Blather in Virginia
Will the Allen-Webb race be content-free?
Friday, June 30, 2006; Page A26
VIRGINIA'S U.S. Senate race is all of two weeks old, and already the debate between the Republican incumbent, George Allen, and his Democratic rival, Jim Webb, has descended into a trench of cynicism and puerility. In the past few days we have been treated to a stomach-turning (if coded) squabble over patriotism and to one candidate mocking the other's middle name. These are not the bare-knuckled blasts of a tough electoral fight; this is blather masquerading as political dialogue.
VIRGINIA'S U.S. Senate race is all of two weeks old, and already the debate between the Republican incumbent, George Allen, and his Democratic rival, Jim Webb, has descended into a trench of cynicism and puerility. In the past few days we have been treated to a stomach-turning (if coded) squabble over patriotism and to one candidate mocking the other's middle name. These are not the bare-knuckled blasts of a tough electoral fight; this is blather masquerading as political dialogue.
The aggressor and prime offender is Mr. Allen, who, through his campaign manager, Dick Wadhams, attacked Mr. Webb for opposing the flag-burning amendment that failed in the Senate. By bashing Mr. Webb for not "protecting" the flag, the Allen campaign sneakily impugned his patriotism. That's rich, since Mr. Webb, a secretary of the Navy under President Ronald Reagan and a highly decorated former Marine, is one of the more celebrated veterans of the Vietnam War -- "a legendary fighting man," in the words of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). Mr. Webb's campaign then fired back with a mocking broadside branding Mr. Wadhams and Mr. Allen -- "George Felix Allen Jr.," as the statement called him -- as "cowards."
Ask Virginians to name the top 20 issues facing the state or the nation, and it's a good bet that the physical desecration of the flag and the patriotic bona fides of candidates for public office will not make the cut. Are Virginia voters really going to be subjected to five more months of blah, blah, blah about which candidate is the greater patriot or the more despicable coward? It's hard to imagine a more irrelevant debate or a campaign that would serve the public so poorly.
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It's apparent the Post Editorial Board is sympathetic to Webb at this point but have the back-and-forth barbs between Felix and Dick Wad(hams), and Webb and Jarding gone too far? Or is it politics as usual?