I agree, Allen on "macaca" (which no one had really heard of before) was eerily similar to Mr. Trent Lott on "President" Thurmond. Both showed a lack of ability to think on one's feet, as you said. But Lott may be able to skip back a little. Allen ran one of the worst campaigns that I have read about. People here all predicted he would cream Webb, but from the start I feared the Webb nomination.
Lot was simply saying something nice to a very old man. Republicans acted disgracefully toward him. Kicking him out over that gained them NO respect, NO friends, and not one black vote.
Allen was able to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. I'm surprised he didn't make majority leader.