Is George Allen still a team player?
Yep, it must be an election year. Apparently, this morning while gabbing on the Sunday talk circuit Senator Allen did the unthinkable, and stabbed a dagger into the back of Dick "Bird Shot" Cheney. Senator Allen appeared on "Fox News Sunday" and stated, "I don't think anybody should be releasing classified information, period, whether in the Congress, executive branch or some underling in some bureaucracy." Wow, with folks like Senator Allen turning on him, I'd officially be worried if I were VP Cheney.
We all know that Allen is the ultimate GOP "team player", but Senator Allen realizes that the Cheney/Libby leak scandal appears to be getting more messy (for Cheney anyhow). In case you haven't heard, it appears that Cheney - surprise, surprise - was indeed likely the "puppet master" and condoned the leaking of the name of an undercover CIA agent to the press. I guess the ironic thing is that Allen - who many GOP loyalist consider to be W's heir apparent- might be forced to start taking positions on issues which are in direct conflict with the highly valued GOP virtue of team loyalty. Trust me, had Senator Allen been reelected last fall, he'd be the arrogant, smug, right-wing loyalist that we've come to know over the past 12 years. But in all likelihood James Webb's annoucement last week changed that. Don't you just love politics?
But give Senator Allen credit, he knows the general public does indeed consider the outing of an undercover agent a serious matter, and not something that should be "swept under the rug" all in the name of party politics as usual. Now that George has a credible challenger for his Senate seat this fall, it's even more the reason to abandon the team on certain issues. Any other postion on this particular issue, and James Webb would make him pay. (I guess the lesson here is that competitive elections make people do strange things. Which in Allen's case is holding criminals accountable for their actions.)
Though Allen is clearly the favorite, he's likely going to have a fight on his hands this fall. Therefore don't be surprised if Senator Allen turns on the team a few more times before November. How ironic that after James Webb's announcement last week it appears that Senator Allen has already forgotten that there's no "I" in the word team?
Yep, it must be an election year.
We all know that Allen is the ultimate GOP "team player", but Senator Allen realizes that the Cheney/Libby leak scandal appears to be getting more messy (for Cheney anyhow). In case you haven't heard, it appears that Cheney - surprise, surprise - was indeed likely the "puppet master" and condoned the leaking of the name of an undercover CIA agent to the press. I guess the ironic thing is that Allen - who many GOP loyalist consider to be W's heir apparent- might be forced to start taking positions on issues which are in direct conflict with the highly valued GOP virtue of team loyalty. Trust me, had Senator Allen been reelected last fall, he'd be the arrogant, smug, right-wing loyalist that we've come to know over the past 12 years. But in all likelihood James Webb's annoucement last week changed that. Don't you just love politics?
But give Senator Allen credit, he knows the general public does indeed consider the outing of an undercover agent a serious matter, and not something that should be "swept under the rug" all in the name of party politics as usual. Now that George has a credible challenger for his Senate seat this fall, it's even more the reason to abandon the team on certain issues. Any other postion on this particular issue, and James Webb would make him pay. (I guess the lesson here is that competitive elections make people do strange things. Which in Allen's case is holding criminals accountable for their actions.)
Though Allen is clearly the favorite, he's likely going to have a fight on his hands this fall. Therefore don't be surprised if Senator Allen turns on the team a few more times before November. How ironic that after James Webb's announcement last week it appears that Senator Allen has already forgotten that there's no "I" in the word team?
Yep, it must be an election year.
posted by Will Vaught @ 7:28 PM
6 Comments:
At 2/12/2006 10:16 PM,
.... said…
The Democrats are going to put alot of weight on the "culture of corruption" theme for 2006 and Allen is part of the Republican Leadership in the Senate. I believe this is his effort to distance himself from those in his party who are clearly corrupt, the same way he tried to sepearte himself from the right wingers when he came out for stem cell reserch.
At 2/12/2006 10:39 PM,
GOPHokie said…
I doubt it has to do with James Webb. It might have more to do with that place on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
At 2/12/2006 11:00 PM,
Howling Latina said…
gophokie, I totally disagree. I think with Webb in the race, Allen knows he has to backpedal to the center or he can kiss his grand vision as George II bye-bye.
But it's all show. Too many news clips for him to get away with it.
Yes, can you say rubber stamp, rubber stamp...?
I think it's even more than a culture of corruption, it's a culture of rubber stamp corruption.
At 2/12/2006 11:32 PM,
Anonymous said…
Thegools said:
Howling latina: I am with you & GOP Hokie: I am with you too. Of course both Penn Ave & Webb are in play. Allen has little chance at Pres if he stays the same. His chances in the Senate race are now less than certain. VA is by no means a crimson red state. On the contrary we are light pink to white. ...maybe with a hint of blue in the the future. Allen cannot appear to be a rubberstamp, party-line guy and expect to survive....
That said, his eleventh hour moderation is fake. There are too many clips of his idiotness to bypass with a moderate stance here and there.
At least John Warner has integrity.
At 2/13/2006 4:28 AM,
Anonymous said…
Not to burst the bubble here but Allen's appearance on Fox News Sunday this weekend wasn't the first time he's taken a swipe at President Bush.
Allen stated last summer that he would take the meeting that Cindy Sheehan demanded from the roadside in Crawford, just outside Ws big ranch.
Allen is so desperate to differentiate himself - that he's forgotten WHO he is. The guy is "Swift Boat"-ing himself.
Flip Flop Allen. For conservatives, this weekend was an annual shin-dig called CPAC. Allen won the straw poll with 22% - but McCain (no darling of the right) came in at 20% and He wasn't even there. Giuliani came in third. Its breathtaking that a couple of moderates that didn't attend received so many votes.
I think the 2008 primary is WIDE open. Allen is no longer the wonder-kid. And no one gives a rip if he's a football guy. People care about equality, justice, security & public integrity.
I love John Warner. He stands for something. Allen's just a washed up old jock, lookin for a job.
At 2/13/2006 8:51 AM,
Will Vaught said…
Your're probably right about Allen playing to the middle since last summer, but this one just caught me off guard..Allen doens't like to "take one for the team"..anyhow, Santorum (and a few others) are doing the same thing now as we speak. Yes, it is an election year. But for Santorum, his past mistakes - and the fact that he represents Penn. - will be too much to overcome. Whereas Allen, yea, he can pretty much play the team card, but he has to sort of look over his shoulder a bit, that is all..
I think your points in regard to the CPAC straw poll are interesting. No doubt, the GOP is going to have a major ideological fight on their hands before 2008 - there is a major difference between Allen/Frist vs. McCain/Gulliani indeed...
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