Virginia Senate: Why isn't Webb doing better?
The contest for the U.S. Senate seat in Virginia remains one of the most closely-watched battles in the country. After enjoying a commanding lead over the summer, incumbent Sen. George Allen (R) has stumbled into a close race with challenger Jim Webb (D).
Just how close? The polls don't agree: yesterday's Gallup/USA Today shows Allen leading Webb by only three points (48% to 45%), well within the poll's 5% margin of error. That was a lot closer than the latest Reuters/Zogby poll (48% Allen, 37% Webb) or a Rasmussen poll from Monday (49% to 43% Allen).
With just a month to go, Allen seems to have the edge but not a lock: as recently as Wednesday analyst Charlie Cook looked at these numbers, and moved "VA Senate" from "lean Republican" to "TOSS UP."
Given the magnitude of Allen's mis-steps -- and growing anti-incumbent/Republican sentiment nation-wide -- you might be wondering: why isn't Webb doing better?
Bob Moser, an excellent political reporter for The Nation magazine, has written an illuminating piece on Webb and the Virginia race. He notes how Webb, with his deep foreign policy experience (his son is enlisted) and hard-nosed, white working-class sensibility, is not only beating the GOP at its own game -- he's also "showing how a Democrat can combine foreign policy 'realism' with an old-fashioned dose of economic populism to win in the South again."
But Moser takes a closer look at two issues that have dogged the Webb campaign: the fact that he's not a polished politician, and what some see as a race blindspot. Combined with the usual explanations -- the incumbent advantage, Allen's bigger pot of money -- Webb's campaign will continue to be an uphill battle.
Watching Webb campaign, it's clear he's not a made-for-TV candidate. But there's also a question if he has a politician's killer instinct. For example, after the September Allen/Webb debate in which Allen lost his cool after a reporter asked him if he had Jewish heritage, Webb and his campaign didn't seem to know how to respond:
Then there's the issue of race. Given Allen's "macaca moment" and other episodes, this should be Webb's ace in the hole. But as recently as 2000, Webb was bashing affirmative action (a position he's since retreated from) and in 1990, he addressed Confederate descendants at the National Confederate Memorial, asserting that Southern soldiers believed they were fighting for "sovereignty rather than slavery." It has added up to a problem:
Just how close? The polls don't agree: yesterday's Gallup/USA Today shows Allen leading Webb by only three points (48% to 45%), well within the poll's 5% margin of error. That was a lot closer than the latest Reuters/Zogby poll (48% Allen, 37% Webb) or a Rasmussen poll from Monday (49% to 43% Allen).
With just a month to go, Allen seems to have the edge but not a lock: as recently as Wednesday analyst Charlie Cook looked at these numbers, and moved "VA Senate" from "lean Republican" to "TOSS UP."
Given the magnitude of Allen's mis-steps -- and growing anti-incumbent/Republican sentiment nation-wide -- you might be wondering: why isn't Webb doing better?
Bob Moser, an excellent political reporter for The Nation magazine, has written an illuminating piece on Webb and the Virginia race. He notes how Webb, with his deep foreign policy experience (his son is enlisted) and hard-nosed, white working-class sensibility, is not only beating the GOP at its own game -- he's also "showing how a Democrat can combine foreign policy 'realism' with an old-fashioned dose of economic populism to win in the South again."
But Moser takes a closer look at two issues that have dogged the Webb campaign: the fact that he's not a polished politician, and what some see as a race blindspot. Combined with the usual explanations -- the incumbent advantage, Allen's bigger pot of money -- Webb's campaign will continue to be an uphill battle.
