Jim Webb, Senator-Elect from Virginia, wore his son’s combat boots on the campaign trail. His son serves in Iraq and Webb wants to bring the troops home.

George Bush, dead-heat for Worst President Ever, did not serve in Vietnam. He has sent over one million American servicemen and women to Iraq and Afghanistan. About 3,000 will never come back and tens of thousands have been injured. George Bush’s twenty-five year old daughters are not serving in the military (they’re busy running amok in South America).

At a private reception held at the White House with newly elected lawmakers shortly after the election, Bush asked Webb how his son, a Marine lance corporal serving in Iraq, was doing.

Webb responded that he really wanted to see his son brought back home, said a person who heard about the exchange from Webb.

“I didn’t ask you that, I asked how he’s doing,” Bush retorted, according to the source.

Webb confessed that he was so angered by this that he was tempted to slug the commander-in-chief, reported the source, but of course didn’t. It’s safe to say, however, that Bush and Webb won’t be taking any overseas trips together anytime soon. [Link]

I’m not sure what stopped Webb from hitting the President. Bush showed total disdain for the fact that Webb has a son that he placed in harms way. He rhetorically spit on Webb for wanting his son come home alive. Bush doesn’t care about that - he simply does not want to know. Bush is unequivocal: your child’s safety is not my problem.

The Washington Post article on this shameful incident evolves into a discussion of what Webb will be like as a senator.

“There are no senators who have that everyday anxiety that he has as a dad with a youngster on the front lines. That gives him gravitas and credibility on this issue,” [Virginia Governor Tim] Kaine said. “People in the Senate, I’m sure, will agree with him or disagree with him on issue to issue. But they won’t doubt that he’s coming at it from a real sense of duty.”

This stands in stark contrast to the Liebermans of the world who do not have children in service and happily clap for the continued sacrifices of Jim Webb. It goes without saying that Bush does not share this ontological sense of duty that Webb carries as a parent of soldier in Iraq.

I’m not sure that I’ve ever been as disgusted with the words and actions of our President as I am this morning. This is truly shameful.

Technorati Tags: , ,