After a Nasty and Costly Race, It's All Come Back to Iraq

Six years ago, when I traveled with candidate Allen, then the challenger to Sen. Chuck Robb, Allen proudly told me that "Bush even presents his ideas in the same order as I do. Almost the same words, too."

Things change. Now Allen is repositioning himself as an independent-minded fellow who suddenly believes some "adjustments" are in order in our approach to the debacle in Iraq. What a nice word, "adjustments."

Just two years ago, Allen was reluctant to embrace the president's push for a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Now, such an amendment -- intended to lure conservatives to the polls Tuesday -- is at the heart of Allen's desperate campaign, and the senator has even gone so far as to willfully misstate Webb's position on the controversial issue. "I'm for marriage between a man and a woman, while my opponent is against it," Allen has been telling audiences.

In fact, while Webb opposes the amendment because he believes its restrictions would apply to all unmarried couples, gay or not, the challenger has repeatedly said that "marriage is between a man and a woman." (No liberal in this race.)

The critical difference in this campaign requires voters to look beyond the distasteful characters of both men. If Webb is as arrogant as Allen is cynical, if Allen is as devious as Webb is self-righteous, there is still this:

No matter how he now tries to shade it, the fact is the senator supports the stubborn course that the Bush administration has remained glued to in Iraq, whereas Webb, an early and vocal critic of the war, is determined to find a way out and a path toward -- you'll excuse the expression in this political season -- honor.

E-mail:marcfisher@washpost.com