Allen-Webb campaign – I’ve had enough
Has there been a political campaign in recent history that compares, in terms of sheer disgusting nastiness, to what’s going on here in Virginia’s senate race between George Allen and Jim Webb? Rather than hear about what they’re going to do about national security, immigrations, taxes, energy – you know, the issues that face all of us – we get to hear about accusations of the use of a particular racial epithet, allegations about old, worthless stock options, the material in fiction works, and rumors about sealed divorce records. It’s crap and it’s beneath what I’d expect out of two supposed adults vying for the position to represent me for the next 6 years in the Senate.
It’s no secret I support George Allen. I consider him to be the better candidate for the Senate and he’s the only one of the two to actually address his plans for his term, if elected. Webb’s only shot is, “I’m not a Republican and I hate Bush.” That’s not a plan. Webb’s conduct in this campaign was wholely contemptible (it remains so, by the way) and his personal attacks on Allen merely highlighted Allen’s approach of continuing to speak to the issues.
Right up unitl Allen’s latest move of pointing out Webb’s fiction writing. I’ve never read Webb’s books and the excerpts I’ve read in the last couple of days confirms my opinion that I don’t need to. I don’t care if Webb’s books only have 1 or two of these scenes in them, it’s not the kind of stuff I want to read. But calling Webb out on them looks petty and has quite clearly put the both of them in a light that makes this look less like a campaign for a Senate seat and more like the kind of childish bickering you expect from the back seat of the family car while driving somewhere it takes hours to reach. Personally, I’m ready to pull the car over and use a belt on both of them.
Message to Allen and Webb: knock it off. You’ve got over a week to let the mud drop and start talking about the issues and not each others’ skeletons in the closet, and paper-mache skeletons at that. The nation is watching and, more importantly, Virginians are watching, too. Don’t be an embarrassment.
Note: Ed Morrissey at Captain’s Quarters has more on this and also a 2-part interview with Allen. This is what Allen should be sticking to: the issues. It’ll serve him much better than slinging mud.
