NY Observer > University of Virginia http://www.observer.com/taxonomy/term/27052/feed Articles from Observer.com en Finally Over? http://www.observer.com/node/30674 George Allen is basically standing by while the initial step in a recount process takes place and all the precincts are canvassed.

"This is an automatic process that's happening," said a staffer with the Allen campaign. "You can't be proactive about this."

The process has to be finished by Tuesday.

In the meantime, Jim Webb, who leads by about 7,000 votes, is planning his transition.

And one of the leading experts of Virginia politics thinks it is over.

'There is nowhere to make up those votes," said Larry Sabato, a political science professor at the University of Virginia. "I have had people in both parties tell me that there is zero chance."

"George Allen's people are trying to figure out if they can come up with a way to throw out 7000 votes. And they have to only throw out Webb votes. Someone has to have a long talk with Allen and say 'look, it's not going to happen, it's over. You will have a long rich private life. You are not going to be President or Senator and it's over.' He will have to get used to being called ex-senator." --Jason Horowitz]]> http://www.observer.com/node/30674#comments Politics George Allen Jim Webb Larry Sabato University of Virginia Wed, 08 Nov 2006 12:33:02 -0500 Observer Staff 30674 at http://www.observer.com