Craney Island

The WaPo has a good article about Craney Island. It gives a good history of the project an weighs its importance. Craney Island was the subject of a question Sen Allen asked Jim Webb at the debate. Webb did not know where or what the island was. I said here that Webb's "I don't know" answer would become an issue and it has. The WaPo says

In a debate that had few fireworks, Webb's ignorance on the issue became a key theme of news accounts of the event, particularly in the Norfolk region, where the Democrat hopes to do well Nov. 7.

"Webb's ignorance"...Ouch! Allen guru Dick Wadhams poked at Webb saying

"I just think [Webb] has been so immersed in literary and cinematic fiction for so long, he really doesn't have much of a grasp of the real issues in this race," said Allen campaign manager Dick Wadhams, referring to Webb's career as a novelist who also works on Hollywood movies. "I think his performance Saturday, as highlighted by this Craney Island issue, showed that."

This was a calculated question Allen used to appeal to the voters in that area. Now it becomes clear why Webb was ducking the direct question part of the debate. The reply from the Webb campaign was

Kristian Denny Todd, a Webb spokeswoman, said Allen was playing a game of "gotcha."-"Let's be frank. The majority of Virginians have never heard of Craney Island," Todd said. "This was a political maneuver. It had nothing to do with Jim's knowledge of Virginia issues."

What? Ms Todd it had everything to do with Jim Webb's knowledge of Virginia issues. State and federal officials are saying that all Virginians should learn about the island. I guess that includes Jim Webb. Read Todd's statement again....Does it make sense? Not to me.

Technorati : George Allen, Jim Webb, Virginia Politics