Watching Webb campaign, it's clear he's not a made-for-TV candidate. But there's also a question if he has a politician's killer instinct. For example, after the September Allen/Webb debate in which Allen lost his cool after a reporter asked him if he had Jewish heritage, Webb and his campaign didn't seem to know how to respond:
Campaign-watchers viewed Webb's strange silence as another sign of his stubborn resistance to behaving like a proper politician. "The 'macaca' fallout softened up George Allen for the kill," says Mark Rozell. "Webb doesn't seem to know how to plunge the knife in."For some, this is part of Webb's appeal:
Webb's laconic delivery, far from a liability, testifies in shorthand that he's no slick politician. Which makes him a far cry from his opponent, says Sam Church, UMW local's political coordinator. "Allen doesn't relate to working people--has he ever had a job?"But it's also caused some to wonder if he's ready for prime time.
Then there's the issue of race. Given Allen's "macaca moment" and other episodes, this should be Webb's ace in the hole. But as recently as 2000, Webb was bashing affirmative action (a position he's since retreated from) and in 1990, he addressed Confederate descendants at the National Confederate Memorial, asserting that Southern soldiers believed they were fighting for "sovereignty rather than slavery." It has added up to a problem:
As a result, says civil rights activist and Virginia Commonwealth University professor W. Avon Drake, potential black voters don't know what to make of Webb. "He went a little too far in changing his position," Drake says. "Blacks can sense when someone is genuine."[...]In a tight race, anything that would depress turnout of the Democrat-loyal African-American base could prove fatal.
"I look at the race and I see two Republicans running for the same job," says longtime State Senator Benjamin Lambert of Richmond, who stunned his colleagues with a late-August endorsement of Allen, who had promised to help Lambert win more funding for traditionally black colleges.
Lambert's endorsement will carry little weight statewide, especially given the avalanche of racial embarrassments for Allen's campaign. In a Mason-Dixon poll taken in early September, just 5 percent of black Virginians said they would support Allen this time. But only 73 percent said they'd vote for Webb -- well below the usual mark for Democrats running statewide. Webb's campaign has yet to be endorsed by the state's most powerful black Democrat, former governor and current Richmond Mayor Doug Wilder, and it's faced criticism all along for failing to reach out aggressively to black leaders and voters.
9 Comments:
Saw Webb on CNN last night getting grilled by Wolf Blitzer about some paper Webb wrote decades ago about women in combat.
I thought he handled it well. But when asked about Allen's racist comments, etc. he was definitely missing the killer instinct.
(To his credit he had an attractive black female working at a computer in the background of the shot, which I think may have been at his campaign HQ, so maybe has a handle on the effective imagery thing, or at least a good media consultant.)
He reminds me a little of Jimmy Carter, i.e. an honest guy who wants to take the high road. Sad that we don't respect that in American politics any more.
This past Christmas, my father, Nate Hughes finished a book
that he had been writing for years.. I have always marveled
at his vision beyond what I deemed to be important in my
day-to-day activities. Although his book is based on his own
theory of the birth of our great planet Earth, in the last
chapter of the book he includes a poem that he wrote
several years ago. I bring it to your attention now, only
because of this anti-incumbent movement that seems
to be sweeping America. You can find more about this
book and the poem by visiting my father's website at
http://grandpanate.com/.
AS MIGHTY ROME FELL, AMERICA COULD DIE. WHETHER IT
FALLS OR NOT, IS UP TO YOU AND I.
I worried and stewed, but by and by
came up with a plan, where you and I,
can put America on a road, toward a brand new high.
Just blame the politicians, get blood in your eye,
and Vote Against The Incumbents. Vati, Vati!
Now just voting won't do it, we've got to VATI!
That's v, a, t, i with a long "a" and a long "i".
Vote against the incumbents, and you vati.
Things will never get better, until we vati.
Vote against the incumbents, VATI! VATI!
There is no time to set and sigh,
America will fail, without you and I.
The time has come, we must do or die.
We must all vote, and we must VATI!
Vote against the incumbents, VATI! VATI!
Things won't just get better, by and by,
unless the apethetic voters, you and I,
hit those polls with blood in our eye,
and not only vote, but wisely vati.
