Allen and Cheney on a (Sinking?) Ship Together

Allen, Cheney Campaign on Ship Launched under Webb+óGé¼Gäós Leadership

(Arlington, VA) +óGé¼GÇ£ George Allen campaigned today with Vice President Dick Cheney in Norfolk continuing his blind support for the Bush Administration. Standing aboard the USS Wasp, a ship launched in August 1987 under the leadership of Secretary of the Navy Jim Webb, Allen once again kowtowed to the administration, which he has voted with 97% of the time.

+óGé¼+ôAt a time when most Republicans are running away from the administration, George Felix Allen seems to be running toward it, and this blind support has had an abysmal effect on the Norfolk area and the U.S. Navy,+óGé¼-¥ said Webb Spokesperson Kristian Denny Todd.

As a former Secretary of the Navy under President Ronald Reagan, Jim Webb was an advocate for a strong Navy and an outspoken opponent of fleet reductions. During Webb+óGé¼Gäós time as Navy Secretary the Naval Fleet had nearly 600 ships.  Webb resigned in 1988 rather than support a budget which reduced the size of the naval fleet.

In contrast, while in the Senate, Allen has voted for defense budgets which have cumulatively reduced the Naval Ship procurement budget by 16.8 percent. These budget cuts have resulted in the reduction of the U.S. Naval Fleet from 341 ships in 2001 to 280 in 2006.

+óGé¼+ôBy standing behind Dick Cheney again, George Felix Allen has shown that he is incapable of being a leader and asking tough questions.  Whenever the Bush-Cheney Administration says +óGé¼-£Jump,+óGé¼Gäó the only question George Felix Allen has the courage to ask is +óGé¼-£How high?+óGé¼Gäó+óGé¼-¥ said Denny Todd.

When Dick Cheney was Secretary of Defense, he repeatedly cut the fleet size of the Navy, including retiring two battleships, two cruisers and eight submarines. He also called for the closure of 72 domestic military installations.

In other words, George Allen and Dick Cheney are on a ship together alright.  A sinking ship, that is.  Ha.

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