I do not believe everyone who uses a racial slur should be considered racist because racial slurs are so common today. Almost everyone uses them I do not think one person can say they have never used one or thought of using one. I believe the press is hungry for stories to try to make Allen look bad. If this is the best they can do then Allen has nothing to worry about. I mean if democrats can forgive sexist articles written by Webb to sway what men think about women and war then everyone can forgive Allen's one racial slur.
Rebecca McDonough

I do not believe everyone who uses a racial slur should be considered racist because racial slurs are so common today. Almost everyone uses them I do not think one person can say they have never used one or thought of using one. I believe the press is hungry for stories to try to make Allen look bad. If this is the best they can do then Allen has nothing to worry about. I mean if democrats can forgive sexist articles written by Webb to sway what men think about women and war then everyone can forgive Allen's one racial slur.
Rebecca McDonough

just curious, chris-
if i called you a wop, would you be offended?

you "strongly doubt" that a man whose mother is french tunisian and who speaks french himself knows what the word "macaque" means, and its usage?

access or integrity, chris?
access or integrity.

I was actually surprised at Allen's comment. Not because it was offensive and arrogant (which it was), but because I did not think he was smart enough to know what macaca meant.

The "N-word" was frequently used by Allen at UVa...which is contrary to E Pluribus Unum...hence de facto un-American.

With a French colonial Tunisian for a mother...Doug Wilder's take on Clarence Thomas may very well pertain.

...racism...abuse...fascism... Good Bush company...not good for America.

To be sung to the melody of "La Cucaracha"

La Macaca La Macaca
Mr. George is not so smar-ta

La Macaca La Macaca
It is he who is the big monkey-eee

Why make a big issue out of Allen's remarks when so many others make remarks and seem to get away with it and actually make these remarks "on purpose". Do I smell "bias" here ???..... hmmmm

Case in point: McKinney, McKinney, McKinney !!! The "new" Black Panthers as her body guards??? Check out her website Talk about racist !!!

I just looked at wikipedia...the post for macaca didn't seem to exist a week ago. It already has 100 edits.

Digital brownshirts or mcgovernites with modems...you'd think they'd at least get a picture of a monkey OR the offended party. I want to see the mohawk.

I'd hate to hear the nickname, that he would have given him, if he was wearing a wig.

The irony is that Mr. Sidharth is more of a real Virginian than Allen will ever be.

Unbelievable that we should be represented by this "monkey" in Congress and an embarassment for true Virginians. At best Allen's a cartoon version of a "Virginia-wanna-be", and at worst a bigoted, sadistic bully.

Hmmmm, you'd think that the country persona from a mansion-bred frat boy schtick would be wearing thin at this point with flag-flyers of any stripe.

Why does The Fix "doubt strongly" that Allen purposely used a racial slur? This is a man who has publicly championed the Confederate Flag and opposed a national holiday for MLK - i.e., he has consistantly flirted with racism in his public life.

What's more troubling about the post is that you seem to imply that racism would play negatively among Republican primary voters. History puts the lie to that idea. Southern re-alignment to the GOP is a direct result of the Democratic party's support for civil rights. Reagan kicked off his campaign in Miss. on a site symbolic of opposition to the civil rights movement and Bush the elder won largely on his ads demonizing Dukakis for letting a Black criminal out on furlough. Even Ken Mehlman recently admitted and apologized for GOP use of racism (W.'s abandonment of racist campaigning is one of the most overlooked events in national politics in the last decade - although it has been largely replaced by appeals to intolerance of gays and plain ole Bible thumping to get the same votes). Get real, the GOP holds the South because it has been the racist party since the 1960's - Allen is just a continuation of that tradition. If Bush is serious about changing the party's ways (and I think he might be - although I disagree with him on just about everything else) now would be a good time to stand up and say something.

I don't buy Allen as a racist. That would have shown up in his four years as Governor of Virginia.

I do buy Allen as a demagogue; who intentionally caters to the worst aspects of his supporters for his own gain.

I wouldn't doubt that insulting Mr. Sidarth was a scripted move; just as the Bush 41 dust-up with Dan Rather was scripted by the Bush staff. Except that the Allen staff never thought that it would get beyond the people at the rally.

Certainly looks bad from the video. I'm still curious, however, as to why the WaPo ignored Biden's and Hillary's racist remarks regarding Indians. The Democratic Party has long been home to virulent racists and anti-Semites. One needs only look to their Senate standard-bearer, Robert "KKK" Byrd, or see how they treated Lieberman in the primary race to understand how deep their hatred and intolerance truly runs. But the WaPo would never dream of reporting any of that. Afterall, along with the New York Times, they're nothing but the media wing of the DNC.

---------------------------------------------------
Perhaps it's time to slice Virginia out of the United States...
---------------------------------------------------

Didn't really work out so well the last time.

---------------------------------------------------
Perhaps it's time to slice Virginia out of the United States...
---------------------------------------------------

Didn't really work out so well the last time.

Allen doesn't "look like something of a bully." He is one. And a racist, too. But I do know one thing--put him in a boxing ring with Jim Webb, and Allen would get his butt kicked.

Don't miss the link that Daniel DeRito offered in his 2:10 posting, it is surely worth your time.

http://www.thoughttheater.com/2006/08/allen_wadhams_bully_bully.php

If this doesn't convince you that these bullies enjoy being bullies, you are brainwashed beyond repair.

Or you are just plain one of them. And probably proud of it.

"And they shall glory in their shame..."

JEP

"Yes, George Allen is a chump, but where was all this outrage when Hillary had a comparable gaffe"

While Hillary's light-hearted allusion to the many Indians in the convenience store/gas station business in New York may have fallen flat with her general public, it was not racist, derisive or demeaning.

It may have been bad timing,(any comedian worth their salt will tell you timing is everything). It is possible she may have actually met someone who looked a lot like Ghandi at one of those stores.

But it wasn't a racial slur.

"Macaca" is.

Atempting to equate the two only reveals the desperation this event has endendered in the conservative camp, particualrly in Allen's campaign.

Watch for the blogs and the MSM both to be peppered with Rovian reactions, they will all sound alike and use the same obscure talking points, but we have come to expect them in the course of regular blogging.

Allen was visibly conflicted, almost schizoid in his quick-change, speaking first to his base with about running a clean campaign, then turning hostile in a psychotic moment, and becoming a bully, leveling what was clearly a malevolent look and a more malevolent phrase at this young, democratically active (small "D")
American patriot... (is it safe to call a young person who is wholeheartedly active in the democratic process a "patriot"?)

Siddharth is a hero in my book, and anyone of color with the courage to shadow a group of dangerous neocons like Allen's campaign hacks deserves some kind of new publicly voted Medal of Democracy.

I consider myself pretty bold, and intrinsically involved in the democratic process, having worked as a staffer for more than one US Congressional campaign.
But I don't know if I would have the kind of gumption this young man showed in the face of such trepidation.

If Allen expects to have good numbers in future polls, he'd better stick to polling those folks he was speaking to at the infamous gathering, because any honest poll would show him with disastrous numbers.

Like I said in an earlier post, from the moment he blurted out the first "macaca" it was a done deal. This turkey's a cooked goose, just stick a fork in it.

Does anyone remember the event where he condescended so arrogantly and with such callous insensitivity to Cindy Sheehan, suggesting that higher military death benefits might replace her son?

Boxer was there, what was that event, anyone reading here remember it?

It would be interesting to gather some of these old Allen video clips (they are abundant, no doubt) and weigh them against the current prevailing political climate.

I would guess the pattern of arrogance, bullying and racism that we all suspected but couldn't quite define, will become much more transparent, now that the veil has been lifted and his true "colors" are revealed.

