Kristol: Allen should not be “anointed”
If we have learned anything over the past several years, it’s that no election should be taken for granted. It is a fact that George Allen has to have in the back of his mind as he mounts a comeback for his old seat in the U.S. Senate.
Before if he even officially announced his plans, Allen had one official opponent in the Republican primary and three other “potential” rivals. In an interview on NBC12 First at 4, Bill Kristol, the editor of the conservative Weekly Standard magazine said a competitive primary will be good for the Commonwealth.
“I respect George Allen; I think he was a good governor of this state. But no one should anoint him,” said Kristol. ” Other people are free to run against him, free to challenge different votes he cast and different things he can as governor.”
Kristol will actually be with Allen in two weeks when the two appear at the Central Virginia Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner at the Richmond Marriott.
For Kristol, Allen’s past both good and bad will not be the primary focus when voters cast their ballot in 2012.
“If he seems to be running on the fact that I was governor and senator, voters might say it’s time for a fresh look,” said Kristol. “So a lot depends on how George Allen chooses to run the campaign.”
As it stands right now, Allen will be facing Chesterfield Tea Party Activist Jamie Radtke in a Republican primary. Several other conservative leaning Republicans have considering a run. Among them Del. Bob Marshall, Corey Stewart, the Chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors and Bert Mizusawa, a former Congressional candidate from the Virginia Beach area.
You can see my entire interview with Bill Kristol below. To learn more about the Central Virginia Lincoln-Reagan Day Dinner, which will take place February 5th, visit their web site: lincolnreagandinner.com.
You can see a complete transcript of the interview on NBC12.com.
DV Archive 
No one is getting “anointed.”
Mr. Allen is still the best candidate on the Republican side, and everyone knows it, but perhaps the megaphone wielding, Mrs. Radtke.
All I hope to see from the Republican process, is for George Allen explain why he went along with the Bushies on DOMESTIC SPYING and TORTURING of AMERICANS. How did he interpret such egregious behavior in light of his pledge to “Support the Constitution of the United States”?
I do not care if he called that shit-bird stalker with a camera, Macaque (the correct spelling, BTW) or if he called him a camera toting jackass. Nobody likes to be followed around with a camera by some jerk who is playing, “gotcha.” The chief concern that Virginians should have is how George Allen failed to defend our LIBERTY when challenged, and instead of acting to check the usurpation of our Constitution by BUSH, he just went along like a compliant puppy.
If Mr. Allen would only explain/apologize his obvious failure to stick-up for our LIBERTY, perhaps Virginians might trust him enough to vote for him again. However, without any expression of regret accompanied by a pledge to fervently defend our freedoms and to concentrate on rebuilding our industrial base, Virginians should remain wary of our former Senator.
J.Tyler Ballance
January 25, 2011 at 1:40 am