It’s something of a slow news time for the otherwise crack Virginia political press corps so, when presented with a scrap of information that can, with a bit of skill, be padded out into a full column, they leap at the chance. Such is the case with this item in the Richmond Times-Dispatch, in which soon-to-be retired Sen. Jim Webb says he’s not going to fade away from the political scene once his term ends.
Does this mean he wants to become Secretary of Defense? Or perhaps a special envoy to Burma? Maybe even Governor?
The mind boggles at the possibilities…for follow-up stories!
So armed, reporters scurrying to their desks and dial-up the University of Virginia’s Larry Sabato, who, quite professionally and presumably with little prompting, furnishes the necessary quotes to give the growing speculation bubble the gloss it needs to seem plausible. Or at least prevent it from popping before deadline.
What the editors missed, though, is that for Sen. Webb to move into the DoD slot depends on a rather important item: President Obama winning a second term. Webb’s own (and only) term doesn’t end until 2013 and the incumbent Secretary, Robert Gates, will leave office long before that.
But the President’s political fortunes only get in the way of the fun. So let’s keep playing along…
The President could install a caretaker who would keep the DoD seat warm for Webb until 2013. But that’s not very likely, as the nation is currently embroiled in its third conflict and can hardly afford to have a figurehead at the Defense Department. Even less likely is that a slot would be kept open for Webb until he was ready to move in.
But remember: Jim Webb is his own man, with his own timetable. He could take the DoD job and leave the Senate early, but that would mean filling a vacant Senate seat before the 2012 election.
The cloud rising from that scramble would rival the dust bowl, not to mention igniting a press orgy that would rival the 2006 senatorial contest (and some of us recall how that bounty quickly devolved into scenes of pressie excess that would have made Caligula blush). Would there be a special election? Would Gov. McDonnell appoint someone? If so, who would it be? A Republican, yes – but who? Himself? George Allen? What’s Marshall Coleman up to these days?
However, and mercifully, it is from Mr. Webb himself that we get the necessary brake on this nascent ink frenzy: “Don’t ask ‘what if’ questions.”
That ought to hold the press and the speculation at bay…for at least a week.
