So. My senator of record, Senator George Felix Allen Jr, got his tushie kicked last night when he foolishly tried to debate James Webb, the Secretary of the Navy under Saint Ronald Reagan.
We already know that Allen’s a racist--never mind that college teammates have been lining up to say he used to drop the “n” word on a daily basis, or that growing up a millionaire’s son in southern California he had fetish for the Confederate flag, or that he kept a noose in his office (I mean, really--who would dothat?) or that he was caught on tape calling a Virginia native, unlike himself, a racial slur.
So that’s a given. That he’s an intellectual lightweight is obvious within seconds of hearing him talk. He’s like the bizarro Bill Clinton. They’ve got the same superficial mannerisms. The difference is, Bill Clinton was a genuine southerner, born poor. Allen was born in southern California with a silver spoon in his mouth. And although he sometimes acted like an idiot in his personal life, Clinton was and is extraordinarily intelligent. When it comes to brainpower, Allen’s clearly mediocre at best. He’s got Clinton’s style but not one bit of his substance. Kinda the worst of all worlds.
But that wasn’t enough, was it? Not, he just had to go and throw a financial scandal into the mix:
Oct. 10 (Bloomberg) -- Stock options that Senator George Allen described as worthless were worth as much as $1.1 million at one point, according to a review of Senate disclosure forms and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings.The records appear to contradict remarks he made to the Associated Press. "I got paid in stock options which were worthless,'' AP quoted him as saying.
[snip]
Allen wrote a letter to the U.S. Army on Xybernaut's behalf in December 2001, AP reported, citing John Reid, Allen's spokesman, who told AP he wouldn't disclose the contents of the letter. In September 2003 the U.S. Defense Department announced $2.13 million in contracts to buy the company's wearable computers.
Worthless. Heh. How out of touch—or just plain stinkin' rich—do you have to be to consider $1,100,000 worthless? Tell you what, it's worthless, toss it my way. I'll take it off your hands for you, Richie Felix Rich Jr.
Jeez. Haven’t we had enough? As a wise man once said, fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life. George Felix Allen Jr isn’t fat or (as far as I know) drunk. But crooked, racist and stupid is no way to go through life either.
I enjoy your political commentary. I never know how to respond to it, though. I think it's because you seem to have hope and I just don't.
Posted by: Jennifer | Wednesday, October 11, 2006 at 06:04 AM
A wise man will ask, "Will the truth ever come out?" A wiser man will answer, "It always does." I feel very strongly that this empty keg of a man will wake up very disappointed on November 8th.
Posted by: DT | Wednesday, October 11, 2006 at 06:25 PM
I enjoy your political commentary.
Well, jeez louise, that’s nice (and unexpected) to hear.
I never know how to respond to it, though.
As Smashing Pumpkins once sang (well, kinda whined, actually) no responses ever need be made. Although they’re (almost) always nice to get.
I think it's because you seem to have hope and I just don't.
Well, I reckon that’s just me. Glass half-full. :)
November, baby. Fifth time's the charm!
Posted by: scott | Wednesday, October 11, 2006 at 08:24 PM
Well, the only real hope is outside of this world, which will always be a mess, but on the earthly, political level, I sometimes draw hope from recalling a scene in "All the President's Men" -- Woodward and Bernstein are working feverishly in the newsroom, and in the background on TV, we see Nixon being sworn in for his second term. NO ONE (other than Woodstein) has yet taken anything seriously ... but ... drip, drip, drip ... things keep trickling out, just a little at a time ... the truth will out, the truth will out. Eventually.
Posted by: Karen E. | Thursday, October 12, 2006 at 05:30 AM
The worst part? He never excercised the options. Funny man. Funny, funny man.
"In March 2000, Allen held 60,000 options when Xybernaut shares closed at an all-time high of $23.75. That would have made the options worth $1.1 million, less commissions and fees, had Allen exercised them.
At that time, Allen could have paid $5.47 and $1.56 respectively for two groups of options, sold them and pocketed the difference. He was awarded another 50,000 options in October 2000.
Greg Walden, an attorney at Patton Boggs LLP in Washington who represents Allen, said the options with Xybernaut expired 90 days after Allen left the board in December 2000."
Posted by: Jennifer | Thursday, October 12, 2006 at 08:06 AM
I think I've fallen into the cynical bin. I think that none of this is going to matter. Then again, maybe it's the confluence of all the little things that will finally bite the Republicans in the proverbial and literal ass.
