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Buckling His Chin Strap (George Allen For President)
National Review | November 7, 2005 | Richard Lowry

Posted on 11/11/2005 1:40:09 PM PST by CarlEOlsoniii

Sen. George Allen is standing on the sideline of an empty Giants Stadium about an hour-and-a-half before the 1 p.m. start of a New York Jets vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers game. His brother Bruce is general manager of the Bucs, so Allen is here to root on the family team.

A guy with a vest reading FIELD PHOTO comes up to him: "You're going to be a tall president," he says, smiling. Allen laughs and they banter about the senator's height. He is commonly called 6' 4", but he is quick to note he is more like 6' 31/2" or 3 ", explaining that you never want to be inaccurate or to be seen as exaggerating. It is an unremarkable interaction, but the photographer has hit on something important: Standing there, basically unnoticed, soaking in the pre-game vibe, is quite possibly the next president of the United States.

It is not hard to do a calculation that says at this early stage in the '08 race George Allen has perhaps a better chance of winning the nomination than any other Republican. He combines the people skills of a Bill Clinton, with the convictions of a Ronald Reagan, with the non-threatening persona of a George W. Bush circa 2000, prior to his becoming a hate-figure for the Left. With a personal history that has forged a rare and particular political talent, blending amiability with a streak of competitive ruthlessness in a way that makes him, at age 53, one of the nation's top politicians.

He is about to embark on a challenging journey: running for reelection in Virginia next year, then -- assuming he doesn't founder on unseen shoals -- for the Republican nomination in 2008.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: 109th; 2006; allen2008; georgeallen; lowry
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To: CarlEOlsoniii

Where does he stand on gun control and policing our borders?


41 posted on 11/11/2005 2:15:31 PM PST by proudofthesouth (Boycotting movies since 1988)
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To: CarlEOlsoniii

I'd like to read the rest of it as well. I can't vote for somebody based on his height. O.J. and my rotten criminal brother are both pretty tall and I wouldn't vote for either of them in a race for dog-catcher in Peru. I guess if either of them decides to run for president we'll learn more. Yuck, I already know more than I care to about both of them.


42 posted on 11/11/2005 2:16:28 PM PST by KarinG1 (Some of us are trying to engage in philosophical discourse. Please don't allow us to interrupt you.)
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To: tiredoflaundry

He's a hottie!


43 posted on 11/11/2005 2:16:35 PM PST by proudofthesouth (Boycotting movies since 1988)
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To: areafiftyone

I stopped believing the polls back when they said that George Bush Senior would easily beat Bubba.


44 posted on 11/11/2005 2:18:21 PM PST by proudofthesouth (Boycotting movies since 1988)
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To: CarlEOlsoniii

ALLLLL Right!!!! You just got my attention. If George Allen doesn't wuss out trying to appeal to everyone, then we might have ourselves a good replacement for W.


45 posted on 11/11/2005 2:18:30 PM PST by Sioux-san (God save the Sheeple)
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To: proudofthesouth
Double LOL's....

Leni

46 posted on 11/11/2005 2:21:02 PM PST by MinuteGal (This Week is my Seventh Anniversary on this Forum...and I'm Still in Love with Free Republic!)
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To: thoughtomator
Allen IS relatively well known and is polling badly.He and Tancredo are even in New Hampshire at 1%.Allen has visited New Hampsire more than once and has received lots of coverage.Personally, I can not vote for anyone in the primary who voted for the pill bill.
47 posted on 11/11/2005 2:21:47 PM PST by BransonRevival
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To: new yorker 77

If he wants to be President, then standing up for this one would be a good start. He's just another one of the chinless wonders as far as I'm concerned.


48 posted on 11/11/2005 2:21:59 PM PST by Flavius Josephus (Hello Free Republic.)
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To: Sioux-san
ALLLLL Right!!!! You just got my attention. If George Allen doesn't wuss out trying to appeal to everyone, then we might have ourselves a good replacement for W.

I'm putting him in front of the line - However --- Trust but verify! Happy Vets Day everyone.

49 posted on 11/11/2005 2:22:38 PM PST by Digger (Outsource CONgress)
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To: All
FYI George Allen
50 posted on 11/11/2005 2:23:32 PM PST by tiredoflaundry ("Youth" - French for Muslim Rioters)
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To: areafiftyone
I'm not saying he's not a good Senator but he's NO Bill Clinton when it comes to people skills.

