Senator-elect Jim Webb of Virginia began earning his paycheck in a  face-to-face with our president two weeks ago:

At a recent White House reception for freshman members of Congress, Virginia's newest senator tried to avoid President Bush.  Democrat James Webb declined to stand in a presidential receiving line or to have his picture taken with the man he had often criticized on the stump this fall.  But it wasn't long before Bush found him.

"How's your boy?" Bush asked, referring to Webb's son, a Marine serving in Iraq.

"I'd like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President," Webb responded, echoing a campaign theme.

"That's not what I asked you," Bush said.  "How's your boy?"

"That's between me and my boy, Mr. President," Webb said coldly, ending the conversation on the State Floor of the East Wing of the White House.


Ouch.  Oh, Jim Webb, what fun you will provide us over the next two years of Bush's lame duck term, and the remaining six of your own!

Yes, I can see that Bush was just trying to be polite to a new member of the opposition.  But war isn't a polite thing.  Sometimes, things are so bad, being polite can make things even worse.  Our media and our politicians have been far, far too polite to this trainwreck of a president.  Jim Webb, apparently, doesn't plan on emulating them.