Webb Out; Now What?

At Raising Kaine activist/writer Lowell Feld has bad news for those who saw James Webb as the best man to unseat George Allen in November -- James Webb Is Out; The Rebellion is On! The piece is lively and makes some good points that Democrats ought to consider. Like Feld, I, too, am sorry to see Webb apparently doesn't feel moved to enter politics to serve Virginia as one of its two US Senators. Not now, anyway. Here's a sample of Feld's rant:

"...I’ve got very bad news: despite our best efforts to 'draft' him, James Webb apparently has decided not to run for US Senate this year. I am hopeful that Mr. Webb will make a formal announcement regarding his thinking on this matter, but for now I’ll just say that this is extremely discouraging news for me, and should be extremely discouraging news for all Virginians and all Americans. Unless, of course, their name happens to be 'George Allen' that is.

"Why do I say this? Because I strongly believe that James Webb offered the potential for a unique sort of leadership. Because I strongly believe that James Webb offered a chance to heal some giant rifts within the Democratic Party, and in the country as a whole. Because I strongly believe that James Webb offered the potential to win back the working class, the 'Reagan Democrats,' and the national security-minded Americans to the Democratic Party. And because I strongly believe that former Senator Bob Kerrey was 100% correct when he wrote to me (on January 7, 2007) about Webb: 'He is a unique and powerful voice which could change the course of our nation’s future.'"