For many Virginians, last night’s final debate between Republican incumbent Senator George Allen and Democratic challenger Jim Webb was the first opportunity to see the candidates together. I had one at my house last night. She is not a political junkie, like those among the blogsphere, but she is a newspaper reader and therefore, pretty much up to speed on the issues of the day.
She groaned at Allen’s smooth delivery of the party line. She was impressed with Webb’s answers. I believe Webb’s performance made her feel better about her choice for Senator.
It’s hard to watch a debate when the two other people in the room are hooting and hollering at the candidates’ answers. As the result, I’ll be watching the debate again. My initial take was that Allen was just too smooth, too rehearsed. And Webb appeared tired – perhaps as much over the nature of this campaign as well as the physical and emotional toll that running for office takes.
One thing that was clear from Allen’s statements: he intends to try to portray Webb as a liberal in the mold of Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi and Ted Kennedy. Expect the rest of the campaign to be about what his base believes Democrats stand for: tax and spend. Webb will have to counter this without being defensive, and he has to do it in such a way that Virginians can understand. No long, drawn out explanations are necessary. Every time Allen says tax and spend, he should counter with tax cuts and spend, which is what we have seen over the last six years of the Bush administration. Every time Allen says Hillary Clinton, Webb should say George Bush. (And throw Mark Foley in the mix, too.)
Allen appealed to his base last night, and threw in an appeal to the Democratic base by playing the Benny Lambert card yet again. Webb made a broad appeal to moderate Republicans and threw a bone at his base by mentioning the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus endorsement. Webb has to get more specific on this – because many people have no idea who the VLBC is – by saying Allen got one black senator and I have the endorsement of all the rest: four senators and eight delegates.
As for a winner – well, it depends on your point of view. It seems that Allen supporters thought he won and Webb supporters thought he won. I don’t think anybody won. And I wish this was not the last of the debates.
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
The ole “dupe the people” ploy!
I had a similar situation as you, Vivian. I was watching the debate with someone who is most definitely a Democrat and is familiar with the issues, but had never closely followed the campaign or watched a previous debate. Several times throughout the debate made comments such as “good for you” and “exactly” when Jim Webb responded to several of George Allen’s blatant partisan attacks. And this is comming from a man who is not easily impressed by politicians.
I’m glad that many people seem to be impressed with Webb’s performance, especially since this is when the campaign season will truly begin to heat up. It’ll be interesting what happens during the next few weeks, however, because there are no more debates and Allen has a significant lead in the fundraising department. Therefore, Allen will be able to air significantly more ads than Webb.
Hopefully people will be able to read through the ads and actually reasearch the candidates. If that is done, I think Webb has an extremely good chance of winning.
I apologize for my comment above. We all support our Democratic candidates, each to our own varying degrees, and my overzealous support of Webb got the best of me. Again, I’m sorry, Vivian.
Hey Jack, Ted Kennedy and Hillary Clinton don’t have anything to do with Webb. Here you’ll say Clinton had a fundraiser for Webb. But hey hey hey, Foley had a fundraiser for Allen.
Ohhhh what looks worse? Liberal icon hillary with Webb. Or child molester Foley with Allen?
Dupe that…
Breaux — as I said, electing Webb gets the Dems one step closer to Hillary as chairwoman of a couple of committees. So electing Webb gives her power. Foley is gone, and was not even in the Senate.
I hope you get to read this editorial about what George Allen has NOT done for his constituents, particularly African American farmers and the military serving in Iraq:
http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/commentary/wb/86334
You asked for a connection, you got one.
The Allen-Foley connection is stronger than the Webb-Clinton one.
Vivian,
I was disappointed to hear Allen mention his support of P-town
mayor and “tainted typewriter owner” James Holley. What does Holley expect to get from his endorsement? One would have thought that Allen would have investigated Holley and better and known about his magical typewriter that writes racist letters…
I dearly loved the geography lesson that Webb gave Allen about the Senkaku Islands. Perhaps the name sounded too closely like “macaca”. At first that is what I thought Webb had said. Loved the “deer in the headlights” look from Allen as he expressed no idea as to what Webb was talking about. He was completely caught of guard…
Allen also got to pontificating so much that he ran out of time to ask one of his allotted questions. Then he tried to ask multiple questions the next time around. I attribute this to Senkaku Island question…
Webb’s closing remarks were better than Allen’s. I have to say Webb got the upper hand on this debate.
Breaux,
Saying something does not make it so. How will re-electing Allen help Mark Foley, or bring him back to the House? (Let us also remember that when a Democrat actually had SEX with a male page, took that page on a vacation to Spain, and gave the page alcohol, the other Democrats in the House gave him a standing ovation, and elected him to committee chairmanships.)
Jack you’re a liar, Studds wus censured by the House, there was no standing ovation. He was reelected by his own constituents and therefore was placed in chairmanships, republican pervert Foley resigned obviously since he was a sick man. There’s a huge difference. I realize you’re a republican and prone to stretching the truth but try to at least be a little credible.
Breaux, Studds turned his back on the House when they were voting, and the Dems gave him a standing ovation for it. Later, the Dems voted this sicko to committe chairmanships.
Tell me how sending these IMs and emails to a male page is sick, but having sex with a male page, providing that page with alcohol, and taking him on a vacation to Spain is NOT sick. Tell me how Allen has anything to do with Foley, and how Foley’s position will change by Allen’s defeat or re-election.
Jack asked how Allen has anything to do with Foley. Well, as Allen was so quick to point out in the debate about Webb having “good friends” Hilary Clinton and other Democrats, lets not forget that Foley contributed $5,000.00 to the Allen campaign. I certainly don’t know of any “good enemies” who do that!!! No political enemies of Webb has done this… So, you tell me, just what is the connection there???
“BS” is appropriate. Does Webb know every secret of every contributor?
Electing Webb as part of a Democratic takeover of the Senate will give Hillary, Shumer, and the other Democrats greater power, so Webb is directly associated with the other Democrats and their policies. Re-electing Allen will do nothing for Foley. Got it?
Well Jack, you asked in an earlier comment “Tell me how Allen has anything to do with Foley, and how Foley’s position will change by Allen’s defeat or re-election. ” I don’t know what the connection is either, BUT it was enough for Foley to stroke a $5,000.00 check and send it to Allen’s re-election campaign. That in itself is one connection. But the main question remains – WHY? Perhaps Allen invented some new words for him… or did he just like Allen’s cowboy boots? You also stated “Re-electing Allen will do nothing for Foley. Got it? ” No, I really don’t get it – so I’ll ask again- this time s-l-o-w-e-r so you understand… Perhaps the money could have been better spent on pages. Instead, it was given to George Allen.
So, you tell me, just what is the connection there???