Try to Swift Boat THIS Guy!

If you have any doubts about the valor Jim Webb displayed in the course of his military career, read the entire text of the citation that accompanies is award of the Navy Cross:

On 10 July 1969, while participating in a company-sized search and destroy operation deep in hostile territory, First Lieutenant Webb's platoon discovered a well-camouflaged bunker complex which appeared to be unoccupied. Deploying his men into defensive positions, First Lieutenant Webb was advancing to the first bunker when three enemy soldiers armed with hand grenades jumped out. Reacting instantly, he grabbed the closest man and, brandishing his .45 caliber pistol at the others, apprehended all three of the soldiers. Accompanied by one of his men, he then approached the second bunker and called for the enemy to surrender. When the hostile soldiers failed to answer him and threw a grenade which detonated dangerously close to him, First Lieutenant Webb detonated a claymore mine in the bunker aperture, accounting for two enemy casualties and disclosing the entrance to a tunnel.

Comments

[Jackson Landers]

Make no mistake, there will be attempts to swiftboat Webb. Remember that the whole deal with 'swiftboating' is making up a complete lie about someone's past and then screaming it as loudly as possible.

If you read John Kerry's silver star citation, it's pretty impressive as well. Don't forget the reasons why the party ended up coalescing around Kerry the week before Iowa. We didn't have a word for it then, but we thought Kerry was 'swiftboating' proofed. I worked on both Kerry and Webb's primary campaigns here in the 5th district of Virginia and I continue to have the highest respect for the military records of each of these people.

Anyone can be 'swiftboated.' The question is how a candidate and a campaign respond to the attempt and whether they get up there and give the liar a sharp kick in the balls. Jim Webb's combat record is just as noble and sound as that of hundreds of thousands of other veterans. Webb's advantage is that he has never been the type of guy to tolerate a liar and he will more or less cut out the beating heart of anyone who hits below the belt and eat it in front of the spectators.