Breaking News: Now, Jim Webb takes himself off Obama's VP list

Jim Webb, the Virginia senator and former Republican who packs his own heat most places, has withdrawn himself from consideration as Barack Obama's Democratic vice presidential running mate.

In a statement released moments ago, Webb said: "Last week I communicated to Senator Obama and his presidential campaign my firm intention to remain in the United States Senate, where I believe I am best equipped to serve the people of Virginia and this country.

"Under no circumstances will I be a candidate for Vice President."

Webb joins Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland as firmly removing himself from consideration as the Democratic No. 2. Strickland, you may recall, was and presumably still is a staunch supporter of New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and helped deliver a lopsided Ohio primary win to her column this spring.

Strickland, whose Buckeye State will be crucial in determining the presidential winner Nov. 4, was equally unequivocal: "If drafted, I will not run; nominated, I will not accept; and if elected, I will not serve. So, I don’t know how more crystal clear I can be," he said in early June.

Webb had once been considered a possible candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination himself. His vice presidential potential stems from his proven political crossover appeal in another important state that has been trending Democratic in recent elections.

His statement today also said: 

"A year and a half ago, the people of Virginia honored me with election to the U.S. Senate. I entered elective politics because of my commitment to strengthen America's national security posture, to promote economic fairness, and to increase government accountability.

"I have worked hard to deliver upon that commitment, and I am convinced that my efforts and talents toward those ends are best served in the Senate."

Webb also promised to campaign hard for the Democratic presidential ticket this fall.

For the complete text of Webb's statement, click on the Read More line below.

--  Andrew Malcolm

Photo credit: Getty Images

The complete text of Sen. Webb's statement follows:

"Last week I communicated to Senator Obama and his presidential campaign my firm intention to remain in the United States Senate, where I believe I am best equipped to serve the people of Virginia and this country. Under no circumstances will I be a candidate for Vice President. 

"A year and a half ago, the people of Virginia honored me with election to the U.S. Senate. 

"I entered elective politics because of my commitment to strengthen America's national security posture, to promote economic fairness, and to increase government accountability. I have worked hard to deliver upon that commitment, and I am convinced that my efforts and talents toward those ends are best served in the Senate.

"In this regard, the bipartisan legislative template we were able to put into effect through 18 months of work in order to enact the new, landmark GI Bill will serve as a prototype for my future endeavors in government. 

"This process, wherein we brought 58 Senators from both parties to the table as co-sponsors, along with more than 300 members of the House, gives me renewed confidence that the Congress can indeed work effectively across party lines and address the concerns of our citizens.

"At this time I am also renewing my commitment to work hard to make sure that Senator Obama wins both Virginia and the presidency this November. He is a man who speaks eloquently about our national goals and calls for the practical solutions that must be put into place to obtain them. I will proudly campaign for him."

Comments

[Seni]

Good move Jim Webb.
Don't do what Barack Obama did. After he got elected senator, he started running for president after 1 year. I praise senator Webb for sticking to his commitment to continue to be a senator and learn how he can better serve the people. This shows good character and respect for the people who just voted for him.

[Greg]

Seni... you can give that a rest my friend.
When you are called upon to serve you serve.
This is what Obama is doing. And you might want to get your years correct too.

Funny, I haven't heard anyone from his service area complain, unless you are from there and would be the first.

If you are not why are you complaining?
Republican or RepubliClinton? LOL!

[Vote Hillary]

Maybe they know something we all don't ,it's odd how they all are making it so public they don't want to be V.P Intresting ,maybe someone has inside info Obama has some nasty problems about to come out and they don't want to be associated with him hmmm,can't wait till october lol

[Tom]

They are dropping like flies!

[Eldon Thompson]

Good Move Sen. Jim Webb ... YOU will provide greater ledership in the Senate ... more opportunity to make a difference for Veterans and Seniors - I am both.

YOU are a proven leader -- in the jungle of Viet Nam the vast domain of the Pentagon and now the Halls Of Congress!!!

[Richard P. McDonough]

What a cleanly written, professionally done story, not a dumb headline in sight. Perhaps you can give lessons to the print editors and headline writers???

[Kevin Morgan]

Obama has already made his choice. I think Webb would have been an excellent VP. but Obama had other plans. So be it. Webb will continue to work for Obama's election and will serve the party and his home state in the senate.

[cindy]

Obama needs Webb to help campaign in Appalachia.

It is suggested that Obama get with Webb and KY Lt Gov Dr. Dan Mongiardo and hold a ralley at Cumberland Gap where KY, VA and TN meet.

