When Democratic Party presidential hopefuls were asked by CNN’s Anderson Cooper to list enemies they had made during their careers that they were most proud of, the only candidate who didn’t include any fellow Americans was Jim Webb. Webb — who, it should be noted, didn’t exactly answer the question — explained that it was an enemy soldier who once threw a grenade and wounded him; a soldier who was no longer around. Jim Webb killed a commie because Jim Webb loves America.

Many liberals on social media found this revelation sorta creepy. Yet there was probably a time when liberal voters would have been impressed by someone who had served his country so valiantly. They might have seen promise in a candidate whose populist sensibilities could speak convincingly to the working class and to Southerners, and whose appeal was propelled by both idealism and realism. Webb might have been formidable Democrat presidential candidate 15 years ago. Twenty-five years ago he might have been a star. Today? He’s a man completely out of touch with the philosophical temperament of his party.

Read the article “Jim Webb, American Hero” on thefederalist.com.