George Allen Joins Thompson's National Campaign Leadership Team

McLean, VA - Sen. Fred Thompson announced today the members of his National Campaign Leadership Team: Sen. Howard H. Baker will serve as honorary chairman of his presidential campaign and Sen. Spencer Abraham, Sen. George Allen, and Elizabeth Cheney will serve as campaign co-chairs.

"Howard Baker is my longtime mentor, advisor, and close friend, and I am very grateful that he will serve as honorary chairman of my campaign," said Sen. Fred Thompson. "I am also very pleased to announce that former Senators Abraham and Allen, as well as Liz Cheney, will serve as co-chairs of my national leadership team." Sen. Fred Thompson added: "These distinguished individuals bring wise counsel and invaluable experience to my campaign leadership team, and they will play a critical role in helping spread my consistent conservative message across America."

Sen. Howard H. Baker, a longtime political mentor of Sen. Thompson, brings a lifetime of distinguished public service as the campaign's honorary chairman. His long career as a public servant began in 1966, when Baker became the first Republican popularly elected to the U.S. Senate from Tennessee. In addition to gaining national recognition as vice-chairman of the Senate Watergate Committee in 1973, Baker served two terms as Senate Minority Leader and concluded his Senate career in 1985 after two terms as Majority Leader. He served as President Reagan's Chief of Staff from February 1987 to July 1988. In 1984, Baker was honored with the President ial Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award. President George W. Bush appointed Senator Baker to serve as the 26th U.S. Ambassador to Japan in 2001. Baker currently serves as senior counsel to the law firm of Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz.

Sen. Spencer Abraham will serve as a co-chair of the Thompson campaign. Abraham most recently served the nation as Secretary of Energy during President George W. Bush's first term in office. Prior to that, Sen. Abraham served as an effective and highly productive U.S. Senator from Michigan from 1995 to 2001. Before his election to the U.S. Senate, Abraham served as co-chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) from 1991 to 1993 and he served as chairman of the Michigan Republican Party from 1983 to 1990. A native of East Lansing, Michigan, Abraham holds a law degree from Harvard University, where he co-founded the Federalist S ociety.

Sen. George Allen, who will also serve as a co-chair of the Thompson campaign, brings a long career of public service, serving as the Governor of Virginia, in both houses of the United States Congress and as a Delegate holding Thomas Jefferson's seat in the Virginia General Assembly. Sworn in as Governor in 1994 George Allen brought sweeping reform that made Virginia a national model in economic development, public safety, education accountability, and creative government. Elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000, Allen continued advocating policies to make America and Virginia a leader in innovation and technology and in 2001 he was appointed chairman of the Senate High Tech Task Force. In 200 2, Allen was unanimously elected a member of the Senate Republican Leadership as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. Under his leadership, Republicans gained four seats in the Senate and expanded the Republican majority.

Liz Cheney will bring valuable political and foreign policy experience as a co-chair of the Thompson campaign. As an attorney and specialist in the area of U.S. Middle East policy, Ms. Cheney most recently served as the second-ranking State Department official responsible for American policy in the Middle East as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. Prior to that, she served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. In addition to practicing law at White & Case LLP in the area of international project finance where she served on assignment with the International Finance Corporation, Ms. Cheney also worked for the Department of St ate and at the Agency for International Development from 1989 to 1993. During the 2000 and 2004 presidential campaigns, Ms. Cheney managed vice presidential debate preparation and served as a valuable surrogate for the Bush-Cheney campaign.

no one - except the “aid” that gave him the note that said “that’s guy’s name is Mr Macaca” — a word that George Allen had never heard or spoken before.

Not exactly.

No one told Allen the guy's name was "Macaca." That was the first story Wadhams tried to spin (and the first of many mistakes in the response).

Allen said the word, but was trying to crack a joke. He did not mean it as a racial slur. I know this for two reasons 1) I've known George Allen for over 20 years and know he's no racist, 2) In spite of the fact that he and his campaign made significant blunders last year, he's not stupid enough to stare into a camera and utter what he knew to be a racial slur.

All that being said, what did happen is that once the sleazoid campaign consultant got the video, he and his minions set about creating an Internet definition of "macaca." You can see that the definition did not appear on Wikipedia until August 16, after the event. Prior to that it was found only in some obscure medical dictionaries. Even The Washington Post, who ran over 300 articles on the word, admitted that no one really knew what it meant.

