My Personal Endorsement of Jim Webb: An Enduring Democratic Majority

In recent weeks a torrent of negative ads and mailings has managed to suppress Jim Webb's support and brought this campaign closer than most predicted possible.  What the Miller campaign fails to understand is the simple fact that Harris Miller is unelectable in Virginia.  Sure, he can play "I'm a Democrat" for a couple of weeks, even though his policies and record show him to be far outside of the Democratic mainstream: Iraq? Bush Tax Cuts? Outsourcing?

Unfortunately, Harris Miller's actual positions are repugnant to Democrats, that's why he's playing the "You're no Democrat." card for this primary. It's a loser's card and that's a shame.
On the plus side, when Webb defeats Miller in this primary, Miller will have aired all the dirty laundry there is, and Allen will have to depend on Virginia's (minority) hatred of gays and blacks, because Allen's record won't hold up against Webb's integrity.

Miller has played a strong game, but that's just made the Webb campaign stronger, and increasingly well fortified to take on the challenge of defeating George Allen.

Ultimately, it's simple, if Democrats want to play litmus test politics and send a status-quo lobbyist up against George Allen, they don't deserve to win this seat. Miller won't get 40% of the vote statewide in the General election, and Virginia Democrats will have passed up an opportunity to transform national politics.

I think Virginia Democrats are smarter than this, and smarter than Harris Miller's negative campaign. Virginia Democrats know that the only way to DEFEAT GEORGE ALLEN is to send a fighter, a statesman, a champion, a hero, Jim Webb to challenge Virginia's fake cowboy, Senator George.

There's ultimately even more to it. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine have extended this party and have brought voters over in areas that wouldn't have considered voting for Democrats just a few years ago. If that trend is going to continue, we need new blood in the Democratic party. Jim Webb is that new blood, he speaks of the future of this nation by connecting with the critical traditions of the Democratic party that built it. He, along with a majority of Virginians lauds Ronald Reagan on principle. He, along with a majority of Virginians supports the rights of pregnant women and their doctors on principle. He along with a majority of Virginians supports gay rights on principle. He along with a majority of Virginians supports the 2nd Amendment on principle. He, along with a majority of Virginians knows that Iraq is a debacle, but that leaving without a plan is as dangerous as it was to go in without a plan. All of these things set him apart from Harris Miller.

He, along with a majority of Virginians also believes in the separation of church and state. He, along with a majority of Virginians takes pride in Southern heritage without pandering or hatred. These issues separate him from George Allen, and show the pathway to the new Democratic resurgence in the South, in Rural America, across Virginia and across the nation.

If there was ever a time for brave men and women to stand up in support of a new Democratic majority based on a united future rather than a divided past, it is now.

Leaders nationwide and across Virginia recognize that Jim Webb is the scion of the greatest traditions of the Democratic party. As Jim Webb rises, so rise those great traditions.

This isn't just a horse race between a lobbyist and a war hero, between a placeholder and a maverick, between a Virginian and a Pennsylvanian, this is a battle for the heart and soul of the party.

Will Democrats back the status-quo that has failed to defend the American public from right-wing conservative extremism, or will Virginia Democrats lead the nation and show the way to a resurgent party nationwide and an America that leads the world by example?

On June 13, we'll find out. A vote for Harris Miller is a vote for George Allen and failed right-wing conservatism.  A vote for Jim Webb is a vote for the future and an Enduring Democratic Majority. 

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