John Kerry is reporting for duty once more

Just when Democrats think they have Republicans right where they want them, John Kerry goes and opens his mouth once more. Oh yeah, and he campaigned for James Webb; guess Webb's looking real smart now.

New Allen News

- Chad laments the Allen campaign, but believes that James Webb offers nothing to Virginians.

- Senator Allen has released a new ad.

Admittedly, it is damage control, and it might not be able to overshadow the negative attacks on him, but it is a great ad and hopefully will show Virginians the real George Allen.

- A new made-up scandal has arised. A heckler, Mike Stark, approached Senator Allen while he was making an appearance with Senator Elizabeth Dole in Charlottesville. This is not unusual, but what he did sparked some controversy. The heckler decided to get extremely close to the two of them and started yelling, questioning Senator Allen about his divorce from his first wife. A staffer tried to get in the middle of them, but Stark did not relent. Allen's staffers then restrained Stark by wrestling him to the ground before escorting him out of the building.

The heckler, for sure, was obnoxious; that is not the reasoning for such restraint placed on him. If he was doing so from the background, I imagine he would have never been more than an annoyance. However, present were two United States Senators. What was Stark intending? Most likely, he was not going to hurt them. But when dealing with two powerful politicians, is ignoring his proximity really a risk worth taking? Republitarian argues that this is a case of assault; from what I can see, the fear of assault would be reasonable on the side of the senators, not Stark, who appeared to be starting a confrontation.

Put another way, change Senator Allen to a Democrat, say Senator Kerry just for an example, and make the protestor a Republican. Would this sort of behavior have been tolerated? Mike Stark was out of line and should be the one apologizing, not Senator Allen or his campaign workers.

UPDATE 7:00 PM: Snyder notes that this is hardly irregular for Stark, who seems to have a history of making a fool of himself.

UPDATE 2 8:45 PM: By way of Hot Air, Anne Waddell, George Allen's first wife, is saying that there is no basis to Stark's question. My guess is that their marriage did not end on bad terms, as this would give Miss Waddell a great chance to take Senator Allen down.

So Mike Stark? Feeling stupid yet?

My Endorsements

With one week left until the election, now seems like just as good of a time as any to give my endorsements and the reasoning behind each. I doubt anyone should leave this post too surprised.

George Allen (R) vs. James Webb (D) for U.S. Senate representing Virginia: Despite the troubles facing him recently, I whole heartedly give my support to George Allen for U.S. Senate. He has shown a dedication to his office, the American troops, and most importantly, the people of Virginia. He is dedicated to continuing to lower taxes, helping to keep this strong economy running at its current pace, and encouraging strong education to ensure the future of Virginia. He recognizes the importance of the War on Terror and will not just abandon Iraq, the way his opponent has suggested we do.

James Webb has proven next to nothing in this election. He has not run this campaign, his staff has 100%; how will he be ready to take on one of the hardest jobs in the world? He has taken only one stand of note, that being his opposition to the War in Iraq. And Democrats have claimed that Webb has stayed positive in this race. Democrats have been very negative in this race, and one has to go no further than Raising Kaine to see the worst of it. James Webb has taken no definitive stance on any of the negative attacks made on his opponent; he might as well have condoned the actions of his supporters. The office of U.S. Senator requires its holder to have opinions; as of yet, I am unaware of James Webb having any. Will he vote with Democrats? Will he vote with Republicans? I do not know about you, but I have never much cared for games of chance with respect to politics.

Tom Davis (R) vs. Andrew Hurst (D) and Frank Wolf (R) vs. Judy Feder (D) for U.S. Congress representing most of northern Virginia: An easy party-line choice with Tom Davis and Frank Wolf is available in northern Virginia. They have both served faithfully for years, and have enjoyed great support in their offices. I cannot say I was too keen on Congressman Davis's support for giving Washington D.C. a full congressional seat, but this can be overlooked. Hurst and Feder have been unable to keep up with their opponents and this probably will not change. Why both candidates here? I only vote in one district, but I have interests in both and feel secure in giving full endorsements for both (I will give preferred candidates later in this post; people whom I will not give a full endorsement as I cannot vote for them and I find endorsements from people outside of one's district to run against the idea of a representative government).

The Marshall-Newman Amendment: Vote YES for this amendment. Many have tried to frame this debate as a hit to any form of contract made in Virginia. If you read the amendment, it is clear. Marriage is and always has been defined as between one man and one woman. While I do not normally favor such amendments, the recent upsurge in legislation from the judiciary suggests that the only way to keep this secure is to have it explicitly stated in law and directly supported by the people of Virginia.

