Senator-elect Jim Webb...
... is apparently something of a jackass.
His response to a civil inquiry by the President of the United States into his son's well-being, advanced during a private conversation, was simply rude and uncalled-for.
His position on the war is well-known, to the President and to everyone else who pays attention to such things. I lost some of the once-considerable respect I once had for Jim Webb despite our disagreement on policy issues when he chose to behave like a boor on this occasion.
HT: Drudge
His response to a civil inquiry by the President of the United States into his son's well-being, advanced during a private conversation, was simply rude and uncalled-for.
His position on the war is well-known, to the President and to everyone else who pays attention to such things. I lost some of the once-considerable respect I once had for Jim Webb despite our disagreement on policy issues when he chose to behave like a boor on this occasion.
HT: Drudge
Comments
Anyway, by now you should be aware that George Will lied by omitting portions of the conversation in order to make Webb look boorish. Webb was actually polite and had shaken Bush's hand and introduced him to his wife when Bush asked his question "how's your boy?", to which Webb replied "I'd like them out of Iraq, Mr. President," to which Bush rudely retorted "That's not what I asked you. How's your boy?", to which Webb replied "that's between me and my boy, Mr. President." He was civil, he used the honorific, and he had the right to refuse to discuss his personal life. Bush was rude, demanding, and boorish in trying to override his guest's decision not to discuss his family.
Manners do not require that we act "nice", only that we act civil. Webb did what was required.
Or any less inexcusably rude.
I will grant that the President doesn't come off all that well in this conversation, either.
Thank you for that additional information, though. I would prefer to think that Jim Webb is not a complete churl.