Posted on 09/27/2006 7:42:34 AM PDT by truthandlife
One of Virginia's best-known political analysts said he had never personally heard Sen. George Allen use racial epithets, despite saying on television a day earlier that the senator "did use the n-word."
Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, said Tuesday in an e-mail to The Associated Press, "I didn't personally hear GFA (Allen's initials) say the n-word.
"My conclusion is based on the very credible testimony I have heard for weeks, mainly from people I personally know and knew in the '70s," Sabato wrote.
Sabato, a classmate of Allen's at the University of Virginia in the early 1970s, said Monday on MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews" that he knew Allen had used racial slurs, but declined to say whether he had witnessed them.
Allen, a Republican who had been mentioned as a presidential contender and is now fighting an unexpectedly difficult race for a second U.S. Senate term, had said through a campaign aide that Sabato's claim was inaccurate.
"We're obviously glad that Mr. Sabato clarified his comments," said Dick Wadhams, Allen's campaign manager. "We remain committed to trying to dispel these erroneous stories that have been out there."
Also Tuesday, Allen's Democratic opponent, Jim Webb, declined to say definitively whether he had ever used a racial slur to describe blacks.
"I don't think that there's anyone who grew up around the South that hasn't had the word pass through their lips at one time or another in their life," Webb told reporters.
Webb referred to his novel, "Fields of Fire," which aides said includes passages using the n-word as part of character dialogue. But he added: "I have never issued a racial or ethnic slur."
Asked for clarification of his original answer, spokeswoman Jessica Smith quoted Webb as saying, "I have never used that word in my general vocabulary or in any derogatory way."
She declined to say whether he had ever used the word apart from when he wrote his book.
Allegations of racial insensitivity by Allen dating to his high school days in California have become a major distraction for the senator since August, when he called a Webb campaign volunteer of Indian descent "macaca." The word is considered a racial slur in some cultures.
On Monday, a former football teammate of Allen's, Dr. Ken Shelton, said he heard Allen frequently use a common slur applied to blacks among white friends while in college. Allen called the claim "ludicrously false" and released statements from four other ex-teammates defending the senator and rejecting Shelton's claims.
Also in interviews with the AP and Salon.com late Sunday, Shelton claimed that on a hunting trip to Louisa County in 1973 or 1974, Allen stuffed the severed head of a female deer into the oversized mailbox of a black household near Bumpass, Va., 40 miles east of the university.
But in interviews Tuesday, two Louisa County sheriff's deputies who were on the force in the early '70s said that they recall no complaints about severed animal heads.
Retired Lt. Robert Rigsby said he was in charge of investigations in the early '70s, and any such report would have gone through him.
"I think that's a myth," Rigsby said.
I wonder how many Democratic Senators, and Democratic candidates for Senator, have used the "N" word in the last 20 years.
Gee, I wonder if Hillary has used the "N" word in the last 20 years, or, for that mattter, the "K" word (disparaging reference to Jews).
This whole issue is the height of hypocrisy. As Pat Caddell, my favorite Democratic strategist because he's resonable, said on Hannity last night, the public is getting sick of it.
These are serious allegations!
"Key Webb campaign staff and advisors include:
U.S. Senator Bob Kerrey served Nebraska as a U.S. Senator and as Governor. During the 1996 and 1998 election cycles, Senator Kerrey was the Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. He will serve as Webb's campaign National Finance Chair.
Steve Jarding is a highly respected political strategist who engineered Virginia Governor Mark Warner's victory in 2001. Jarding has also worked with U.S. Senators Bob Kerrey and John Edwards. He will serve as Senior Campaign Advisor to Webb.
David "Mudcat" Saunders is a longtime veteran of Virginia politics. Saunders played a key role in VA Governor Mark Warner's win in 2001. He will serve as Senior Campaign Advisor to Webb.
Jessica VandenBerg has worked on numerous successful campaigns, most notably General Wesley Clark's 2004 campaign. VandenBerg managed the key primary state of Oklahoma, the only state General Clark won during the primary. VandenBerg continues to advise General Clark. She will serve as Webb's Campaign Manager.
David Smith is a Partner with the media firm GMMB in Washington DC. Smith worked with Senator John Kerry to win the Democratic nomination for President and currently advises the campaigns of U.S. Senators Byron Dorgan, Ron Wyden and Kent Conrad. He will serve as media consultant to the Webb campaign.
Susan DiLiddo Michaels is a Vice President with the media firm GMMB in Washington DC. DiLiddo Michaels worked with the campaign of Virginia Governor Mark Warner in 2001. She will serve as media consultant to the Webb campaign.
Peter Brodnitz is a veteran of several successful Virginia campaigns, most notably Virginia Governor Tim Kaine's victory in 2005. Brodnitz is also the pollster for Representative Rick Boucher (D-VA) and served as pollster to L.F. Payne's 1997 campaign for Lt. Governor in Virginia. He will serve as Pollster for the Webb campaign.
Liz Reiter is a seasoned Democratic operative. She most recently worked for Virginia Governor Tim Kaine's campaign in 2005 as Scheduler. In 2004, Reiter worked for Senator John Kerry's campaign for President. She will serve as Scheduler for Webb.
Kristian Denny Todd is a highly experienced communications professional and veteran of several Democratic campaigns. Denny Todd has worked on the campaigns of U.S. Senators Ernest "Fritz" Hollings, Patty Murray, John Edwards and Bob Graham. She will organize the communications operation for the Webb campaign and will handle direct mail.