[Don Jones]

With all due respect to Jim Webb, all this means is that he knew he wasn't going to get chosen. If you believe his explanation for not wanting the job, I have a bridge in Alaska I'd like to sell you

[NinaK]

Good move Jim Webb.
Don't do what Barack Obama did. After he got elected senator, he started running for president after 1 year. I praise senator Webb for sticking to his commitment to continue to be a senator and learn how he can better serve the people. This shows good character and respect for the people who just voted for him.
-------------------------------------------------------
Seni, nothing about Hilliary?? She completed a full six-year senate term, got relected, served ONE year, and jumped into the Presidential race!! Why do YOU ONLY mention Senator Obama?? Your comment, "This shows good character and respect for the people who just voted for him" Are you proclaimiing Senator Clinton and Senator Obama are not of good character and do not have respect for their constituents?? If so, I think you are being far too judgemental. NOT ALL people are the same. If I recall correctly, fellow senators encouraged and urged Senator Obama to run for President!! As it turns out, they were correct to do so. I am certain most people in Illinois are very proud of their junior senator. Didn't you know? WE, THE PEOPLE, ARE FREE TO MAKE CHOICES. If Jim Webb chooses to remain a senator, that is just fine. If Senator Obama and Hilliary chose to run for the Office of the President, that is fine also. We are so very fortunate we have our freedom.

[Waiting4debates]

Cpt. Webb knows you don't jump rank without
putting in your time and proving your leadership.
Combat vets know that and don't seek responsibility without experience.
Ego and ambition don't pay the bills.

[Daron]

Seni, are you trying to say he would have declined an offer from Clinton to serve his country and put the US back on the right course as her Vice President??? You are full of it, the real issue is much more sinister than that, call it being BLACK balled, pun intended.

[Lewis B. Sckolnick]

What a shock!

[I'm thirteen!]

I'm thirteen!

You all suck!

All the nominees are CFR. Elections are a joke. Even a kid knows this.

Censor me, bitch.

[Schratboy]

Webb is grand standing. He's politically radioactive, so his withdrawal is a non-event event designed to make him appear to be VP material. The reality is that Webb is just another attention-grabbing, pocket-lining, lobbyist coddling parasite.

[NinaK]

Was Jim Webb, in fact, on Senator Obama's list for VP? Or, is everyone just "assuming"? I know the media and people on these "blogs" have been throwing Senator Webb's name out there as being a good pick for VP; however, that does not mean he was, in fact, on the VP list. The same applies to Governor Strickland. Just because we speculate, it does not mean it is a fact. Did Webb and Strickland actually say, "I am removing myself from Senator Obama's VP list"? It is the media that is headlining the stories on these two men in such a way to attact readers. It is amazing how the bigots and racists immediatly jump in with such ugly comments as they have here. Such ugliness says more about the people themselves than it does about the person they are condemning. You people do not have to like the good senator from Illinois; however, to dump your venom, hatred, and begory on him is beyond the pale.

[Paul Wilson]

I could have easily crossed over to vote for Webb for Prez.

Obama....well, no way.

[RadianChalant]

Potential VP candidates are dropping out because they know they do not have what it takes. Barack Obama will choose the right VP candidate when the time comes. Barack Obama will win and our economy will start to improve. I am not worried. I sent my donation to the Obama campaign two (2) days ago. I will contribute more. I am making an investment into my future, our futures. Barack for President.

[TJR]

Well, contrary to the media's point of view, there are over 300 million people in the U.S. - other than Bill and Hillary Clinton. Out of that group, I would assume Barack Obama could find someone willing to accept the VP job. I suggest Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano. She's got a sterling resume and was recently re-elected governor (as a Democrat in a largely Republican state) by landslide.

[Kristin]

Re: What a cleanly written, professionally done story, not a dumb headline in sight. Perhaps you can give lessons to the print editors and headline writers???

Strange comment. It's much easier to get it right on the Net because you can continually update it. Think about the amount of info that goes into a print newspaper every day. It's amazing newspapers even get that amount of info on the page.

[Mary T]

Gotta love these guys like Strickland and Webb who so STRONGLY comment that they will not accept the VP position. Were they even that seriously being considered?

[Steve Czaja]

Let's see, a nobody Senator who won his last election by a couple hundred votes mainly because The Washington Post ran pro -Webb articles at about a 10-1 ratio over pro-Allen pieces, turns down another nobody who has served all of 143 days in the US Senate who is claimed by the media to be my savior.'Maybe you good folks can tell me why the hell I should care? Because, right now I don't.

[Will]

Seems Obama is a little too far left and out of sync with the mainstream Democrats. Or maybe they don't know what he stands for. "Hope" and "Change" are only words without a gameplan and Obama's changes every day.

