In a Sunday profile piece on Sen. George Allen (R-Va.), who's running both for reelection to the Senate this year and for the conservative Republican nomination for president in 2008, a number of truths emerge:

Allen is BORED with life in the Senate: "I made more decisions in half a day as governor than you can make in a whole week in the Senate .... It's too slow for me."

Well, good. Sounds like the man is begging for forced retirement, which we're hoping little feisty ex-Marine James Webb, the Democratic candidate for that Senate seat, can hand him.

Then this, from a town-hall meeting Sen. Allen held in Culpeper, Va.: "A friendly audience listened politely as he called for tough new border laws and fiscal responsibility."

Fiscal responsibility?

And there you have it, folks, as my political guru Irmaly told me recently: Republicans are going to run against THEMSELVES this year. They have to. No choice. Run against themselves -- i.e., run against out of control, dangerously incompetent WASHINGTON -- and hope the people don't notice the sleight-of-hand.

But people are noticing. Even in that friendly Culpeper audience: "The words kind of ring hollow with me," said one of Mr. Allen's brighter Republican constituents.