Lee Diamond is a seasoned grassroots organizer active in Northern Virginia politics. Diamond is a veteran of many successful grassroots campaigns. He will serve as Volunteer Coordinator for the Webb campaign.
Joe Stanley is a highly experienced graphic web designer and SW Virginia democratic activist. Stanley has worked on many Democratic campaigns both in Virginia and New York and is the Chairman of the Franklin County Democrats in SW Virginia. He will serve as Web Designer for the Webb campaign.
Kevin Druff is a highly skilled database administrator and computer programmer. Druff most recently worked for Virginia Governor Tim Kaine's victorious 2005 campaign. He will serve as Database Administrator for the Webb campaign.
Paid for by Jim Webb for U.S. Senate"
That's a start. I've got to get some things done. BBL.
About three weeks ago, I attended a lecture by Larry Sabato at UVA, on the morning before the first home football game (this is why UVA football will never be bigtime, most fans tailgate, UVA fans attend academic lectures...). Anyway, Sabato is an excellent speaker and gave a fine talk, making little jabs at politicians on both sides of the aisle. But he spent much more time attacking George Allen than any other politician. Some of this is obviously explained by the fact that it was the Virginia Senate race. But it wasn't just the amount of time he spent, it was also the personal nature of his words. You could tell, Sabato hates Allen. I mentioned this to some other people after the talk, because I had no idea up until that point, but we were left with the same conclusion about that. Sabato said Allen was dumb, that he was given the quarterback job at UVA because of his daddy, and that the "macaca" episode was just the tip of the iceburg. It is that last one that I didn't think much of at the time, but now seems more significant. He said he had so many stories he could tell, at least implying more substantial racist speech that he had witnessed, since he attended UVA with Allen. Now that I see a handful of former UVA students come out with this racist charge against Allen, then Sabato join in to back them up in a somewhat dishonest way (implying initially that he witnessed the event), I almost wonder if Sabato didn't play a role in organizing this whole thing. He absolutely hates Allen and wants to see him lose this race. As much as I like Sabato, the fact that he would insert himself into this race in such an underhanded way at least leaves me wondering if he might have engineered it.
Sabato may actually be the scumbag behind this whole thing.
You're right. My father used the word. He was an uneducated and bigotted man. I still loved him. My mom was also bigotted, but she never used the word. Ever. She was just too refined. I don't remember it widespread at all. It was a bad word you used in reference to someone.
Hey freespirited, your find was mentioned at NRO The Corner this morning! Good work! I'm sure it will be making its way around the blogosphere today. Just a matter of time before Dr. Shelton is completely debunked and humiliated.
Yes and as Dick Morris said last night clinton's remark about reporters who delve too far into areas they don't belong will be treated even worse. Came off as a threat not to dare go personal with hillary.
Will Matthews have Sabata on to report that he really did not hear what he said he heard. He is a liar by his own admission. What part of what he says now and forever does one believe when Sabato opens his cake hole?
I smell McAwful and Ickes etc in this attempt to smear Allen....right out of their playbook.
See reply #58. Coincidence? I don't think so.
In addition to supporting a Democrat through financial contributions, which Salon acknowledges, evidently Shelton didn't tell Salon of his role in starting Tobacco Free For Life.
Why that might matter is because Allen opponents have criticized the Senator for being friendly to the tobacco lobby. Senator Allen, (R-VA), has accepted a whopping $33,000 from tobacco political action committees in just the 2005-2006 election cycle. Thats more than any other member of congress has taken from the tobacco companies in the past year.
Tobacco Free for Life (TFL) is a grass roots volunteer coalition of educators, health care professionals, survivors and victims of tobacco-related illness, and concerned individuals. Our mission is to prevent and reduce underage tobacco use through education, awareness and community efforts on a "cost free" basis to the youth and community of Henderson County.
TFL started in 1996 by Dr. Ken Shelton of Hendersonville Radiological Consultants and is currently operating out of an office on the Pardee Hospital campus. Pardee Hospital Foundation acts as TFL's fiscal agent and provides TFL with 501c3 nonprofit status.
Why would he desire to lay his reputation on the line to lie for a liberal?
My guess? Sabato was a student-government geek at UVA and probably is still jealous of the handsome quarterback George Allen. Revenge of the Nerds, so to speak. Old grudges die hard. He just couldn't help himself. Hate held over for 30+ years can do that to you.
He's appointed himself Judge, Judy, and Executioner!
"People from the 70's?" Now there's a reliable source.
That casual observer does not often read clarifications on page A-16, but he or she may still vote.
The damage is done, and even if he is eventually completely cleared of doing something 30-some years ago, he is no longer safe and clean and reliable as a candidate, which he was only two months ago. He may not have had name recognition like McCain, but he also did not have the negatives of McCain.
Mark Fuhrman got crucified for using that word in character dialogue. Look at what's happening to the Pope for QUOTING a dialogue.
I call on Webb to remove himself from the races immediately.
he was given the quarterback job at UVA because of his daddy
He could be right about that. It happened a lot in those days. But football players had to pretty much make it on their own or they wouldn't make it. I taught there for awhile and I had athletes tell me that they got few concessions. For example, they had to take a language first year five days a week like everyone else. And take all the other required courses at the time they were required. I flunked a football player who didn't show up for class. When I gave the coach my reasons, he said fine. Athletics were secondary to academics in those days. I don't know about now. So, in other words, if Allen couldn't do the work academically, he would not have graduated. He is bright enough.
Morris says he's been a Republican since the late 80s, he just crossed over to work for Clinton.
Libel suit
I could never run for office.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.