Measure #2: Vote YES. Non-profit organizations are allowed to be incorporated by the state, but churches are normally not included amongst them. Why? As this is not a question concerning the usually misused "seperation of church and state", the incorporation of churches by the state of Virginia should be allowed.

Measure #3: Vote YES. No doubt growth has been rapid in Virginia, but there are some areas that are not experiencing this. And worse, some areas are falling apart. This amendment could encourage growth in other areas, and improvement in the areas that need it most. Saying no to this amendment will not slow growth, but saying yes might encourage smart growth.

Other preferred candidates:

Thelma Drake over Phil Kellam for U.S. Congress: Congresswoman Drake, much like her associates Wolf and Davis, has faithfully served the Commonwealth and deserves another term.

George W....err, Michael Steele over Ben Cardin for U.S. Senate: Much like here in Virginia, Democrats' main attack on the Republican candidate for Senate has been that he is too much like George Bush. Funny, I did not think George Bush was running for two Senate seats. Ben Cardin has failed to answer to his opponent. Michael Steele has shown a true love for his state, and a passion for what he does. His stands are firm, and while I do not agree with all of them, I know he will do what he believes is best and not pander to voters. Plus, he has arguably had the best ads of this campaign season; I am starting to tire of this election and the negative ads flying all over the place from all sides, but Michael Steele has affirmed me of at least one good thing; he loves puppies, and to be sure, he loves the people of Maryland.

Joseph Lieberman over Michael Schlessinger and Ned Lamont for U.S. Senate: I do not normally get behind third party candidates; in fact, I think it is a fantasy to believe that a third party can thrive in today's political climate. However, Senator Lieberman has a lot of power behind his name, and thus can bring in the money that many third party candidates cannot; thus he has had a successful campaign so far. I do not know much about Schlessinger, the Republican candidate, but have heard some rumblings that he has some character issues and never did see significant support. And Ned Lamont is the Kos crowd's favorite, and thus will not represent the needs of America, but the wants of a small fringe group. Joseph Lieberman is a liberal to be sure; in reality, there is very little about his views that I find viable. But anyone is favorable when compared to a Kos endorsee. And like Michael Steele, he knows what he believes and sticks to it. As an added bonus, he gives very strong support for our national defense, more so even than some Republicans. If there is a Democrat (well, Independant, but we know where his loyalties lie) to vote for this year, Joseph Lieberman is that man.

In seven days, we will be voting on our representatives for the next two (or six) years. Democrats believe that this will be the year of great upheaval resulting in their own 1994. It is time to prove them wrong and ensure that President Bush has a legislature that will allow him to do what is necessary for America over the next two years.

Think about your vote...or your endorsement...

It appears that Jim Hoeft and Vivian Paige are explaining who they would vote for and why. This seems to be a trend in the making, but it is a very good one and can allow the readers of the Virginia blogosphere to see which endorsements most closely resemble their's while considering their vote. While they are at it, I will throw in my two cents as well.

First, as both Vivian and Jim noted, I want candidates who represent my views. I am a fiscal and social conservative. National defense is incredibly important to me. Progress comes from all of us, and it starts at the bottom, so a focus on education is very important to me. I also want leaders who will not cower in the face of adversity; terror and the War in Iraq have been challenges, but will the candidate make good decisions that will set history on the right path? And will the candidate stand up for family? Broken homes and marital infidelity have become more and more common, and a good candidate will work hard to help fix these problems.

Second, I want someone who will stand up for what they believe in. All too often, candidates vote based on what they think the voters want. I believe that we elect someone based on how we know they will vote, not that we believe they will sway with the wind better than the other candidate.

And third, as Jim noted, are intangibles. It can seem tempting to let Democrats take over so Republicans can hasten a return to 1994, but Jim notes "a Speaker Pelosi or Hastert, Majority Leader Reid or Frist, the possible retirement of Justice Stevens, the 2008 Congressional and Presidential Campaign, the 2012 Senate Campaign." Good motivation to vote Republican this year.

Finally, I want, in legislators, men and women who recognizes that they are the law-makers, not the judiciary. Those whom I endorse I most strongly believe will not let judges overturn their decisions without a fight.

The election is a week from Tuesday. I will have my endorsements up sometime after this Tuesday.



This is not "Vote or Die". Voting is important, but it is even more important to know what you are voting for.

Creepy Revelation

Via Allen's A-Team, Drudge has broken news that James Webb has written some very disturbing things. This is far from new, John Hawkins has noted it a number of times before, but recognizes the impact that a power player like Matt Drudge could bring. Be warned, the information is very offensive, so avoid these links if you do not think you will be able to handle them.

