My man Webb... being rude to Shrub

[Hilary the Touched]

Okay, so it was kind of rude. And we are certainly taught in the military to show respect to the various ranks and offices, if not to feel it towards the individuals occupying them.
But I certainly didn't feel that Shrub did anything to elevate the tone or exchange, and I was glad to see that Webb isn't--at least so far--going to abandon all individuality, all principle, now that he's achieved office.

Nora Ephron Slams George Will's 'Civility' Column

By E&P Staff

Published: December 01, 2006 12:30 PM ET updted 6:00 PM

NEW YORK Columnist George Will has accused U.S. Sen.-Elect Jim Webb (D-Va.) of bad manners, which led to a strong blog response on the Huffington Post by writer Nora Ephron.

According to press reports, President Bush asked Webb at a reception for new Congresspeople how his son -- currently serving in Iraq -- is doing. Webb replied that he hoped U.S. troops would be home soon. Bush said that wasn't what he asked, and again queried Webb about how his son was. Webb said that that was between him and his son.

Will, in a piece syndicated yesterday by the Washington Post Writers Group, called Webb a "boor" and added: "Never mind the patent disrespect for the presidency. Webb's more gross offense was calculated rudeness toward another human being -- one who, disregarding many hard things Webb had said about him during the campaign, asked a civil and caring question, as one parent to another."

The columnist continued: "Based on Webb's behavior before being sworn in, one shudders to think what he will be like after that. He already has become what Washington did not need another of, a subtraction from the city's civility and clear speaking."

Ephron, the author and filmmaker, responded: "Washington is a place where politics is just something you do all day. You lie, you send kids to war, you give them inadequate equipment, they're wounded and permanently maimed, they die, whatever. Then night falls, and you actually think you get to pretend that none of it matters. 'How's your boy?' That, according to George Will, is a civil and caring question, one parent to another? It seems to me that it's exactly the sort of guy talk that passes for conversation in Bushworld, just one-up from the frat-boy banter that is usually so seductive to Bush's guests. ...

"So finally someone said to George Bush, Don't think that what you stand for is beside the point. Don't think that because you're President you're entitled to my good opinion. Don't think that asking about my boy means that I believe for even one second that you care. If you did, you'd be doing something about bringing the troops home. George Will thinks this is bad manners. I don't. I think it's too bad it doesn't happen more often."

Meanwhile, across the ideological divide, Peggy Noonan weighed in Friday at the Wall Street Journal:

"Mr. Webb did not want to pose with the president and so didn't join the picture line. Fair enough, everyone feels silly on a picture line. Mr. Bush approached him later and asked after his son, a Marine. Mr. Webb said he'd like his son back from Iraq. Mr. Bush then, according to the Washington Post, said: 'That's not what I asked you. How's your son?' Mr. Webb replied that's between him and his son.

"On reading the exchange I thought it had the sound of the rattling little aggressions of our day, but not on Mr. Webb's side. Imagine Lincoln saying, in such circumstances, 'That's not what I asked you.' Or JFK. Or Gerald Ford! 'That's not what I asked you' is a sentence straight from cable TV, from which many Americans are acquiring an attitude toward public and even private presentation."

http://www.mediainfo.com/eandp/news/art ... 1003467129[/url]

[Gillian]

Why is he a boor, exactly? His initial response was polite, tactful, diplomatic and even I, with my limited faculties, would have taken my cue, left it at that and not followed with the clearly provocative, "That's not what I asked", especially to someone for whom this pointless war hits close to home, and for which I'm solely responsible.

Some people are just assholes. I'm reminded of my bully of an ex-boss -- the one who surrounded herself with sycophants and made the life of her underlings hell, who took it upon herself one day to ask why I appeared so stressed, and then announced, rather smugly, that my problems would all just go away if I started taking vitamins.

Huzzah!!!

Not. Thanks for completely avoiding the real issue and making me feel like shit for not effusing over your clearly insinere concern when it's obvious you were only attempting to bait me, you power-mongereing git.

[eternal student]

This story was in the Post the day after one of my students returned from Landstuhl, Germany. His brother was in Iraq, and lost both legs to a mine. They didn't think the kid would make it - he's still in a coma, but he's been transferred to Walter Reed.

I think Webb's conduct was entirely appropriate.

[Helen8]

If Webb is a "boor," what does that make Shrub?

[eternal student]

Helen, my dear, too many unkind words come to mind!

[Helen8]

But very restrained of you to stop at simply unkind words.

[Malfoy Grandma]

George Will needs to be cleaned inside and out, with a good stiff-bristled bottle brush!

[Hilary the Touched]

Maybe he just needs his GLASSES cleaned.
Man, talk about some skewed perspective.

And as for Shrub, well, I might start with "incompetent" and end with "impeachable", with a whole lotta territory in between.

[eternal student]

I have to hand it to Will, though, before the election he was as strong a critic of Bush as they come. Now he can go back to bashing the Democrats, though. I almost think conservative commentators love to have the Democrats in charge--that way they don't have to eat their own!