Webb's Support of Affirmative Action at Issue

Webb acknowledges his textured stand is not ready-made for a stump speech and hardly a "30-second sound bite."

For opponents, it's not the issue's complexity but Webb's writings on the topic that are problematic. Webb, a journalist and novelist, wrote a highly complimentary book review in 2000 of the autobiography of Ward Connerly, a prominent opponent of affirmative action who was then a University of California regent.

"Affirmative action, which originally sought to repair the state-induced damage to blacks from slavery and its aftermath, has within one generation brought about a permeating state-sponsored racism that is as odious as the Jim Crow laws it sought to countermand," Webb wrote in the Wall Street Journal.

Nowhere in the column did he suggest that he would support continued affirmative action programs for African Americans, as he has on the campaign trail in recent days.

"I'm not sure where the real Jim Webb is," said state Sen. Henry L. Marsh III (D-Richmond), a longtime civil rights leader and the first black mayor of Richmond. "Why doesn't he just do the manly thing and retract his statement, admit he was wrong, rather than trying to come up with these bizarre explanations?"

Webb insists that his position has not changed since he started thinking deeply on the issue as a Georgetown law student -- shortly after the decorated veteran ended the Marine Corps stint that has formed the backbone of his campaign. He said his ultimate goal has always been to ensure an equal shot at success for everybody.

As for the different emphasis in his Wall Street Journal writing, he said he covered as much ground as he could in a short piece: "How much can you do in a book review?" he said. "Give me a break."

Last week, Webb countered the criticism by announcing he has the backing of Del. A. Donald McEachin (D-Richmond), also a member of the Legislative Black Caucus and the Democratic nominee for attorney general in 2001.

On Monday, Webb added the support of civil rights leader Milton A. Reid, a former chairman of the Virginia unit of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. McEachin said he had discussed the issue fully with Webb and pronounced himself more than satisfied.

"It just doesn't get any better than that from an African Americans perspective on affirmative action," he said.