Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., spoke to Prof. Larry Sabato's Introduction to American Politics class Wednesday, discussing his decision to run for U.S. Senate and the mechanics of American politics.
Sabato said he invited Webb to speak to the class because of Webb's non-traditional path through politics.
"Jim Webb is an unusual U.S. senator because he had a long, successful career as a highly decorated military officer, as secretary of the Navy, and as a best-selling author before he even entered the Senate," Sabato said in an e-mail. "I wanted students to see and question someone who has quickly become a highly respected senator, especially on the heels of health care reform."
During his 2006 campaign, Webb said there were three major themes upon which he wanted to focus. He first looked to reorient national security, then focused on basic economic fairness, and lastly, he said he wanted Congress to closely examine the policies of the Bush Administration.
"After 9/11 we had to give some power to the Executive Branch, but it went way too far," Webb said.
Webb also discussed two major pieces of legislation he has worked on during his time in the Senate.
"I am very proud that since I have been in the Senate, in a time of tremendous partisanship, we have actually been able to get things done," he said.
He noted in particular his sponsorship of the GI Bill, which was signed into law in June 2008.
A Vietnam Veteran and recipient of two Purple Heart Awards, Webb urged the class to consider the lives of members of the military serving abroad. He also compared his GI Bill to the one passed after World War II. That bill, he said, provided a monthly stipend, full tuition and books for soldiers.
"For every dollar America spent on people who used the GI bill," Webb said, "the government got $7 in terms of what these people gave back."
His legislation was an overhaul of the Montgomery GI Bill, which covered soldiers serving in the Armed Services after Sept. 11. As it was, the Montgomery GI Bill, he said, would cover about 14 percent of a college education, as opposed to the first GI Bill's full-ride guarantee. He added that the Bush administration fought the passage of his GI Bill, citing a fear that it would negatively affect the Armed Forces retention rate.
The second piece of legislation that Webb focused on, which he said should pass soon, is slated to overhaul the nation's criminal justice system.
"When people feel less safe than they did a year ago," Webb said, "then we are doing something wrong."
At the end of the talk, Webb fielded questions from Sabato's students. First-year College student Hope Grauel expressed disappointment in Webb's response to a question regarding Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's recent directive to state colleges and Universities to remove sexual orientation from the schools' non-discrimination policies. Webb, however, chose not to respond.
"He didn't talk about it, wouldn't talk about it," she said. "He gave a one-word answer and moved on. It would have been interesting to hear what he would have said about that."
When introducing Webb, Sabato called him a true example of bipartisanship, as the Senator was formerly a Republican. Webb throughout his talk touched on the importance of reaching across the aisle.
"I am a strong believer in trying to get a center of mass between Democrats and Republicans," he said.
Webb spoke briefly about the recently passed health care reform legislation - which engendered much conflict across the aisle - and expressed disappointment in its execution. "In my view, health care legislation is more good than bad, but in some cases, it is a close call," he said. "This is a pretty good example of how not to pass a bill."
Webb said that the problem came from the administration's unwillingness to clearly state to Congress what needed to be included in the bill. In addition to criticizing the Democratic administration's role, he also claimed that in an attempt to use the issue in 2010 and 2012 elections, the Republican members of the government refused to cooperate.
"Quite frankly, it was a nightmare," he said. "It was the worst thing I've ever been involved in terms of politics."
When asked by a student about the concern that Congress is not as close-knit as it used to be, Webb said that this was less of a concern than the abuse of the filibuster.
"We have a very difficult time moving legislation when we have people who want nothing done," he said. "With so many bills waiting to get on the floor, this is the thing that is holding up the U.S. government."
Webb said he views himself as more as a leader than a politician.
"I don't view politics as my calling in life," Webb said. "I view leadership as my calling in life and sometimes they are two different things. Leadership is the art of gathering people together and moving them towards a goal."
Grauel said that compared to other speakers in Sabato's class this semester, Webb was the most relatable.
"He didn't seem like he was selling himself," she said. "He was not selling a platform either."
Webb said after the talk that he enjoyed the opportunity to speak to students in the class.
"As I told the students today, they are fortunate to have one of our country's keenest observers of politics and governance shape their academic experience," he said. "The U.Va students were a very responsive audience and asked a number of thoughtful questions. I was particularly impressed by their interest in gaining greater understanding of national security and foreign policy concerns"
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