Sen. George Allen has conceded the VA Senate race to James Webb, giving control of the Senate over to the Democratic Party.
Allen did the right thing by conceding, as it was clear that the margin in the race was simply too large for him to have any ground to contest the race. Allen may yet have a political career if Sen. John Warner of VA retires in 2008 as it is expected that he will. By bowing out on a gracious note, Allen leaves himself the possibility of political redemption later on.
Nobody as unwilling to take off the Klan hood as Allen should ever be allowed to have power.
Give me a break. Claiming that Allen is a racist because he had a noose in his office is like claiming that Paul Wellstone was a wife beater because he kept pictures of battered women in his offices during his tenure. The whole point of the thing was a reminder of the crimes of the past, not an endorsement.
George Allen is a good man, and I hope he has a bright future ahead of him. However, given the sheer pettiness and inanity of that particular race, I’m struggling to imagine the Republicans endorsing him again. The Allen/Webb race represented the absolute worst elements of American democracy, and Allen was unable to lift it from the sewer in which it was sunk. Ideally, the American people will never, ever, ever be subjected to something as stupid and trivial again.
“The whole point of the thing was a reminder of the crimes of the past, not an endorsement.”
What, and his collection of confederate flags? An expression of his enthusiasm for the hobby of vexillology?
Calling the nearest brown person the French-African word for nigger? Nothing more than his expansive vocabulary at work, right?
C’mon, Jay. The guy’s more racist than a Kentucky Derby. America dodged a bullet – or maybe a noose – now that he’s out for good.
Allen is unlikely to get the benefit of doubt from Republican voters after the comedy of errors that was his 2006 Senate campaign. If John Warner retires in 2008, as is likely, expect the Republicans to go with annoying young country club conservative Eric Cantor, current Congressman from the 7th district.
Peace out, Waddhams!