Jim Webb has served as a United States senator from Virginia, Secretary of the Navy, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs, Counsel for the United States House Committee on Veterans' Affairs and is a decorated Marine Corps officer.
59 Facts About Jim Webb
2.
Outside of working in government, Webb is an Emmy Award winning journalist, filmmaker, and author of ten books.
3.
In 2020, Jim Webb was named the first distinguished fellow of University of Notre Dame's International Security Center.
4.
Jim Webb was born in St Joseph, Missouri, to James Henry Jim Webb, and his wife, Vera Lorraine.
5.
Jim Webb is descended from Scots-Irish immigrants from Ulster who emigrated in the mid-18th century to the British North American colonies.
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Jim Webb's 2004 book Born Fighting: How the Scots-Irish Shaped America details his family history, noting that his ancestors fought in every major American war.
7.
Jim Webb attended more than a dozen schools across the US and in England.
8.
In 1964, Jim Webb earned appointment to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
9.
At Annapolis, Jim Webb was a member of the Brigade Honor Committee and the Brigade Staff.
10.
Jim Webb was promoted to first lieutenant in the second half of his tour in Vietnam.
11.
Jim Webb served as a platoon commander with Delta Company, 1st Battalion 5th Marines.
12.
Jim Webb was awarded the Navy Cross for heroism in Vietnam, the second-highest decoration in the Navy and Marine Corps.
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Jim Webb was awarded the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts.
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Jim Webb was then assigned to the Secretary of the Navy's office for the remainder of his active duty.
15.
Jim Webb received the Navy Cross for actions on July 10,1969.
16.
On July 10,1969, while participating in a company-sized search and destroy operation deep in hostile territory, First Lieutenant Jim Webb's platoon discovered a well-camouflaged bunker complex that appeared to be unoccupied.
17.
Deploying his men into defensive positions, First Lieutenant Jim Webb was advancing to the first bunker when three enemy soldiers armed with hand grenades jumped out.
18.
On 9 May 1969, during Operation Muskogee Meadow, a six-man reconnaissance patrol from First Lieutenant Jim Webb's platoon was ambushed and temporarily pinned down by a large North Vietnamese Army force concealed in a tree line four hundred meters in front of Company D's night defensive position.
19.
Immediately upon learning of the dangerous situation, First Lieutenant Jim Webb organized a reaction force and proceeded to the point of contact to aid his beleaguered Marines.
20.
In 1980, Jim Webb was interviewed for Vietnam: The Ten Thousand Day War, a Canadian television documentary about the Vietnam War.
21.
Jim Webb attended Georgetown Law Center from 1972 to 1975, graduating with a Juris Doctor degree.
22.
From 1977 to 1981, Jim Webb worked on the staff of the House Committee on Veterans Affairs.
23.
Jim Webb taught at the Naval Academy and was criticized for a 1979 article published in Washingtonian magazine, titled "Women Can't Fight".
24.
Jim Webb attended the 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit and led the Pledge of Allegiance in the opening session.
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Jim Webb resigned in 1988 after refusing to agree to reduce the size of the Navy.
26.
Jim Webb warned against a permanent military presence in the Middle East.
27.
Seven months before the beginning of the 2003 Iraq War, Jim Webb wrote an essay for The Washington Post in which he.
28.
Jim Webb criticized Kerry for the nature of his opposition to the Vietnam War in the 1970s while affiliated with the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, and accused Bush of using his father's connections to avoid service in Vietnam.
29.
Jim Webb wrote that Bush had "committed the greatest strategic blunder in modern memory" with the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
30.
Jim Webb supported Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey's campaign for the 1992 Democratic presidential nomination.
31.
Jim Webb subsequently endorsed Republican George Allen over Robb in 2000, and then ran against Allen himself in 2006.
32.
In late 2005, a campaign to draft Jim Webb to run for the Senate in 2006 began on the internet, promoted by netroots activists such as those at the blog Raising Kaine.
33.
Allen tries to project a Reagan aura, but Jim Webb already has it.
34.
On September 7,2006, Jim Webb released his first television advertisement, which included footage of a 1985 speech by Ronald Reagan that praised Jim Webb's service as a Marine.
35.
On November 28,2006, at a White House reception for those newly elected to Congress, Jim Webb did not choose to wait in the line to have his picture taken with the president, whom Jim Webb often criticized during the campaign.
36.
Jim Webb was asked about the exchange in a January 4,2007 appearance on Hardball with Chris Matthews.
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On January 3,2007, Jim Webb was sworn into the 110th US Senate, accompanied by Sen.
38.
On January 23,2007, Jim Webb delivered the Democratic response to the president's State of the Union address, focusing on the economy and Iraq.
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Jim Webb's speech drew positive reviews, and was regarded as one of the stronger State of the Union responses in recent memory.
40.
Jim Webb responded to his aide's arrest by reiterating his support for gun-owners' rights:.
41.
Jim Webb has stated that he started the pivot to Asia during the Bush Administration.
42.
Jim Webb visited Vietnam as part of a two-week trip to five Southeast Asian countries.
43.
Jim Webb worked in the 1990s as a consultant for companies attempting to do business in Vietnam.
44.
On March 26,2009, Jim Webb filed the Criminal Justice Commission Act of 2009 Archived February 5,2016, at the Wayback Machine, which would create a blue ribbon commission to reevaluate the criminal justice system and drug policy and make recommendations for reform.
45.
On February 9,2011, Jim Webb announced that he would not run for re-election to his Senate seat in 2012.
46.
Jim Webb was frequently mentioned as a possible vice presidential Democratic nominee for Barack Obama in 2008 due to his military experience and moderate policy positions.
47.
On November 19,2014, Jim Webb announced the formation of an exploratory committee in preparation for a possible bid for the Democratic Party's nomination for President of the United States in 2016.
48.
Jim Webb made the announcement via a video posted on his website, as well as on YouTube.
49.
On June 15,2015, Jim Webb announced he would make a decision regarding a presidential bid by the end of the month.
50.
Jim Webb made a formal announcement on July 2,2015, through an open letter on his webb2016 website, that he would seek the Democratic Party's nomination for the presidency.
51.
On October 20,2015, after failing to gain substantial support for his campaign ahead of the primaries, Jim Webb announced that he would be dropping out of the Democratic presidential race in favor of a possible independent presidential run citing his "frustration with party leadership".
52.
On March 4,2016, Jim Webb stated that he would not vote for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election and declined to rule out voting for Donald Trump.
53.
Jim Webb is a prolific writer and has written for many national journals including the Marine Corps Gazette, Proceedings of the United States Naval Institute, USA Today, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Wall Street Journal.
54.
Jim Webb is a member of the Anne Arundel County, Maryland, Council.
55.
In tribute to his son, Jimmy, and to "all the people sent into harm's way", Jim Webb wore his son's old combat boots every day during his 2006 Senate campaign.
56.
Jim Webb is currently married to Hong Le Jim Webb, a Vietnamese-American securities and corporate lawyer for Murphy and McGonigle.
57.
Hong Le and Jim Webb have one child together, Georgia LeAnh, born December 2006.
58.
Jim Webb is a stepfather to Hong Le's daughter from a previous marriage.
59.
Jim Webb won election to the senate in 2006, defeating incumbent George Allen.