This race has had allegations from Democrats the whole way, calling George Allen racist and James Webb sexist. However, there can be no doubt about what James Webb's writing is. It is all clearly and undeniably attributable to James Webb, and obviously offensive on many levels. Do we really want this man to be a United States Senator?

Why Vote Republican This Fall?

Hat tip to Chad.

Hard to Misunderstand That

Michelle Malkin posts a video showing the now infamous debate in Connecticut. But I think I like the second video better.

The Great Communicator understood that sometimes the best option is to just be straight forward.

The Ever Shifting Consensus

Newsweek tries to explain the shift from the fear of global cooling to that of global warming. If you want the short story, they try to say "we were wrong then, but are definitely right now" and "there is a cylical pattern to weather, but that has nothing to do with global climate change". Hardly convincing, particularly as this article has less evidence to backup global warming than usual. And worse yet, here is some of the evidence that the "consensus" must be right.

Astronomers have been warning for decades that life on Earth could be wiped out by a collision with a giant meteorite; it hasn't happened yet, but that doesn't mean that journalists have been dupes or alarmists for reporting this news.

A different doomsday scenario has not happened yet, so we should not discount this one. Great logic. The Earth has also not collapsed into a black hole, but that does not disprove that it could not happen.

I think I know what we can expect to see from Newsweek in another 30 years.

New Mason-Dixon Poll

If this were NLS, you could expect five wigs flipped (or I guess it is a 5 Siren Alert now). Senator Allen has a 47-43 lead over James Webb in a poll of 625 likely registered registered-likely(?) voters (yeah, I am as confused as y'all too). Allen is seen favorably by 42% of voters and unfavorably by 39% of voters; Webb is at 34% and 28% respectively. This is good news for Senator Allen, as it suggests that his base and other voters are excited to vote for him. This means that James Webb needs to rely on those who are angry about Senator Allen over those who are actually in support of him, as there does not appear to be a perfect overlap of those unhappy with Senator Allen and happy with James Webb. Also, a minimum of 19% of voters are keen on either candidate. This is the group James Webb needed to reach and he has failed at doing so.

Note, this is far from the end. This poll does not decide who will win, and could even be inaccurate (though it runs very consistent with the many polls that have suggested anything from a tie to a small lead for Senator Allen). The Allen campaign has to keep fighting from here on out, and the Webb campaign will no doubt try to dish out some last minute dirt to eat away at any lead Senator Allen may have. Still, I would love to see how Raising Kaine can spin this into something positive for James Webb.

I do not think this is what they mean by "Run"

Phil Kellam has pulled out of the remaining debates against Thelma Drake. Hampton Roads may be looking more secure to Congresswoman Drake.

The In-crowd

Senator Allen accepted an invitation to become a life member of the NAACP, and James Webb realized that he needed to be one of the cool kids too. You know how things stop being cool when everyone is doing it?

In other news, Mason-Dixon is releasing the latest poll tonight at 8 p.m. With two weeks until the election, this poll will likely be taken as the most important one that will be taken. It will not answer the question of who will win, but it might be indicative of some of the trends that have been developing.

I'm Sensing a Pattern...

They claim Senator Allen is a racist.
They ignore Webb's comments.
They let comments like "oreo" and "slavishly" pass when used towards black Republicans.

They claim Senator Allen is anti-gay.
They claim to be pro-gay but will harrass any homosexual who is not a Democrat, even when they find the wrong one.
They call out Congressman Foley for sexual misconduct while excusing Gary Studds and Bill Clinton.

They claim Senator Allen is running a negative campaign.
They may be running the nastiest campaign in the country right now against Virginia's junior senator.
They will take any little dirt they dig up and use it as a weapon against Republicans.

They claim Senator Allen is corrupt because of some stock options.
They omit some key facts that suggest he instead simply made a mistake.
They love to call out corruption or perceived corruption on the right while excusing it on the left.

This race has never been clearer to me. When there is outrage from Democrats, it is usually of the faux persuasion, being used as a partisan tool rather than means to truly clean Washington. Senator Allen, in particular, has been one of the bright beacons in Congress, working for the people and serving faithfully. Meanwhile, James Webb allows his lackeys to treat this race as if it were an insult comedy act. And nationwide, we are seeing a similar trend from Democrats, not really concerned about the issues but only in the office.

Don't believe me? Then why was the Washington Post at so much trouble to find some kind words for James Webb while the Washington Times found it easy to speak well of George Allen?

A few new observations about Northern Virginia

More signs out today. Webb's forces were out today finally putting out signs, and apparently Tom Davis does have an opponent. However, there appeared to be more Republican signs out as well. And the marriage amendment is getting no attention in the way of signs.

