Washington Post Blasts Allen, Urges Vote for Webb
By: Lowell
Published On: 10/18/2006 6:20:33 AM
As regular RK readers know, I frequently do not agree with the Washington Post editorial page. For instance, I couldn't disagree more with the Post's recent endorsement of Frank Wolf "in sheep's clothing." That was a big mistake, but my prediction is that the Post will be writing great things about Congresswoman Judy Feder soon enough! :) I also have not agreed with the Post's repeated endorsements of Tom "DeLay" Davis, even as Davis has strayed further and further from his moderate roots, and increaingly into right-wing, 90% Bush rubberstamp la-la land. I sincerely hope that this year, the Post will endorse Andy Hurst for Congress. We'll see.
On policy matters, I have disagreed with the Post's support for the war in Iraq, but even more for its lack of aggressiveness in questioning the Bush Administration's decision-making process and BushCheney's misleading (and blatantly false) information/intelligence. I have disagreed with the Post's editorials urging confirmation of far-right-wing, out-of-the-mainstream judges like Samuel K. Alito. And I have disagreed with the Post's blindly pro-"free"-trade stance, which it pairs with a denigration of anyone who questions the dogma and proposes a serious alternative like "fair trade" (e.g, NOT protectionism but setting standards in our trade agreements for human rights, labor rights, and environmental protection).
The point here is not to denigrate the Washington Post editorial page, but to point out that it is far from the "liberal" bastion the right-wingers claim it is. Sure, the Post is no Washington Times, but it's not particularly liberal either. All in all, I'd say that the Post has a centrist, corporate, "mainstream" editorial page that tends to love the status quo, including incumbents.
Which makes today's editorial on the Virginia Senate race all the more striking. I mean, the Post doesn't just endorse Jim Webb - which it most emphatically does - it also completely dismantles George Allen and his "six years of undistinguished service" in the U.S. Senate. Check this out:
Mr. Allen lacks any comparable independent-mindedness. He has spent his time in the Senate in lock step with the Bush administration, embracing tax cuts that have imperiled the nation's fiscal health; subsidies for oil and gas companies that hardly needed the help; prisoner detention policies that have undercut America's image abroad; and restrictions on embryonic stem cell research despite its medical potential.
At the same time, Mr. Allen has accomplished little for his state's most dynamic region, Northern Virginia...
...while Mr. Allen has proposed some worthwhile bills -- for instance, to expand investment in nanotechnology and to help historically black colleges and universities upgrade their telecommunications infrastructure -- his legislative contributions have been marginal at best. He is no one's idea of a heavyweight in the Senate.
Ouch! The truth hurts, no? But wow, that's something Raising Kaine could have written! And the Post doesn't even get into George Allen's divisive rhetoric about "welcome to the real Virginia," "macaca," chronic and casual use of the "n-word," etc. For that, see previous Washington Post editorials here.
In sum, according to the Washington Post, "Virginians deserve better and more enlightened representation." And that man, according to the Post editorial page, is Jim Webb:
...[Webb] is admirably independent-minded. He was prescient in warning, back in 2002, that the war in Iraq risked stranding the United States in a long-term occupation without an exit strategy. An intelligent man with a record of integrity, he has resisted the packaging of political consultants, which can only be a good thing. Those assets, as well as his deep familiarity with military and national security affairs, offer the promise that he would make an able, if unorthodox, U.S. senator. And the fact that his youngest son is deployed as a marine in Iraq gives him a perspective that is rare in today's Congress>.
Of course, the Post criticizes Webb for his pro-FAIR-trade stance, as well as his "maager experience in electoral politics." As I noted earlier, the Post generally LOVES incumbents, whether Democratic or Republican. Which makes it all the more amazing that it would deep-six a career politician like George Allen for the new kid on the block, Jim Webb. But, in the Post's view, Allen is THAT bad and Webb is THAT good.
So, there you have it. According to the Washington Post editorial page, George Allen is a mediocrity at best who votes in "lock step" with George W. Bush. Jim Webb will give Virginian an independent voice in the U.S. Senate, a great complement to John Warner, and a get-things-done man in the mold of Mark Warner. George Allen, sadly, offers no hope or vision for the future, except for more of the same. Jim Webb offers a breath of fresh air, change at a time when people are clamoring for it, and, as the Post writes, "hope."
P.S. I forgot to mention that the Post did NOT endorse Jim Webb in the Democratic primary last spring. We've certainly come a long way since then...
Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign. The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.
Comments
The red blogs will say -- no surprise -- but (PM - 10/18/2006 7:47:16 AM)
I was surprised. I thought the Post might endorse Allen based on its pro-war stance on Iraq. But it's clear they see the need to have smart people in Congress to help get us out of the mess George Bush created.
Lots of people don't know that the Post has a wall built between its reporting staff and its editorial staff. There have been several disconnects in the Post where the editorial page said one thing, and the story on the issue said something else. So if someone complains about Post coverage about Allen, for example, that does not mean the editorial writers had any nay in the story.
Anyway, a great endorsement for Webb. I wonder what the other paper, you know, the one with the racist, sexist staff (read Max Blumenthal on this) and the readership of 175, will say.
Fine, let the "red blogs" denounce the Post's (Lowell - 10/18/2006 7:52:43 AM)
endorsement of Frank Wolf and other Republicans (e.g., Tom Davis every other year).
