The Real George Allen, The Real Jim Webb

Virginians are finally getting to know the real Jim Webb. Him, they like.

Virginians are looking at Jim Webb and discovering, beyond his extraordinary record of heroism, service and literary achievement, a true southern gentleman; a man of the people.

Virginians are peering behind George Felix Allen's clown mask persona of cowboy boots, footballs, and chaw, and what have they found?

What indeed have they found? ...
**George Felix Allen is a U.S. Senator whose "principles" are for sale.

**George Felix Allen is a U.S. Senator who gives huge tax breaks to oil companies (over $44 billion) and takes their big donations (over $800,000).

**George Felix Allen is a U.S. Senator who has repeatedly voted not to raise the minimum wage, thus leaving over 153,000 Virginians to founder in poverty.  Meanwhile, he has given himself massive pay raises totalling nearly $32,000 per year.

**George Felix Allen is a U.S. Senator  willing to do absolutely nothing for our fighting military men and women but willing to leave them stuck in the middle of Iraq's spiralling civil war.

And, of course...

**George Felix Allen is a US Senator willing to bully a lone man of color in an all white crowd.

George Felix Allen continues to support George W. Bush's failed war, unconstitutional wiretapping, corrupt culture of cronyism.  George Felix Allen supports a full 97% of George W. Bush's crumbling reactionary agenda.

Virginians are asking themselves:  Where's the leadership?  Where's the decency?

In the face of all this, Jim Webb continues to make nation-leading policy pronouncements. Jim Webb continues to stand up for the true values that make America and Virginia great, like security, opportunity, and liberty.  He continues to prove himself an honorable, statesmanlike, gentleman of the people.

This week Jim Webb outlined a national security policy that transcends ignorant single-mindedness and belligerent nationalism, instead focusing on military, political, social, economic reality and moral leadership.

Honest and straightforward, Webb himself has never accused Allen of racism.  Others certainly have, but not Webb.  He has rather stated that George Allen knew what he was saying when he used the the M-word to single out a young man of Indian descent.  Webb later said that the sentiments of Allen's remarks don't represent the greatness of the people who live in Southwest Virginia.  Webb should know, his own family settled the area over 250 years ago.

I'm a paid staffer on the Webb campaign.  You need to know that, but I was a supporter of Jim Webb's candidacy long before he entered this race. 

Back in December 2005, I helped start "Draft James Webb" because I saw in Webb's candidacy tremendous potential.  I saw the possbility that all Virginians - urban, suburban, rural - could reclaim the greatness of our nation.  I saw the chance to take our nation back from an extremist faction that has taken over our politics and undermined not only the constitutionality and responsibility of American government, but it's common decency.

You'll never see me refer to George Allen as a racist, but he's clearly no gentleman and no friend to Virginians. 

Recent polling proves what I have suspected all along: the more people truly know George Felix Allen, the less they like him.  The more people get to know Jim Webb, the more it becomes clear that he is the strong leader Virginia and America need in this time of dire challenge and unlimited opportunity.

It's time for Virginia to have another US Senator they can be proud of. 

Virginia is discovering that there is only one southern gentleman of character in the race this year, and that man is Jim Webb.

Images grievously pilfered from The Fredericksburg Star and VADare's fantastic photojournal from the Wise County Fair.

Josh Chernila is Grassroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign.  The ideas expressed here belong to Josh Chernila alone, and do not necessarily represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters."

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