It is great that there has been a lot of press coverage on George Allen+óGéĽGäós insulting and arrogant remarks to S. R. Sidarth this week. Here is part of an e mail that I got from the Webb campaign on Thursday:
Virginia Election News. 1
Allen Quip Provokes Outrage, Apology (WP) 1
George Allen's America (WP; Editorial) 4
Opponent criticizes Sen. Allen remarks aimed at volunteer (AP) 5
Webb campaign aide made Allen's target (RTD) 5
Allen comments create storm (Daily Press) 6
More coverage: basically everywhere in the media, here are a few other choice links: Raising Kaine, TMP, other stories. And keep an eye out for Keith Olbermann+óGéĽGäós coverage on +óGéĽ+ôCountdown+óGéĽ-Ą on MSNBC.
Please do everything that you can to help keep this in the news and in the media by forwarding on to people who you know all of the positive media coverage that is helping Jim Webb regarding this!
We also have to know what GOP Neocon leaders are doing and saying to try and defend George Allen and his irresponsible comments. Below is what Rush Limbaugh and The National Review are saying in their efforts to try and defend Allen!
I also cross posted this post with comments and with more links on my blog on Gen. Wes Clark's Community Network website:
Please forward this on because you have to know what is being said to try and defend Allen (as well as the positive press coverage for Jim Webb) in order to run the best possible campaign against Bush rubber stamp and leading 2008 GOP Presidential candidate George Allen!
Mitch Dworkin
http://www.securinga...
Listen to Gen. Wes Clark fight for Dems on Sean Hannity's radio program:
An excellent example for all of us to follow and what we all need to be doing to help fight against extreme right wing Neocon smear propaganda which will help our local candidates to win their races!
http://securingameri...
Gen. Wes Clark's endorsement of Jim Webb against George Allen
--------------------
Drive-By Media Savages Allen, Ignores Dems
August 16, 2006
BEGIN TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: The Washington Post is attempting to destroy George Allen, and I consider this a good sign in terms of why. They must fear George Allen as a serious Republican presidential possibility. I love George Allen. I like him. I like his family. He's just one of the most decent, down to earth, solid individuals that you'll ever meet, and the Washington Post is trying to destroy him over a comment that he made at a public appearance. Just won't let go of this, and the whole Drive-By Media is now on this, trying to portray this guy as some sort of a racist pig. I want to discuss this and use some audio sound bites to illustrate a few things that the Drive-By Media missed. Let's go to the audiotape. This is August 11th in Virginia, a portion of Senator George Allen's remarks to S. R. Sidarth, Jim Webb staffer who is following him and taping him. Jim Webb's his opponent. It's audio sound bite #9, and then after that we'll do #10, then after that #11, then after that #12, and after that 13, and then after that we'll go to 14. So basically cuts nine through 14 on tap here, starting first with Senator Allen.
ALLEN: We're going to run this campaign on positive, constructive ideas, and it's important that we motivate and inspire people for something. 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, and it's just great. We're going to places all over Virginia, and he's having it on film, and it's great to have you here. You show it to your opponent because he's never been there and probably will never come, so it's good... His opponent right now is actually with a bunch of Hollywood movie moguls. We care about fact, not fiction. So let's give a welcome to Macaca here. Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia.
RUSH: All right. All right, now, "macaca," that's the word, and everybody is now debating, "What did he mean? Macaca?" Now, "macaca" is a word for monkey. Well, all you have to remember is Howard Cosell when you hear that. Allen was on Good Morning America today talking to ABC correspondent. Well, actually, this is a montage of the ABC info babe Jessica Yellin's report on Senator Allen, and she declares here that macaca "will haunt George Allen for years to come."
YELLIN: George Allen is considered a Republican superstar, a safe bet to keep his seat in the Senate and a serious presidential contender.
RUSH: There you go.
YELLIN: But how quickly presidential and political fates can change. It happened at a campaign appearance. The senator used a little known racial slur, "macaca," to apparently mock a man of Indian descent. Literally macaca describes an Asian monkey. But in Europe and some immigrant communities in America, macaca is used as a racial slur. It's not the first time Senator Allen has been accused of racial insensitivity. As governor, he issued a proclamation praising the Confederacy without mentioning slavery. In the age of the Internet, you can be sure the gaffe will continue to haunt Senator Allen for years to come.
