Navy Secretary Will Run for U.S. Senate," Washington Post, February 8, 2006.
 * Sally Donnelly, "Betting on a Novice in Virginia," Time Magazine, May 7, 2006.
 * Michael D. Shear, "Webb Wins Democratic Nomination", Washington Post, June 14, 2006.
 * "How to handle GOP attacks on the flag amendment," The Carpetbagger Report, June 29, 2006.
 * Edward O'Keefe, "On the Trail: Cowboy Boots vs. Combat Boots. Sen. George Allen and Democratic Challenger James Webb Engage in Bitter Fight," ABC News, July 9, 2006.
 * Bill Berkowitz, "Senator George Allen on the hot seat," Media Transparency, July 18, 2006: "Facing an unexpectedly strong challenge from Jim Webb in the Virginia Senate race, Sen. Allen hires Scott Howell, the hardball playing 'Hitler' media guy, to craft his campaign advertising."
 * Granny Doc, "VA-Sen - Webb Responds to Allen Theft - Updated," Daily Kos, September 6, 2006.
 * Catherine Dodge, "Webb's Challenge to Allen Tests Strength of Anti-War Sentiment," Bloomberg, September 7, 2006.
 * Michael D. Shear, "Television Ad Shows Reagan Praising Webb In 1985 Speech," Washington Post, September 8, 2006.
 * Margaret Edds, "Searching for the real Jim Webb in the 'real Virginia'," Virginia-Pilot, September 10, 2006.
 * Robin Toner, "As Senator Falters, a Democrat Rises in Virginia," New York Times, September 17, 2006.
 * Seth McLaughlin, "Military women support Webb as 'man of integrity," Washington Times, October 18, 2006.
 * Editorial: "Virginia's Senate Race. James Webb mounts an independent-minded challenge," Washington Post, October 18, 2006.
 * Michael D. Shear and Tim Craig, "Webb Is Reluctant To Advertise Duty. Veteran Blasts Allen's Public Comments," Washington Post, October 18, 2006.
 * Peter Boyer, "Southern Discomfort," New Yorker, October 23, 2006.
 * "VA-Sen: George F. Allen vs. James H. 'Jim' . . . ?" Daily Kos, October 24, 2006.
 * Transcript: "Virginia Senate Race Heats Up," ''Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees/CNN, October 27, 2006.
 * Editorial: "James Webb's Navy Cross," The Virginian-Pilot, October 27, 2006.
 * Billmon, "Comrade Webb," Whiskey Bar, November 15, 2006.
 * Chris Floyd, "Freshman Class War: New Senator Sends Message on Economic Injustice," Empire Burlesque, November 17, 2006.
 * Michael D. Shear, "In Following His Own Script, Webb May Test Senate's Limits," Washington Post, November 29, 2006.
 * Emily Heil, "Son also rises in testy Webb-Bush exchange," The Hill, November 29, 2006.
 * Brent Budowsky, "Outstanding: Jim Webb Is The Real Straight Talk Express of the Senate," The Huffington Post, November 30, 2006.
 * Eleanor Clift, "No Pandering Here. Virginia Senator-elect Jim Webb is the rare Washington figure who doesn't suck up to power," Newsweek (MSNBC), December 1, 2006.
 * "'NYT' Sunday Preview: Sen. Jim Webb Says Story on Rift With Bush 'Emanated from the White House'," Editor & Publisher, December 22, 2006.
 * Bob Geiger, "Webb Does More For Troops in One Day Than Allen Did In Years," BobGeiger.com Blogspot, January 12, 2007. re Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007
 * Tim Craig, "Webb Picked to Give Democrats' Response to Bush," Washington Post, January 17, 2007.
 * Allison Klein, "Webb Aide Tried To Take Gun Into Senate Building, Capitol Police Say," Washington Post, March 27, 2007.
 * John McArdle, "Webb Aide Could Get 5 Years," Roll Call, March 28, 2007
 * "Webb: McCain Is Consistently ‘Impugning People’s Patriotism’ And ‘Hiding Behind The Troops’," Think Progress, April 14, 2007. re John McCain: presidential election, 2008/Operation Iraqi Freedom: Year Five
 * Monisha Bansal, "Webb to Reintroduce 'Dwell Time' for Troops," Cybercast News Service, September 13, 2007.
 * Greg Sargent, "GOP Senator Warner 'Reconsidering' Support For Webb Troop Bill," TPM Election Central, September 18, 2007.
 * Amanda Terkel, "Webb Slams McCain’s Opposition To His Pro-Troop Amendment: He 'Needs To Read The Constitution'," Think Progress, September 19, 2007.
 * Faiz Shakir, "BREAKING: Warner, McCain To Propose Toothless, Watered-Down Version Of Webb Amendment," Think Progress, September 19, 2007.
 * Manu Raju, "Webb’s Iraq bill inches closer to 60," The Hill, September 19, 2007.
 * David M. Herszenhorn, "Senators Push Iraq Troop Measure," New York Times, September 19, 2007.

Articles by James Webb

 * "Witch Hunt In The Navy," New York Times, October 6, 1992.
 * "The War in Iraq Turns Ugly. That's What Wars Do," New York Times, March 30, 2003.
 * "Former Navy secretary unleashes tide of Iraq criticism," Journal-World (Veterans For Peace), April 29, 2004.
 * With Harris Miller "In their words: Why vote for Webb or Miller'" The Virginian-Pilot, June 11, 2006.
 * Paul Kiel, "Webb Introduces Bill Restricting War with Iran," TPM Muckraker, March, 5 2007.