I would also guess it was there all along, just so thinly veiled that his redneck constituents always knew what he "really" said, and the rest of us just wondered what he meant.

JEP

PS Siddharth, if YOU ever want to run for office I would be proud to help.

I bet all those Indians working at 7-11s in Delaware are equally infuriated. you people need to get off the playground and find something important to gripe about.
but instead you will continue to trivialize actual tragedies like the fact that we are under attack and you all want to hide in your basements instead of going on the offense.
As far as elected vs not - who was that I saw standing directly behind Lamont in his victory speech. the usual suspects. Yet you have the honesty at least to admit these clowns are ridiculous. We are making some progress then.

The offensive remarks made by Senator George Allen have all the makings of a Dick Wadhams campaign. Wadhams cut his political teeth in Colorado and has been seen as the person behind the rise of Senator Wayne Allard, a Colorado veterinarian. Wadhams went on to orchestrate the campaign against Tom Daschle in South Dakota and is now leading Allen's reelection effort.

Dick Wadhams is a man many have called Karl Rove's protégé. During Wadhams work in Colorado for Senator Wayne Allard's 2002 reelection, he gave one of the most acerbic victory speeches I have ever witnessed. While gloating at the defeat of Ted Strickland, his comments were vile and hateful. The man is Karl Rove absent a scintilla of decorum and decency...if you can imagine that! It appears that George Allen believes that two bullies are better than one.

Read full article here:

http://www.thoughttheater.com/2006/08/allen_wadhams_bully_bully.php

unbelievable. a us senator racially insults a minority, and derisively welcomes him to (white?) america, and this is "much ado about nothing"?

I guess it depends on what your definitions of "comparable 'gaff'" and "apology" are. Allen's days-late whiny excuse -- "I promise I said 'Mohawk!'" is insulting to ALL of us.

you're right - it was not a *deliberately* racist comment. it was exactly the type of inadvertantly racist comment you would expect from someone whose bigotry is so internalized.

Hey Democrats,

Yes, George Allen is a chump, but where was all this outrage when Hillary had a comparable gaffe:

January 7, 2004 - ST. LOUIS, Missouri (AP) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton apologized for joking that Mahatma Gandhi used to run a gas station in St. Louis, saying it was "a lame attempt at humor."

The New York Democrat made the remark at a fund-raiser Saturday. During an event here for Senate candidate Nancy Farmer, Clinton introduced a quote from Gandhi by saying, "He ran a gas station down in St. Louis."

The director of a U.S. center devoted to Gandhi's teachings called the remarks stereotypical and racially insensitive, while an educator said the flap underscored the need for politicians to be cautious when trying to get laughs.

I really try not to post on blogs unless I've read every entry, but there are nearly 200 entries on this topic! (Chris, I wonder if that's a record?) So that dispells the notion that this doesn't "play." When I first saw the video, I didn't get the uproar because I thought the videograoher's name was "Macaca" and Allen was being nice to one of Webb's people. I really did. But once I read the history of the word on Talking Points Memo, and looked at the video a second time, the immediate reaction was: "Oh, this is going to be BAD." Upon reading Chris' graciousness in thinking maybe Allen is somewhat innocent I just looked at it again. The problems (plural) become glaring. To begin with, he started his diatribe by saying he is going to run his campaign based on positive, constructive ideas! So, phoney comes to mind. Then he truly makes fun of the guy. So, bully comes to mind. Then you realize that he actually knows the opponent's camera is pointed at him. So, stupid comes to mind. Then, he ends the video by launching into the "war on terror." So, Republican fearmonger comes to mind. Then you watch it one more time, just to make sure your eyes and ears aren't deceiving you. So, drunk comes to mind. And then you hear his lame excuse, and then you hear his lame apology. So, loser comes to mind.
Yeah, this is bad for Geroge Felix Allen Junior.

It's amazing what people will do and say when they think they're with their "own kind".

Allen used the word macaca because he didn't think anyone would know what it meant. "Mohawk - macaca" I speak a little French and they sound soooo alike to me - NOT. It's bad enough that he used a racial slur and then followed up by the ..."welcome to America..." comment.

Nothing or no one can defend Allen - your defense is absurd.

His racist ideas and racsim is so true to who he is that he can't keep it in check.

If nothing else, I enjoy the fervent media speculation over whether the gentleman's haircut was a mohawk or a mullet. Gary Condit was August, too.

Let's leave aside the extremes from both sides here. The issue isn't whether this is the French Tunisian n-word, and Allen used it as such. I think that's what Chris was getting at.

The real issue is that Allen singled out a dark guy to mock with a funny-sounding name at a good ol' boy rally. And that, whether for cheap points or from personal belief, he doesn't consider "foreign-looking" types to be Americans. Certainly a Rorschach moment.

...However, the level of public discourse on monkeys and mullets has been raised substantially.

KOZ wrote: "I didn't notice anything here about the withdrawal from the OH race because of spousal abuse. It was a Dem - no need to mention it then. how about McKinney's overtly racist staff?"

Um, if the former withdrew from the race and the latter was defeated in the primary, I'd say they have suffered more damage than Allen from this -- why keep talking about two people who no longer matter?

KOZ also wrote: "you dummy Dems"

Sorry, KOZ, but I'm not a Dem. I'd let you look at my voter registration but then you could come over and scare my kids. However, I am a Virginian, so I certainly have the right to comment when my senator does something idiotic. He doesn't just represent conservative Republicans.

Chris: you're a fine writer and we enjoy you on Hardball with Chris Matthews.
You DO look like Jeremy Pliven, however.

If this is a one-day story, why does it still have legs on Day 3? Why was it featured front and center on the Daily Show last night?

In short koz-troll, your calling everyone in here partisan hack nutjobs has that wonderful ring of panic or delusion, take your pick.

Ah yes, you know koz had to drag out the straw man, that favorite GOP trope. "do you really think all Rs are bigots?" "some think we should just cut and run." "there are those who would have us yield to the terrorists."

Anyone else see a pattern here?

McKinney wasn't punished KOZ? Who's won that primary again?

What elected office do Sharpton or Jackson or even Howard Dean hold?

Instead of kool-aid, you and your party need to fill up (to the tune of $3/gallon), cause you guys are OUT OF GAS.

Actually you did not find me defending this in any way, despite your inclination to paint me in a convenient fashion. My sole comment was how incensed you dummy Dems can become over anything that smacks as damaging to a R. I didn't notice anything here about the withdrawal from the OH race because of spousal abuse. It was a Dem - no need to mention it then. how about McKinney's overtly racist staff? No mention??? why?
I personally don't care much for Allen but wouldn't count him out yet. I can't assume any motivations which are not expressed by him explicetly, only negative implications by partisan hacks. this is a one day story confined to you nutjobs in here. Just another in the long line of acts you can't stand. Why was no one so incensed at the possible murder of 10 airliners full of people? Or the random shelling of civilian enclaves in Israel? Selective furor? Exactly how do your values exclude any purveyors who happen to have a D next to thier name? do you really think all Rs are racist bigots? This is just not realistic.

Confusing Mohawk with macaca?? Ha, ha, ha ... Plus, the kid's not wearing a Mohawk. He says it's a mullet. Now what hairstyle has more Southern credibility than the mullet? Senator "More Redneck Than Thou" Allen somehow "accidentally" used a word which is used in French circles and white supremicist circles to demean Arabs?

Allen is a bully, a racist, and a dumb bunny.

What a stirring defense of Native Californian George Felix Allen by kingofzouk: Listing some of the biggest morons in the Democratic Party and saying "They did the same thing."

