Webb Campaign: "George Allen is no longer even trying to hide his dishonesty"

It is a sad day in Virginia politics. Incumbent Republican Senator George Allen is no longer even trying to hide his dishonesty. Littered with blatant lies, his two most recent ads GÇô GÇ£SpiderGÇ¥ and GÇ£TaxesGÇ¥ GÇô insult the intelligence of Virginia voters.

I am confident that the release of George AllenGÇÖs GÇ£SpiderGÇ¥ ad will go down in history as the single moment in this election when every observer realized Jim Webb would win. The release of this ad is certainly the most desperate and pathetic product of politics Virginians have ever seen. And that fact can be proven in four short words:

She was not quoted.

The woman in this ad seeks to destroy Jim WebbGÇÖs integrity, but only manages to destroy her own. As journalists and as rational human beings, please ask yourself this fundamental question: how can someone claim they were misquoted if they were not quoted at all?

This woman has zero credibility. She says Jim told her he would use quotes attributed to her even though she says they were not hers. But when asked, she offers no evidence to support her claim. No article. No draft of the article. No evidence of a waiver she claimed she refused to sign. Additionally, she fails to specify exactly what information was mischaracterized.

And thereGÇÖs more. She says she is a Democrat even though she has only ever voted in Republican primaries, and says she was ordered to give an interview to Jim Webb even though Navy protocol prohibits such an order.

Once this sinks in, ask yourself another question: how can George Allen, who claims to want to talk about the issues, pay for this kind of junk?

Because he thinks he can get away with it.

The GÇ£TaxesGÇ¥ ad is equally deceitful. Unable to support his lie that Jim Webb wants to raise taxes on middle-class families with real citations GÇô a newspaper article, a book, an interview transcript GÇô George AllenGÇÖs primary source ends up being George Allen himself. ThatGÇÖs right. Completely eschewing any iota of objectivity, George Allen cites quotes from George Allen. Why?

Because he thinks he can get away with it.

Last Monday night, George Allen took to the airwaves for two minutes in front of a state-wide audience for what GÇô we should now conclude GÇô was plain lip service delivered by a career politician interested only in saving his own skin, not doing whatGÇÖs best for the people of Virginia.  As you recall, George Allen delivered a plea to stop the attacks and focus on the issues.  We see now GÇô through his own actions GÇô he has no plans to do this.  In essence, he lied.

At the end of his ads, George Allen says GÇ£I approved this message,GÇ¥ and thus takes responsibility for their content. With that in mind, we call upon George Allen to take down these advertisements based on lies and distortions.

In the coming days, we also call upon the media GÇô reporters, columnists and editorial writers GÇô to join our appeal in condemning these ads and asking for their removal. If George Allen is serious about returning this election to a discussion about the issues, he must pull these ads and apologize to the people of Virginia for sinking Virginia politics to a new low. Lies of this nature are unbecoming of a United States Senator and must stop.

I couldn't have said it better.

Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign.  The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.

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