Political survivor  Politics | George Allen had a rocky road to
the Senate; now a suddenly difficult reelection race could stand
in the way of an expected presidential bid  Issue: "Street
theater," Sept. 30, 2006  WASHINGTON, D.C. - When George F.
Allen ambled off the floor of the U.S. Senate a couple of Friday
mornings ago, just after delivering a vigorous 38-minute speech
on energy policy, there was hardly a hint of pressure or
tension.  Oh, maybe the toothpick he popped into his mouth
suggested he had some issues in the back of his mind as he took
the elevator down to the Senate subway. He joked with a staffer
about having slightly stumbled over just one line in the speech,
and you could infer he was looking for a little affirmation.
"No, it was very good," the staffer responded obligingly as they
stood waiting for the subway train that shuttles between the
Capitol and the Hart Senate office building.  Nor did the junior
senator from Virginia seem at all uptight half an hour later
when he took on journalis