OK, I'm sold. LOL

The King of Zouk's self-appointed royalty is just one more bit of evidence as to the arrogant delusions of grandeur that the neocons depend on in their base to foment their hateful prejudice, and to get elected.

His line "no one cares what you think when something which actually might matter comes up" is downright laughable, considering the firestorm all our blogging has created on this issue. Millions of no-ones now know the truth about Allen.

If no one cares, why are Allen's presidential aspirations now in cinders?

Sorry, Publishers and Editors and Advertising managers, but this Allen turkey is cooked, stick the proverbial fork in his Presidential aspirations.

Allen's future as a well-financed presidential candidate, and therefore a substantial profit motive for your publications to ease-up on him in your coverage, is already one for the history books.

To misquote Yogi, "Allen's future ain't what it used to be."

And we have the blogs to thank for that change of political fortunes. Watch out, this may inspire "them" to re-up their attempts to control the internet.

In an age of instant information, they can no longer depend on the "facts fade with time" factor that has ruled their policy throughout the past.

The blogosphere is about the most ideally All-American democratic (small "D") construct in the world today. And,like so many of our American ideals, these neocons do not want it, and if given the power, they will try to stifle, if not eliminate it.

JEP

Chris, acknowledge that you made a titanic "rhetorical blunder" (to put it daintily, as you did about Allen) that is not sitting well with your readers, myself included. I think you should apologize for aiding and abetting an out-and-out, caught-on-tape racist. Macaca means monkey, period, and he knows it and you know it. Your judgment is seriously in question. This is *going to be very bad for your career*. I say this as a fellow journalist.

Give via Act Blue:

https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/entity/9390?refcode=directory

oh look, zouk has crawled out of his hole to defend a racist.

JEP is right... I give Chris too much of a hard time. It's just that he does some really good stuff, and then he goes all DC-disingenious, like with this wide-eyed, 'he couldn't really have meant it' story. But overall, this blog is great -- no censorship. Least none that i can tell. Unusual. Try posting comments on a lot of other newspaper blogs --they just never show up.

Anyway... couldn't resist this--Leiberman has GOP operatives working for him now:

'Holy Joe has brought in veteran GOP operative Dan Senor in order to try and pump up his numbers regarding his awful war by dragging in veterans to swiftboat Lamont. Never mind the fact that Lamont beat Lieberman amongst veterans in the primary (it seems those whom Joe has dispatched to risk their lives in his catastrophic war don't think it's quite worth it simply because Sore Loserman can't admit he was wrong wrong wrong). Holy Joe, however, doesn't want to get his white-gloved hands any dirtier with this business than he does with, say, actually fighting his own war:

The ad featured a photo of soldier Josh Clark, 24, of Willimantic, who was wounded in 2003 in Iraq, along with a quote attributed to Clark: "Senator Lieberman stood with me and my fellow veterans, and I am proud to stand by him."

The paid message was placed by the Virginia-based Vets for Freedom Action Fund, established last month under Section 527 of the federal tax code as a nonpartisan organization "to communicate with the public on veterans' issues and the war in Iraq."

The group has high-level Republican connections. It has used a public relations firm that includes Taylor Gross, a former White House official, and receives volunteer advice from GOP strategist Dan Senor.

Matthew is right though. The best response is to donate to his opponant, which I just did.

amazing how all you Libs rush to fry a "racist" when he is a Repub. Yet you ignore it when a Dem utters these ideas. none of you can be taken seriously anymore. If any of you had an ounce of integrity it would be different, but since you don't , no one cares what you think when something which actually might matter comes up.
Sharpton, Dean, McKinney, Byrd, Jackson and many more have done similar "slips" with no challenge. At lease Rs punish this behavior.

Oh PLEASE Chris!

The Fix doubts that a Republican would deliberately use a racist slur? What an absolutely retarded comment.

I was all set to give you major props for getting on this story and making a long blog entry about it...up until the point you once again resumed your role as an apologist for the Republican party by trying to defend that racist trash.

If Howard Dean had made a similar comment you'd have leaped all over it about how he was hurting his party again, blowing it, etc.

What a double standard.

Oh PLEASE Chris!

The Fix doubts that a Republican would deliberately use a racist slur? What an absolutely retarded comment.

I was all set to give you major props for getting on this story and making a long blog entry about it...up until the point you once again resumed your role as an apologist for the Republican party by trying to defend that racist trash.

If Howard Dean had made a similar comment you'd have leaped all over it about how he was hurting his party again, blowing it, etc.

What a doub

Hey, folks, ease up on Cilliza, he isn't his Editor or Publisher, and I can guarantee you that a Washington DC newspaper publisher does not want to see Allen out of the race, they stand to benefit handsomely from his campaign money.

They are not going to let their rank and file writers administer any political coup-de-grace that might contribute to their own fiscal detriment.

So Chris has to walk that well-known fine line between journalistic integrity and unemployment.(Please, I'm serious here folks, no snickers from the extreme left OR the extreme right)

So lets all be thankful we have such a well-exposed forum as this blog to present our opinions, and cut "The Fix" a break.

Chris has been on TV lately, (with another Chris)and manages to convey a fairly fair and balanced perspective.

Also, keep in mind, it is not the story he writes that is making this big news, its the comments from all the blogs, this one included, that steers the political winds these days.

While no single posting or poster can be given this distinction, in the sum our our reason, a clear pattern of opinion has been revealed: Mainstream America now knows what only moderate and liberal Virginians knew before; that their Senator Allen is a bigot, a dullard, a drunk and a bully. All thanks to the blogs.

Bloggers unite!

Keep up the good work! Copy some of these posts and paste them onto other blogs, pick your particles for reason and truth and tie them together to form a bigger picture.

Drindl's "Xybernaut" posting is one example of how this works. This current Allen scandal, based on a racial slur, dredges up previous scandals that were clearly never resolved, old proof of the Republican culture of corruption that has faded with the news cycle.

This added information, which is publicly available but patently suppressed by the MSM, provides a peripheral issue insulating effect, surrounding Allen with uncomfortable truths that help keep the bigotry issue in the headlines.

What else do we know, publicly, about Allen that doesn't seem to hit the airwaves or print media?

As with Lieberwar, Delay, Abramoff, Ney and Cunningham, it will be the blogs, not the MSM, that administers the coup-de-tat, and not a coup-de-grace, this is no time for political mercy on our part.

These neocons are awfully proud of their ability to pitch hardball.

Lets see if they can catch.

And don't just go digging for dirt, dig for truth, and if it is dirty, so be it.

JEP

I am surprised that we do not see much discussion of the anti-immigrant tone of Allen's remarks. (At least I haven't so far). He seemed to be making an assumption that the young man was an immigrant - "Welcome to America" and, in some way, not familiar with the "real Virginia" (whatever that means - unrepentant, Confederate flag waving, nostalgia for Jim Crow perhaps?). There is a strong strain of nativism in the GOP, especially in the rural areas. Even if you give him the benefit of the doubt on 'maccaca' (which I do not), he was blatantly pandering to what he assumed (probably correctly) was anti-immigrant feeling among his rural Virginian supporters.

