Posted on 07/07/2005 1:42:34 PM PDT by RWR8189
MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Just 23 weeks after the second inauguration of the 43rd president, someone who aims to be the 44th came here for the annual luncheon of the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women. It was a target-rich environment for George Allen. He has the same name as his father, the late Hall of Fame head coach of the Los Angeles Rams and Washington Redskins who was, to say no more, tightly wound, as coaches tend to be. If the son is similarly driven -- and he must be to embark on this marathon -- he conceals it beneath a demeanor akin to Ronald Reagan's, which was once described as "Aw, shucks, I just stepped on my sneaker laces." Except there are no laces on Allen's cowboy boots, which go with the smokeless tobacco in the circular can in his pocket.
One of his father's mantras was "Hit hard and good things will happen." The son, who as a University of Virginia graduate headed Young Virginians for Reagan in the 1976 nomination contest with President Ford, has Reagan's knack for expressing strong views in an unthreatening manner.
By 2008 it will have been 48 years since the country chose a senator to be president, so the ideal candidate is not a senator, or if he is, he has been a governor, someone with an executive's temperament and experience. Allen served a single term as governor of Virginia, where the constitution forbids consecutive terms. He now is in the fifth year of his first term in the U.S. Senate, which prudence might tell Allen is enough, because full-time campaigning often wins presidential nominations. Asked if he enjoys the Senate, he pauses, then says: "Every now and then. It's better being governor."
(Excerpt) Read more at pittsburghlive.com ...
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He's a true dark horse in amongst all of the chitter chatter about Rudy, McCain and Rice.
As of now, George Allen is my early choice for 2008.
I have been following the press on George Allen since Rush mentioned that he could be a factor in 2008. I know that Rush has a policy not to endorse primary candidates, although he did endorse Buchanan in 1992 (in hindsight that was a mistake), but I think he is privately rooting for this guy as am I.
As I see it George Allen is my only choice. What's the alternative, McCain...Hagel??? Give me a break!
Not necessarily a mistake it could have been an attempt to get George H.W. Bush to drop out, which would have opened up the primary field. Who knows if Senior had dropped out, maybe we wouldn't have had 8 years of Clinton.
He was on Tony Snow Today.
I would say that Allen is probably the most probably candidate to carry the Conservatives in the primaries and also be able to expand on that support in the general elections....
Allen/Watts
I concur.
If I can't have Rick Santorum, then I want Allen.
Well he was the last sitting Republican senator to be elected President of the United States. It happens about every century or two. George Allen may be a great guy but his chances of becoming President are not great.
Unless he is running against another senator, say from New York.
But in any case I would go with a Governor. A good strong conservative Republican Governor.
...and favors government measures to encourage the education of more engineers.
Apparently he swallows pro-outsourcing propaganda hook, line and sinker. Understandable if your perspective is entirely in Washington. He obviously cannot comprehend that no 'government measure' is going to encourage young Americans to enter a profession dominated by H1b's and outsourcing. Third World labor arbitrage has made an engineering degree for an American a license to starve.
Allen ping
Don't worry: McCain is too old. He'll be 72 in 2008. And Hagel is a damned fool to think he's electable. Watch out for Frist if Bush gets his Supreme Court nominees through. Otherwise, it's normally governors. Look for Tim Pawlenty of MN, and Terry Sanford of SC. Gov. Bill Owens of CO is wounded by his divorce and the strong suggestion of adultery, but is still in it, also. Gov. Mitt Romney is trying to see if he can convince conservatives he's secretly pro-life while getting re-elected in pro-choice Massachusetts. Gov. Bob Ehrlich of Maryland may be a factor; he's pro-choice, but not pro-abortion; closer to Kay Bailey Hutchinson than Hillary Clinton.
I hope and pray that can isn't Skoal, or Hawken or Kodiak. We have enough weak Republicans. Please, some body confirm for me that he chews Copenhagen.
Allen is a former Governor of VA. I think that will work in his favor.
He's also someone whose been fighting the good fight in the Senate. What Will says about Allen's ability to meld both factions of the Republican Party together is important and indeed vital in '08. There's the wing that is very socially Conservative and that in many ways is where they derive their 'Conservatism' from. There's also the wing that are like myself, titling Libertarian.
Having everyone on our side on the same page, in full force in '08, would make for an unbeatable candidate, especially if he is running against "the old crow", I mean Hillary.
He will win - he will win on the issue of national health care. He is already trying to introduce it in Massachusetts.
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