The Virginian-Pilot has its profile on Democratic Senate candidate Jim Webb today. Like yesterday’s piece on Harris Miller, this one is more candidate quotes and little substance. The one thing they did talk about was Webb’s recent re-conversion to the Democratic party and his past writings regarding women and affirmative action.
“I realized that the best answers to the problems of this country come from a Democratic Party that goes back to its roots of being the spokesmen for those who have no voice,” he said. “Win or lose this year, that’s where I am.”
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Another sore point: a few controversial writings by Webb have chafed some members of traditional Democratic constituencies. His 1979 article “Women Can’t Fight” called for keeping women out of combat and military academies and still fuels debate. Webb has argued that affirmative action recipients should be determined by poverty as well as race, a stance that was condemned this spring by several black Democratic legislators who are supporting Miller.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Sorry for the anonymous post. What I am about to write will make some people upset, and I do not want to have 100 emails in my inbox within the next hour.
I live in Fairfax County, and I will be voting for Harris Miller.
I am a Veteran, and I highly respect Jim Webb’s military and civil service. However, how will I know that he will defend our principles in the Democratic Party, how will we trust that he will be there for our delegates and state senators as they push for a majority in 2007 and 2009?
Jim Webb does make an appealing candidate who could do a great job tarnishing George Allen’s reputation in the national media and blogosphere. However, his campaign seems to be a complete wreck, his staff and volunteers have demonstrated a complete lack of temperment, focus, and in some cases maturity. If he were to win on June 13th, how will us rank-and-file Democrats in the DPVA be confident that the Webb campaign will dramatically improve?
Harris Miller, on the other hand, is no perfect candidate. He has flaws. But I see him often and I get to talk with him, and Harris clearly wants the chance to work hard this summer and fall to defeat George Allen. His campaign is this incredibly well-oiled machine, and ready for George Allen’s campaign. At every Webb campaign misstep, the Miller campaign has trounced. Unquestionably, the rumors of wide-spread U.S. Senatorial “endorsements” to Jim Webb should have been a disaster for the Miller campaign. But it was not a disaster because Miller and his staff focused on local and commonwealth support that was clearly dominant, creating the upper hand for themselves because the Webb campaign did not think through the “endorsement” paradigm, thus leaving the local and national media no other choice to coin “National vs. Local” primary race. Brilliant. I have never seen a campaign staff so upset with that perception, and the Webb staff were furious.
Now this, a Washington Post endorsement for a Primary. I had heard through the FCDC grapevine that top Webb staffers and active volunteers have been doing a real good job burning bridges with the media, with a closed-minded storm trooper mentality. Such behavior is dangerous, and makes all of us Virginia Democrats look very bad.
Unfortunately, Jim Webb and his campaign management clearly do not have the political or personal aptitude to be given a special pass on June 13th.
Harris Miller, his campaign manager Andy Resnick, his communications director Taylor West, and the rest of his superb staff do have that aptitude. Even Harris’ wife and daughter, Deborah and Alexis, are outstanding on the campaign trail and have attended events when Harris is at another event. In other words, these people are on top of it! I am continually impressed.
I was going to make phone calls on behalf of Jim Webb, but I will not. Washington Post is right, and there is a clear choice. I suppose I was sucked in by the opportunity for someone famous to lead the charge. But Jim has not really led, he just stood by thinking that the “grassroots” will do the work for him. That was frustrating, and I know I would be very angry by August if I continued to support him.
My vote, my contribution, and my volunteer time will now go to Harris Miller for U.S. Senate. I hope others will do the same. Seeing (up-close and personal) both candidates and staffs working, this has become a very comfortable decision to make.
FCDC Democrat, you write:
“However, his campaign seems to be a complete wreck, his staff and volunteers have demonstrated a complete lack of temperment, focus, and in some cases maturity.”
On what basis are you making such an outlandish statement? I live in SW Virginia, and I can honestly say Webb will wipe the floor here. Miller has zero visibility, he has not even bothered to campaign actively here. Webb has on several occasions.
Don’t judge a campaign just because a candidate hasn’t been everywhere you want him/her to be. Miller may be focusing entirely on NOVA. That’s his choice or strategy. To me, the Webb campaign is much more well-rounded, and the results will show on primary day.
Miller can’t be focusing on NoVA. He’s been in South Hampton Roads too much 😉 On the other hand, I have been complaining about the lack of Webb presence in South Hampton Roads. Perhaps each candidate has staked out territory?