One other point, Drindl and others in here have noted that Allen's mother is French and from North Africa. I have not seen that in press accounts either. Frankly, it seems to be getting minimal coverage

One more:

The truth is, Allen is from the Reich wing of the party, which is a big slice of it...from firedoglake:

'But if you back up and look at the even bigger picture, the Republican party's entire 2006 electoral agenda is based around punishing people for not being white. Republicans on Immigration equals Stop the Evil Brown-Skinned Latino Hordes from Coming Here to Live. Republicans on Terrorism equals Stop the Evil Brown-Skinned Arabs and Islamic Asians from Blowing Up Our Planes and Bridges. Republicans on Ned Lamont equals PLEASE Stop the Evil Black Voters from Banding Together and Forming a Legitimate Threat to Our All-White Boys' Club. The time has come to punch through their codified euphemisms and strike at the truth of their rhetoric. Republicans are melanin-ophobics. '

Just think how all this has been on view lately. The Weekly Standard had a picture of Al Sharpton on the cover --as Stepin Fetchit. Leiberman [de facto R candidate] was railing about how we needed to take back our country from 'the likes of Jesse Jackson and Maxine Waters]-- gee what do those folks have in common?

Allen is no abberation. He is the true face of his party. Why don't you admit it, Chris?

It's unbelievable the depths of stupidity to which repugs can sink. Here's a paper in CT that opines that Ned Lamont is a commie! You know, like his grandpa, chairman of JP Morgan. Terrifying depths of delusion:

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/columns/pressingissues_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002986825

'But that doesn't mean that Ned Lamont isn't a Commie. Here are a few excerpts from the Waterbury paper's Sunday editorial. It's titled "Ned Lamont's True Colors" and I think you can guess what color they are referring to:

"(L)iberal journalists adore him because they share his world view on abortion, homosexual marriage, universal health care, racial quotas, loopy environmentalism and especially the war against Islamic terrorism.

"They are blood brothers, or more accurately, fellow travelers. Just as journalism has become a hornet's nest of socialism (communism not yet perfected), if you shake Mr. Lamont's family tree, a lot of Red apples will fall.

You doubt it? That's a laugh. How do you twice botch the pronunciation of "mohawk" with a racial slur? He was derisively welcoming the young man to America as well.

You doubt it? I doubt your sense. I doubt Allen's civility and whether he should be a United States Senator, let alone re-elected.

You sound like a really decent guy, JEP. Pleased to meet you.

Allen all over the web this morning. Getting a lot more scrutiny than I'm sure he ever wanted.

Webb's website is a good place to start, if you are looking for a way to help this candidate force one more warmonger, and apparently also a bigot, out of his comfortable catbird seat in the US Senate.

http://www.webbforsenate.com

If you can contribute to his campaign, regardless of the outcome, it would surely be a good way to express your hope for the future of democracy and freedom in our country.

JEP

"Mr. Patterson, the only way we are going to get past the racial barrier is when people like YOU quit dragging up the past sir"

I think Allen's comments suggest this is not a problem of "the past." This patent bigotry is part and parcel of an ongoing and profane subterfuge that dates back to the days of slavery.

What our conservative friend "Magnolia" would like, is for us all to forget those days and, in the process, turn a blind eye to the rippling repurcussions that linger even today, more than 1 1/2 centuries after the conflict that was fought to free all men.

Magnolia represents that last, tiny thread of blind Republican support, held by people who simply can not admit when they are wrong, no matter how desperate the stakes become.

No, Magnolia, until people like YOU stop enabling people like Allen, excusing their spiteful prejudice and lionizing them when you should be disempowering them at the ballot box, the racial barrier you claim to want to "get past" will remain in place.

Until you and your fellow Zombies are willing to wake up and admit you are wrong in supporting these neocon bigots, for ANY reason, racial prejudice will never find an end in this best-of-all-nations.

When you and your fellow conservatives decided we were the "lone superpower" in the world, you set the bar much too high for these "mortal throes."

Magnolia, I believe there is only one superpower in the universe. Our incredible national arrogance only defies that power.

Maybe it is time for us Americans to show some national contrition and humility, instead of national arrogance.

For starters, we could provide the world with food, not fear.

JEP

Perhaps it's time to slice Virginia out of the United States and float it out to the Atlantic..Then they can elect guys like George Allen there President..Chris C. can be the press secretary, bhoomes can be Defense Minister, and KOZ can be Secretary of State...Apparently i'll have to find a spot in there government for this Magnolia character...

oh, fyi:

'Forget "Macaca"; What Does "Xybernaut" Mean? (Hint: Trouble)
Before his first Senate term began in 2000, George "Macaca" Allen (R-VA) sat on the board of a curious high-tech startup called Xybernaut. While Allen was on Capitol Hill, the company imploded -- audits revealed the books were a mess, and the company was in the hole for many millions of dollars. Probes and/or suits have been launched by the SEC, the IRS, and Justice Department prosecutors; investors are suing. Its key execs, backers, even its financial underwriter have come under scrutiny, mostly for hijinks (including nonpayment of taxes) they committed while Allen was supposed to have been overseeing the operation -- and while his law firm billed over $300,000 in work for the company. (American Prospect)'

'He's not even close to Allen either in money raised or in the early polls'

What a shame and a travesty. But that's the South for you. Sorry, Magnolia, you're just too accustomed to tiptoing aruond and forgiving and enabling racism. It's time for a change.

Going to Web's web now to contribute. Maybe he needs a long=distance volunteer, too...

I am gratified that the vast majority of those posting here find Allen's behavior abhorrent. Now, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT:

www.webbforsenate.com

Allen's got about six million dollars in cash on hand, Webb's got about $250,000. A contribution of $25, $50, or $100 WILL make a difference! Let's get Allen out of the Senate so he can have plenty of time to explore the "real America."

Anyone who's really paid attention to Allen-- particularly when he became VA's governor-- knows he is fundamentally mean-spirited, and that nature pops out when he's got his guard down. If this helps torpedo his chances for running for the Presidency, then it's a good thing for all Americans. If you think Bush is bad, an Allen administration would knock your jaw to the floor.

"Strongly doubts"? You're as much of a fool as the voters in Virginia!

Normally, I would agree that is of interest to us hard core news junkies, but the lazy days of summer are upon us and the story is showing some legs. Good Morning America had the story and the video. Youtube is also showing the video. The manner in which he says the term is clearly not mangling the word mohawk, it appears to be a slam. The fact that fits in several times, shows that he is proud of himself for using such a term. I think this story will be around a bit longer.

>>>I don't know if Allen is an racist cromagnon hillbilly

He's NOT. He's a racist cromagnon silver spoon PSEUDO-hillbilly from California.

I don't know if Allen is an racist cromagnon hillbilly (J. Donne suspects he is) but his comments contribute a tiny bit more to THE GATHERING STORM. Argue all you want about jury-rigged districts and America's inherent conservatism, but I'm not buying it. The Republicans are going to lose alot of seats this November. Less than two years ago they seemed invincible.

Chris CIZZILLA writes:
"Whether Allen was simply botching the word "mohawk" (as he and his campaign insisted after the incident) or whether he was purposely using a racial slur (which The Fix doubts strongly) is unimportant. The perception -- especially among political insiders in Washington measuring the mettle of 2008 candidates -- is all that matters."

Where to begin?
1. The Fix "doubts strongly" Allen was "purposely using a racial slur"? I don't even believe you.
a) Reports say Allens MOTHER is French-Tunisisan -- where macaca is a equivalent to "n*gger."
b) Macaca (& sp. variants) is a common racist slur in Aryan/white supremacist circles.
c) George Allen said it THREE TIMES. Did he mis-speak? Mo-hawk-a, ma-ca-ca, ha-ha-ha.
d) He actually met S.R. Sidarth just before making the comments. So he knew his name, knew his accent was American -- yet still used the slam, then played to the crowd, feigning the nickname story.
e) It's classic Jesse Helms campaign method. Use "code" that the "real" America understands. ANY POLITICAL OBSERVER WILL RECOGNIZE THIS (any worth their salt, that is).

Further, your elision of the substance of the issue, to favor the meta question of perception, is also poor judgement. It is IMPORTANT.

