Senator James Webb, hero to Neo-Confederates

Tom DiLorenzo, leading Neo-Confederate, praises U.S. Senator (VA) James Web in this online article for his behavior towards President George W. Bush at a reception at the White House.

http://www.lewrockwell.com/dilorenzo/dilorenzo117.html

The article quite correctly points out Webb's Confederate Celtic theories as the basis of his book "Born Fighting."

One part of Tom DiLorenzo's article bears review.

My intuition about Webb was confirmed recently when he refused to genuflect, scrape and grovel, and kiss the ring of George W. Bush at a White House reception (in stark contrast to every other member of Congress in attendance). Then, a day later, I really knew that Senator-elect Webb was a man to be admired when George "Statecraft as Soul Craft" Will, the resident Lincoln-worshipping Straussian /Neocon Iraq war apologist on the Washington Post op-ed page, called him a "boor" and generally trashed him in a column. Congratulations, Senator-elect Webb!

This is actually what happened from the "Washington Post."

Washington Post Article

At a recent White House reception for freshman members of Congress, Virginia's newest senator tried to avoid President Bush. Democrat James Webb declined to stand in a presidential receiving line or to have his picture taken with the man he had often criticized on the stump this fall. But it wasn't long before Bush found him.

"How's your boy?" Bush asked, referring to Webb's son, a Marine serving in Iraq.

"I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President," Webb responded, echoing a campaign theme.
"That's not what I asked you," Bush said. "How's your boy?"

"That's between me and my boy, Mr. President," Webb said coldly, ending the conversation on the State Floor of the East Wing of the White House.

It was nothing about "groveling," "ring kissing," or "genuflecting." George W. Bush was merely engaging in common pleasantries. This is called being civilized. If James Webb didn't want to talk to George W. Bush why did he go to the reception? If George W. Bush didn't talk to Webb at all and avoided him, that would be a scandal, and so quite properly Bush approached Webb and engaged in everyday pleasantries.

Keith Ellison, U.S. Representative elect from Minnesota didn't want to meet George W. Bush and so he didn't go to a reception at the White House. Ellison is perfectly in his rights not to go and his choice not to go didn't violate common courtesy.

James Webb's behavior was discourteous and underminds the workings of democracy. Some Democrats and anti-War activists think he is a hero. I think Webb is a loose cannon and the Democrats might consider that they have a serious problem on their hand.

The Democrats might also consider that they have a Neo-Confederate U.S. Senator which is likely going to received wide-spread public admiration in the Neo-Confederate movement. Perhaps U.S. Senator Biden is trying to get his endorsement.