And recent polls suggest that Northern Virginia may still not be enough for James Webb to win. Just three weeks remain until the election. And with tonight's endorsement, James Webb has to be getting desperate (heck, he's been running on desperate for months now) in finding something, anything, to catch up with the junior senator.

Grasping at Straws

Jerry Fuhrman has brought my attention to the latest attempt to discredit George Allen. Now NLS and Howling Latina (here and here) are discussing the possibility of George Allen's criminal record consisting of fishing without a license. There is no doubt now; Webb supporters can officially be called pathetic.

The Dangers of Scientology

YTMND hosts a video showing the dangerous side of Scientology. Now, I know YTMND is normally used to host humorous, and usually nonsensical, videos. However, this one is very serious. Be warned, there are a couple of moderately disturbing images used.

And the examples shown are the worst of it, though not the full extent. This cult tries to hide the worst of its problems, not to mention any other criticism thrown their way, by censoring critics. Quite simply, word needs to spread. Most mainstream religions are no threat. In general, Jews, Christians, moderate Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and many others are not looking to pose a threat but propose solutions to the difficulties of life and provide answers to some hard questions. Scientology, much like extreme views of Islam and abortion center bombers, is a threat to human life and rights.

But what would I know? I'm just a follower of the evil Xenu, or at least Tom Cruise would tell you so.

A few observations about Northern Virginia

1. I was driving on Fairfax County Parkway and other roads the last couple days and I noticed a number of political signs placed in the medians. There were a few (though not an overwhelming number) George Allen signs, but as far as I could see, only one Webb sign in the grass next to an off-ramp.

2. Not only that, but there were a few cars with bumper stickers. Again, there were a few bumper stickers for Allen. Curiously, people still have Kerry/Edwards '04 stickers on their cars, as well as a few that are still showing support for Tim Kaine. Surprisingly, very few of these cars or others had James Webb bumper stickers, and less than those for Senator Allen.

3. Other candidates and referenda on the ballot also have some attention in this area. I saw a couple of signs and stickers supporting the marriage amendment, and none opposing it. There also appeared to be many people supporting Frank Wolf, even more signs for him than the junior senator, and the same held true to a greater extent for Tom Davis.

What does this all say?

Interestingly, it appears that few people are getting excited about Senator Allen. However, even fewer appear keen on Democrats in general in an area that is supposed to be the Democrats' stronghold in Virginia. Certainly, this is less reliable than a poll, particularly as it only covers a couple major roads in Northern Virginia, but it still appears quite telling. Republicans in the area are geared up to vote for their congressmen and the amendment, and will likely bring in Senator Allen on their coattails, rather than vice-versa. However, Democrats may not be as excited right now in this area, and let's face it, if James Webb does not carry Northern Virginia by a significant margin (and with a significant turnout), he will lose; I am sure even the kiddies over at Raising Kaine will concede that point.

Again, this is not something to rely on, but if the trend that appears is true, these last 27 days before the election are simply going to delay the inevitable; whether by a large margin or small, George Allen will be awarded another six years in the Senate.

Kim Jong should feel Il

There are some suggestions that the nuclear tests in North Korea may have failed. This proves quite significant if true, as North Korea would still be without these banned weapons, but will still receive the scorn (or at least simple disapproval) of almost every nation on Earth.

In other news, a South Korean may be the next head of the United Nations. I have never been a big fan of the U.N., but the timing of this choice is very interesting.

So much for civility

John Hawkins notes some of the stronger words he has received from the looney left. Fortunately, any trolls I have encountered at least manage to avoid cursing.

Amazing Grace

So I went to CNN.com earlier and what was the headline?

Amish grandfather: 'We must not think evil of this man'

Wait a second, is that right? Let me check again.

Amish grandfather: 'We must not think evil of this man'

Indeed, it appears that many amongst the Amish community are speaking of forgiveness at a time when almost anyone else might be considering a lawsuit. And despite the fact that many of us might find Amish life something to parody, they have shown us the best of Christianity. Thankfully, the MSM did something right for once and took notice of this. They are not crazy, or "fundies" as some Christians are labelled, or anything of that nature; they have simply shown a strong, but impressive, application of God's word on their lives. If only we saw more of this and less of the funeral protesters (who by the way have decided not to protest at the Amish funerals thankfully, even though they are still making public statements about it), perhaps Christianity would receive the positive attention it should. Also, kudos to CNN for its coverage; when expectations are low, they manage to impress. The shooter Charles Roberts deserves derision, but we as Christians are called on to be forgiving, and despite the great pain these Amish families and other folks up in Lancaster are suffering, they are doing exactly as God would want.

