Bush knew

How often do I get to type that?

It seems recent reports of incivility during a meeting between Bush and Sen.-elect Jim Webb were — what's the word? Oh yeah, wrong.

Oh, there was plenty of incivility, just the complete opposite of what was reported.

At a recent White House reception, President Bush asked Sen.-elect Jim Webb (D-VA), “How’s your boy?” referring to Webb’s son Jimmy, who is serving in Iraq. Webb answered, “I’d like to get them out of Iraq, Mr. President,” to which Bush responded, “That’s not what I asked you.” Webb then replied, “That’s between me and my boy, Mr. President.”

The right wing has been attacking Webb for his reaction to Bush’s question.

[snip]

But according to Rep. Jim Moran (D-VA), Bush was told that Webb’s son had a recent brush with death in Iraq and was warned to be “extra sensitive” when talking to the Sen.-elect. ThinkProgress yesterday spoke with Moran’s office and confirmed the congressman’s statement, first reported by hcc in VA:

Not only did Bush know about it, he was specifically briefed on the incident before meeting with Webb, and was cautioned to be extra sensitive in speaking with Webb about his son.

I wonder if George Will is planning another column about the exchange, you know, after writing this:

Webb certainly has conveyed what he is: a boor. Never mind the patent disrespect for the presidency. Webb's more gross offense was calculated rudeness toward another human being -- one who, disregarding many hard things Webb had said about him during the campaign, asked a civil and caring question, as one parent to another.

Egg, meet face.

But George Will's purporting to have sources inside the minds of Bush and Webb isn't the issue here. The real issue is what kind of human being is roaming the halls of the White House four and a half days a week? Webb ought to be congratulated for keeping his cool.

Still, it does bother me that journalists apparently don't ask questions anymore.