[jthomas]

They are all withdrawing as they know they were not chosen - it allows them to save face... plain and simple

[Steve]

to Vote Hillary: That something is probably that he cannot produce an authentic State of Hawaii birth certificate and that the one posted on his website and claimed to be authentic is in fact a forgery. Therefore there is a question whether he is eligible to be president under the U.S. Constitution.

[trustthesky]

The DNC and the Obama campaign did not want to pay for a re-election for disencfranchised voters in michigan and florida, yet they're willing to raise an enormous amount of funds for his coronation party?

That's it. I'm officially out of this party.

[Tomsk]

Vote for Change!!! Obama can uh, well, maybe he wont actually change anything, just uh, well, uh, he's black, and if you dont vote for him, you are uh, well, vaguely racist, well, at least I think so. Obama gets more corporate donations than McCain and Clinton. What differernce does it make who gets elected? None.
Vote for Nader if you are liberal and Bob Barr if you are conservative. Dont let these two corrupt political parties take anymore of our money.

[TJ]

Anyone who does not blindly fall in line with Obama are insulted and deemed no good anyway by his Obamamaniacs. Doesn't matter who you are, you just are no good at all. For that reason alone, I hope there is a huge Democratic loss in November because this democracy needs critical adult thinkers, not blind adoescents in a fanatic frenzied campaign of Hope fueled by Hate. For my own info, I looked up Gov Sebelius that I read so many Obamamaniacs raving about. Dear me, all she does is cut ribbons in Kansas, visit local schools, local fairs, and her "plan" for Kansas is the same as any Gov in any state. What a wipe out that will be with the 2 of them as our Heads of State. Of course, there is always Richardson, who will do anything, say anything that betters himself while his own state of New Mexico has the worst public education system, the most poverty amidst the highest income residents, and the worst highways, transportation, health care access. He is a blow hard but "shows well". I hope Obama chooses someone other than Clinton, if he can find someone who will accept it. Biden and any other REAL govt serviceperson would probably accept out of a sense of duty, but, I still will not vote for this flip flopping, empty suit, full of self, nothing. This is one of the worst outcomes of any nominee selection process. If elected, or if not, left with these 2 choices, this will complete the downfall began 8 years ago with the election of another empty suit with wild, fanatic support for his brand of ideology. One would have hoped we would have learned a lesson but there was just too much "Hope" to be had this time around that blinded all reason and logic. We may not have another chance to right things.

[AP]

You better believe something nasty is about to come out. He's a dirty politician from South side of Chicago. One of the news media outlets is holding the "tape" that has to do with Michelle Obama. No wonder she's got a bigger team to handle criticisms of her. Boy, are we in for a treat, come October.........

========================================
Maybe they know something we all don't ,it's odd how they all are making it so public they don't want to be V.P Intresting ,maybe someone has inside info Obama has some nasty problems about to come out and they don't want to be associated with him hmmm,can't wait till october lol

Posted by: Vote Hillary | July 07, 2008 at 05:58 PM

[atanu]

to steve czaza above, Jim webb is a "nobody"?? A veteran, ex navy secretary, brilliant author, he was running against allen whose major achievement was being a high school bully with psychotic tendencies and getting his pics taken with Klan chiefs. not to mention the noose he likes to hang. for once at least, the choice was made rightly.

[Lame Cherry]

It is amazing the supporter for Jim Webb who the media reported and then covered up used to beat up black people in college for sport.
His entire demeanor has been throwing a fit and leaving President Reagan in the lurch, then having to have Nancy Reagan during his senate campaign request for him to stop using Ronald Reagan in his campaign.
Jim Webb has shown no character. He is brute who can not behave in public. He wanted to cut and run in Iraq abandoning all those soldiers efforts and now that he has been proven wrong, not one apology to the soldiers.
He has a stooge haul around a firearm illegally for him, but never raised one public outcry in favor of the DC families who just got the gun ban overturned. Regular people can be assaulted in DC, but as long as elitist Jim Webb gets to make his own laws that is fine by him.
I will not vote for Barack Obama, but Sen. Obama has had a gift in not having this ill mannered Jim Webb remove himself from the ticket.
No one here has made the point either the real fact about these liberal Democrats from the east, none of them voted for Barack Obama (remember Iowa did and New Hampshire abandoned him) and they are proven racists who think blacks are good enough to vote, but none of them would serve under one.
Barack Obama has now stated he will continue on with a number of Bush programs actually giving the President a 3rd term. Those are the facts. Jim Webb wouldn't fit in the Obama administration as he has been wrong about everything.
It is amazing for Democrats in leadership roles that once they have responsibility they leave the Jim Webb rants behind and start implementing Clinton to Bush type policies. Brezinski and Daschle run the Obama policy with Joe Biden providing the thug work on India nuclear arming and the arrests on Larry Sinclair.
Biden is doing the work for the job. Unless he is exposed in the Sinclair mess, he will be at least Sec. of State and is in the top 3 for Vice President.

