"However, the piece doesn't say anything really."

Of course not. The absurdity of Lambert's endorsement has rendered these elected officials uterly speechless. They are holding off on attacking Lambert until they can find out if he suffered some type of brain injury. 

that isn't available online.  I stay away from the disgrace; we all know what THAT rag is like.  You know why most people read the Free Press?  It is actually FREE and available all over the place.  It is quite a good paper, and many many many people read it.

Wilder's remarks were VERY intriguing and interesting....

And so you even read the paper?  I am white, and I enjoy it.  Most Richmonders do, too.  Why?  Well, the RTD is VERY conservative, and most of the conservative Republicans come to Richmond for dinner, and then go back to the suburbs so the evils of the city won't get them.  Those of us who live in the city are more progressive, and we don't like fluff articles toting the GOP.

Ever seen the wedding section in the RTD on Sundays?  An entire section devoted to which Virginia socialite wore what to her wedding.  Sorry, I'll take the real news in the Free Press anyday.

The exploding middle class of the African-American community 'aint nothing.

This is a result of hard work and determination of the individuals with social and governance policies that provided the opportunities that were far too rare before.

What is sad about stating the fact that Lambert endorsing Allen is a crazy thing to do? I'm not saying that any black person endorsing Allen would be crazy, but a democrat who apparently disagrees with Allen on some major issues endorsing Allen is nuts. I am sure there are some perfectly sane black millionaires who support Allen. Please put the straw man away.

Black voters who vote Democratic are all part of a "herd mentality" who don't like to think.  I hope you haven't lumped former Governor Wilder into that category.

I hardly think Wilder's confusion is due to a mindless herd mentality.  I think the much more likely story is that he believes that Allen hasn't represented the interests of the black community very well.

If someone supports a fool, then that person is a fool.
Allen is a fool.
Therefore if a person supports Allen, that person is a fool.

I understand your concerns about blind loyalty to any party.

In this election, Webb is the antidote to politics as usual.

Do you, Publius, the man of a lifetime 0.29 moderation rating, keep a straight face typing that tripe ?

Don't you have a Latin quiz to study for?

He's gonna get called more than a fool by his own black caucus.

Senator Lambert:

I implore you to reconsider your endorsement of George Allen.

I understand some of your concerns about past Webb positions and statements on Affirmative Action. However, you just endorsed a man who absolutely opposes affirmative action and according to the Washington Post, you were unaware of this and you hope to change Allen's mind on his opposition.  With all respect, this is not viable.

Allen's campaign manager just showed you  the ultimate disrespect by again using the right wing wedge of obfuscating Affirmative Action with quotas. From the Post

Asked if Allen supports affirmative action, Wadhams said he "supports affirmative recruitment, actively seeking out opportunities for minorities. He does not support quotas."

I view that a slap in the face, sir. I have researched affirmative recruitment and this is just a sham to give companies "wiggle room" to not actually implement Affirmative Action in hiring practices

Allen and his party do not have the best interest of the minority community on a host of issues, including affirmative action. If you will have any influence on one of the Senate candidates, it is certainly Jim Webb and not Allen with his questionable past.

Respectfully, please reconsider this endorsement. It is only by electing Democrats will we be able to govern this country for the benefits of all and not the few and privileged.

Charles F. Stanton
Co-Chair
Newport News Democratic City Committee

I always cringe when some one says they are against something "because" everyone else in "their group" is for it, or vice verse... and then pretends that this shows they are thinking for themselves.  Sorry, it doesn't work that way. There has to be a little more thought put into a position, other than just "I refuse to be part of the herd" (as they chose to define "the herd").

As the article said in the RFP, "The Senate is too big to be decided on one issue," in this case Mr. Allen's apparent help for HCBU once upon a time. Even that supposed help is a little suspect, inasmuch as (see an earlier article here on RK) he actually reduced state help for colleges overall, especially for the two historic black colleges.

Consider that Mr. Webb spent many years on pro bono work to exonerate a black soldier of a crime, that he is also the main if not the sole reason that there is a black soldier in the Vietnam memorial, that he has said repeatedly that Affirmative Action is FOR African Americans specifically to help them overcome the legacy of slavery.  Webb's problem and his personal objection to Affirmative Action as such was that similar programs were needed to help all disadvantaged poor people regardless of race. What, pray tell, is wrong with that? Webb never intended to end Affirmative Action, but create additional programs to help poor folks everywhere (including in Virginia's Appalachia) to pull themselves up by the bootstraps.

No wonder all those assorted black leaders were puzzled.  Being gentlemen, they are giving Senator Lambert the benefit of the doubt, and want to hear more from him about his obviously odd decision.