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Looks like the SOTU rebuttal was just a warm-up. Via TPM...

January 29, 2007

The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary Rice:

During your appearance before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on January 11, 2007, I asked you a question pertaining to the administration’s policy regarding possible military action against Iran. I asked, “Is it the position of this administration that it possesses the authority to take unilateral action against Iran, in the absence of a direct threat, without congressional approval?”

At that time you were loath to discuss questions of presidential authority, but you committed to provide a written answer. Since I have not yet received a reply, the purpose of this letter is to reiterate my interest in your response.

This is, basically, a “yes” or “no” question regarding an urgent matter affecting our nation’s foreign policy. Remarks made by members of this administration strongly suggest that the administration wrongly believes that the 2002 joint resolution authorizing use of force in Iraq can be applied in other instances, such as in the case of Iran. I, as well as the American people, would benefit by fully understanding the administration’s unequivocal response.

I would appreciate your expeditious reply and look forward to discussing this issue with you in the near future.

Sincerely,

James Webb
United States Senator.

And here's one small but not insignificant piece of evidence as to why this matters. John Amato:

Laura Ingrham: A friend of mine, a very close friend of mine—-very conservative from Kentucky—his dad called him up after the speech, his father is right wing Christian conservative—called him up after the speech, after Webb's speech and said, " Did you just hear…this Webb guy? Like, I haven't heard a Democrat talk like that for years." I heard more and more people saying the same thing…

This is precisely the reason I followed the Webb and Tester campaigns so closely all last year. Put these two front and center in our politics and you'll shatter many of the false stereotypes people have about the Democratic Party. Because they are, after all, now two very prominent members of that party, and they are nothing like the stereotypes most people hold.