Allen vs. Webb

Since I wrote critically about both George Allen and James Webb a couple of weeks ago, I just want to clarify something. While I deeply disapprove of Allen for attacking Webb for his past opposition to women in the military, Webb himself has completely abandoned that opposition. This was his main claim to fame, and he gave it up. This shows that no conservatism can exist in today’s Democratic party. So it doesn’t matter that Webb has some paleo-leaning views on the military or ethnicity. Allen, as flawed as he is, will stand for the nation (as in his vote against Bush’s kill-America open-borders bill) more than will James Webb. Let us hope Allen wins.

Robert B. writes:

I interpret Webb’s stance as follows: “I was against women in combat and as combat leaders. They do not have those roles in today’s military, so I do not object to their roles in logistics, intelligence, military police, etc.”

I think that this is reasonable and is consistent with the abilities of women. His statement is an evasion since he has not reiterated his statements about their inability to fight and lead; but if pressed, I would expect him to say that again.

LA replies:

This still means that he signs on to the present, totally unacceptable regime, with women integrated in the service academies, in training, in regular units, in navy ships, with the entire military reconfigured to adapt to the presence of women, and with women serving in units that are in the near presence of combat. So how, substantively, is his position better than that of Allen, who we already know is a supporter of women in the military?

Vincent C. writes:

I note with interest your clarification about Webb. As an interested observer of Webb - I spent one afternoon alone with him in the ambassador’s residence in Oslo talking about everything from the Cold War, to women in the military, and the decline of the military academies - I can, with some certainty, say that Webb was a man whose integrity was unchallenged. But funny things happen in life.

Early in the campaign, one of Webb’s campaign workers visited me asking for our organization’s support. I related my pleasure in having met Webb when he served in the Reagan Administration, but, I inquired, did Webb’s accepting the Democratic Party’s nomination translate into his having to walk a thin line between what I thought he stood for, and what he would have to say publicly? I was assured that Webb was “a straight-shooter.”

As you pointed out, the first gutting of Webb’s principled past came when, in radio ads (I don’t own a tv), Webb and the Democrats brought out former military women who talked about the “new” Jim Webb, and derided criticisms made 30 years ago. Next the MSM - notably The Washington Post -quickly buried the story of Webb’s salty and offensive language about blacks and women. Those changes could only have come from his Democratic Party paymasters, for, as I need not tell you, feminists and blacks represent a major source of voting and funding for the Democratic Party. But our issue…our only issue…was Webb’s position on legal and illegal immigration. The answer was the sound of silence.

I believe that both Allen and Webb did not wish to play the illegal immigration card, but what is striking is that Allen had nothing to lose by using it. Try as we may, Webb said nothing other that the standard, “We must secure our borders,” nonsense. I made it very clear to the last Webb worker who visited my home that had Webb broken with his Party on that issue, he would win the election in a landslide. I detected no demurral from the campaign worker; obviously, I was not the first to tell him that. But Webb did not - which also does not surprise me - and tells you how he will vote if the treasonous Hagel-Martinez Bill (S2216) comes up in a revised, but essentially the same, reconciled bill, which Bush will sign with alacrity.

Finally, I know that Allen’s voting record on illegal immigration is has improved, but, in my heart of hearts, I’m not convinced that he will be immune to further tweaking by Jorge e Compania, especially if he has presidential aspirations. Still, he’s a known quantity, and for that reason I touched that part of the screen which gave Allen another vote in Virginia’s senate race. The rest, as they say, “is known but to God.”

David B. writes at 1:12 a.m. Eastern time:

Webb is now 1800 votes ahead of Allen with 100% counted. I just turned on Fox and Bill Kristol was all smiles. He is happy for the same reason that GWB is. It looks like the GOP lost both houses, as North Dakota and Missouri Senate races are going to Democrats. Obviously the Iraq War and Bush is the reason.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at November 07, 2006 06:35 PM | Send