Why is it a bad idea for Webb to run an ad where Reagan praises him in a speech? Do you think if Allen had such footage he would ask for permission? The ad is not negative either, so I don't see how it could be an offense. I don't know how effective it will be, but certainly Allen should be doing better for someone who wants to run for President. If he was up by 20 or 30 points still, I doubt he would give any attention to this at all.

Allen's no longer a viable '08 contender. If he underperforms Bush in his own red state against a rookie opponent, nominating him for the presidential ticket would be akin to handing the White House to the Democrats.

Incidentally, this is almost entirely macaca fallout. This comports with anecdotal evidence I've been hearing from Virginians, many of whom are now convinced that Allen's a racist. Polls show that non-white Virginians and those under 35 are leaving Allen in droves.

Webb wasted no time at all in badmouthing Reagan after leaving the Department of the Navy, and kept it up for decades. NOW he wants to dig out a speech where Reagan briefly praised his war record, mainly because Webb was one of three Annapolis grads working for him (the others being McFarlane and Poindexter) and was present for the speech at the Naval Academy.

Mrs. Reagan has requested he not air images of the late President.

We'll see soon enough if Webb has found a shred of decency, or is the snake-in-the-grass, backstabbing, self-promoting jackass we've always known.

Webb is relying upon "free air time" from the Wash. Post and the MSM to do his work for him The best example is the "macaca" deal.

We'll see how ALlen finishes. This has been his first real dogfight in a while, since Robb was a dead man walking in 2000.

Did Webb insult Reagan specifically, or just some of his policies? If he called him an irresponsible imbecile, that would be one thing, but Reagan definitely had enough flawed policies that one could criticize in the realm of center-right or conservative politics without it being a "bad mouthing".