Sheilbh's Scott Walker Lovefest and Union Bashing Megathread

[Valmy]

I haven't found anything else, but please post if you do.

Yeah that is all I found.  They kissed and made up later with a heartwarming photo op when his kid got back from Iraq as well.

First I had heard of the incident, but then I really don't know much about Webb or his career.

[derspiess]

It looks like Webb said he wanted to get his son out of Iraq.  Which it seems is a dick thing to say.  Must have been the way he said it?

You're omitting a couple details.

On November 28, 2006, at a White House reception for those newly elected to Congress, Webb did not choose to wait in the line to have his picture taken with the president, whom Webb often criticized during the campaign. The president approached Webb later and asked him, "How's your boy?", referring to Webb's son, a Marine serving in Iraq. Webb replied "I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President." Bush responded, "That's not what I asked you. How's your boy?" Webb responded, "That's between me and my boy, Mr. President." The Hill cited an anonymous source who claimed that Webb was so angered by the exchange that he confessed he was tempted to "slug" the president. Webb later remarked in an interview, "I'm not particularly interested in having a picture of me and George W. Bush on my wall."

Obviously there's nothing wrong with him not wanting his picture taken with Dubya, and also nothing wrong with him telling Dubya he wants his son to come home.  But he didn't have to be a dick about it.

[CountDeMoney]

I was simply interested in an actual answer. I guess asking you to explain your emotional attachment is a bridge too far.

When you get cunty, you get nothing.

[Valmy]

Obviously there's nothing wrong with him not wanting his picture taken with Dubya, and also nothing wrong with him telling Dubya he wants his son to come home.  But he didn't have to be a dick about it.

As I speculated it probably had something to do with how he said it. 

That era must have been hard for Bush, he loved the glad-handing social aspect of being a politician.  He was always socializing and hanging out with the Democrats when he was governor.

[derspiess]

Just imagine the howling from Seedy if a GOP senator had said that to and about Obama  OMG TYPICAL RACIST TEABAGGER WANTS TO BEAT A BLACK MAN

[garbon]

I was simply interested in an actual answer. I guess asking you to explain your emotional attachment is a bridge too far.

When you get cunty, you get nothing.

Pretty sure you went there first.

[derspiess]

The Dubya incident aside, Webb seems like an okay guy.  He's a decorated combat Marine who served in Vietnam and was a Reagan Democrat, serving in the administration during the 80s.  I'd just like to know what Languish loves about him so much, other than him not being a Republican.

[garbon]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/09/23/really-jim-webb-for-president/

Four reasons why Jim Webb for president makes no sense

It's a real testament to the fact that we're grasping desperately for non-Hillary Clinton Democratic presidential candidates when Washington starts getting a little buzzy about Jim Webb running for president.

No, that's not to take anything away from Webb's service — including as a war hero, Navy secretary under Ronald Reagan and one-term senator from Virginia. It's just that there wouldn't seem to be a more unlikely presidential hopeful than Jim Webb.

To wit:

1) He retired after one term in the Senate and didn't seem to particularly enjoy being in public life. Larry Sabato said it particularly well after Webb's retirement announcement a few years back: "He has been an excellent United States senator, but he is a terrible politician. He doesn't suffer fools gladly, he doesn't enjoy glad-handing — my sense of Webb is that he's had enough of public life for a while."

Think again, Larry!

2) Webb's niche in the race would apparently be as a more populist, dovish alternative to Hillary Clinton. That's fine, except that he was Reagan's Navy secretary and also something of a Blue Dog Democrat during his service in the Senate. Even on foreign policy, he was often toward the middle of the Senate.

Much like ex-Montana governor Brian Schweitzer (D), that's an odd profile for a guy who is supposed to be winning votes from the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.

3) He has negative charisma. The Fix believes that presidential races have a charisma threshold, by which we mean that candidates need to be at least somewhat compelling to a national audience to achieve viability. Tim Pawlenty (R), for instance, struggled with this. Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) has a similar problem.

Webb would probably make Pawlenty look like Herman Cain. He's just very dour. We wonder who would get excited about him, in the absence of some galvanizing force that suddenly makes him the perfect candidate for that political moment in time.

4) He has baggage. Yes, Webb won his 2006 bout with Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), but it wasn't pretty. And some liberals balked pretty loudly when Webb's name surfaced as a potential vice presidential pick for President Obama in 2008.