[Barfy's toilet flushing]

WELL UH, THE UH LIST IS UH GETTING SO SHORT UH HE WISHES UH THAT UH UH UH HE COULD UH BLACK UH BLACKMAIL UH UH UH THEM.

[good choice]

I like him. I don't know if he would make a good VP, but he certainly has a lot of character. And that alone probably took him out of the running in this strange society where we all have to be god to run for these offices ... strangely strip searched in a bizarre testimony of 'the truth'. And we call it vetting - give it a clinical non personal name and make it seem objective. What is sad is that some issues that are correct even needed for us to look at as a nation, never see the light of day in the mill of press releases and cycles. Like for instance George Bush, in speaking to aid for the recent floods, said that he was going to release supplemental funds to "show the people we're doing our jobs." And that statement didn't even make a blip while we all poured over the word 'REFINE' with magnifying glasses and the like. I just don't get it sometimes. Okay, a lot of the times. I am, however, hoping that Webb stays true to his focus on veteran's issues and pulls together more successful legislation for something that has been a travesty for this nation. I particularly hope that he starts a cycle of back evaluations of the mechanisms by which vets try to get benefits that were promised to them. There appears to be more demand than there is supply, or what was intended to supply at any rate. The system is highly flawed and shows a real lack of regard for our servicemen. It is time for PUBLIC discussion around this issue with just as much gusto as looking into other people's invidivual lives.

[Mister Jimmy]

So, how did Webby-boy vote on the bill allowing the telecoms to conduct surveillance on us?

[Jryan]

Hey 13-year-old

You censor yourself, first with your stupidity, and then with your crudity. You give new meaning to the old song, "I'm glad I'm not young anymore."

[steve owen]

the answer of all this is in the telefilm "24 hours". all of them know what is going to happen to senator obama. clointon will be the vice and obama will get killed and she will become president. it is crystal clear.

[NinaK]

They are dropping like flies!

Posted by: Tom | July 07, 2008 at 06:00 PM
----------------------------------------------------
They are dropping like flies! Really? NONE of these people have been ASKED to be the VP, so how can they be dropping like flies?? They are not! The media and some people on the various blogs have been throwing Webb, Strickland and others out there as POSSIBLE VP candidates! I don't think anybody really KNOWS IF these people were on Senator Obama's VP list. I believe most are GUESSING and ASSUMING. Just because their names are thrown out there by the media and others does NOT make it so. Those of you who think these people don't want to be Senator Obama's VP because he is a man who is black probably have it right. What a shame, though. At any rate, these guys have NOT been asked to be the VP candidate, so it really is silly for them to come out and say they do not want to be VP. Your claim that they are dropping like flies holds no water and NO TRUTH. :):)

[NinaK]

I could have easily crossed over to vote for Webb for Prez.

Obama....well, no way.

Posted by: Paul Wilson |
--------------------------

Paul Wilson, as Rhett Butler said to Scarlet O'Hara, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damned" who you vote for. Webb is not presidential material. Anyone who refuses to to shake the President's hand and turns his back to him at a formal gathering is not worthy of the Office of the Vice President or the Presidency. Really classy, that Jim Webb. He is probably a bigot and racist as well. His home state will probably boot him out at the end of his current term.....he BARELY made it to Senator to begin with..

[NinaK]

Oh my, the hatred, the racism, the bigotry, the name calling, the resentment being piled on Senator Obama on this blog only prove just how sick you, the authors of these vicious posts, really are. It certainly appears you are PROJECTING YOUR OWN SELF-HATRED UNTO Senator Obama!! How can you live with yourselves?

