E Pluribus Unum

In brief:
Will this be a story about sexual titillation -- or a story about a hero vs. a coward?

In detail:
George Allen is hoping to disgust Virginia voters by rubbing their noses in various graphically violent and/or prurient passages from James Webb's fiction. That slimeball Drudge is obliging by posting the passages as supplied in broad daylight by Allen.

At the very least, Allen is hoping that Webb will be held up to the same kind of ridicule that befell Lynne Cheney and Scooter Libby when steamy passages from their novels came to light. Never mind, of course, that John McCain wrote a glowing review for Webb. Allen is counting on Virginians (translation: rural voters in the southern part of the state) to be shocked and squeamish when confronted by the offending passages.

How should Webb respond?

In brief, he should say that the books are based on fact, not fiction. He should NOT say he made these things up; he should state categorically that he saw these things (and worse) while he was fighting for his country, something George Allen was too much of a coward and a hypocrite to do.

Watch to see if Webb figures this out on his own and/or takes the advice of his supporters. It could make or break his campaign.

P.S. Like the racist sex-smear against Harold Ford Jr., this one has "Karl Rove" written all over it.

UPDATE: James Webb reponds -- forcefully. Do you think his campaign reads the blogs? Sounds like it does.