Posted on 06/27/2006 6:33:29 PM PDT by ncountylee
RICHMOND, Va. -- Republican Sen. George Allen attacked Democrat James Webb for opposing a constitutional flag-burning ban and Webb fired back Tuesday, calling Allen a coward who sat out the Vietnam War "playing cowboy at a dude ranch in Nevada."
In a searing press statement, a senior adviser to Webb, a decorated Vietnam veteran, went to extraordinary lengths to question Allen's fortitude, even repeatedly using the middle name the senator detests and never uses, Felix.
"While Jim Webb and others of George Felix Allen Jr.'s generation were fighting for our freedoms and for our symbols of freedom in Vietnam, George Felix Allen Jr. was playing cowboy at a dude ranch in Nevada," said Webb strategist Steve Jarding.
Allen adviser Dick Wadhams called Jarding's comments pathetic and said they raise questions about Webb's fitness for office.
"They're saying we questioned (Webb's) patriotism, and that's a lie," Wadhams said. "We just raised a legitimate question about whether he supports a flag amendment or not. How is that questioning his patriotism?"
And besides, Allen's name does not include the suffix Jr., a campaign aide added.
The rhetorical crossfire began after an Allen news release noted Webb's opposition to a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow Congress to ban desecration of the U.S. flag. Allen, who is seeking a second term even as he explores a 2008 presidential bid, supports the measure, which the Senate rejected in a 66-34 roll call vote Tuesday evening.
In Allen's release, Wadhams said Webb's opposition shows Webb is "beholden to liberal Washington senators" John Kerry and Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts and Charles Schumer of New York, all Democrats who oppose the flag-burning ban.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailypress.com ...
Looks like Webb has a short fuse and a very nasty side too.
Still, Webb finally "went over" to the NLF ~ well after the war, of course, but he definitely started carrying their water.
I hear he's behind in the polling too...nothing worse than a "R" gone over to the darkside.
What a freakin child.
If this is an example of Webb's professional demeanor and staff expertise, I'd say George Felix Allen doesn't have a thing to worry about.
If this costs Allen the presidency, we will have to blame his mother. And it goes to support my rule for baby names:
NEVER PICK A NAME THAT YOU DON'T WANT READ OUT LOUD BY THE GYM TEACHER
I'm very surprised that Webb was so stupid as to oppose the flag burning amendment when it's irrelevant to his candidacy. It's coming up now. It probably won't come up again, so he will have no occasion to vote one way or the other. You'd think that with that situation, he'd see no downside to taking the popular position.
On the other hand, this is the guy who ran an anti-Semitic commercial against his Democratic opponent. He obviously has a tin-ear.
That short fuse won't play well in Virginia.
"Born Fighting" might sell books. But it won't win elections.
FWIW
1) George Allen's draft number was 229.
2) He was eligible for the 1971 draft for 1972 induction.
3) Nixon was already withdrawing troops in 1971.
Well, his mother ~is~ French...
It seems a lot of Dems in the last few years are using the words liar and coward pretty loosely. Not too many years ago a person could get flattened in a hurry for such behavior.
"....Webb, a decorated Vietnam veteran...."
oh man.....here we go again. Did this one toss his "decorations" over the fence, too?
Because it's the only way they can drag the issue of his having served into the campaign. They are sitting there, waiting for an opportunity to portray him or any democrat as a Victim (which they love and can get behind with much more gusto than they can get behind a veteran). That way they can pound their chests about military service without supporting the WOT AND it lets them say "Here's a guy with military experience and even he is against the war."
Webb's temper makes McCain look like Gandhi. I would say he has a short fuse, but I don't think he has any fuse at all. He's going to meltdown in this campaign, again and again and again. If he makes it to the debates, Allen just has to tweak him slightly and Webb will cover the TV cameras in spittle.
Any veteran who served a day in, over or offshore Vietnam gets a foreign service ribbon. Yeah? So what? This guy, like thousands of others who think military service excuses their assholism, should have stayed home. He's probably another Murtha or Kerry.
Webb's service was fine, he turned rotten recently and became a Sandy Berger butt boy.
3) Nixon was already withdrawing troops in 1971.
true.....he began withdrawal before the end of 1969.
for instance, the First Infantry Division was completely out by Apr, 1970
Sounds more like a sociopath.
Virginia voters will see through this and re-elect Allen handily. Allen shouldn't respond to this third-grade tripe. Webb is just trying to make him lose his cool so the MSM can go "GOP Presidential candidate loses his temper to political newcomer."
right now I can't remember exactly how Webbs name got in the 2004 kerry/medal/discharge saga, but it seems like he didn't tell what he knew
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