George Allen Steps In It

Republican Senator from Virginia, potential 2008 presidential candidate, and darling of rightist across the country got a healthy dose of whoop-ass from his Democratic challenger, James Webb, yesterday.

Citing Webb's opposition to a flag burning amendment, Allen attacked Webb's position on the issue.

"[Webb] continues to demonstrate he is totally beholden to the liberal Washington senators who dragged him across the line in the Democratic primary."

Webb, a Viet Nam Vet, and the Secretary of the Navy during the Reagan administration was not about to let Allen take pop shots without firing back. Webb's press release addressed Allen's assertions that Webb was not patriotic.

"George Felix Allen Jr. and his bush-league lap dog, Dick Wadhams, have not earned the right to challenge Jim Webb's position on free speech and flag burning..."

"People who live in glass dude ranches should not question the patriotism of real soldiers who fought and bled for this country on a real battlefield."

This was in reference to the fact that Allen spent his summers working on a dude ranch in Nevada during Viet Nam while Webb was overseas fighting it.

"While Jim Webb and others of George Felix Allen Jr.'s generation were fighting for our freedoms and for our symbols of freedom in Vietnam, George Felix Allen Jr. was playing cowboy at a dude ranch in Nevada."

Allen is apparently late in figuring out that attacking the patriotism of someone who sent most of their life in uniform is probably not going to work in this case. While it was effective in attacking Kerry and Cleland, Webb is not going to roll over like other Democrats. This puts Allen at a stark disadvantage since now he will be forced to talk about real issues and not just try to swift boat his way to victory.

I don't know Webb's exact position on flag burning, but I am sure it is similar to mine. I will defend the right for an American to burn the flag, but they had better than hell make sure I wasn't around when they tried to do it.

Virginia's U.S. Senate campaign flashes over flag-burning amendment

Early maneuvers