MSNBC: Poll Shows Virginia Senate Race Dead Heat

[Mark E. Smith]

NEW YORK - Incumbent Republican Senator George Allen and Democratic
challenger Jim Webb are tied in the latest MSNBC/McClatchy poll conducted
by Mason-Dixon. Each candidate receives 43 percent of likely voters in Virginia
with 2 percent supporting a third candidate and 12 percent undecided.

The results represent a rapid change in support for Allen, who was once not only
thought to be a safe bet for re-election but perhaps a candidate for the 2008
Republican presidential nomination.

In July, Allen looked like a safe bet to hold the seat. He led Webb by a 16-point
margin, 48 percent to 32 percent ...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15065908/

[TheCowsCameHome]

1. Maybe Allen will get the Klan's endorsement.

That should help.

[AX10]

2. Mr. Macaca also lost the support of the Evangelical community...

and the Sons of the Confederacy.

[Joanne98]

21. Really? That's a good sign.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

3. He's Not There Yet....

Webb really needs to make a push these final weeks. That, and maybe another skeleton will mean the demise of allen.

But it's not over yet. Tie goes to the repub. Especially somewhere like VA.

[TheCowsCameHome]

4. Keep the topic alive. It sinks in slowly with some folks.

[skipos]

18. kick

:kick:

[AX10]

5. kick for others to see.

[wiley]

6. Kick!

[Bucky]

7. Any predictions about what type of TV ads Allen will start running now?

There is something more dangerous than a cornered neocon: a cornered rabid attack dog. But now I'm just splitting hairs.

[ShortnFiery]

8. Now, Allen is his own worse enemy ...

He's so upset that everything that comes out of his mouth makes the situation worse.

No, he's not exactly as dumb as a box of rocks, but close. :P

[Straight Shooter]

9. If Virginians want a real voice in government, they will vote for Webb.

If all they want is bush's echo, they'll pull the lever for Allen.

[VTMechEngr]

22. Lever?

Old Virginny doesn't have them lever machines. They used the florida style punch card machines.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

25. We used to use the levers; changed to e-voting (oof) back in 04.

[zonkers]

10. I'd lay it all right on the table w/some negative "Macaca" ads on Allen

by a Webb PAC. Time to put Virignians on notice loud and clear. "Either you vote for Allen and let the world know that Virginia = Racisim and is stuck in the past or you vote for a future of unity, inclusion and what you know in your heart is truly good and right and American"

on edit: not crazy about attack ads but the other side would not think twice about "going there".

[PerceptionManagement]

11. Don't worry. Diebold will show that the Macaca wins.

[mcg]

12. Great, Jim Webb's web site ... (I'm contributing)

http://www.webbforsenate.com/home.php

[marmar]

13. Poll: Allen and Webb tied in Virginia

Poll: Allen tied with Democrat in Va. By BOB LEWIS, Associated Press Writer
19 minutes ago



RICHMOND, Va. - U.S. Sen. George Allen (news, bio, voting record)'s Democratic opponent has closed the gap in the race, reflecting two difficult weeks for the first-term Republican battling claims of racial insensitivity, according to a poll released Friday night.

Allen and Jim Webb each had the support of 43 percent of the respondents, according to the MSNBC/McClatchy Poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling & Research Inc.

Twelve percent were undecided and 2 percent backed independent candidate Gail Parker.

Allen, who was positioning himself for a 2008 presidential race as he sought re-election, led Webb by 16 percentage points in a Mason-Dixon poll two months ago.

Allen saw his support in drop in the polls since he singled out a 20-year-old Webb campaign volunteer of Indian descent at a nearly all-white rally on Aug. 11 and called him "Macaca," a word considered a racial slur in some cultures.

The latest poll was conducted amid new, widely publicized claims by Allen's former University of Virginia football teammates that, in the early 1970s, Allen often used a racial epithet commonly applied to black people.

Allen said in a Friday night interview on the Fox News Network that Webb and his Democratic allies were fanning the issues to confuse voters.

"The Democrats know that if they can get off on detours and distractions that avoids talking about ideas, issues and the record of performance," he said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060930/ap_on_el_se/virginia_senate;_ylt=AiP_SACLh3FEQrfKTMCX5BiMwfIE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3OXIzMDMzBHNlYwM3MDM-

[lonestarnot]

14. What? Is half that state full of bigots?

[marmar]

15. That was my first thought....

but I don't know how far down Webb was in the polling. But I don't understand why it's even tied at this point. Perhaps having a racist represent them in the U.S. Senate doesn't upset a good portion of Virginia's population.

[lonestarnot]

16. Just WTF

:wtf:

[LibDemAlways]

17. Allen is resorting to appearing on FAUX News knowing

he'll only be tossed softballs and won't have to tell even more lies than he already has.

Allen's wounds are entirely self-inflicted, and his strategy of "deny everything" just makes him look ridiculous.

There have been print articles about George Allen's racist tendencies going back several years. This is not new, and he probably would have been given a pass in the media if he hadn't opened his big mouth with "macaca."

[BlueManDude]

19. Is this supposed to be encouraging?

Wouldn't you think that 2/3's of Virginians would be embarrassed by George Allen?

[lonestarnot]

20. You would sure think so. Someone should remind them of AZ Picinini

Governor Eve Meecham. Do they want THAT? EEEEK!

[DFW]

23. Virginia is really two states

One "inside the beltway," and one outside,
with small enclaves of beltway country in
places like Charlottesville and a few others.

There are many parts of the state where the
attitude is Republican is right, even if the
guy chopped off his mother's hand on live TV.
They'll just assume his mother was a Muslim terrrrist.
This is where Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson come from.
That is no coincidence.

For a fun song, "The Streets of Virginia" to the
tune of "The Streets of Laredo," check out www.thefreedomtoast.com
and have some fun at Senator Macaca's expense!

[SoCalDem]

24. Polls that show a "dead heat" just mean that the republican will

"win" a "close" election, and the people will accept the bogus result..