Vote against the incumbent, VATI! VATI!
We must not buy, some political lie,
the America we love, is about to die,
Politicians no longer serve you and I,
but all acquiesce, to the powers that buy.
Vote against the incumbents, VATI! VATI!
The newly elected may want to serve you and I,
until that powerful pac money catches their eye,
then party loyalty becomes their big lie.
As they vote with the pac, for their piece of the pie.
Vote against the incumbent, VATI! VATI!
Out congressmen and Senators are nigh as apt to die,
as meet defeat at the polls by you and I.
They know we'll vote for them, they won't even try,
America is declining, democracy's gone awry.
Vote against the incumbent, VATI! VATI!
Waxing fat on the apathy, displayed by you and I,
our politicians become hogs and Washingtons a sty.
But we can change all that, in a blink of an eye,
if we just get off our apathy and decide to vati.
Vote against the incumbent, VATI! VATI!
If just one out of twenty of us would vati,
we'd get nigh a forth of that Washington sty.
Now that might be too few to help you and I,
but we'd darn sure make the rest of them shy!
Vote against the incumbents! VATI! VATI!
And when "Foul! Foul!" the politicians cry,
and charge that; "Great careers will sadly die."
Stand up and look them straight in the eye,
And say "Losing only makes the truly great try."
Vote against the incumbents, VATI! VATI!
From the County Coroner to that Washington sty,
if you don't love the incumbent, always vati.
Help turn America toward a brand new high,
teach your children and friends that they must vati.
Vote against the incumbent, Vati! Vati!
If the state of America makes you want to cry,
then help start a revolution where no on has to die.
Our party loyalty sent elections so far awry,
we can fix that error, just revolt and vati!
Vote against the incumbents, VATI! VATI!
Part your 2nd and 3rd finger; that "V" means vati.
Send this to a friend, who you think will comply.
Let's all band together, and give 'em a black eye.
VATI! VATI, and a hearty bye-bye.
Written years ago by my father, Nate Hughes, Wyoming.
Enjoyed your discussion of Webb-Allen - to see more on tomorrow's debate, go to: www.debatescoop.org.
Wall to wall coverage starts tomorrow!
Webb is not a politician. He is not slick, he doesn't spin, he is the real deal. What is wrong with that?
Senator Allen is again on the hot seat regarding his failure to mention his stock options with companies doing business with the Federal Government which he did not report. Let's see who he tries to place the blame on this latest scandal.
Virginia has a proud history of great leadership and our current Senior Senator John Warner is an outstanding example of that history. Sadly, George Allen is a rinestone cowboy who doesn't deserve to be elected again by the people of Virginia.
I was an absolute fan of Webb for decades. There was little could do to shake my confidence -- not any more. He writes in his novels about the shame of being spit at for his VN service. Now he campaigns with the traitor Kerry and the Draft-Dodger-in-Chief's lunatic wife. Does he think all vets have forgotten???
Vati. Vote Against The Incumbents. Vati.
That’s v-a-t-i, with a long ‘A’ and a long ‘I’.
The present state of America makes me sick. It actually makes me nauseous to ponder how far this once magnificent country has slipped into mediocrity. When I was a young man, fifty years ago, you could mention just about anything: And America was best at that.
Back then, America enjoyed the best health care, the best schools, and the best working conditions on Earth, while we worked less hours, made more money, and enjoyed a life style never before seen upon this planet.
Our coal mines were producing more coal, our steel-mills smelting more iron, and our assembly-lines led the World in the manufacture of beautiful automobiles, refrigerators, wash-machines, dryers, and the hoard of smaller appliances and gadgets (which eliminated most of the drudgery of our daily chores) and introduced mankind to the life-of-ease, we all now enjoy.
Now, American High School Graduates rank only average (whether tested in Mathematics, World History, Language, Science or any other critical field of expertise) and compared with the test scores of students from the other industrialized nations.
