The Obama Veepwatch, Vol. 2: Jim Webb

In which Stumper examines the probable Democratic nominee's possible--and not-so-possible--vice-presidential picks. (Obama, Vol. 1: Ted Strickland; McCain, Vol. 1: Bobby Jindal.)

Name: Jim Webb
Age: 62
Resume: Junior Senator from Virginia, former Secretary of the Navy and Assistant Secretary of Defense

Source of Speculation: Timing. Just as the drawn-out Democratic nominating contest is coming to a close--and the perennial "veepstakes" speculation is beginning in earnest--Webb has released a collection of essays on what ails American politics ("A Time to Fight," available today) and embarked on a brief flurry of media appearances (including Meet the Press yesterday and Letterman tonight) designed to promote his book--and perhaps raise his political profile. "Webb, 62, is pulling political levers that almost surely will put him in the top tier of potential Democratic nominees for vice president," wrote Dale Eisman of the Virginian-Pilot on Saturday. 

Backstory: Webb insists that his publisher determined the book's release date, and that much is undoubtedly true. But by scheduling an "end of primary season" debut for the volume--which, by the way, engages in the very veep-like activities of chastising CEOs, criticizing Bush's Iraq strategy and decrying the "false debates" that have come to dominate American politics--Broadway Books is clearly capitalizing on Webb's building veep buzz. (Need more proof: their promotional materials describe him as "the celebrated junior senator from Virginia, who is already being mentioned as a possible vice presidential candidate.") Likewise, Webb is eagerly courting the spotlight. In addition to writing the book, the Virginian has strengthened his ties in recent months to a national network of veterans groups and activists--and received rave reviews on blogs and editorial pages--by fighting tenaciously for a new GI Bill in the Senate; he currently ranks number one in Salon.com's Obama Veepstakestaken a collective vow of omerta" on the veep question, so there's no word from Chicago yet. And readers' poll with a commanding 28 percent of the vote (the next closest candidate, Wes Clark, trails by eight points). Team Obama has "Webb recited the standard line to Tim Russert this Sunday on MTP. "I would highly discourage them," he said of Obama or Clinton requesting him as a running mate. "At this point, no one's asking, no one's talking and I'm not that interested." Still, as the phrase "that interested" suggests, Webb, who hasn't endorsed, is leaving plenty of wiggle room. "I'm not looking to get on the ticket," he told Eisman over the weekend--but refused to "rule out running if he's asked." He was "chuckling" as he said it.

Odds: Strong. As second fiddle, Webb is almost preternaturally well-suited to highlight Obama's strengths and shore up his weakness. For starters, he could potentially help deliver Virginia, a red state (trending blue) that Obama aides frequently cite as their top pick-off target for the fall. Not only does Webb fit Obama's demographic sweet spot--white balances black, older balances younger, Southern balances Northern--but he's a member of the same working-class, Obama-wary, Scots-Irish Appalachian ethnic group that propelled Clinton to primary victories in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia. A moderate, pro-gun, self-identified "redneck" known to rail against "elites," the Virginian's bedrock economic populism, passionate pride in his heritage (previous book: "Born Fighting, How the Scots-Irish Shaped America") and first-hand experience as a Reagan Democrat (he voted and worked for the Gipper) could very well boost Obama's chances all across the make-or-break Rust Belt. Meanwhile--and most importantly--Webb's military cred would likely neutralize McCain's sizable advantage in the "national-security experience" department. In many ways, Webb is a mirror image of McCain. He fought in Vietnam, earning (as a Marine) the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts and the Navy Cross, the second highest decoration for heroism. He also has a son stationed in Iraq--meaning that the two could argue over what's best for the troops with equal moral authority. And in terms of strategic experience, Webb actually outguns the senator from Arizona. While Mac was wheeling and dealing in Congress during the 1980s, Webb was actually overseeing the Marine reserves and, later, the entire Navy as a Reagan appointee. On paper, Webb--redneck soldier, working-class hero and post-partisan, swing-state politician--may be Obama's perfect pick.

That said, Webb is not without his drawbacks. A former journalist, he has written eight acclaimed novels and nonfiction books--a literary bent that will likely endear him to Obama's upscale Democratic base but that has already stirred up some political controversies. During Webb's 2006 senate run against incumbent George Allen, for example, opponents excerpted several sexually graphic passages from his fiction and accused him of portraying women as "servile, subordinate, inept, incompetent, promiscuous [and] perverted"; with issues of gender bias currently dividing Clinton and Obama supporters, these charges, however unfair, could potentially diminish Webb's chances of scoring a spot on the ticket. (Also potential fodder: Webb's 1979 Washington Post essay "Women Can't Fight," and his two divorces.) In Virginia, Webb's approval ratings lag at a meager 47 percent, so it's unclear whether he could, in fact, help paint the Old Dominion blue. And while Obama is cool and detached, Webb is feisty, confrontational and prone to public displays of pique. For a candidate who's looking to pick a partner he feels "comfortable" with, style could be a sticking point.

Still, Webb's pluses easily outweigh his minuses. At a Nov. 2, 2006 rally in Richmond, Va., Webb called Obama "a possible future president." We'll see this summer whether Obama is willing to return the compliment.