Posted by: shannon | Thursday, October 12, 2006 at 09:05 AM
Tennessee, Missouri, Montana, Pennsylvania, and finally Ol'Virginny. That's 5 seats. That's it. Right there. Brings the balance to 50-49-1, and Jeffords is on our side. And if Tailgunner Joe, who last stood for something meaningful when Nixon was alive, can actually be taken down in CT, add one more real D to the caucus. Pipe dream? Maybe. But it's the best chance we've had in years and we just can't blow it. So maybe we won't. And remember...the Senate is the difficult house. We simply SHOULD take the U.S. House this year. Ours to lose (ours being the Dems, of course. Sorry) Think of it...winning the House, even-steven in the Senate...it can happen. Optimism...optimism...Who's with me?
Posted by: DT | Thursday, October 12, 2006 at 06:20 PM
DT---try keeping up on the story, Jeffords isn't running for reelection this year. And Rape Gurney Joe---no longer a Democrat, according to the Kossacks, mind you---is cruising to reelection. I guess going for the "pipe dream" joke would be too easy.
Scott---you forgot to mention Allen chews tobacco. Disgusting habit, if you ask me.
But what is the deal with the fascination with his middle name? As someone cursed with a ridiculous middle name ("Girard" for the record), I'm curious.
And in light of this, what to make of the Harry Reid story this week...?
Hope all is well and safe hop to the Mtns. this week, dude!
Posted by: Steve the LLamabutcher | Sunday, October 15, 2006 at 01:59 PM
Working backwards:
And in light of this, what to make of the Harry Reid story this week...?
I think it’s obvious the GOP is desperate. :)
Harry Reid made money on a land deal, and the Ethics Committee has said he’s done no wrong. Well, sweet Jesu, call out a independent prosecutor and give him a hundred million dollars to distract our attention from Iraq!
Note that this “story” was “broken” (and, yes, that's too many uses of the "quotes" cliché) by the same hack who wrote about Reid accepting free tickets to a boxing match.
Get that? Reid, a boxer in his youth, was supporting legislation to weaken the NAC. The NAC gives him passes to some boxing events. Reid accepts the passes, goes to the fights, and then votes to weaken the NAC anyway—so much for quid pro quo. And then this hack writes a piece implying Reid did something wrong—even though by that point Reid had already voted against the folks who gave him the passes.
Oh, but that’s not all. Turns out it would actually have been illegal for Reid to pay for the passes. So he gets accused of breaking the law…because he didn’t break the law.
Remember, up is down. Black is white. Eastasia is our ally. We have always been at war with Eastasia.
What’s that say, good sir? Something about land deals? Oh! I know! You’re wondering about that fella Denny Hastert, Republican from the great state of Lincoln, the Speaker of the House and the guy who tries so hard (no pun intended) to protect the rights of powerful sexual predators to continue preying on young boys.
This must be what you’re thinking:
That was what you were thinkin’ ‘bout, right? How the Speaker of the House took $200,000,000 dollars of our money just so’s he could make an extra $2,000,000 himself, right?
Huh…that’s a pretty huge story. And yet it’s been five months since that story came out. Number of times Time Magazine has reported on it: 0.
And the rich and powerful get richer and powerfuller. So much for limited government. It’s pretty much limited to How Much They Can Get Away with Stealing.
But what is the deal with the fascination with his middle name? As someone cursed with a ridiculous middle name ("Girard" for the record), I'm curious.
Because apparently Senator George Felix Allen Jr despises his middle name. It’s that simple. Juvenile? You bet. So’s everything about the senator himself. Which I guess makes it surprising Congressman Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) didn’t invite him to stay over at his Georgetown joint or go on long romantic rafting trips. Guess the fact that he’s old enough to drink is such the turn-off.
Girard’s not so bad. You want bad? We can talk. But offline. I love the guy too much to out him like that. Sorry, folks.
Oh, but The Boy’s middle name was nearly Ringo. Would that have been bad?
Scott—-you forgot to mention Allen chews tobacco. Disgusting habit, if you ask me.
Indeed he does and indeed ‘tis. On the other hand, it’s neither illegal nor immoral, so it’s okay with me. If the tobacco were underage, then I’d be upset. But as long as it’s consensual, I’m just fine with it. that’s how I roll.
Oh, but this is disturbing. Turns our Senator George Felix Allen Jr likes to spit tobacco on women’s feet. You think I’m kidding. And yet there are at least four different stories about it, three of them from reporters who witnessed it first hand.