This was, from the beginning, and well prior to the macaca incident, an orchestrated smear campaign, and Hillary's prints are all over it.

IMHO, the Allen camp made their mistakes because they weren't prepared and were caught off guard. It's a story longer than I care to tell here, but some of his campaign regulars from over the years weren't there last year. Wadhams, as good as he is, knew neither Virginia nor Allen.

All that being said, Allen's coming back. And he'll be back stronger than ever. But it won't be for VP next year.

Thanks for the ping. George Allen is no racist, I agree. He was never an advocate for stronger borders either. I realize that isn’t important to some, but it’s very important to most of us. Unfortunately the people Fred is surrounding himself with fall into the “don’t really care about the borders’ catagory.

http://profiles.numbersusa.com/improfile.php3?DistSend=VA&VIPID=899

Allen:

Cosponsored legislation to increase H-2B workers who are present in the U.S. at any one time in 2006

Cosponsored bill to increase high-tech foreign-worker importation in 2006

Voted in favor of amendment to create additional guestworker visa categories in 2006

Voted on Senate floor to kill amendment to strike guestworker provisions from immigration bill 2006

Voted in favor of amendment to increase foreign-worker importation in 2005

Cosponsoring legislation to increase H-2B workers who are present in the U.S. at any one time in 2005-2006

Voted against amendment to fund additional immigration investigators in 2006

Voted against amendment to provide funding for additional Border Patrol and ICE agents in 2005

[snip]George Allen views illegal immigration as an election year issue, but not a priority otherwise. Allen’s record speaks for itself, and it all started in Allen’s first term as a Senator when he was supposed to introduce controversial conservative Linda Chavez for her confirmation hearing to be Secretary of Labor.

But, Allen’s friend Chavez withdrew her nomination after details of Chavez’s involvement with an illegal immigrant surfaced. Chavez housed and gave money to the immigrant in 1992 and 1993, and Allen rushed to Chavez’ defense saying “She was helping someone in need.” “Chavez, who lives in Purcellville in Loudoun County, donated at least $500 to Allen’s 2000 Senate campaign and she also held a fund-raising event for him.” Allen’s excuse for Chavez aiding an illegal immigrant is a far turn from Allen’s recent speeches that “We should not reward illegal behavior because doing so only encourages more illegal actions.” [Richmond Times Dispatch, 1/9/01; NHInsider, 1/25/06]

George Allen also called illegal immigration a “low priority” and has voted against tougher immigration laws. [Washington Post, 1/16/96]

• Since 2001 the number of illegal immigrants has increased from 8 million to 12 million. [National Center For Policy Analysis, 10/25/01; Pew Hispanic Center 3/7/06]

• Allen Voted Against Funding Additional Fencing Construction Along the Mexican Border and Against Greater Funding for Security Technologies. In 2006, Senator Allen voted against legislation that would have provided money for better, additional fencing construction along the Mexican border and security technology. It also would have set up a mandatory electronic employment verification process that would be phased in for all businesses within five years. Allen was in the minority of senators on this vote. [S 2454, Vote 90, on cloture, 4/7/06, Failed 36-62, D:2-41, R:34-20, I:0-1]

• Allen Voted Against $1.9 Billion For Border Patrol Vehicles, Aircraft and Border Security Stations. In 2006, Allen voted against adding $1.9 billion in funding for border patrol vehicles, aircraft, fencing and new stations as well as for Homeland Security Department personnel and Coast Guard border patrol efforts. [S. Amdt. 3604, Vote 95, 4/26/06, Rejected 44-54, D 41-1; R 2-53; I 1-0]

• Allen Voted Against Biometric Technologies for Border Security, and $350 Million in Funding for Overall Immigration Security Measures. In 2004, Allen voted against an increase in funding for immigration security measures by $350 million, including $200 million for biometric technologies. [HR 4567, Vote 182, 9/14/04, Failed 44-49, D: 40-5, R: 3-44, I: 1-0]

• Allen Sponsored “Permanent Guest Worker” Legislation. George Allen has repeatedly co-sponsored and voted for flawed guest worker legislation, such as increases in H1B and H2B guest worker visas.

http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=16092

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