New polls suggesting the shakedown of the upcoming election?

Vivian has an excellent analysis of the race as it stands right now and reflects my thoughts on how this race will be decided; much like last year it will come to turnout. However, this time around, as she notes

Allen continues to appeal to his base, despite his recent troubles. With the added incentive of the marriage amendment, I believe his base will turn out. Allen just needs to stay out of trouble.

She focuses on the black vote, but indeed, overall, Webb needs Democrats to come out and vote for him. I believe the polls are suggesting that Allen has not lost votes, but instead that Webb is starting to pick up some name recognition and it is benefitting him; however, will it be enough? My gut says no, as Allen is still the incumbent, still holds a generally favorable view from Virginians, and has the experience that James Webb lacks. If the election were held today, I would guess that Senator Allen would win 53-47. But with the current trends, I could believe see the race swing further and Senator Allen taking the race by 10. It all will depend on the turnout of Democrats.

Where is the outrage?

So began a recent comment concerning Congressman Foley's actions. To expand on that,

Where is the outrage? The "family values" republicans did nothing to protect other children working on the Hill from this pervert. They didn't notify the democrats, they didn't notify the Ethics Committee. They just worked together to cover it up.

I decided to reserve judgment for later, which I am also doing with some of the new information. I am sure most people have heard of the new revelations of Foley's relationship with a clergyman when he was younger (a viable explanation, but no excuse nontheless). However, the next allegation is far more damning.

We have a lot more questions about this whole affair. The timing of the revelations, as we noted, couldn't be more propitious for the Democrats. Turns out both the Democrats and several newspapers seem to have known about Foley’s problem as far back as November, according to research by several enterprising blogs.

Could be, but it is hard to tell. But I have to wonder. Scott Andrews authored the comment I have referenced. I decided to wait on coming to a conclusion on the earlier allegations as I am this one, but Scott, are you just as outraged about this new revelation? I will tell you what, if it is found that it is true that Democrats and the media held out on releasing this information, likely for political reasons, I know exactly what words will be able to describe it.

Sick, sick, sick, sick, sick

UPDATE 1 8:15 PM: John Hawkins notes how the Daily Kos even went as far as to condone these actions...when peformed by a Democrat. Guess it is easy to be outraged when the other side is doing it.

UPDATE 2 8:55 PM: Robby points out the lighter side of this scandal. And before anyone gets mad, I did not say it, just linked to it, and fully expect a late-night talk show to cover this angle as well.

Ben Cardin's opponent

Ben Cardin released a new ad for the Senate race up in Maryland. Funny, I do not remember President Bush being Senator Cardin's opponent. Isn't that what's-his-name?

Oh right, Michael Steele. Someone needs to remind Ben of that fact.

Senator Allen speaks

Just a few minutes ago, Senator Allen appeared on television with his wife in a new, long ad. I must say I was impressed. He was positive and confident, yet acknowledged the negativity of the race and even took some responsibility for it. Focus was again placed in Iraq, but he stated his support for the troops and unequivocally stated that anything short of success was unacceptable. Susan Allen joined him in this ad; she appeared a little awkward, but her presence should only be of benefit to her husband. I also noted the connections he made with his father and the Redskins, using well-placed images in the background that should be to his benefit in an area that is strongly supportive of the hometown team. Overall, a rock solid ad that fits in well with some of the earlier ads; such a statement made earlier, though, might have provided a better defense against the barrage of attacks that have been coming recently.

UPDATE 8:45 PM: Here is the video of Senator Allen's address to Virginia.

Blogging shows its ugly side

Michelle Malkin has been getting taking her hits recently, and not just from the DU or the Daily Kos, but now from a professor at UNC at Wonkette. This attack now shows a (clearly) photoshopped image of Michelle Malkin's head on top of another body. The body double happens to be wearing a bikini. And the professor at UNC is calling Michelle Malkin a "slut" and "hypocritical", without verifying the authenticity of the picture (how he fell for it is another question, as the head is clearly to small for the body, and the body suggests a taller woman, while Michelle Malkin is fairly petite). Yet, the image is hardly scandelous, or even particularly revealing, so even if it were a real picture of Miss Malkin, it could not reasonably start a scandal regardless of what a UNC pinhead says. Adding insult to injury are all the trolls who are accepting the picture without question. And as if that was not enough, they posted in response with a very insulting photoshop. They claim Michelle is looking for attention, but you know what they say; people who live in glass houses should not throw stones.

It is a real shame too, but I guess I should not be too surprised how unhinged some bloggers can be.