It’s been a while since the RTD’s Jeff Schapiro has trotted George Allen out of the anxiety closet. But in his Wednesday confessional, Jeff holds the Senate candidate before his eyes and sniffs:
Poor George Allen. Before he can claim a Republican Senate nomination that’s been his all along, he has to do for his primary opponents what they haven’t done for themselves: Allen must legitimize them.
Or the even shorter version: George Allen must stoop to conquer.
Jeff proceeds to tell us how low Allen must stoop in order to win a Zama-like victory over Marshall, Jackson and Radtke. There are perils for him in doing so — alienating the elusive independent voter, ceding the middle ground to Tim Kaine, scuffing his boots…
But even while the challengers will have the opportunity to soak up residual legitimacy from appearing on the same stage with Allen, Jeff says that’s not nearly enough:
Radtke, Jackson and Marshall, however, must do more than show up.
Until this weekend, the primary contest has been largely under the radar. The debates elevate the stakes by raising the candidates’ profiles. For Radtke, Jackson and Marshall, the debates are their best and last chance to make a case for Republicans — the few paying attention to the nomination contest — to resist the reflex to recycle George Allen.
True as far as it goes. The debate rules don’t leave room for stem-winding responses, visual aids, or much else. The premium is on who can best stick, jab and move. My money is on Bishop Jackson to benefit most from this series of legitimacy-raising encounters.
Even so, that’s not going to be enough to win. What the challengers need to make a move is an Allen gaffe — verbal, ethical, organizational or otherwise — that brings the bad memories of 2006 rushing back.
Barring that, the outcome appears set.
