The story right now is George Allen.  And no, Allen's racism won't lose him the election. 

However, Harris Miller doesn't need to do anything right now.  In fact, as far as it relates to the flyer why make an issue of it when no one else is except for the RTD and the Allen campaign (excuse me, I repeat myself)?

In the unlikely event that the Allen campaign is able to recycle this old story, the facts are as follows:

1. Jim Webb does not have a history of being anti-Semitic.
--That's also reason #2, #3, and #4.

That's the crucial difference between the Webb and Allen stories right now.  It doesn't hurt that Jim Webb isn't anti-Semitic.

The RTD may try to recycle this.  But the RTD is the RTD.

I can also tell you what Harris Miller is likely to say "I found the cartoon offensive.  I think it was a mistake.  I also believe Jim Webb will make a great Senator". 

I can tell you what Jim Webb's response is going to be--"the intent of the cartoon was not to offend or denigrate anyone.  I apologize if anyone takes offense to the cartoon--that was not the intent."

Both guys are already on record on this.  If anyone picks up this story it won't be the mainstream press.

If someone does, I think the Webb campaign should hit them with a libel suit.  Allen's history and the video tape do not give Allen the same type of legal cover. 

While it sounds like a good idea, if Miller more or less says the cartoon was "ok" he'd basically be admitting that he played the anti-Semitic card.  Obviously that's a bad idea, so as JP says, he'd probably just issue a soft statement backing his original position and then say he supports Webb and thinks that Allen is a racist.

Besides, I've seen a number of very good refutes of the cartoon argument around the blogosphere today.  Nothing against Harris, but he isn't needed here.  The Allen supporters arguments are weak and those arguments are being torn apart as quickly as they appear.

No one is talking about Webb.  Their railing against Allen.  Why distract them?  Mr. Miller, your silence is perfect.

Let Allen stew in the soap he has made for himself.

I voted no on this.  I think bringing Miller into this prematurely is unneccessary.  It's all Allen, all bad, all the time in terms of the VA senate race for the past 36 hour news cycle.  Webb camp is getting free press without doing a thing but emailing the WaPo, and providing a video upon request for verification.

I also think we can count on Miller to do whatever he can to defeat Allen, so I don't feel I need to call on him.

All bad on Allen all the time is fine for the short run. At some point, we need to get some mileage out of this in spotlighting Jim Webb's greatness.

The negative publicity for Allen doesn't necessarily win votes for Jim; it could simply result in fewer voters coming out to the polls, and Allen would still maintain advantage- only on a smaller scale.

We need to make sure that this negativity about Allen's racism stirs parts of the electorate to come out in support of Jim that might otherwise stay home.

The great thing about keeping Allen's quote in the news is that every time it comes up, the media is obliged to add something like this:

Allen has been accused of racial insensitivity before. He wore a Confederate flag pin in his high school yearbook photo, used to keep a Confederate flag in his living room, a noose in his law office and a picture of Confederate troops in his governor's office, but has said he has grown since then. WaPo

The effect of Allen's list of racist displays might be diluted if the coverage also added that Webb campaign made the one bad decision to distribute that cartoon.

By the way, why is no one outside of RK reporting that Allen's mother is French?  His vocabulary is so limited, but that fact would indicate might have heard the word before.

I think I even saw the French mother reference on Fox of all places.  It took a little longer for the MSM to pick it up, but it's good to see that they are starting.  That reference IS an important piece to the puzzle.

I do know that Harris is a good democrat and will do the right thing if necessary. I don't believe he's the type of person to do anything to hurt his party--after all he's been faithful to this party for a long time.

But I said at the time that making that charge was going to hurt us in the general election.  Some posters in the various comment sections of the blogs have in fact tried to dredge that up.  I certainly saw it on Black Velvet Bruce Lee, which is usually over the top anyway. 

Of course the biggest difference is that the racist remarks currently gaining attention came from Allen's own mouth, not the pen of a known caricaturist.

Also, many Jews came to Webb's defense at the time.  I have yet to see any people of color rush to defend Allen.  And finally, Allen has a nasty history of sending mixed signals on race, which Webb does not.

He made a very gracious concession speech and endorsed Webb without reservation. He sent out an email to his supporters asking them to support Webb energetically and without reservation.

It is my understanding that the Webb campaign has not asked him to do anything. I have heard from several of my fellow Miller supporters that their offers of help met with unreturned phone calls.

Frankly, I don't think Miller should say anything. I think this is working fine.

I just would like Miller to be on watch if the media starts mentioning Webb as an anti-semetic, or if Allen starts calling Webb anti-semetic later in the year.

It was the fredrickburg paper that first brough up the anti-semetic nature of the cartoon.

...they pushed this for over a week until the frederick paper bought it.

Why doesn't Miller just come out and say "The cartoon was actually a rather accurate drawing of my face, when viewed from that angle. I was insulted by the cartoon, but in hindsight, it really wasn't anti-semitic. Siddarth, on the other hand, was called a racial slur in front of an all-white crowd. politics is a contact sport, but there's never an excuse for racism and bigotry."

If he says Jim Webb wasn't responsible for the cartoon he's a) full of crap. Jim Webb is responsible for everything his campaign puts out, and b) reinforcing the idea that the cartoon was anything but a tracing of miller's face.

The story is about Allen and as long as it stays there, there is no reason for Harris to say anything. If the Webb people ask him, Harris will do it. Harris has just returned to Virginia.  He had been out of the country. I had a drink with him on Friday.