RUSH: Hell, who needs the Internet, Jessica? We can count on you to do it! We can count on you and ABC and the Washington Post to do it! Just stick with me on this, folks. Macaca, in immigrant communities in Europe and some immigrant communities in America is used as a racial slur. Allen says he meant to say "Mohawk," that the guy reminded him of a Mohawk, even though he doesn't have a Mohawk haircut. The point is, it's absurd and ridiculous to make such a big deal out of this, and it's being done. You just heard her say it: "serious presidential contender." The Washington Post is out to destroy George Allen. They want to keep him out of the Senate, and they certainly want to derail any presidential aspirations that he has.
Now, as for this business that as governor he issued a proclamation praising the Confederacy without mentioning slavery, Byron York weighed in on this today at National Review Online. "In all the controversy over George Allen's use of the word macaca, commentators and news reports are bringing up the senator's alleged fondness for all things Confederate. It's not surprising but it's useful to remember that the Confederate issue stirred up a few months by a long New Republic article mostly disappeared after the Richmond Times-Dispatch looking into why Democrat James Webb had not criticized Allen over the New Republic piece. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported that Webb himself has expressed deep reverence for the Confederacy.
"In May, the Times-Dispatch published an article, 'Webb Speech Praised Confederate Army.' In 1990 the Senate hopeful spoke of forbear's sacrifices, then discussed a speech Webb gave at the confederate memorial in Arlington National Cemetery on June 3rd, 1990. The entire text of the speech is available at Webb's website. It's worth reading," and Byron then lists some excerpts here. Let me just give you the last paragraph:
"I am compelled today to remember a number of ancestors who lie in graves far away from Arlington. Two died fighting for the Confederacy -- one in Virginia and the other in a prisoner camp in Illinois, after having been captured in Tennessee. Another served three years in the Virginia cavalry and survived, naming the next child to spring from his loins Robert E. Lee Webb, a name that my grandfather also held and which has passed along in bits and pieces through many others, such as my cousin, Roger Lee Webb, present today, and my son, James Robert, also present."
So they're out there ripping Allen to shreds for praising the Confederacy and not mentioning slavery, and they're wondering how come Webb hasn't zeroed in on that? Because Webb has done the same thing. But you didn't hear Jessica Yellin mention that, did you? No, you didn't. Let's go to Mr. Macaca himself saying that George Allen met him before made the comment, should have remembered his name, was on CNN this morning with correspondent Andrea Koppel, asking how he felt about Allen calling him Macaca.
S. R. SIDARTH: I was disappointed that someone like a senator of the United States would use something completely offensive. He shook my hand. He also is very good with names, legendarily. He tries very hard to learn people's names when he's meeting them.
RUSH: Does this guy sound like he's on the verge of tears? I didn't see this. Dawn, you're a woman, you know tears. Does he sound like he was crying? No? Did he sound hurt? Okay, he's just trying to sound intellectual. That's S. R. Sidarth who is stalking Allen on behalf of his opponent James Webb. Now, let's go back to the archives, shall we, ladies and gentlemen, for some comments Democrats have made that conceived scant attention, and never was it said about any of these people that due to the Internet, these comments would haunt these commentaries for years to come. First one, Hillary Rodham Clinton, January 3rd, 2004 in St. Louis.
HILLARY: I love this quote. It's from Mahatma Gandhi. He ran a gas station down in St. Louis for a couple years. Mr. Gandhi, you still go to the gas station? A lot of wisdom comes out of that gas station.
RUSH: Okay, so Mahatma Gandhi, pumping gas in St. Louis. Pumping gas -- nothing against gas pumpers. Sometimes people do it themselves. I don't. Well, I did the other day. Told you about that. Moving on, let's go to March 4, 2001, on Fox News Sunday, Senator Robert Byrd.
BYRD: There are white niggers. I've seen a lot of white niggers in my time, want to use that word. We just need to work together to make our country a better country and I'd just as soon quit talking about it so much.