What's NOT important is DC Insider perception -- What IS important is voter decision. I'm from Wisconsin, living in Jersey. Republicans may not care. Republicans may revel in exploiting the racist/immigration issue. But the country will knows the shame.

Either way, insider perception is irrelevant. Sorry to, you know, insist on the American Way and all.

Is this where I drive the point home? Cizzilla, hmm -- 'Cizzilly,' 'Zilly' -- sounds like 'Old Virginny' -- 'Old Ginny' -- 'Guinea' to George Allen.

Still think it doesn't matter?

Me neither.

Please bookmark:

www.wsws.org
www.takingaim.info
www.onlinejournal.com
www.michaelmoore.com

Challenger casts Lynch as next Lieberman

By Brock Parker / Massachusetts Daily News

Westwood Democrat Phil Dunkelbarger is hoping to capitalize on the upset defeat of Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman last week.

Dunkelbarger is trying to unseat U.S. Rep. Stephen Lynch, D-9th, and much like the strategy of Lieberman-challenger Ned Lamont, Dunkelbarger is aiming straight for his opponent's support for the war in Iraq.

"I think it's a very uncomfortable position for him," Dunkelbarger said of Lynch. "He's no dummy. He understands that he is out of step (with voters)."

Dunkelbarger is criticizing Lynch's 2002 vote supporting President George Bush's bid for war in Iraq, and Lynch's June 16 vote against immediately withdrawing American troops from Iraq. Lamont used a similar campaign tack in his successful bid to upset Lieberman, a former candidate for vice president, in Connecticut's Democratic primary last week by 52 percent to 48 percent.

"I've been doing this longer than Lamont, but he had the money and he had a different stage," Dunkelbarger said. "We are positioned in exactly the same place that way. Some of his efforts will accrue to our advantage and that is fine."

But Lynch has balked at the comparisons between himself and Lieberman, saying he has voted against Bush 84 percent of the time while Lieberman voted with the president at a 50 percent clip.

Lynch said he voted for the war in Iraq because he received bad information in 2002 that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein posed and immediate threat to the United States. Knowing what he knows now, Lynch said he would have voted against the war.

Lynch also says he would support a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, but it must be a deliberate withdrawal that safely hands power over to the new Iraqi government.

"Congressman Lynch is one of the very few members of Congress who has put forward a plan that would create the conditions that would allow a safe, speedy and orderly withdrawal of our troops," said Lynch spokesman Matt Ferraguto.

Dunkelbarger said he supports a bill by U.S. John Murtha, D-Pa., that calls for the redeployment of U.S. troops out of Iraq. Dunkelbarger said he believes a civil war has erupted in Iraq, and that it is not up to the United States to resolve the internal conflict.

"It's unconscionable to me that we'd leave out troops in the middle of that," Dunkelbarger said.

Dunkelbarger insists his entire campaign is not based entirely on the war in Iraq, and he said voters can read more about his stance on other issues at his Web site, www.DunkelbargerDemocrat.org.

But the candidate doesn't let the conversation veer to far from the war in Iraq, which he believes will be the focal point of voters as they head to the polls Sept. 19 for the Massachusetts Democratic primary.

"There are issues even more important than the war," Dunkelbarger said. "I'm realistic and I know that is the way the decision is going to be made. So with 30 days left, we're going to stay on message."

Come on Chris. You doubt he intended to use a racial slur? First off, he said it twice, meaning he clearly intended to use it and it wasn't something that just "slipped out." Second, how often have you or anyone you know accidentally referred to someone by a racial slur multiple times? The term Allen used is a fairly obscure epithet, but it is well known in white supremacist circles. Allen couldn't just outright refer to him as a "sand n----r," so he opted for a more subtle reference that he knew his audience would understand but most people would not. The fact that Allen is familiar with such words is disturbing in and of itself. I think it's obvious to anyone who has read up on George Allen that he is a virulent racist. There are just too many "odd coincidences" in his life regarding race. He "bucked authority" in high school by displaying the Confederate flag on his car and lapel. He had a "western motif" in his office that just happened to include a noose hanging from his tree. He just "happened" to have a Confederate flag that was part of a "flag display" he's got. He just happened to paint graffiti to incite racial violence while he was in high school. And he just inadvertently used a racist epithet to describe a Webb campaign worker. Allen's obsession with the Confederacy is particularly disturbing especially when you consider his family has no connection to the Confederacy. But even more disturbing than that is that an open and unreconstructed racist can be considered a serious candidate for President of the United States in the 21st century.

Pardon me, Vienna, I've never supported the Iraq war.

I'm not giving Allen the benefit of the doubt and further because it isn't worth it, and apparently he doesnt deserve it. Though it was nice that Raj agreed that Allen knows better than to use a definitive racial slur in front of a camera.

Allen looks like a total bully and heel and also a very dishonest man.

Before he launches in to the "Macaca" speech, he is telling the crowd how he is leading a "positive campaign".

Sure thing. "Let me positively ridicule this 20 year old lad in front of a guffawing group of sycophants."

Allen also gave another press release where he claims HE gave Sidarth the nickname.

Well, did HE give Sidarth the nickname or was it some nickname his staffers invented.

If he can't be honest about something like this.

-GSD

Ok. Here is another "macaca" going to Jim Webb's campaign and contributing....

I can't really say it better than Eric did a few posts above. Simply put, vote him out. Let's be done with him.

Regarding Magnolia's remarks though, I agree everyone deserves an opportunity to make a mistake once or twice, to err is human right? Unfortunately though the margin for error when one achieves offices of responsibility (i.e. the Senate, or President for that matter) are so much higher. Witness the mess of Iraq. You make a mistake with an intern, not with the lives of patriotic soldiers. Big difference.

I don't know about anyone else but frankly I'm just tired of this force, call them Republicans or conservatives or whatever. Its time for something better.

http://www.indiacause.com/newsletters/nL_040107.htm

Max,

I think Hillary "joked" about Gandhi being a gas station owner in St.Louis. Even if one is not an ethnic indian , such tasteless, puerile humor is offensive; especially coming from a potential American president. If it had come from Dennis Miller or Jon Stewart, it would be regular comedic fare, of course.

I've experienced astonishing "racism", referring to my skin tone among other things, from "broad"minded white liberals for expressing support for gunrights (for e.g I think it would be a good idea to defeat the democratic senators who voted for allowing the govt agencies to confiscate guns -against all commonsense - during emergencies!) Nevermind that I'm a hindu, vegetarian, against hunting for sport, against animal-testing, and for tree-hugging, gas-saving, recycling and so on - MOSTLY by effecting ATTITUDE change, not by government mandates/threats. Its assumed that I must be a republican/white-wannabe etc even before I complete stating my case, and the barrage of racist slurs begins. As I'm an off-the-boat immigrant, its even suggested that I take the next boat "home" ;-) This, from alleged "liberals".

Anyway, I was just making an observation that low-brow behavior has become the norm among all public figures, but the democrats are able to make more hay out of the gaffes of the relatively more blunt-spoken republicans (hows that for stereotyping ;-)). I wasn't "defending" Allen. Hardly.

That was just detached speculation as to how his "thoughts" kind of "slipped" out..just like Gibson and the Jews..under the influence of some juice.

-Raj

One other thing. Remember when the Republicans ranted and railed against "professional politicians." Until many of them chose to ignore their "I will serve no more than __ terms!" pledges.

What is Allen, other than a professional politician that these people hated so much. Anybody know if he ever had a private sector job after law school?

Short-term law partner between Governor and Senator doesn't count.

Why is "Hollywood Producer" supposed to be a knock on Webb? That's a real private sector job, with real bottom line consequences.

