From the National Review Online, here are Rich Lowry's thoughts on "The Allen Thing," as he calls it. For those who don't know, Rich Lowry has been editor of the conservative National Review magazine since 1997.
Two thoughts:+óGé¼GÇ¥I find it hard to believe that he was trying to speak a coded racist language with his listeners. I do, however, think Allen has a mean streak that showed here. If you are going to single out a 20-year old kid working for an opposing campaign, you better do it with a real light touch that seems to have been lacking in this case (I haven't actually seen the episode, because You Tube is down).
+óGé¼GÇ¥An experienced politician operating at this level is simply not allowed to make gaffes like this. Yes, some of the commentary might be unfair; yes, the media coverage might be over-blown, etc., etc. But this is a blatant unforced error, and to make a mistake with the slightest tinge of race about it is doubly damaging for Allen. This will be in the backs of the minds of Republican primary voters for a long time to come.
As if that's not bad enough, conservative commentator Jonah Goldberg posts the following letter from a "conservative Republican" reader:
Jonah,I think the macaque controversy is a little overblown. Biden+óGé¼Gäós 7-11 comment was much +óGé¼+ômore offensive+óGé¼-¥ if the media is going to keep score
Having said that:
I would like to state for the record that as a conservative Republican I don+óGé¼Gäót trust George Allen. He+óGé¼Gäós the GOP+óGé¼Gäós own Hee-Haw version of Howard Dean in terms of anger and flying off the handle. You could tell he really meant the slur and he was seconds from blowing his top. I+óGé¼Gäóm an all out red-state conservative that prefers Bush+óGé¼Gäós Marlboro man act to John Kerry+óGé¼Gäós trendy, florescent, and sissy windsurfing. However, Allen+óGé¼Gäós NASCAR Joe act is very strange. He did grow up in a southern California wealthy neighborhood & high school, his dad was a big-time college football coach, and his mother is from French heritage. One could argue it sounds a lot like George W Bush+óGé¼Gäós pedigree. Yet, Allen comes across not with +óGé¼+ôcowboy charm+óGé¼-¥ but as a redneck bully w/ dip between his teeth. I urge everyone to read the New Republic cover story that was published back in the early summer. This guy obviously has some weird fascinations with the south, the confederate flag, and pick-ups. He has a mean, high school jock, streak that+óGé¼Gäós evident in this short clip and the TNR cover story of his past. I+óGé¼Gäóm not suggesting this disqualifies someone from the White House. I just don+óGé¼Gäót trust the guy. Even Allen+óGé¼Gäós sisters description of her brother seems to boil down to one thing, mean.
Wow. With friends like that among his fellow conservatives, George Allen doesn't need enemies - "liberal" or otherwise. Time to push the panic button, Dick Wad(hams)?
Lowell Feld is Netroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign. The ideas expressed here belong to Lowell Feld alone, and do not necessarily represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors, staff, or supporters.
And he can hardly claim that he was just reacting to the Webb campaign for an unfair tactic in sending a tracker to follow his campaign because he, in fact, has done the same thing since the Webb/Miller primary. Since he's done it too, he can't cry foul for it.
But to single out a young volunteer for that kind of public ridicule, racist or not, is plain mean.
I think Americans hate mean. They hate bullies. That more than the racism is what might come back to bite Allen in the end.
Just like the "kick their soft teeth down their whiney throats" quote, this will stick. And too much more of this stuff will reach a critical mass in voters' minds. And that will be more damaging than a temporary charge of racist that fades from the memory before Labor Day.
I think that, more than the racism, is the meme that should emerge. Allen is a mean bully. Americans hate mean bullies.
But the kind of stuff a fellow traveller wrote is plain ugly:
as a conservative Republican I don’t trust George Allen. He’s the GOP’s own Hee-Haw...You could tell he really meant the slur...[Hi]s NASCAR Joe act is very strange...Allen comes across...as a redneck bully w/ dip between his teeth...This guy obviously has some weird fascinations with the south, the confederate flag, and pick-ups. He has a mean, high school jock
This sounds like a great soundbite for an add.
Wadhams, Matalin and LaCivita must be going through the roof waiting to unleash their Swiftboats on Webb.