Jim Bob Cooter

Relax, this post is not about the Detriot Lions Offensive Coordinator or his magician like play calling that has seemingly raised Matthew Stafford and company from the grave their season appeared to be resting in. Though you have to admit, the dude's got one of the most...shall we say interesting names in any business that one can't help but want to throw around at the same rate that Tony Romo's been throwing interceptions. But I digress from all this football and get down to brass political tacks.

Jim Webb is a name few have heard, and likely even fewer have taken time to get to know. The former Virginia Senator declared his candidacy for the 2016 Presidency earlier this year during the summer. Webb's political credentials certainly warrant attention, as he previously served in the Reagan Administration as Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, Secretary of the Navy, and most recently as Senator of Virginia. Webb served the Commonwealth from 2007-2013 as a member of the Democratic Party, during which he additionally served on the Committee on Armed Services, Committee on Foreign Relations, and was an advocate for reforms in the Criminal Justice System.

So why then, would a politician as seasoned as Webb be buried in the press under other candidates whose track record of success let alone experience is modest at best? (*cough cough, Donald, Ben, Rubio, well you get the point)
Chances are, since the beginning of all the 2016 Presidential discussions, you've heard plenty through the media about celebrities staking their claim for the White House, and the top 2 candidates on either side of the political spectrum. What you haven't heard a lot about are those candidates pulling in less than double digits in percentages of the current vote. Does this mean these candidates are any less important or deserve any less coverage from the press? Absolutely not. Alas, this does not come as a surprise to many, if any at all, as it has become common practice for the media to talk about the hot topics and popular characters, rather than subject matter and individuals that may generate less of a wow factor. In addition to Webb not jumping off the popularity page in the same way Donald Trump jumps at the chance to insult a disabled member of the press or make large scale racial generalizations, Webb's track record of identifying more with ideologies and policies rather than party lines and labels could be the cause of his apparent unpopularity with the media and voters.

Webb describes himself as a bi-partisan law maker and this falls in line with one of the primary reasons he opted to not run for re-election for his seat in the Senate, citing he was frustrated with the partisan gridlock that plagued the Senate and often prevented the legislative body from major accomplishments. The American people's need to identify with a particular party and label of conservative, liberal, etc. can be cited as an underlying reason for Webb's discontent with the political system and general unwillingness of politicians to work together for the betterment of the whole.

Having initially declared his candidacy as a member of the Democratic Party, he quickly fell behind the likes of former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, and Vermont Senator, Bernie Sanders. Webb eventually recanted his candidacy as a member of the Democratic Party, however, it is likely that he will continue his campaign as an Independent candidate. In the mean time, we have some pretty hilarious gems to fall back on, courtesy of the official Jim Webb Twitter page.


First up, we have a promotion from Gilt, that was promoted by GQ. Apparently, whoever was behind the keyboard running the Webb Twitter page got a little too excited about this promotion.

The tweet was shortly removed thereafter but not before GQ landed this golden response.

Perhaps the best of the best are displayed in these promotions made by #WebbNation in support of the former Senator.

While these tweets won't win him the desk chair in the Oval Office, they do offer some political humor during this time fueled by smear tactics and finger pointing advertisements. For those of you who stuck it out to the end of this rather lengthy and final post, thank you. Thank you for your time during the course of this semester in joining me on my first blogging journey. I hope you enjoyed the ride as much as I did, and at the end of the day were able to find some humor in my take on the suit and tie straight laced world of politics and intersection with the media.


Sources and Polls: 

The Official Jim Webb Twitter Page is an Unintentional Comedy Goldmine

Jim Webb'16: Leadership You Can Trust

The Politics and Elections Portal

2016 Presidential Polls