The Week presents a potential Democratic candidate for president, and his name isn’t Hillary:

Appearing on NPR’s The Diane Rehm Show today, Jim Webb hinted to guest host Susan Page that he might run for president: “I care a lot about where the country is, and we’ll be sorting that out,” he said.

In a world where perennial candidates flirt with running as a public relations strategy to stay relevant, we sometimes roll our eyes at such things. But Webb seems different. “If you look at how I ran for the Senate,” he said, “I announced nine months to the day before the election — with no money and no campaign staff. It takes me a while to decide things. And I’m not going to say one way or the other.”

Aside from being a former Democratic U.S. senator from Virginia, Webb was a highly decorated combat Marine in Vietnam, and later served as Secretary of the Navy.

So could it work? For a nation hungry for real leadership, Webb’s image as a competent, no-nonsense leader might resonate. Tthe fact that Webb stepped away from the U.S. Senate on his own terms implies he’s not just some politician. And his history of being a Democrat who can work with — and stylistically appeal to — Republicans would potentially be a plus in a general election.

In this regard, Webb would, in a sense, be able to run for Obama’s third term while also (symbolically, at least) getting to run against Obama. And aside from Webb’s leadership strengths, in a primary election this military tactician could potentially outflank Hillary Clinton from both the left and the right. He could tap into the anti-corporate, populist message that has elevated Elizabeth Warren, while simultaneously appealing to the “good ol’ boy” red-state Democrats in places like Iowa.

Democrats fell in love with Webb when he met President George W. Bush for the first time as a senator-elect and demanded to know why Bush was sending Webb’s son into Iraq. Do that with Barack Obama today, and the Secret Service will probably shoot you.

Webb’s image is “a competent, no-nonsense leader.” What did he achieve in Washington? Do you really think another all-image no-substance senator should be president? (Independent of whether voters vote for a “competent, no-nonsense leader.” Name the last president that fits that description.)

Moreover — and here’s the important point — what moron thinks running for Obama’s third term is a good idea? Obama’s approval level appears ready to drag the rest of the Democratic Party down with him in November. Doubling down on disaster is a good strategy to make a minority party have an even smaller role in the political process.

If a Democrat could be found that abandoned the Obama traveshamockery without crashing leftward (see Warren, Elizabeth), that might be someone worth watching. Is that Webb? Maybe it’s Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer. Maybe it’s no one.