It is the Repubs who have been destroying our country; the needless war GWB, Rumsfeld, and Cheney forced upon us with lies and more lies have greatly diminished the USA in the eyes of other world leaders, have greatly contributed to the state in which we find our own nation, where the wealthy become wealther and the middleclass becomes poor, and the poor become poorer, gas prices more than twice as expensive as 8 years ago, thousands of people losing their homes , thousands of people living on the streets, under bridges, and sleeping in store fronts near the grates to keep warm. Millions of jobs lost due to being shipped overseas. This began with Clinton's NAFTA and continues strong today. The price of bread has gone up to $4.00+ a loaf, a gallon of milk is approaching $5.00 and on and on. Fact is GWB and his administration have forgotten about the American people, our infrastructures, our economy and our own natural disasters (witness Katrina!) Now stories are floating that Bush and company are positioning the USA for war with Iran and you can bet McCain is thrilled about this. That kind of talk about Iran is inviting trouble for our country. Maybe that is what Mr. Black and McCain are hoping for when Mr. Black (top advisor to McCain) and meant when he stated that another attack on U.S. soil would be BENEFICIAL TO MCCAIN! I put NOTHING past the Repubs!! If that is their ultimate goal, it is TREASON and CRIMINAL!! Yes, bait and wait for the reacation. How sick is that!! Nevermind the thousands of lives that would be lost in such an attack!! Nevermind the thousands injured; nevermind the families of the victims and their pain and sorrow; nevermind the toll on America, nevermind the suffering and pain of the entire nation, nevermind the destruction of property and resources!! All Black and McCain care about is THAT SUCH AN ATTACK WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO McCAIN!! Folks, this is extremely sick thinking!! Do you want people like this in OUR White House? People who think another attack within our shores would be BENEFICIAL TO ONE, YES, ONE PERSON?? ONLY, WE, THE PEOPLE, can keep these traitors out of OUR White House!! Why doesn't the media focus more on Black's outrageious comment? Had Senator Obama's advisor, or anyone from his campaign for that matter, had said this the media would be all over it for days and weeks!! But since it was Mr Black from the McCaign campaign, the media put a lid on it!!

[NinaK]

to Vote Hillary: That something is probably that he cannot produce an authentic State of Hawaii birth certificate and that the one posted on his website and claimed to be authentic is in fact a forgery. Therefore there is a question whether he is eligible to be president under the U.S. Constitution.

Posted by: Steve
--------------------
Gee. Steve. it is soooo amazing you know sooo much about Senator Obama's birth and his birth certificate! How do YOU know it is not "Authentic"? Absolutely amazing!! Just where did YOU get hold of his birth certificate? Did YOU know that birth certificates are not handed out like candy? Just where did YOU have it analyzed for authenticity? Did you know copies of birth certificates have to be "NOTORIZED" by the proper state official? Just what makes you think the birth certificate posted on the net is a "forgery"?? Did YOU, yourself, post it there so you can call it a forgery?? Since you claim to know soooo much about his birth and birth certificate, perhaps you can enlighten the rest of us as to just "WHERE' YOU think the good senator was born??

FACTS: Barack Obama WAS born in the State of Hawaii (USA) to his young White Mom (originally from Kansas, USA) and his Kenyan Dad. Both were attending the University of Hawaii at that time, fell in love, married, and had a son, Barack Obama.

You are just trying to stir up your garbage with the hope we will listen to YOU. Sorry, buster, we do not buy into your crapola!! Go find something constructive to do to entertain yourself.

[NinaK]

Steve, in addition to my previous post to you, Senator Obama definitely would NOT post his birth certificate on the internet!! Haven't you heard of identity theft?? Evidently you do not know just how private and important our birth certificates are to us!! There is NO way anyone can get copies of your birth certificate either!! So, IF there is a "birth certificate" out there for all to see, someone "made one up". Again, there is no way on this green earth Senator Obama, or any of us, for that matter, would place our birth certificates on the internet!! It would be plain stupiidity to do so!! Have you heard of Identiity Theft??

[Anne Kress]

the past 8 years have left me totally brain dead, due to
all the lies fed into it by the media, the blogs, the papers,
etc....so that now I do not believe anything can be fixed...the Bilderbergers will continue to rule the world, the Reps and Dems no longer matter (people keep saying: WELL, YOU HAVE HAD A DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS FOR EONS NOW AND THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED NOTHING...., WHICH IS TRUE, HAVING A REP PREZ DOESN'T HELP.....and , ME, I walk around cross-eyed muttering.....
"Humpty Dumpty Sat on a Wall - Humpty
Dumpty had a GREAT FALL...and All the king's horses
and All the king's men, couldn't put humpty together again!' And then,,,,,and then.....I remembered WWII and a Germany bombed to pieces and totally in shreds.......and look at it NOW.!.....but they were fortunate, their greatest
enemy during the war helped to reglue the domain
and so the Germans live well today. Is there anyone
out there who will help us, since, with all our resources
in terms of intellect/industry/manpower, etc., we cannot seem to help ourselves???? globalization - phooey!!!
the North American Union - phooey!!!....I sure am going
to be happy when I wake up and find out it is really
the Year 2000 and it has all been a bad dream -