Our so-called health care system stinks, it is without question, the most dysfunctional conglomeration of nonsensical laws bureaucrats have ever assembled. It assures illegal aliens and greedy politicians unlimited free health care, while it renders millions of hard working honest citizens incapable of obtaining any kind of health insurance.
The new Social Security Drug Plan deducts a premium for drug insurance, which you can bet will double every year (for at least the next two years) from the social security checks, of subscribers. A great many drugs are not covered by this new plan, and it only pays a maximum of about 70% on any drugs, a lot less on most. When the total drug bill (what the retiree and the government pays) reaches $2250.00, Grandma gets cut off, has to pay it all herself, until her total drug bill reaches $3500.00. Obviously if Grandma can not afford her drugs, her bill will never get to $3500.00, so she will go without her drugs for the rest of the year. Of course the monthly premium will still be deducted from her Social Security Check. The drug companies formulated this drug bill, got it enacted, and only the drug companies are going to benefit from it. (Our government gives them the premiums.) In short, this Shaft Our Grandparents Bill is nothing but a multi-million dollar windfall for the drug companies.
The above bill is sure not the worst medical bill our elected officials have ever enacted. It just happens to be the last that made me angry. Hundreds of anti consumer bills and amendments are on the books, which benefit only the medical and or the drug industries. Foreign competition to American Drug Companies is nonexistent. If it was legitimized, we could import drugs from reputable foreign drug facilities, for as little as 10% of the extortion we now forced to pay our American Drug Companies.
Sad to say, but the Medical Cartels and Drug Companies, with their unchallenged power, are not the worst villains when it comes to manipulating our US Government into giving them a license to gouge us. The international oil and gas conglomerates, the interstate utility companies, railroad cartels, automobile and airplane manufacturing companies, the cable companies, international shipping cartels and a score of other business concerns all wield as much or more power over our Congress, Senate and President, than the drug companies do. Big business is our real enemy. Big business controls our government, and big business is the real reason America is losing ground on all fronts, the reason America is slowly but steadily sliding into mediocrity.
The companies mentioned above, along with a score of Internationally
Recognized Countries and a hoard of other mighty forces, funnel billions of dollars annually into Washington, to influence the Republican and Democratic Party Leaders to legislate on their behave.
The leaders of the Democratic and Republican Parties, in the Congress and senate, now have more control over their subservient Congressman and Senators, than any Marine General has over his troops. The political parties control the pac-money. And the pac-money is what decides who will get elected, or heaven forbid, smeared. The political bosses can’t just walk down on the floor and tell a congressman or senator that they are fired. But they can have anyone that fails to kowtow to the powers that be, ostracized, rendered powerless, and kept busy answering complaints. And they can definitely keep anyone from being re-elected. I believe it is very important that we all know the political parties have strict control over our congressmen and senators. If we are going to declare war, prudence behooves us to learn all we can about our enemy.
Now, I just pulled what I have written here off the top of my head. So if you find a mistake, don’t get excited, it is not that important, the overall theme of this opinion is correct. And furthermore it is also correct that with a minimum of research, anyone can ascertain for themselves that this greatest of all nations, is rapidly slipping into mediocrity.
And even the United States of America, the greatest nation that ever existed, can fall from within, if we continue to allow misguided politicians, to give up piece after piece of good government, to anyone who is able and willing to pay for preferential treatment.
I have been telling people for years; when in doubt always vati. But only in this last year has the urge to really push this concept become obligatory. Actually, voting against the incumbents, is a very viable method of straightening out what is wrong with America. Many congressmen and senators win their sets by very small margins, less than 5%. So if just 5% of the voters would vati, we would probably get between 20 and 25% of the senators and congressmen. And you can bet we would get their attention. If as many voters vatied, as voted for Ross Perot, we would unseat between 35 and 40% of both houses. Folks this is a plan that definitely has possibilities.
