Jim Webb.
War hero: First Lieutenant in Vietnam and was awarded a Navy Cross, a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts. Awarded the DoD Distinguished Public Service Medal, the Medal of Honor Society's Patriot Award, the American Legion National Commander's Public Service Award, the VFW Media Service Award, the Marine Corps League's Military Order of the Iron Mike Award, the John H. Russell Leadership Award, and the Robert L. Denig Distinguished Service Award.
Experienced: Moderate Democratic Senator from a swing state who formerly served as a staffer on the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. From rural southern Virginia, pro-gun ownership, anti-illegal immigration. In the Senate, served on the committees on Foreign Relations, Veterans' Affairs, and Armed Services. Delivered a strong response to the State of the Union in 2007. Wrote the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008, legislation to prohibit the use of funds for war in Iran without Congress' approval, and legislation to create a committee to reform our criminal justice system/drug policy. Negotiated the release of an imprisoned American in Burma after a meeting with Than Shwe as well as Aung San Suu Kyi.
Reaganite: Served as Secretary of the Navy and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, and was praised in a 1985 Reagan address to Annapolis,
Educated: Spend a couple years at USC on a NROTC scholarship before going to Annapolis, and got a JD from Georgetown after the war. Also taught at the Naval Academy and represented veterans pro-bono. Won an Emmy in 1983 and is an author.
Hasn't he had some scandals though?
I do agree he'd be a good choice if he wants it.
-Webb did criticize the Clinton administration's handling of the Tailhook scandal.
-There was one time where one of his aides was arrested for carrying Webb's gun in Webb's briefcase through a security checkpoint (Webb's response: "I’m a strong supporter of the Second Amendment; I have had a permit to carry a weapon in Virginia for a long time; I believe that it’s important; it’s important to me personally and to a lot of people in the situation that I’m in to be able to defend myself and my family.").
-Webb also ran a Reagan ad where Reagan praised Webb in a 1985 speech that Nancy Reagan asked them not to run (although the words weren't distorted, out of context, or even repudiated by Reagan). The WaPo said him running the ad was completely okay.
-He wrote an article in '79 opposing women attending the Naval Academy; Webb apologized for any negative effects caused.
-Webb used the term "towel-heads and rednecks -- of which I am one" in discussing the use of ethnic stereotypes as 'easy villains' in movies.
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Fields of Fire, Webb's fiction novel about the Vietnam War, which was on the Commandant of the Marine Corps' reading list for 20+ years and is the most taught piece of literature on college campuses about Vietnam, contained some explicit passages and used the word "n". Other than all that.
Most of the scandals are from his opponent (macaca, Barr Labs, an "ethnic community rally" of mostly white folks, whether or not Allen was Jewish, using terms like "roaches" and "wetbacks", the Sons of Confederate Veterans incident, improper business interests, arrest warrants, his supporters attacking a blogger, and possible attempts at voter suppression).