Toronto Star sure doen't like Allen (PM - 10/18/2006 8:27:13 AM)
http://www.thestar.c...
Highlights of the article:
Senator watches his dream fizzle
`Southern hope' fights for political life
Gaffes put all eyes on Virginia race
Oct. 17, 2006. 01:00 AM
TIM HARPER
WASHINGTON BUREAU
ALEXANDRIA, Va.—As he geared up for what looked to be a certain run for the 2008 Republican presidential nod, George Allen and his aw-shucks, folksy demeanour, had already been branded "Bush Light" by detractors.
Now, the Virginian's bid for a second U.S. Senate term transformed into a journey of comical ineptitude, there will be another name for Allen in '08.
Spectator.
Win or lose on Nov. 7, Allen's short-term presidential aspirations have become the first casualty of the 2006 U.S. mid-term elections.
His Senate springboard became a late-night laughingstock and millions of Americans who may not have previously known Allen know him now, thanks to three men who give politicians night sweats, David Letterman, Jay Leno and Jon Stewart.
***
And the cowboy-boot-wearin', NASCAR-lovin', Copenhagen-chewin', football-metaphor-spewin' southern hope for the GOP had a problem he has not shaken, two months later.
***Robert Denton, a political scientist at Virginia Tech, has watched Allen closely for 15 years and says the senator has been knocked out of the '08 presidential race and would be a very risky vice-presidential pick.
Robert Denton, a political scientist at Virginia Tech, has watched Allen closely for 15 years and says the senator has been knocked out of the '08 presidential race and would be a very risky vice-presidential pick.
And now for the best political metaphor of October 2006:
"He's all tangled up in his own underwear," he [Denton]said.
RE: Post Endorsement (JPTERP - 10/18/2006 10:31:49 AM)
Agreed PM. There was no way that Allen was going to be endorsed, but I thought there was a chance that the Post might withhold an endorsement in the VA Senate race--especially after selecting Harris Miller during the Democratic primary (the main stumbling block being Webb's stance on "Free trade" versus "Fair trade" and perhaps his political inexperience).
Overall though this is a very strong endorsement. Let's hope this translates into a few votes for Webb.
20% of Allen supporters proven to be idiots (Bubby - 10/18/2006 8:41:10 AM)
A Washington Post poll published Sunday shows 56 per cent of voters in his home state now do not think Allen would make a good president, including 20 per cent of those who say they will vote for him.
What?? What kind of a voter would pick a second-rate candidate for Virginia'a Senator? Some people should just stay home on November 7, and sit on their hands.
"Don't Call Him Redneck" (Lowell - 10/18/2006 9:04:18 AM)
"James Webb Hates the Expression, But Is Very Proud of the Culture" - see
here for the entire article.
Woohoo! (Catzmaw - 10/18/2006 11:13:53 AM)
I was very pleased with the Post's endorsement. In addition, the Post ran two other articles about Webb, one which points to his reluctance to discuss his military service and refusal to use his son as a prop the way Allen uses the dog tags of that slain soldier every chance he gets, and one which introduces many readers for the first time to the real Jim Webb: "Don't Call Him Redneck". Lots of great information about his background. Watch for some of his words to be twisted by the opposition.
Thank you, Washington Post. (catbird - 10/18/2006 11:21:24 AM)
I can't imagine anyone not endorsing Jim Webb after learning about him. I'm fortunate to have known about Webb before he became Candidate Webb and before any filters or biases could blur my vision or hearing. His early candidacy helped my cynicism, brought me hope, and made me think that he’d be winning everyone’s endorsements by this time in the campaign. I thought, finally we have the kind of candidate voters of both parties have professed to want but never get: well read, articulate, experienced all wrapped in leadership qualities and a non-partisan to boot. Surely everyone would be championing the guy who entered this race with a grave sense of duty over the guy who smiles, panders and seems unable to acknowledge horrible truths and dangerous directions.
Now I can only hope that those whose job it is to read, listen and see more than TV ads and the brochures realize that Webb is THAT good.
If Webb does not win this November, I imagine his next book will provide some interesting thoughts from another kind of battlefield.
paid for (TurnVirginiaBlue - 10/18/2006 11:58:17 AM)
These newspapers have to on the take to insist our current trade policy is good or even free.
I mean what is the record deficit right now?
Webb is right on trade.
George Allen's legacy (vote-left - 10/18/2006 1:37:04 PM)
Nice summary of Post editorial by local NBC4 (PM - 10/18/2006 4:17:06 PM)
http://www.nbc4.com/...
Nothing new -- just nice to see the word being spread.
Chris Cilizza on the Va. race (PM - 10/18/2006 5:39:46 PM)
This is from his WaPo chat today:
Surprises always happen but national Democrats are now focusing much more of their attention and money on Tennessee and Virginia than Arizona.
Virginia where Sen. George Allen is battling the state's changing demographics and the continued controversy over his attitudes about race relations. Post polling shows Allen in a virtual tie with former Navy Secretary Jim Webb (D) and both men are engaged in an ad war at the moment. Allen remains the slightest of favorites but Webb has come farther faster than we ever expected.
Webb will have more than enough money to be competitive on the airwaves with Allen in the final weeks of the campaign. He is still likely to be heavily outspent overall by Allen but will have as much as he needs to have a chance to beat the incumbent.
http://www.washingto...
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