Today's Falls Church News-Press endorses Jim Webb for U.S. Senate. Here are the relevant paragraphs (bolding added for emphasis):
It+óGé¼Gäós really very simple. The Achilles heel of the Republican Party in the mid-term elections this November is Iraq. Yes, there are other issues, but in the minds of the American people, it is the worsening fiasco of Iraq , and everything associated with it, that could trigger one of the biggest electoral upheavals in American history this November, rudely dismissing the GOP and placing the Democrats back into control of both the House and Senate.In the move to pull this off, the Democrats must be bold, decisive and fresh. It is no time for the old politics, no time for the tired internal arguments of who is more deserving by yesterday+óGé¼Gäós standards to be its party+óGé¼Gäós nominees going into the fall. Choices should be based on who can inflict the mightiest blows at that vulnerable Achilles heel, who can best make the GOP pay most dearly for its misdirection of the American public and the American interest in Iraq , and subsumed by that, by all its other travesties.
In this anticipated national full court press, Virginia may offer up a champion next Tuesday in the statewide Democratic primary, if James Webb can emerge victorious. This moderate retired military professional and former Republican, a Secretary of the Navy in the Reagan administration, was an outspoken critic of the Iraq invasion from the very beginning and, as such, is just the kind of person who can inflict the maximum damage on GOP incumbent and presidential hopeful Sen. George Allen in November. Moreover, with his credentials, he can be a powerful symbol, nationally, representing the broad-based, bipartisan contempt now held by a wide majority of the American people for President Bush and the GOP+óGé¼Gäós responsibilities for the amazingly disastrous Iraq mess.
This is hardly a time for Democrats in Virginia to weigh their choice next Tuesday between Mr. Webb and party regular Harris Miller on the basis of petty and secondary concerns. It is especially inappropriate and nearsighted for some to claim that Webb+óGé¼Gäós past Republican involvements should be held against him now. On the contrary, in our view it is not so much that there is anything wrong with Mr. Miller, as there is very much that is right about Mr. Webb as, potentially, a fresh and powerful standard bearer in a sweeping national revolt.
Wow. Have the editors of the Falls Church News-Press been reading the Virginia Democratic blogs? Sounds just like some of 'em. :)
Let's make it come true!!
This is a great line and a really powerful endorsement. I think if Nick Benton had been cribbing from the blogs, the editorial would have focused much more on laundry lists of who's endorsed whom and what's wrong with both candidates. In contrast, this was a refreshingly positive editorial that didn't bash Miller at all, but focused on the idea that Miller is fine but Webb is "fresh and powerful", a better choice.
Kudos and thanks to the paper for doing this.
http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2006/062006/06082006/197593
How can anyone say the Falls Church paper is more important that The Washington Post editorial endorsing Miller?