Jim Webb Gives Democratic Response to the State of the Union

I missed the state of the union speech, which I didn't really care about anyway. I caught the important quotes on cable news and saw the analysis.

What I really wanted to see was Virginia Senator Jim Webb giving the official Democratic response. I have read that Webb tore up the prepared remarks given to him by Democratic leadership and gave a speech that he wrote himself. Webb's speech was an intelligent and strong statement of beliefs that focused on the economy and foreign policy. It is these issues that helped Democrats get elected like Jon Tester in Montanta, Claire McKaskill in Missouri, Heath Schuler in North Carolina, and Bruce Braley and Dave Loebsack in Iowa. Democrats must push these issues if they want to hold Congress and win control of the White House.

Webb closed the speech by saying...

Regarding the economic imbalance in our country, I am reminded of the situation President Theodore Roosevelt faced in the early days of the 20th century. America was then, as now, drifting apart along class lines. The so-called robber barons were unapologetically raking in a huge percentage of the national wealth. The dispossessed workers at the bottom were threatening revolt.

Roosevelt spoke strongly against these divisions. He told his fellow Republicans that they must set themselves as resolutely against improper corporate influence on the one hand as against demagogy and mob rule on the other. And he did something about it.

As I look at Iraq, I recall the words of former general and soon-to-be President Dwight Eisenhower during the dark days of the Korean War, which had fallen into a bloody stalemate. "When comes the end?" asked the general who had commanded our forces in Europe during World War II. And as soon as he became president, he brought the Korean War to an end.

These presidents took the right kind of action, for the benefit of the American people and for the health of our relations around the world. Tonight we are calling on this president to take similar action, in both areas. If he does, we will join him. If he does not, we will be showing him the way.

Part 1


Part 2