No.

Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) has taken himself out of the running to be Barack Obama’s running mate. This comes as a surprise to many DC-types who have longed surmised that Senator Webb would be an effective number two on the Democratic ticket.

This now moves Governor Tim Kaine (also of Virginia) into the top spot in the Matthew J. Slutsky veepstakes.

UPDATE: Marc Ambinder reports that Webb was a finalist on Senator Obama’s short list but refused to participate in the process further when he was asked to submit to a background check.

It’s official, Sen. George Allen has conceded.

I am proud of you, Virginia.

Macaca happens.

The Associated Press has just called the Virginia Senate race for Democrat Jim Webb.

Webb’s victory gives the Democrats the six seats they needed to regain control of the United States Senate. Congrats, Mr. Majority Leader Reid!

It’s late in the evening and we’re still recording, but this one’s too important to let slide for even a moment. Via Josh Marshall and dKos, the Washington Post has this article:

U.S. Senate candidate James Webb’s last name has been cut off on part of the electronic ballot used by voters in Alexandria, Falls Church and Charlottesville because of a computer glitch that also affects other candidates with long names, city officials said yesterday . . . Election officials attribute the mistake to an increase in the type size on the ballot. Although the larger type is easier to read, it also unintentionally shortens the longer names on the summary page of the ballot.

Thus, Democratic candidate Webb will appear with his first name and nickname only — or “James H. ‘Jim’ ” — on summary pages in Alexandria, Falls Church and Charlottesville, the only jurisdictions in Virginia that use balloting machines manufactured by Hart InterCivic of Austin.

Yes, that’s right. With two weeks to go before the election we learn that Jim “My Name Is Really Long” Webb will not have his name appear everywhere on the ballot in the three areas that make up his primary base of support. Meanwhile George Felix Allen, whose name is so much shorter, will be clearly identified. And sadly, Jean Jensen, secretary of the Virginia State Board of Elections, says that it will only be fixed in time for the 2007 statewide elections.

While we eschew profanity on this site, I think Trapper John over at Kos summed it up correctly:

Is is too much to ask for voting machines that work as well as, I don’t know, a fucking toaster?

This morning, Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) debated Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) on NBC’s Meet The Press moderated by Tim Russert.

I thought Brown did a great job taking on DeWine. He kept him on the defensive and painted him as ineffective. He also hammered the Senator on his negative campaign and there were times when DeWine couldn’t defend his own record. DeWine spent much of the debate ducking Russert’s questions.

Here is the transcript.

Below, you’ll also find transcripts to the other Meet The Press debates from the past couple weeks.

OHIO: Sherrod Brown v. Mike DeWine

VIRGINIA: Jim Webb v. George Allen

PENNSYLVANIA: Bob Casey v. Rick Santorum

From Think Progress. This is huge.

Larry Sabato, who is one of the most respected political observers and professors in Virginia has confirmed that when he was a student with Sen. George Allen (R-VA) in the 1970’s, he heard Sen. Allen use a racial slur to refer to blacks. George Allen has repeatedly denied that he has ever used the “N” word.

George Allen is a liar, a bigot and a racist. He is going to go down for this. Vote Jim Webb.