There's no sense in quibbling about whether Allen slurred Mr. Sidarth. Allen was playing to the crowd; Siddarth was merely the prop.

Allen's campaign is trying to cover by claiming that he's been nice to Sidarth at other times on the campaign. Probably like the Segregationist Congressmen and Senators were to their African-American help at home. Rhetoric of convenience.

If there is as much vitriol against Allen as there appers to be in these postings, Jim Webb could sure you your help. He's not even close to Allen either in money raised or in the early polls.

George Allen's behavior is an embarassment to every American. It is sad that a state so rich in political heroes, a state so integral to the formation of this nation of immigrants has chosen to hitch its wagon to a bigot. Any Virginian Republican who simply ignores Allen's behavior is a complicit rascist, not to mention completely out of touch with the "America" to which we're welcoming "Macaca"

Mr. Chapman, I will as soon as you can prove to me their are "saintly" democrats. My God, we are people, who make mistakes. Maybe Allen's comments were not a mistake. I dont know. Only he knows. Yes, I know somebody out there was reading his brain and knows exactly what he means. We keep looking for the perfect person on both sides of the aisle, but you know what he/she is not there. That is a democracy, we are not going to agree with everyones views and beliefs, but hating someone b/c of it is just as bad as being a racist. Obviously, I have no respect nor need for any real racist, like David Duke or the many others who we as voters have shamefully elected over the years. Society has no room for racism, but the only way my generation and younger ones will get past it is if those who raise us and teach us quit teaching us how to hate and be racist. Thats a thought isnt it.......And no the Republican Party did not teach me how to hate. And im sure the Democratic Party didnt teach its followers to hate either.

Ok, folks. Hold up a bit. Let's take Senator Allen at his word and believe that he meant to call Mr. Sidarth "Mohawk". Pray tell, exactly how this is better?

Presuming for a moment that Senator Allen somehow confused a South Asian "Indian" from a Native American "Indian", it still comes out as racist. Additionally, it makes him out to be even more ignorant than he appeared to be before this incident.

So, overtly racist playing to what he assumed was an equally racist crowd, or ignorantly racist, without a thought of how his comments would be perceived by the American public.

Not to mention so stupid as to make those comments when he knew he was being videotaped by Secretary Webb's staffer.

Wow. Before this happend, I didn't even know Secretary Webb was a Democrat, nor had I heard almost anything about Senator Allen. Now this race has made front page news out here in Seattle, and the liberal bloggers out here are having a field day.

The Fix asked:

"Does any of the above derail George Allen's chances at being the Republican nominee? No. The reality is that this story is largely playing out inside the Beltway and in Virginia with little echo in places like Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina."

Well, I don't know about Iowa, but Seattle has certainly heard about it!

For some reason my quotes from Raj's post didn't turn up. They were, respectively:

What he said was no less condescending in "spirit" than what Hillary... what with her alleged cosmopolitaniasm and all ;) said about Indians.

Then:

His Tunisian background, and his aides' referring to the youngman's haircut as "mohawk" (probably?) led to this confusion.

Then:

Overall, theres a dearth of men of aristocratic instincts and decency running for public office today. I can't think of a single individual who fits either the Jimmy Stewart or George Marshall (neither ran for public office) mould of decency and commonsense -The quintessential "American" personality - in public life today. Perhaps Richard Lugar comes close?

In response to Raj, who wrote:

Sen. Clinton's said nothing about Indians -- you're thinking of Biden. And I agree, his comment was pretty astonishingly stupid and condescending.

You have a nice imagination, but every attempt to make Allen's slip sound innocuous comes off as desparate. Let me say that I'm a liberal, but I believe all candidates have to be looked at skeptically. I thought very little of the references to Mary Cheney's lesbianism made by Edwards and Kerry in the '04 debates and I wouldn't have tried to spin it away (were I a pundit). This likewise ought not to be spun away, least of all by your explanation which is the strangest to date -- "He had heard the word but the fact that it occured to him when looking at a brown face was entirely coincidental." Or is it, "He didn't know the word, and only the fact that he speaks French and has long been suspected of racism led anyone to assume otherwise"?

Have you taken a close look at Lamont? He strikes me as a transparently good-hearted, sincere, earnest person -- and a really well-spoken one in addition. He's been compared to Jimmy Stewart a number of times, and I think the perceived similarity is more than superficial. (That, or the superficial resemblance happens to point towards something meaningful). Like a lot of liberals I'm also fond of Feingold, Gore, even McCain (though I'd never vote for him), and take them to likewise be sincere.

Something I don't talk much about on-line, but I'm Native American (Blackfoot) and I *know* what it's like to be belittled by some snot like Senator Allen. I worked at a big Oregon high tech firm (think oscilloscopes) from 1998 until 2001. My manager kept referring to me as "chief". It got so bad, several other engneers who worked with me wrote leters to Human Resources. They, of course, did absolutely nothing to the manager. The next round of layoff saw me with a ___ Fellow Award, for outstanding enginner, a patent, ....and a layoff. No, I didn't file a formal discrimination complaint. This was one fo Oregon's largest employers and big contributors to the Bush campaign. It would have been a waste of time. So, I simply let people know what sort of dirtbags run this company and let people know that swine like Senator Allen are walking the streets and otherwise using up space on an already overcrowded planet.

George Allen maybe a 'saavy politician' but sometimes a bigot just can't help himself. It's the nature of bigots and bullies to use others to 'score points' with an audience.

I'm quite shocked, Chris, that you aren't suprised with Allen holding such beliefs, just that you think he was smart enough not to display them.

Being inside the beltway has rotted your brain.

BTW, the story's making the rounds in Texas too.

Oh thanks B2O, come to think of it, it's really both.

Nor brain cells. Case in point "Presidential Candidate" Senator Macaca.

F&B:

"travesty"

Small point but I think you meant simply "tragedy". A "travesty" is a sham or a grotesque parody. As in: "George Bush's approach to defending America - providing a boon to Al Qaida recruitment by attacking countries that had nothing to do with the attack on the US - is nothing but a travesty."

It's a common misuse of the word, one that I've done myself.

The conservatives won't get this, F&B, they don't have this many fingers.

This many dead last week:

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
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What a travesty.

OT:

More Iraqi civilians were killed in July than in apparently any other month of the war, according to Iraqi Health Ministry and morgue statistics, despite a security plan begun by the new government in June.

An average of more than 110 Iraqis were killed per day in July, according to figures from the Health Ministry and the Baghdad morgue. At least 3,438 civilians died violently that month, a 9 percent increase over the tally in June...

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/15/world/middleeast/15cnd-iraq.html?hp&ex=1155700800&en=2ac032da4b5239b0&ei=5094&partner=homepage

110. PER. DAY.

That's THIS many people:

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
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To Magnolia:
Sir, not all republicans are bad,
PROVE IT!!!!!!!!!

I hate the debate about whether "macaca" is a racist word or not. It misses the point. He easily could have said "This fellow here, over here with the yellow shirt, '(common indian name)', or whatever his name is", and it would have the same negative intention. I dont think he meant to use a racist term, but he clearly intended to portray the Webb staffer as a sterotypical indian immigrant who just entered the country in order to pander to his base.

It's not like the man had my vote anyway.

Have been out-of-pocket and just catching up with the Allen's latest antics and Chris's spin.

I'm disappointed in Chris.... but find the outrage from most of the posters gratifying. Hardball just has a report on this incident with accompanying video.

