Is Jim Webb already striking fear into the hearts of the GOP?

It looks like he may be...

From Robert Novak:

Robert D. Novak: Gates, Webb are old enemies
By ROBERT D. NOVAK
20 hours, 27 minutes ago

WASHINGTON – One reason for hurrying Senate confirmation of Robert Gates as secretary of defense through the lame-duck session of Congress is to avoid confrontation with an old enemy: James Webb, who will be a Democratic senator from Virginia in the new Congress starting in January.

During President Reagan’s second term, Gates and Webb clashed as colleagues. Webb as secretary of the Navy objected to plans by Gates, then deputy national security adviser, for U.S. warships to protect oil platforms in the Persian Gulf. The hot-tempered Webb made clear his irritation with the soft-spoken Gates.

Considering his background, Webb is likely to go on the Senate Armed Services Committee. The White House wants to confirm Gates before Webb is sworn in.

WOW.

But there's more...

Senator-elect Jim Webb was on Larry King on Thursday, the fateful day that George Allen conceded his Senate seat. That evening, Senator-elect Jim Webb made it very clear that he would indeed like to be able to vote on the next Secretary of Defense for the United States of America.



Sounds like Senator-elect Jim Webb is already making members of the lame duck Republican Congress nervous. I knew we were sending a rock-star to Congress. :)

UPDATE: Here's what Sen. John Warner (R-VA) has to say about Senator-elect Jim Webb, from the Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer:

BLITZER: One final question Senator, a lot of the so-called pundits say that Jim Webb didn't really win as much as George Allen lost the election in Virginia with his macaca statement, some of the other blunders. What do you think?

WARNER: Well, I worked with George through much of that campaign, stood by his side, certainly in the last 10 days to two weeks of it. I was always available but that was when he really brought me in. I did my best to see that he was re-elected, a fine man. Jim Webb was actually a Marine Corps aide to me when I was undersecretary, secretary of the navy. So after 35 years we're now two old marine captains, I'm the old one, he's the younger one, are reunited to work on behalf of the men and women of the armed forces.

BLITZER: And people of Virginia as well.

WARNER: Oh yes.

BLITZER: Don't forget about those Virginians. Senator, thanks for coming in.

WARNER: Thank you.