Remember, there was a time that Clinton was highly criticized for his long winded speeches...he polished up his act. As for Allen, I have only once seen him outside of the Senate (on CSpan) and was quite impressed with the strength of his beliefs, personable style and message.

51 posted on 11/11/2005 2:23:34 PM PST by Dolphy
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To: Sioux-san

I have reservations with anyone who voted yea on the Mcinsane tortureamendment. it pretty much shows that the Senate is not on our side.


52 posted on 11/11/2005 2:25:20 PM PST by BransonRevival
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To: areafiftyone
I'm not looking for a Ronald Reagan (first president I ever voted for and proud of it) - there will never be one like him

Funny you should mention Reagan.

George Allens dad was personal friends with Reagan going back to Reagans days as governor of California.

Supposedly George Allen and his brothers sometimes called Reagan "uncle".

53 posted on 11/11/2005 2:27:06 PM PST by Sonny M ("oderint dum metuant")
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To: areafiftyone
I'm sorry but Al Gore has more people skills than Allen. Let's be honest here, Allen is dull as dishwater. I'm not saying he's not a good Senator but he's NO Bill Clinton when it comes to people skills.

Ironically, I think thats his best strength.

He has better people skills then everybody else.

Even the DUmmies are noting it.....and it scares them.

54 posted on 11/11/2005 2:28:39 PM PST by Sonny M ("oderint dum metuant")
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To: CarlEOlsoniii
"Let's enjoy kicking their soft teeth down their whining throats"

Can you imagine either of Mark Earley or Jerry Kilgore saying that?

That's why we have governor warner and now governor kaine.

55 posted on 11/11/2005 2:28:51 PM PST by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilisation is aborting, buggering, and contracepting itself out of existence.)
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To: Dead Corpse

All we ask is a little character and conviction, plus an unwillingness to truckle to D-rat bullying... doubt that MzBill will be factor. He/she/it has peaked too soon, and there are campaign-finance issues pending. What we hear of Allen sounds good, but it's also true that both Reagan and Bush II were Governors, that is, executives rather than big-talk Congressional types; and neither was a lawyer. Allen's time in the Senate, plus his inevitable legal-smeagle outlook, does not bode well... but then, look at his competition. Maybe what we want is just a decent, normal President, with executive competence a bonus. The thought that we came within a whisker of Al Gore in 2000, and that a treasonous jerk like Kerry lacked only Ohio in '04, is enough to give one pause. Though he's supposedly taken himself out of the running, I rather like Brother Jeb in Florida. A non-lawyer with successful State-level experience... "Bush dynasty" is a phony issue, a canard. Funny how no-one associates MzBill with Dowager Empress status. Maybe if our incumbent Bush would simply function in domestic areas --porkroll spending, immigration, supine surrender to D-rat calumnies-- he could influence choice of his successor to good effect.


56 posted on 11/11/2005 2:30:15 PM PST by Pyrthroes (Dwelling in Possibility)
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To: areafiftyone
Here is my list of all around best prospects in 2008.
1.Mike Pence
2.Condi Rice
3.Rudy Giuliani
4.Sam Brownback
5.Mark Sanford
6.George Allen
7.Tom Tancredo

McLame and the rest need not apply
57 posted on 11/11/2005 2:30:25 PM PST by BransonRevival
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To: tiredoflaundry

Heheh, thanks, tol. Interesting thread also. I don't think the Republican party is going to pick someone who is winning on name recognition 3 years before the election. They have to know they can't sell McCain to the vast majority of conservatives and they're not going to take a bullet for him the way they did with Dole.


58 posted on 11/11/2005 2:36:11 PM PST by Bahbah (Free Scooter; Tony Schaffer for the US Senate)
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To: angkor

Rice / Allen vs Hillary, Bill / who cares


59 posted on 11/11/2005 2:37:15 PM PST by TexasTransplant (NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSET)
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To: CarlEOlsoniii
... with the non-threatening persona of a George W. Bush circa 2000, prior to his becoming a hate-figure for the Left.

When has George Bush not been a hate-figure for the Left?

60 posted on 11/11/2005 2:37:41 PM PST by shekkian
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