Among the hits that would resurface in a presidential campaign:

Webb has spoken fondly of his Confederate roots and defended the Southern states' decision to secede, even citing the "Nazification of the Confederacy."

He said in 2004 that John Kerry deserved to be condemned for his actions in opposition to the Vietnam War.

Webb's writings and comments have been criticized by the left for being insensitive to women.

Does this sound to anyone like the profile of the guy who might defeat Hillary Clinton — or even compete with her — in 2016?

[jimmy olsen]

Look, I'll explain where this comes from. My family is mostly teachers. It's like the family business. When I go to Thanksgiving dinner the teachers at the table outnumber everyone else. One of my uncles is a university academic provost and another is the president of one of the most important higher ed lobbying organizations in the country. I have to hear this shit hashed out constantly.

Ten years ago, the only thing everyone at the table agreed about was that class sizes needed to be smaller. Now, there are three things they all agree on. Standardized tests are shit, NCLB is shit, and class size is unimportant. Unless you've got the behavioral problem kids. Why they all changed their minds, I don't know. Interestingly, they are still somewhat divided about Common Core. The skeptics on that tend to be the ones who teach younger kids.

I've taught classes with 40 kids and classes with 20 kids, the former is a nightmare to manage and effectively teach.

[CountDeMoney]

You're omitting a couple details.

I posted the link.  You want details?  You post, parse and edit the whole fucking article. 

On November 28, 2006, at a White House reception for those newly elected to Congress, Webb did not choose to wait in the line to have his picture taken with the president, whom Webb often criticized during the campaign. The president approached Webb later and asked him, "How's your boy?", referring to Webb's son, a Marine serving in Iraq. Webb replied "I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President." Bush responded, "That's not what I asked you. How's your boy?" Webb responded, "That's between me and my boy, Mr. President." The Hill cited an anonymous source who claimed that Webb was so angered by the exchange that he confessed he was tempted to "slug" the president. Webb later remarked in an interview, "I'm not particularly interested in having a picture of me and George W. Bush on my wall."

Obviously there's nothing wrong with him not wanting his picture taken with Dubya, and also nothing wrong with him telling Dubya he wants his son to come home.  But he didn't have to be a dick about it.

Doesn't sound like being a dick about it at all.  "Anonymous Source" always seems to get the best quotes, though.

[CountDeMoney]

Just imagine the howling from Seedy if a GOP senator had said that to and about Obama  OMG TYPICAL RACIST TEABAGGER WANTS TO BEAT A BLACK MAN

Considering they readily admit that Negros don't know their proper place, I don't see your point, other than the one on the top of your hood.  Creepy Ass Cracker.

[Valmy]

Webb has spoken fondly of his Confederate roots and defended the Southern states' decision to secede, even citing the "Nazification of the Confederacy."

Lettow for President?  No thanks.

[derspiess]

Yep, lack of civility swings both ways.  Rude Republicans deserve to be called out just the same as rude Democrats.

[CountDeMoney]

It's a real testament to the fact that we're grasping desperately for non-Hillary Clinton Democratic presidential candidates when Washington starts getting a little buzzy about Jim Webb running for president.

I would think that a bona fide primary challenge would help her candidacy.  Hell, even the talking heads are saying she has to run as a challenger, with a challenger's mindset.

And we've seen what happens with pre-ordained party coronations.  /dontmesswithtexashehhehheh

[Berkut]

Look, I'll explain where this comes from. My family is mostly teachers. It's like the family business. When I go to Thanksgiving dinner the teachers at the table outnumber everyone else. One of my uncles is a university academic provost and another is the president of one of the most important higher ed lobbying organizations in the country. I have to hear this shit hashed out constantly.

Ten years ago, the only thing everyone at the table agreed about was that class sizes needed to be smaller. Now, there are three things they all agree on. Standardized tests are shit, NCLB is shit, and class size is unimportant. Unless you've got the behavioral problem kids. Why they all changed their minds, I don't know. Interestingly, they are still somewhat divided about Common Core. The skeptics on that tend to be the ones who teach younger kids.

I've taught classes with 40 kids and classes with 20 kids, the former is a nightmare to manage and effectively teach.

Like all things, the answer is both simple and complex.

Of course smaller class sizes are, all other things being equal, better for everyone. That is the simple answer.

That doesn't mean that shrinking class sizes is the right thing to do though, since that has costs, and it may very well be the case that the costs are better spent elsewhere.