WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Virginia Sen. Jim Webb announced his presidential campaign on Thursday, opening a long-shot bid against Hillary Rodham Clinton and a field of Democratic rivals for the party's nomination.

Webb, in an announcement posted on his campaign website, acknowledged he would face major hurdles but vowed to bring an outsider's voice to the 2016 race.

"I understand the odds, particularly in today's political climate, where fair debate is so often drowned out by huge sums of money. I know that more than one candidate in this process intends to raise at least a billion dollars," Webb wrote. But he said the nation "needs a fresh approach to solving the problems that confront us and too often unnecessarily divide us. We need to shake the hold of these shadow elites on our political process."

Webb, 69, a decorated Vietnam veteran and former Navy secretary under President Ronald Reagan, surprised many Democrats when he became the first major figure in the party to form a presidential exploratory committee last November. He has outlined the roots of a campaign message that include helping working-class Americans compete in the economy, tackling campaign finance reform and preventing the U.S. from getting involved in foreign entanglements like Iraq and Afghanistan.

Webb's opposition to the Iraq War — his son Jimmy served in the war — played a central role in his surprise Senate election in 2006 against Republican Sen. George Allen. While he chose not to seek re-election after one term, his military and foreign policy credentials could allow him to become a debate stage foil to Clinton, who served as President Barack Obama's secretary of state.

Webb has said U.S. foreign policy has been "adrift" since the end of the Cold War and called for a new foreign policy doctrine that would outline the circumstances in which the U.S. would use military force.

Webb has made frequent trips to the early voting states of Iowa and New Hampshire, but early polls show him trailing in a field dominated by Clinton that also includes Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley and former Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chafee.

http://news.yahoo.com/former-virginia-sen-jim-webb-run-president-181941100--election.html
___

I'm a diehard libtard, but Hillary must be stopped. Best of luck to Webb.

I'm not looking forward to voting Republican for the first time in my 64 years.

I met Webb at a tech event. Very nice gentleman. He has certainly been a force in bringing in jobs to Fairfax county. I don't think he has a chance against Hillary.

Webb-Gillibrand 2016

I wouldn't vote for Hillary or Web, nothing will change for the better with those 2. Obama was a total let down. I wouldn't vote for him again even if he ran for dog catcher.

Big time conservative here. Would definitely vote for Webb.

Where's the Mike O'Meara Show thread?


P.S. Anybody but Hillary.

stephen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wouldn't vote for Hillary or Web, nothing will
> change for the better with those 2. Obama was a
> total let down. I wouldn't vote for him again even
> if he ran for dog catcher.


You don't run for dog catcher.

Do them Democrats only have great grandparents running? Holy shit they're old. And white. And racist. And confederates.

Dems are old as dirt. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do them Democrats only have great grandparents
> running? Holy shit they're old. And white. And
> racist. And confederates.

Jim Webb does indeed support Confederate heritage. He wrote a book about it. Very balanced point of view for a liberal democrat.

Webb seems to be a decent guy and an old school Democrat. I don't think he is one of these wackadoo libs or 1%er Clintonites.

But just to be safe I will vote for a conservative candidate.

Edrft Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I met Webb at a tech event. Very nice gentleman.
> He has certainly been a force in bringing in jobs
> to Fairfax county. I don't think he has a chance
> against Hillary.


I was born a democrat. Later disowned for converting, but if Webb makes sense, I might make my grandpa happy again.

There are enough Democrats entering the Presidential race that they could start their own Hunger Games, not that anyone would try to make a joke about a fictional sport where children murder children in creative ways.

Hoped for Change Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There are enough Democrats entering the
> Presidential race that they could start their own
> Hunger Games, not that anyone would try to make a
> joke about a fictional sport where children murder
> children in creative ways.

We already have the Hunger Games. It is called Boosterthon. Children are made to compete. If, for example, the boys lose, they have to wear dresses and makeup.

The Boosterthon people have been known to read the Bible out loud in class and to argue with science teachers about evolution. FCPS' Steve Lockard (salockard@fcps.edu) thinks Boosterthon is great. What do you think?

I'm really looking for a candidate who has half a brain. Someone who isn't an extremist. Someone who stands for something besides sucking off his benefactors.
We haven't had a Pontus that hasn't been dancing like a marionette this century.
But with unlimited campaign contributions we will get another figurehead

Didn't agree with Webb much while he was in the Senate, but have waaaaay more respect for him than any other of these other lying, vile, America-hating, commie democrat candidates.

I wonder if he'll be in the first democrat debate.

He's angling for the VP spot.

That's what most of these candidates are doing.