Politician’s egos are all wrapped up in their positions. Actually the only thing in the World politicians love more than pac-money, is their influential positions, their jobs. And on the very day our legislators learn that their electorate is actually threatening to vote them out of office, they are going to be magically stricken with a burning desire to legislate on behave of their constituency.
The only question left is, where are you going to place your loyalty, to the political party that you have been blindly supporting, or to America? You can’t serve two masters, and be loyal to both. We have to take the power away from the political bosses, to the extent that it allows our elected representatives to vote the way we tell them to vote. Or in thirty years you are not going to be able to tell the difference between Washington and the corrupt Government of Mexico, or for that matter, tell the difference between America and Mexico.
Grandpa Nate @ Rawlins, Wyoming.
Http//grandpanate.com
Why we must Vati?
I believe, most people in America, old enough to vote, know that corruption is flourishing in our Nation’s Capital. Yet incredibly, this knowledge seems to generate very little real concern. It definitely should: Because corrupt politicians can even bring America, the richest, most powerful country that ever existed, to her knees.
Every day the Republican and Democratic Party Lords work at enacting bills, which cedes one international conglomerate after another some financial quid pro quo, for pac-money received. And nearly all concessions to Big Business prove to be detrimental to America’s working people. Under the present system America will eventually have hungry masses without health care, millionaires, and no middle class. America, as we know her, is at this moment rapidly degenerating.
Our National debt has now exceeded $8,548,384,110,614 as of the first of October 2006. To put that number in perspective, we just passed 300,000,000 citizens, so for every legal man, woman and child in America, we now owe $28,494.61. Talk about selling children into slavery, America has to be, the all time number one, on this list. Just the interest on our debt is costing us 427 billion, 419 million, 205 thousand, 5 hundred, and 30 dollars a year, at 5 percent. Actually we don’t borrow our money that cheaply. That is 1 billion, 171 million, 11 thousand, 5 hundred, 22 dollars each and every day, which our legislators are throwing away, because they failed to balance our budget. And every day, they are in session, our misguided politicians continue to give away, more and more money to Big Business. Their insatiable greed is like a growing cancer, sucking the life-blood out of America. Even if we could elect legislators, which prudently budgeted America’s great wealth: It would take our children, at least, thirty years to pay off these incredible debts, we have recklessly accumulated.
Still not concerned? Well let me relate one more fact: If America’s lenders get nervous, and cut off our credit, our government will collapse, beyond resurrection, in less than 120 days.
Obviously, the Senators and Congressmen ruling the House and Senate are never going to voluntarily give up their seats, or the source of their power, their pac-money. And stated short and quick: The only way, we are ever going to oust enough corrupt officials to demand drastic political reform, is to vati. Washington is in sad shape, and if we love this country we had best wake up, and do something to correct this untenable situation. If you have a better idea, I’ll listen to you, if not, let’s vati.
GrandpaNate @ Rawlins, Wyoming.
Vati Party
VATI is the first letter in "Vote Against The Incumbents,” and that is what it means. Vati means you always vote against the person holding the office, the incumbent, regardless of political affiliation.
The majority of our Congressmen and Senators have absolutely no fear of losing their offices. They know that party loyalty [be it Republican or Democrat] of their constituency will assure their perpetual reelecting. In the whole Senate you are likely to have only five or six seats [in the Congress less than 30 seats] that are not securely locked-up by one, or the other, political parties.
And actually, nothing is gained when we do manage to send an occasional new representative to Washington. In short: They are simply gobbled up by the system. They are introduced to pac-money, and the powerful party leaders [Party Lords] and end up cuddling up to Big Business, and voting the party line, for legislation that enhances the Conglomerate's bottom line, to the determent of their constituency, to the determent of America.
Now, a large percentage of Congressmen and Senators win their seats by very small margins, less than 5%, so if just 10% of the voters Vati, we would likely unseat nearly 20% of our Representatives. If we could generate as much support as Ross Perot did, [according to the last election] we would kick out close to 90% of the House and Senate.
