Posted on 08/22/2006 5:44:40 AM PDT by areafiftyone
Republican Sen. George Allen, running for re-election in Virginia, can't wriggle out of this one with a Mel Gibson excuse.
The conservative lawmaker was cold sober when he deliberately insulted a young man of Indian descent with a racial slur. The man, S.R. Sidarth, was filming video of Allen's appearance at a public Republican rally in Breaks, Va., near the Kentucky border, as part of his work as a campaign volunteer for Allen's Democratic challenger, James Webb. Candidates of both parties commonly film their opponents' public appearances looking for gaffes and other campaign material.
Sidarth, 20, was apparently the only person of color in the small crowd.
This incident has especially dangerous implications for Allen's future political prospects because it revives his long history of racial insensitivity, which is unfortunate for a guy with presidential ambitions.
Allen, in the course of his remarks, singled out Sidarth and referred to him as "Macaca," adding that he welcomed him to America "and the real world of Virginia." The expression "macaca" was new to many of us, not a familiar word that trips easily from the tongue.
But it turns out the word is a common racist slur favored by French Tunisians; Allen's mother is of French Tunisian descent. The senator professed not to know what the word meant despite his mother's background.
Few people are buying that, including Sidarth and Webb. The Democratic candidate, a former Navy secretary, said bluntly that he thinks Allen "knew what he was saying."
Sidarth was even harsher. "He was doing it because he could and I was the only person of color there and it was useful for him in inciting his audience," he said. Indeed, the audience laughed at Allen's crude sally.
The Allen campaign, trying to stomp out the furor, explained defensively that the candidate had merely mangled the word Mohawk, a nickname he said his staff had given Sidarth to reflect the shaved sides of his unusual haircut.
Coiffure experts, however, said that excuse didn't work either. His haircut is a molette, a modified mohawk, but not properly defined as one.
To make matters worse for Allen's defense, Sidarth isn't a foreigner who needs to be introduced to Virginia. He grew up in Fairfax County and attended schools there and the University of Virginia. His father is a big Democratic contributor.
Ironically, it is Allen who did not spend his youth in Virginia. He was born in California, detoured to Chicago for eight years and moved back to California as a teenager, as the family followed his famous dad's football coaching career.
It was not until 1971, when his father was named to coach the Washington Redskins, that Allen became a genuine son of Virginia. But he had always been attracted to the notion of the Old Confederacy, driving around in high school in California with a Confederate-flag plate on the front of his car. He posed for his high school yearbook wearing a Confederate pin on his collar.
In his five years as senator, Allen has been a reliable part of the conservative Bush machine; party officials regard him as a logical presidential alternative if Sen. John McCain stumbles in 2008. Of course such a scenario assumes that he first wins re-election to the Senate.
But the sour GOP mood everywhere, even in Virginia, has made it necessary for Allen to concentrate on home base, skipping such early presidential sightings as the Iowa state fair, where several potential rivals were on display last week.
As governor of Virginia, Allen leaned heavily toward the old Strom Thurmond state's rights days. In his 1994 inaugural address as governor, he promised to "fight the beast of tyranny and oppression that our federal government has become." After his election, however, he took down the Confederate flag he had displayed in his living room, disingenuously saying it was merely part of a flag collection.
Allen semi-apologized for the "macaca" remark, saying he was sorry if the young Webb volunteer was offended. But he didn't say he was sorry he said it. There's a huge difference in the sincerity level involved here.
Consider how deliberately Allen used a word unfamiliar to most of us who do not have family roots in Tunisia. "This fellow over here with the yellow shirt, Macaca or whatever his name is, he's with my opponent. He's following us around everywhere." Allen said. "Let's give a welcome to Macaca here."
The video clip shows Allen smiling and enjoying ridiculing the young man. It also shows a man unworthy of becoming president. He's just a bully.
Well it's obvious the Times Union is in the tank for Webb, if it were the other way around, they would be arguing that "Webb's service to the Nation demonstrates that he is above any sort of bias or bigotry."
But put that (R) after the candidates name?
It's SATAN! *RUN* !!!!!
What are Mr. Allen's stances on things such as abortion, islam, israel, china, and federal power?
So if you insult anyone at all, you can't be President? I guess they've re-written the Constitution to include that little caveat.
So who does that leave as an eligible candidate? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
Hard to imagine the Times Union will have a whole lot of influence down here in Virginia.
Its not the Senate seat that the media cares about. It is Allens run in 2008. They are setting up the base to destroy him.
He's still an eligible candidate, but the decision is up to the voters. If this insult turns voters against him, then he won't be picked, simple.
It is a Racial Slur for Arabs. It means the "N" word.
The left should beware of the law of unintended consequences. If they force the issue too hard it will turn and bit them just like the culture of corruption and countless other ploys. It must be sad when all your party has to offer is cheap name calling and we're not Bush. Not a positive plan in sight from the dems.
Allen has basically the same stand as Bush. No different. He's a conservative. But they want Webb to win the seat and they are going to milk this for what it is worth.
Dear George,
As a former constituant of yours may I suggest, if you really wish to be a contender for the oval office, find yourself a hooker .... get drunk with her .... drive past the Washington Press Corp and ditch the speeding auto into the Potomac.
"There are white n*****s. I've seen a lot of white n*****s in my time. I'm going to use that word."
When will ANY liberal paper write a scathing editorial about Kleagle Byrd's racist remark?
He should have known better, in all seriousness.
I never looked at the video. I heard it wasn't very good for Allen.
Yes, we need him to win his Senate seat.
But this is a perfect example of why he's unsuitable as a Presidential candidate.
Oh, Darn, Allen again? I thought that this was going to be about Biden or Clinton.
Mark
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