Say "good night" George.

http://whathappenedtomycountry.blogspot.com

Progressives are losing on the values issue because they are unable to frame their values narratively.
The Maccaca-Allen encounter is a narrative that frames progressive values positively.
A US Senator derides his opponent for meeting Hollywood Moguls, for being a creature of the beltway and then makes condescendly racist comments.
Note that Allen keeps referring to Webb as "his opponent," rather than "my opponent."
One might also opine on Allen's inability to speak clearly when he departs from his script.

Robert Chapman
Brooktondale, New York

In vino veritas -- He just had a Mel Moment. He'll have more. Classy.

BTW, Allen called him macaca TWO TIMES. So to try and say that he was saying mohawk but twice got it wrong is total lies. Think this through, he doesn't know the word or that it is offensive, but he uses it twice? So he is racist, incredibly stupid, and a total liar.

A dumb, sexually confused, publicly drunken, white supremacist Senator. You 'conservative' folks sure know how to pick 'em...

Stop playing coy, Chris!

Allen did not botch the word "mohawk". He deliberately used a version of the word "macaque", which is a racial slur used by the French to designate Arabs and Berbers from the Maghreb, and people from Sub-Saharan Africa.

How does he know the word "macaque"? His mother was a Tunisian Jew. Being a French colony, Tunisia was French-speaking. Allen speaks French. He heard his mother use racial epithets against people whose skin color was less than white.

Get it now? And for your information, calling someone a "macaque" is more insulting than calling someone the N... word. If you do not believe me, try calling a dark-skinned person a "macaque" the next time you are in Paris or Marseilles. You won't live to report it.

Allen did not count on the fact that French-speakers (and others) in this country would immediately understand what he meant.

In other words, why do people defending Allen feel compelled to say "ask anyone, they've never heard of it" when all the speaker can really say is that they themselves weren't familiar? I don't live in Jim Crow-ville, for all I know "macaca" is every third word.

Thanks Drindl for u r 4:46pm comment. This brings me to a quote I made some time ago that seems to apply again. [Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river.]

I was pretty sure it was racist code when I first heard this, but what clinched it for me was reading that, for south/west Asians in Jim Crow-ville, this is a pretty well-worn epithet. Read this link and scroll to the bottom:

http://dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/8/15/94735/7232

Well, I guess the message is that violence, sibling beating, and drunken racial slurs are all part of the "family values" of Republican Virginia. Gosh, I wish I were righteous enough to have Republican Christian values like those. I'll just have to settle for being a liberal heathen who tries his best to treat people decently.

One quibble: the Confederate flag referred to as the Stars and Bars is not the one popular among Southern racists and Republican politicians today. That flag (the battle flag with the blue X covered with stars) is different from the Stars & Bars (the Confederate national flag similar to the U.S. flag except with 3 large stripes instead of 13 smaller ones).

Allen may even have said it 3 times. Twice it is very clear and one other time it may have been mumbled. Also, Allen is visibly drunk - note the red face, slurring of words, and also (as someone pointed out above), he refers to Webb as Sidarth's "opponent", which is just nonsensical. Sadly, drunken video tapes never hurt Bush Jr., so this probably won't hurt Allen in the redneck state of Virginia (there's even a town there named Lynchburg).

Check the video for yourself at:
http://www.wonkette.com/politics/george-allen/breaking-news-hakuna-macaca-or-george-allen-puts-foot-in-mouth-and-sucks-hard-194138.php

So long, George. Maybe Tom DeLay can get you a job.

Chris, google "macaque 'racial slurs'." You'll see that macaque is a popular word on the White Supremacist web sites, used to insult both Arabs and all dark skinned people.

Funny thing is that macaque was originaly a French insult, meaning "dirty Arab." So Sen. Allen learned a racial slur at his mother's knee, since Mama was a French-speaking Tunisian.

He also learned "caca" the French baby-talk word for feces, like the English "poo-poo." Easy to elide "macaque" and "caca" into macaca. Though the Tunisian-French dialect may pronounce macaque that way.

Look at the expression on Allen's face when he calls the brown-skinned guy "Macaca". Allen knew the insult he was using, he just thought no one but White Supremacists would get it.

Allen is too out of it to understand the Internet.

Obviously Mr. Allen who speaks French and who's mother is a French Colonial from Tunisia knew exactly what he was saying. Whether or not anyone there got it, he said, and he meant it. There's no place for bigots like that in serious government.

Oh, but wait! The first hint of recognition from the domestic(ated) media that Sen. Allen may have a temper/self-control issue! I almost missed this. Maybe there is a sliver of hope of objective coverage of the man:

"...he must learn to keep his sarcasm/temper in check."

Just what America needs with his finger on the button. A violent, hot-tempered nincompoop.

The Webb staffer doesn't even have a mohawk, so that excuse doesn't work.

Allen's racism probably helps him with the Republican base, but you are right on about two points; clearly this guy is not ready for prime-time and a loss to Webb would be crushing. I think much more should be written about Allen's racism. Still I think the GOP is much more likely to nominate an Allen type than a McCain-Rudy "centrist" type.

Mr. Allen's "slip" isn't nearly as illuminating about his true feelings of race and diversity as was his half-baked quasi-apology. When anyone apologizes and qualifies it by saying "if that offended anyone..." they only show that they really don't understand the big picture and have little intent of trying to understand it. Please, spare me the false sorrows. Either mean it or don't respond at all.

Conservatives, look at it this way. If this sinks Allen's presidential aspirations, that's one less candidate who will be begging you for money over the next three years.

Allen stepped in keep caca by calling an Indian man a "macaca". It's obvious Allen used the word as a slur, even if he didn't know exactly what it meant -- he knew it was derogatory to call another person that name.

Anyone who defends Senator Caca on this must be co-signing his KKK re-enlistment.

GUILTY. GUILTY. GUILTY.

Incidentally, on the "Mohawk" defense... the Post editorial says this:

"...Mr. Allen twice referred to Mr. Sidarth as "Macaca" -- is within the bounds of decency on the campaign trail?"

Yeah, I can see trying to say Mohawk and it coming out instead as a word that just happens to be a slur for those of dark color. And then doing it all over again. Just by accident. Sure.

Macaca is a French slur that Allen probably heard his French mom say growing up. He meant exactly what he said. Is that so hard to believe?

"It isn't a common term in the United States at all, and even in some European cities where it is used, I've read that it is generally used in regard to blacks, not Indians."

Peter, to a good-old-boy Republican in Virginia, one dark-skinned person is the same as another. They's feren, that's all. Case in point was Karl Rove's phone campaign before the SC primary in 2000, whispering to voters that John McCain had a "dark-skinned baby". He did - a child he and his wife had adopted from Bangladesh. But the targetting and the message was "darkie". That's all redneck GOP base voters need to know.

As it turns out, it's one of those 'code words' that the white supremacists and neo-nazis use to identify each other.

Has it occurred to anyone in the credulous mainstream media that Allen was trying to slip "Macaca" under the radar? Ie, code that the rednecks would understand, solidifying the California pretender's status as "one of us", while hopefully not raising a stir among the moderates?

Oops, didn't work George. Maybe the America you "welcomed" the Fairfax-born Siddarth to, has grown up and no longer has tolerance for your brand of racism.

Sounds to me like peter's had a lot of practice defending stances the Iraq non-policy to critics, so he's merely applying these tactics to what was obviously a defining and revelatory moment for Allen.

Well Tony, around the blogosphere the wingers are now saying that Bush is actually a 'liberal' which is what they call all failed conservative policies. If something fails, it must be 'liberal'. Even the Iraq war is now called a 'liberal war' if you can believe their self-delulsion. It's frightening to watch.

Chris, how can you be so obtuse: "whether he was purposely using a racial slur (which The Fix doubts strongly) is unimportant."?

