There's an excellent article in "The Hill" newspaper on Jim Webb, George Allen, John Warner, and John McCain. According to the article, Senator John Warner considers Webb +óGé¼+ôa very solid, fair-minded, and +óGé¼-ª objective person.+óGé¼-¥ Warner also says that Webb "has the potential of being a serious and formidable candidate" against George Allen in November. And John McCain, who also graduated from the Naval Academy and served in Vietnam, goes so far as to call Webb "one of my oldest friends." (Webb characterizes the relationship as "cordial") Obviously, these guys all respect each other greatly, in large part because of their tremendous service to our country.
Jim has different views on how things stand right now in terms of the country and the direction of the country, especially when it comes to defense and foreign-policy matters. Mr. McCain supports the president, and Jim does not.
Still, the thought of running against a guy who is strongly respected as a person and as a leader by both John McCain and John Warner has got to make George Allen at least a wee bit nervous. As Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia+óGé¼Gäós Center for Politics, says:
In a lot of ways, Webb is a nightmare for George Allen. Allen is used to running against traditional Democrats who are vulnerable on a wide range of defense, crime, and cultural issues. Webb isn+óGé¼Gäót very vulnerable, and on defense he has a big edge on Allen, who never served in the military.
Interesting. For their part, the Allen camp is obviously hoping and praying that the Democrats somehow fail to nominate Jim Webb to run this fall. Allen's strategist Dick Wadhams goes out of his way to mention that Virginia's junior Senator expects +óGé¼+ônothing but support+óGé¼-¥ from McCain. Wadhams also protests a bit much - as did his boss, George Allen, the other day on "This Week with George Stephanopolous" - that "it is too early to presume Webb will make it to the November ballot." Translation into plain English: "Please please please please PLEASE let the Democrats nominate Harris Miller and not Jim Webb. Please please PLEASE!"
Let's not give George Allen and Dick Wadhams what they want. Instead, let's nominate Jim Webb, a man who almost everyone agrees will be George Allen's "worst nightmare." Then, let's sit back and watch the Republicans tear themselves apart for a change.