Posted on 09/05/2006 1:10:03 AM PDT by leadpenny
Senate candidate misses event to visit son, who is being sent to Iraq; Allen campaigns on a horse.
BUENA VISTA--If you were in Buena Vista for yesterday's Labor Day parade, you couldn't miss George Allen and Mark Warner.
Allen was the sole person in the parade riding a horse, while Warner must have shaken every single hand along the parade route.
While both men are potential candidates for president in 2008, that wasn't the focus yesterday. Allen must first fend off a challenge for his U.S. Senate seat this fall, and Warner was putatively in Buena Vista as a surrogate for Allen's challenger, Jim Webb.
So the campaign signs were all about Allen and Webb, and both Warner and Gov. Tim Kaine--who shook his own share of hands--took care to praise Webb, who skipped the annual political event to spend time with his son, a Marine who is shipping out for Iraq this week.
Buena Vista is one of several traditional Labor Day stops for politicians in Virginia. Labor Day marks the kick-off of the fall campaign season, when voters tend to be done with summer vacations and more receptive to the campaigns' messages.
In Buena Vista, candidates put up hundreds of campaign signs, shake hands, kiss babies, and deliver their stump speeches at the end of the parade route.
It's a routine that Allen, Warner and Kaine have performed dozens of times in their political careers. The election changes, but the faces don't.
Kaine called his role in Buena Vista that of a pinch-hitter.
"It is so much more pleasant to be here campaigning for someone else," Kaine told reporters. "It's fun to be with Mark. We've done this parade a few times."
Kaine and Warner both praised Webb's military background, saying it would give him a unique perspective as a senator. They said his independence and willingness to work across party lines is needed, an oblique dig at Allen's high frequency of voting with President George Bush.
"When you know about his public service career, this race is a logical step," Kaine said during a speech that mostly centered on Webb. "He's got a record that really speaks for itself."
Both Kaine and Warner deflected questions about the "macaca" incident--Allen recently called a Webb campaign volunteer of Indian descent "macaca" and welcomed him to America, although the man was born in Fairfax. The incident seems to have driven up Webb's numbers, as recent polls show him statistically even with Allen.
Kaine called the incident "a legitimate issue," but said voters would have to make up their own minds about it. Warner said "character is always a critical issue," but declined further comment on the matter.
Allen brushed off questions about the recent tightening of the polls, saying that the key to winning the race is to "motivate and inspire people behind issues." He thinks voters will choose his stance on the issues and his record.
"Virginians, when you come to Election Day, are going to match up the candidates I think people are going to be much more comfortable with George Allen and my record," Allen said.
Allen paraded through Buena Vista on an umbrella-shy horse, waving at pockets of spectators who braved the chilly drizzle for the event.
He was initially behind Warner and Kaine and the enclave of Webb supporters. But Warner, while working himself into a sweat jogging along the route and frenetically shaking hands, appeared to stop to shake every single one. By the end of the route Allen and the other Republicans had passed Warner by, leaving the former governor jogging alongside floats plastered in Republican campaign posters. Dashing by Attorney General Bob McDonnell and Del. Chris Saxman, Warner shouted, "I'm getting in shape, man!"
"I never thought being unemployed was going to be this hard work," Warner joked to reporters after the parade.
Asked whether his political aspirations had been mentioned by parade-goers, Warner said some people had asked him about the 2008 presidential race. But he did not say whether he's officially running or not.
"I'll make my decision sometime after the election," he said.
but I do not understand how anyone who had the privilege of serving Ronald Reagan could become a member of today's defeatist Democrat party.
I believe the only reason he went Democrat for this election was because Senator Allen was chosen already for the Republican ticket. He certainly would have been a Republican had there been an opening. He went anti-war, etc only because of politics. Remember politics is a dirty game. I wouldn't be surprised that if he were to win the election. The next day he would change to Republican. Wouldn't that be funny if we were split again and then he change and we would run the country again in the Senate. Would not surprise me too much.
Webb spending time with his son is admirable. What his son is doing is admirable.
But, Webb ~did~ campaign over the weekend.
What's interesting is that he chose to drive a 24-year-old to Camp Lejune on the day of what is, in Virginia politics, arguably the one event you ~don't~ miss.
I said this on the other thread. The RTD has referred to Webb as "invisible," and the RAT blogs are lamenting the running of the campaign. They think it's a disaster.
May God bless and keep Jimmy Webb in Iraq.
And may God bless Virginia and keep his Dad out of the Senate.
CHELYEN DAVIS eventually ran out of space to quote Democrats...
Thanks! I have actually been "lurking around" ever since the 2004 election season. I only got the nerve to post something a few months ago. I could not live without FR!(Well, maybe that's a little bit of an exaggeration, but I do consider it a vital part of my daily attempt to understand the world.)
And if you read the article, there isn't one quote from Webb
Which makes it hard for him to be with his family "publicly"
Amen, brother (or sister, as the case may be)! I see from your homepage that you are from NC, too - or at least have an interest in all things NC.
>>>>"Staying home with his son who is about to deploy" is a lame publicity stunt.
Simply disgusting charge.
Some people just have to view everything through a political lens. I hope Allen wins, but Webb seems like a good guy who has a good relationship with his son.
"Let me preface this by my full support of the female VOLUNTEERS in our military."
That's real big of you.
Drafting only men made sense in the pre Ozzie and Harriet days, but the world has changed. Women are in just about every MOS in the military now. It won't be too many years before we see a women appointed as one of the service chiefs. And yet, in time of full mobilization we would only draft men. Please! It defies logic and it would be a mismanagement of the country's resources. You're living in the 50's man.
I want to see some knock down debates before I decide. If I voted right now it would be Allen but I want to hear what Webb has to say between now and November.
>Drafting only men made sense in the pre Ozzie and Harriet days, but the world has changed. Women are in just about every MOS in the military now. It won't be too many years before we see a women appointed as one of the service chiefs. And yet, in time of full mobilization we would only draft men. Please! It defies logic and it would be a mismanagement of the country's resources.<
Oh, please. It's bad enough having unwilling men in the service, much less women. Yes, there are women in the military. It doesn't mean EVERY young girl would be right for such a task. And, what on earth do you propose the country do with the hundreds of thousands of young children that would be left without a mother? You want to give a solution to that one? It's different with female volunteers. They know what they're getting themselves into.
There is a reason the Equal Rights Amendment was defeated. People did not want their daughters drafted.
Thanks for sharing your feelings.
You and I can come up with all kinds of reasons not to include women in a future draft but the bottom line is that what you are advocating is a continued dual standard and your status quo position makes women a protected class.
I'm sure NOW would love to have you on their board.
I doubt that you've ever had to say goodbye to a loved one who was going into harm's way. If you have, it didn't register.
Your friend Webb was simply campaigning in a different location.
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