The Hil reports on a run-in between Senator-elect Jim Webb of Virginia and Bush:
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.
Grown men acting like babies. Webb took a nice, personal inquiry and turned it political on purpose, but Bush should have responded by saying, "I know. I understand, Jim. We all want them to come home as soon as possible, but we must make sure their job is done. They are fighting for something over there."
Then Webb confesses to wanting to punch the President of the United States? Who does that? A Senator? Nope. "Somebody who wants to get strip-searched by the Secret Service," according to John Noonan, who sent me the story.
Both of them should have brought better manners to the party. There was no reason Bush's inquiry about Webb's son needed to end with Webb wanting to punch the Prez. Doesn't bode well for working together to achieve a victory in Iraq. But that's politics!
Update: Allah has a slightly different account of the incident. He wonders if Webb is preparing to turn on the nutroots, and was giving them a little unproductive angry outburst to keep them happy for a bit. Plus, smutty, smutty penis imagery!
