His strengths are considerable. He is strongly pro-labor in a state which ranks 48th in union membership. He was the first statewide candidate in VA history to walk the picket line in support of a strike. In 1989, he helped the United Mine Workers win an important battle against the Pittston Steel Company. This is very important, as the Democratic Party needs to reclaim its working-class roots.

His stance against Bush and the Iraq quagmire is his second pillar of strength. His background in national security runs deep, and as a Marine Corps veteran of Vietnam, he won the second and third highest medals given for combat. There will be no 'swiftboating' of him.

No ghostwriters needed. He is an acclaimed author of both fiction and non-fiction, including several major screenplays. He shuns pollsters, lobbyists, and focus groups.

He is pro-choice.

Certainly, there is no such thing as the perfect politician, or we'd have to run for office ourself. To point:

It is true he served as Asst. Sec'y of Defense during Reagan's last term, and Sec'y of the Navy for the last of those 4 years. But when Congress mandated defense budgest cuts in 1988, Webb resigned after fighting diligently within the Pentagon to preserve fleet infrastructure and personnel. He lost to the Pentagon faction who wanted to spend the reduced budget heavily on SDI and other weapons boondoggles. Webb saw how this would hurt the integrity of the fleet, being sacrificed for contractor greed. Although he expresses admiration for Reagan (the senator's biggest flaw for old-school liberals like me), you have to wonder what he thought of the PATCO strike-breaking and other anti-union actions by the Great Prevaricator. He is much too independent-minded to be eagerly embraced by either party, as was evidenced in the race against Allen. But I am certainly happy that he reclaimed his Democratic roots, as relayed through moving stories of his grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts, and cousins.

He is passionate about restoring sanity to our national security policy, fiscal policy, and labor policy. If Obama wants to make 'change' real and lasting, he would do well to pick someone who can help him get there. I am leaning heavily in favor of Webb being on the ticket. By the time I finish the book in the next day or two, I will most likely be there fully. A most impressive background and resume, from a person of formidable intellect, character and integrity. True to his Scots-Irish roots (for which I share a great deal), he is a born fighter.