thank you mark warner, you once again prove your love and loyalty to Virginia!

I wish the focus shifted to what Webb is going to do- tlike his tax cuts for veterans and stem-cell research, issues that have been largely left untouched by the Webb campaign. These are potential gold mine vote getters for Webb. He needs to buoy his positives and draw in undecideds, and time is running out. I want to vote for Webb not against Allen. Hammer the issues.

That's why I'm concerned that the Webb campaign isn't emphasizing Webb's positions on issues more broadly. Webb is still largely undefined here in SW Virginia and this has got to change very, very quickly. There are fewer and fewer undecideds left.

1) Redirecting our national security policy, now in a "complete state of disarray" due to the invasion of Iraq

2) Addressing the "unhealthy" growth of income disparity in this country, where today we see the average CEO making 400 times the average worker (Webb has joked about the CEOs, "no offense, but you guys aren't THAT good!)

3) The need to stand up for our constitutional system of checks and balances against an out-of-control Executive Branch.

In addition...

Webb will push for embryonic stem cell research.

Webb will fight to keep the internet "neutral."

Webb will work to rebuild New Orleans and U.S. infrastructure in general.

Webb will oppose efforts to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling.

Webb will support increased funding for solar power, wind and other renewable energy sources.

Webb will propose a 5% tax cut to veterans who have honorably served our country.  Also, a GI Bill of Rights.

Webb will lead in forming a modern-day "Truman Commission" to investigate waste, fraud and abuse in Iraq.

Webb will fight so that everyone in this country has affordable, quality health care.

There's lots more, what do you want to know?

The election is going to be won by an informed and motivated electorate. Motivation hinges on being informed. I want to see ads on stem-cell research, military tax cuts, healthcare and the like. These are salient issues that will move Jim Webb's numbers.

Time is running out--we need to know more about Webb.  At this point, I'll vote for him but it will be more of a vote against Allen than a vote for Webb. 

Then there's the slipping support for the Iraq war:

–64 percent disapprove of Bush’s handling of the war in Iraq.

– 70 percent of women and 58 percent of men now oppose the war in Iraq.

– 60 percent of Americans believe the situation with North Korea can be resolved using only economic and diplomatic measures.

– More than 70 percent of Americans believe the war in Iraq is making it harder for the United States to deal with North Korea.

But in another poll, CBS/NYT http://www.rawstory....  I found this absolutely stunning:

A poll conducted last week by the New York Times and CBS news found that just 16% of Americans believe the Bush Administration is telling the truth about what they knew prior to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.

When Bush campaigns with Allen, we should try to get every picture we can of them together.  The RK blog that night should be nothing but Bush Campaigns with Allen!  And the Dems should run an ad showing them grinning like idiots at one another.

(AXcess News) Washington - A poll released last week by USA Today/Gallup found that corruption in government tied with the situation in Iraq as the top issue for voters in the 2006 congressional elections.

Corruption in government and the situation in Iraq were listed in the poll by 86 percent of respondents as extremely or very important to their votes in the 2006 congressional election.

The issue of corruption in government was cited in the poll by citizens as more important to their vote in the 2006 congressional elections than terrorism, health care, the economy, moral standards in the country and gas prices.

The USA Today/Gallup followed an Associated Press poll, in which 75 percent of likely voters said that political corruption was extremely or very important to them personally, compared to 8 percent of likely voters who said it was slightly or not at all important to them.

And just because our commander-in-chief has posed for so many good photos, here's another:

Not sure if I believe this, but it was an interesting bit of gossip.