Who the hell does that? And who would help someone like that get re-elected? I don't just mean the folks who voted for him—the more people really know about him, the fewer votes he gets—I mean, how can people really work for this guy and still look themselves in the mirror?
Posted by: scott | Sunday, October 15, 2006 at 02:55 PM
Can't believe I messed up on the Gentleman Jim Jeffords thing. Sorry about that, Chief. As most poeple who have met me will tell you, I'm an idiot. But it's looking like Bernie Sanders will keep that VT seat in the "I" column, which ostensibly means the "D" column.
And don't fret too much about CT when it comes to the balance of power. I may not know much (like, for example, who's running for the U.S. Senate from VT) but Tailgunner Joe would never have the stones to leave the Democratic party. TG Joe is all about being liked and making the safe move - it's why he supported the 1st Iraq War, why he thought it was a good idea to support this disastrous Iraq War, and why he "denounced" Clinton in '98 when he knew he'd never vote to harm the 42nd President. His moves, if you pardon the sports metaphor, have all the impact and significance of a late-inning grand slam when the game is already a blowout. He's the A-Rod of politics. It's why he's called Tailgunner Joe - while it's a job of bravery in combat, in politics it signifies someone with a propensity of being the last one into the fight.
TG Joe is all about wanting to be liked and doing the easy thing. If we win back even one House of Congress (which we should be able to do even if our guys run down the street naked and on fire while sporting butcher knives), he'll see the easiest road to being liked will be to cozy back up to the Dems. They'll reward him with a pat on the head and nothing significant to do. If he wins, he'll keep his safe seat, his title, and his "honor." And get nothing else. He'll like that.
As a politically active Nutmeg State resident and someone who has watched TG Joe's every calculated little move since being elected to the Senate in '88, it's in the man's DNA not to take risks. Hopefully Ned Lamont wins (although I hate to break it to most of you watching from elsewhere, but Lamont - while better than TG Joe - makes Jon Corzine look like Voltaire; he is not a deep or thoughtful person, sorry to say) but worst case scenario and TG Joe remains in the "D" column. It's going to be a close race, though; Lamont has proven to be strong on the come (making up a 20-point deficit in the final 3 weeks of the primary this past summer) and needs to do it again.
Posted by: DT | Sunday, October 15, 2006 at 03:57 PM
Harry Reid released a statement today:
Posted by: scott | Monday, October 16, 2006 at 06:50 PM
Wow, what a desperate phony baloney story here ... I got options that were worth a lot for a brief time in the bubble, but quickly became worthless soon after. Guess what? When that happens there is nothing to report to the IRS.
So Senator Allen was truthful ... and your comments are deparate.
So he is a board member who got compensated (OK). He left the board and the compensation became worthless (bubble burst). OK. He reports it accurately. OK.
Meanwhile, you forgive the sweetheart deal that Reid had with a developer friend that helped Reid make a million dollars, because, well ... er, NOW he is reporting it. Well, thank the Lord for that! ... "“The Ethics Committee has not yet advised me whether I should file these amended forms, but even if I am not required to do so I am happy to go beyond what is needed to provide the fullest disclosure. The amended forms make clear what was true all along – I owned the land through the LLC when I sold it in 2004."
oh wonderful.... and pay no attention to the fact that the LLC was just there to hide the appreciation of the asset from personal forms, BUT that the reporting question is *not* the big story - the big story is the developer-politician quid-pro-quo corruption.
... and it's laughable to use the "well-the-other-side-does-it" defense... Didn't Tom Delay try that one out? Cant you see through that Reid and Burns and Dem and GOP are just the tweedle dee and tweedle dum of DC corruption?
Doubt me? Reid. Mollohan. Menendez. Jefferson. Culture. Of. Corruption.
Posted by: Patrick | Sunday, October 29, 2006 at 12:12 AM
Meanwhile, you forgive the sweetheart deal that Reid had with a developer friend that helped Reid make a million dollars, because, well ... er, NOW he is reporting it. Well, thank the Lord for that!
Oh my goodness, y'all are just so CUTE when you try to defend the indefensible!
When the Ethics Committee, hand-picked for a maximum of loyalty to the GOP, looks at the Reid deal and decides there's absolutely no there there—perhaps because, well, there is absolutely no there there, in stark contrast to the stunningly corrupt land deal Speaker of the House and Protector of Sexual Predators Denny Hastert (R-IL) made a bundle off of, thanks to misdirected taxpayer money—it's a lost cause.
But good try, punkin! Better luck next time!
Posted by: scott | Sunday, October 29, 2006 at 07:48 AM