I know the title of this diary may shock many of you, but I think it's in the Democrats' best interest for 2008 if George Allen convincingly wins reelection in Virginia this year.
Although McCain is currently the frontrunner, I have always believed that George Allen will win the GOP nomination. He is genuine in his conservatism and will thus have no problem appealing to the base. He also has the rugged manly looks and the aw-shucks demeanor that appeals to so many Republicans. Having said that, Allen is MUCH more beatable in the general election than McCain. A strong moderate Democrat can defeat Allen by painting him as another George W. Bush, and after eight years of the Bush-Cheney nightmare, swing voters would want something new and fresh. However, McCain can use his maverick image to portray himself as non-partisan, and the sycophantic media will go along for the ride. Pundits like Chris Matthews will praise McCain as the next Lincoln, someone who can revive national greatness. A lot of independents will also jump on the McCain bandwagon. I don't think Allen will get such favorable media coverage, and in today's age, media plays a HUGE role in choosing our president. Therefore, I would much rather see George Allen as the GOP nominee in 2008, and it would be good in the long term for him to win re-election, thus bolstering his image in the eyes of GOP primary voters.