George Allen speaks French, and learned the word "macaca" (<macaque) from his mother, a French colonist in Tunisia. "Macaque" was commonly used by French colonists to deride indigenous North Africans much in the same way that English imperialists used the word "darkie."

George Allen knew exactly what he was saying in appealing to an all-white crowd in what he thought was a backward hicktown in SW Virginia!

and the fact Allen says it TWICE -very distinctly - indicates it isn't some butchered version of mohawk. Maybe Allen is the presidential candidates for people who think Geirge Bush is too open minded and bright.

MIKE---perhaps forgivable if it was a one time gaffe..With this guy though it's all part of a pattern..Can't seperate this episode from the confederate flag he seems to love..Racially insensitive is one thing, but being a true racist is another..Isn't it time for a change??

CHANGE! What a beautiful word.

You're right to suggest that this will go away provided Allen doesn't make further dumb statements. The people who say things like this, however, never stop with just one. Allen is a mortal lock to keep making offensive, insensitive remarks, because they are in character for him and eventually they will spill out of his mouth. I would guess that people who give money to Republican Presidential candidates, however charmed they are by the remark itself, will realize that this guy is not national candidate material.

What he has already accomplished is providing us with ample reason to hope James Webb beats him like a borrowed mule.

Is there anything more pathetic that the Washington Post's head-in-the-sand pretense that Jennifer Allen, George's younger sister, didn't write a book ("Fifth Quarter") detailing Allen's repeated violence and abuse of his siblings and their friends?

Gotta keep in good graces with the powers that be. Oh for the days when we had an independent media.

Pink, the media hasn't been liberal for 30 years. That's one of the Big Lies perpetrated by the rightwing, in their culture of victimization.

Oh lawdy, lawdy, our folksy prez...

"The United States of America is engaged in a war against an extremist group of folks.."

LOL or I would be if he wasn't so terminally, relentless, hopelessly stupid and allegedly, the president. Every time I hear him open his mouth I want to weep for my country. My God how low we have fallen.

Perhaps the man's subconscious, subliminable(;)) racism spilled out; wonder how many other republicans and democrats alike are merely "suppress"ing it rather than blab out in a public forum like Allen did. What he said was no less condescending in "spirit" than what Hillary... what with her alleged cosmopolitaniasm and all ;) said about Indians. Its obvious that even Allen wouldn't be that indiscreet as to use a term which he knew for sure to be racist, on camera. His Tunisian background, and his aides' referring to the youngman's haircut as "mohawk" (probably?) led to this confusion.

Overall, theres a dearth of men of aristocratic instincts and decency running for public office today. I can't think of a single individual who fits either the Jimmy Stewart or George Marshall (neither ran for public office) mould of decency and commonsense -The quintessential "American" personality - in public life today. Perhaps Richard Lugar comes close?

Anyway, as an off-the-boat "macaca" myself, I am not even personally offended by the Allen's use of that word. He's dismissed rather on the grounds of being intemperate and ungenteel - conduct unbecoming a man running for the job of a "wise old man" -("senator" shares the same root with "senile"/aged). Ironically, I even considered contributing to his campaign once.

As a tidbit, The young fella's name Sidharth - was the Buddha's "real" name.

-Raj

I'm still looking for the liberal media. The past couple days I've checked approx. 30 Newspapers and this IS nationwide. There is/are very little difference that can be noted. Where is it? Someone please tell me.

Mr. Patterson and other replies to my post:
With all due respect sir(s)/madame(s), I was making a point that only white, male republicans are called out as racist when they have a "slip of the tongue" or actually mean it. My point was made when one poster made the point that Mr. Steele was not singled out for his comments about the holocaust. I never said what George Allen said was right or that I supported it. I tend to think the best of people, not the worse, so I would hope that it was just an honest mistake on Sen. Allen's part, but maybe not. Maybe he meant it. And if he did, then your right, we have no place for him in American Politics. Being im only 20 years old, and just began covering politics in the last five or so years, I was not aware of Newt's comments, because im guessing he made those before the 1994 election? Correct me if im wrong. And, no, Hillary's comments did not dominate the news. Maybe on Rush, Hannity, or Fox News, but not in the Post, NY Times, NBC, etc. As a southern, white, male conservative it offends me greatly when people (like you Mr. Patterson) accuse me of being a racist "right wing zombie" because I am not. I have friends of all ethnic backgrounds, work with people from all ethnic backgrounds, go to school with people of all ethnic backgrounds. Mr. Patterson, the only way we are going to get past the racial barrier is when people like YOU quit dragging up the past sir. What would my generation know of racisim and bigotry if we did not talk about it, and those older than us did not teach it to us. Yes, it is our history, a very dark part of our history and one we must pay respect to and teach the history. Not teach the racism and bigotry that accompanied those dark times. Sir, not all republicans are bad, not all are good, and the same with democrats and independents. But for you to lable me a racist and "right wing zombie" from a post I made questioning the reason why only a few are singled out for making stupid and dumb comments, sir that makes you the racist and bigot. I welcome any response you have to this post. Good day, sir.

I dunno, could it be that Allen is just showing that he's as dumb as a lot of us have always figured him to be? Maybe his ever-present smirk is less about his confidence and more about his ignorance? To the extent that this incident raises that question in people's mind, it is valuable. Otherwise, it's just slow news week around here.

The writers here who are focusing on the "welcome to America/Virginia" comment are exactly right. Even without the macaca/mohawk comment/confusion, the fact that Allen assumed and pointed out to the rest of the crowd that his opponent's staffer must be an immigrant plays on the fear mongering, "they're not like us - look out" stategy that has been so successful for GBW and his cronies. He should be extra ashamed considering that this man attends the same school (UVA) as Allen did - they'll be attending alumni events together!

I just accidentally landed on the most repulsive blog called Blackfive. Really ugly stuff. The rightwing is america is really quickly turning into ghouls and nazis. This post was called 'On the virtues of killing children'. Which is a great idea, apparently, if they're this evil creature called 'The Enemy'.

Listen, Chris, this is a club Allen and quite a few other republicans belong to. When will you stop giving them a pass?

'He went out and chose this identity for himself, both the 'cowboy' and the Confederacy-lover. That alone is weird enough. His fascination with cowboy culture is starting to look a little Village People, maybe even a little Brokeback Mountain.'

Yeah, agreed. The same as George Bush. He only bought his so-called 'ranch' becuase Rove thought it would be a good fashion accessory for Junior's presidential bid. The man rides around in his golf cart and his terrified of horses, with his brand-new boots and too-big belt buckle... I don't think any of 'em realize how truly Village People they are, how stereotypically gay. Or maybe they do.

All I know is, republican men got some serious manhood issues.

Three points:

One, I'm surprised and disappointed by The Fix's assertion that it is "unimportant" if U.S. Senator George Allen used a racial slur when addressing a minority member of his constituency.

Two, if The Fix is willing to tell us what explanation it "strongly doubts" then I would be very interested in hearing what explanation it does not doubt.

Three, even if Senator Allen did mean to call him "Mohawk" why did he mean to call him that, or more to the point why did Allen's campaign staff give the guy that nickname? Considering the fact that pictures of him don't appear to show a mohawk and he has described his hair as being a "mullet" (which you would assume a Virginian senator and his staff would recognize), I think there's a real possibility that he got this nickname because he's of Indian descent. Get it? Some funny Allen staffer thought it would be funny to nickname the young (Gandhi) Indian guy after a haircut identified with Native American Indians.

just remember magnolia that newt used the term plantation to describe the way the democrats ran the house of representatives before he became speaker. hilary was just returning the compliment. unless of course, you're just totally horrified that newt would used the expression plantation since it horrified you when hilary used it.