But more important than just getting rid of some self-serving politicians, unseating just 10% of the House and Senate would definitely get their attention. And then we could demand drastic change. We could demand a clean break between our Legislators and Big Business. We could outlaw all soft-money, and make any contact between our Legislators and Big Business [except publicized discussion in an open forum] illegal.
We can demand term limits. I am for an eight-year term limit, for all Government Offices. Let Senators serve one six year term or change the length their terms to four years. We can demand secure borders, and that everything entering our ports be inspected. We could demand a rigidly enforced alien worker program, which caters to America’s needs. And demand a viable plan which honorably ends the war in Iraq.
We can let Washington know, anyone who votes against anything the majority of America clearly wants, had better start looking for a new job.
Vatiing is a very viable method of voting to save America, to cure what is wrong with America, a viable way of stopping America’s rapid descent into mediocrity.
The interest in “vote against the incumbents” is growing exponentially. Now we need to get organized, form a political party. Much like any other political party, except we won’t run candidates for office. Our challenge will be to make the other Parties Candidates legislate for American, and America’s People.
If you have any ideas, comments, want to help get organized, or whatever, please leave a message at: http://voteagainsttheincumbents.blogspot.com/
THE DEAF WORLD
I speak to a deaf world. And I know not how to gain her ear. America is degenerating at a rapid pace. We are now over $9,210,000.000,000 in debt. That is over $30,275 for every man, woman and child in this country. It would take us over thirty years to pay off this debt, if we installed sane representatives in Washington, and adhered to a balanced budget.
Our schools now rank 28th [ 28th, that's pathetic.]in the World. We are in a war that we can’t win, in the foreseeable future, and can’t get out of. Our Government is broken. We are no longer functioning as a Democracy. We are operating as a Bureaucracy. The Party Lords tell our Congressmen and Senators how to vote. And Big Business, mostly International Conglomerates, give the Party Lords, which they bought with Pac-money, their orders.
That should be enough said: Because I don’t really believe that there is anyone in America, who is old enough to vote, that don’t know this country is in trouble.
Every day the Republican and Democratic Party Lords work at enacting bills, which cedes one international conglomerate after another some financial quid pro quo, for pac-money received. And nearly all concessions to Big Business prove to be detrimental to America's working people. Under the present system America will eventually have hungry masses without health care, millionaires, and no middle class. America, as we know her, is at this moment rapidly degenerating.
Changing out Republican for a Democratic, or Democratic for a Republican, or just replacing a Republican or Democratic with what is deemed a better member of their own party, will not help the situation. The new comer will quickly learn how the ball bounces in Washington, and vote the Party Line, as the Party Lords dictate, and business will continue as usual. And that is not Democracy, but Bureaucracy.
But all is not lost: America can still be saved. There is enough energy being wasted fighting for the various causes against our unresponsive government, to fix America twice. This is still America, and we can still vote. So let’s act like a Democracy, band together, vati, [Vote Against The Incumbents.] and send enough Congressmen and Senators home, to get the attention of those who are left.
Our representatives usually win their office by vary small margins, less than 5%. So, if just 10% of us would vati, we would get between 20 and 25% of the House and Senate. If 20% of us vati, we would sent 75% of both Houses home. And you can bet; you’’d have your Representative’’s ear.
It really doesn’t matter whether you want to save the spotted owl, secure our borders, protect the giant redwoods, or the North Slope, save some swamp, or clean up a river, or outlaw pac-money, it is going to cost Big Business money. And you won’t get it done until we take back the reins of government. And none of you have the power to do that alone.
So the answer is simple; whatever your cause, fail, or band together and help clean up Washington. Save America, and then you will have an accommodating representative to help promote your cause. Time is essential, so start contacting other groups and get the ball rolling. You can do it, and it will work. Good Luck, GrandpaNate
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