Control Congress is a multi-partisan, issue-oriented political forum that brings together the Left, Right, and everyone in between.

Passage of GI benefits bill seen aiding Webb’s veep odds

Is Webb the choice for VP?

WT-Speculation about Virginia Sen. Jim Webb’s prospects as a candidate for the Democratic vice presidential nomination got a boost last week with the passage of an important GI benefits bill — a signal achievement for a freshman lawmaker that won him praise from both parties.

The artfully crafted bill allowed Democrats to tangibly support U.S. troops while still opposing the war. The gesture toward troops straining to cope with near-constant deployments also drew no small amount of Republican support.

KATIE FALKENBERG/THE WASHINGTON TIMES Sen. Jim Webb, Virginia Democrat, is said to be on the shortlist of running-mate possibilities for his party’s presidential nominee. It’s a position the former Republican he says he doesn’t want.

If President Bush signs the bill as expected, it will be one of the most significant pieces of legislation approved by Congress this year.

Just two years ago, the Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-Democrat was waging a long-shot bid for Senate against popular Republican incumbent Sen. George F. Allen — having switched parties in order to mount a campaign against the war in Iraq.

read more

Posted by JohnKonop on Monday, June 30th, 2008 at 1:04 am | under Uncategorized | |RSS 2.0 feed | Comments and pings closed. |

3 Responses to “Passage of GI benefits bill seen aiding Webb’s veep odds”

  1. JohnKonop Says:
    June 29th, 2008 at 11:08 am

    Longshots in the veepstakes

    Politico-Last Tuesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) touted Chet Edwards, the little-known Democratic congressman from Waco, Texas, for her party’s vice presidential slot. The players of the popular D.C. parlor game Guess-the-Veep — busy bandying about hot names like former North Carolina senator and veteran vice presidential candidate John Edwards and Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty — paused to offer a collective, “huh?”

    To fill them in, the “other” Edwards is a nine-term centrist Democrat whose background in military and veteran affairs could help balance out Obama’s lack of foreign policy experience. And here’s the kicker: Edwards’ district also covers Crawford, making him the congressman representing none other than President Bush.

    It’s unlikely Obama will take Pelosi’s advice, since cycle after cycle, conventional wisdom trumps creative thinking in the veepstakes. But could the mantra of change mean that the year of the longshot running mate has at last arrived?

    Just in case it has, Politico asked 14 consultants, campaign staffers, political historians and key fundraisers to name their most unconventional — but reasonably viable — picks. (And just in case it hasn’t, we’ve let them offer their picks on background, so they can offer the names they really mean.)

    Among Republicans, two traits were esteemed above all others: business experience, which could help to offset McCain’s weakness on economic issues and tap into voter concern about the struggling economy, and youth, for the obvious reasons.

    Without further ado, the Republican gurus and sweet young things:

    read more

  2. Aubrey Says:
    June 30th, 2008 at 8:29 am

    This G.I. Bill is only going to weaken our military. Bush needs to veto this thing!

  3. bb Says:
    June 30th, 2008 at 8:46 am

    Officer Barbrady as VEEP — http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmEEFwgMpYo — American idiot #1!

    This is your dream ticket huh John…B. Hussein Obama and Webb…you won’t be able to contain your enthusiasm; might even finally admit what everybody else already knows about your political leanings.