RUSH: Well, don't recall anybody in the Drive-By Media being concerned about the Internet's ability to keep that comment alive for years to come. And recently, Manchester, New Hampshire, June 17th, ranking Democrat, US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Joseph Biden.
BIDEN: In Delaware, the largest growth of population is Indian-Americans, moving from India. You cannot go to a seven eleven or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not kidding.
RUSH: Oh, yeah here's a compassionate, open-minded, not bigoted Democrat meeting a man of Indian descent in the airport, and insulting the guy by saying all the Indians in Delaware are in 7-Elevens and Dunkin' Donuts and unless you go in there with an Indian accent, you don't have a chance. If it weren't for the EIB Network, we wouldn't be exposing this to you over and over again as the Drive-By Media will do to George Allen. The Washington Post has done two days on this. One of my staff is Spanish and informs me that the word "macaca" in Spanish means "clown." Well, I can see why that would hurt somebody. In an immigrant community, yeah, call somebody a clown. That's worse than calling somebody a white N-word. I guess that's far worse than making fun of Mahatma Gandhi and other Indians pumping gas in St. Louis.
BREAK TRANSCRIPT
RUSH: That would have been the '92 campaign, right? Called Clinton and Gore a couple of bozos, and the Drive-By Media -- you can't call people "clowns," I guess, bozos, macacas, what have you. Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen. This is this sort of surprising, from Grinnell, Iowa. (story) "Senator John McCain said yesterday that there is lingering resentment among some Republicans because of his primary fight in 2000 with George W. Bush. Those feelings may complicate his decision whether to seek the presidential nomination for 2008, said McCain," of the media in Arizona. "'If I run,' he said, 'and we'll decide that early next year, there's a lot of work to do,' McCain said as he began a two-day visit to Iowa which traditionally holds lead-off cauci in January of presidential election years. "'Here in Iowa there are parts of the party where there's still lingering resentment over the bitterness of the 2000 race.'
"In 2000, McCain skipped the Hawkeye Cauci and opened his campaign with the New Hampshire primary. He beat Bush there, but the Texas governor overtook him in later primaries and South Carolina was a very feverish battleground." Hasn't decided? He may not run because of this? This is the first I've heard of this. May not run. Let's review, shall we, what the resentment is over. Senator McCain describes this resentment, this lingering resentment. Some of the resentment is due to Senator McCain's attacks on the religious right. There are a lot of people that resent Senator McCain's authorship and sponsorship of the Campaign Finance Reform Act limiting free speech. There are people with lingering resentment over Senator McCain's attacks on tax cuts. There are some people with lingering resentment over Senator McCain's role in the Gang of 14 regarding judicial nominations, and there's some suspicion and resentment aimed at Senator McCain over his coziness with the Drive-By Media. So if we're going to talk about resentments out there, bitterness or what have you, best to get it on the table. Kittery, Maine, and Dennis. You're up next on the EIB Network. Hello.
CALLER: Hi, Rush. Long-time listener, first-time caller.
RUSH: Thank you, sir.
CALLER: And I think Senator Allen is -- he really -- I think he's got himself in big trouble here, because a more blatant ethnic slur, I don't think I've heard in a long time. Right out in public, at a campaign, he singled out an individual of ethnic descent and uses a word Macaca, an American. He almost changed languages to take a shot at this guy and I think he deserves whatever he gets. He just opened himself up for all sorts of shots with liberals.
RUSH: Well, are you liberal?
CALLER: No, I'm a conservative Republican.
RUSH: Well, then he's opened himself up to shots from you, too.
CALLER: And conservatives as well, as of this point, at least one.
RUSH: Well, I met another when I was up there.
CALLER: Who uses the word Macaca?
RUSH: I am not --
CALLER: Who uses that word?
RUSH: I am not going to defend Senator Allen on this. I never heard of the word before.
CALLER: No. You gotta go out of your way to use that word.
RUSH: I'm going to tell you something. I have two thoughts on this. There is no sense of proportion here, which is what I attempted to illustrate here with sound bites of outrageous, insensitive comments made by Democrats, and they do it all the time, and they get away with it. In fact, Senator Biden, after that slur against Indian people, he went on some television -- I guess it was MSNBC, and the info babe said, senator, could you explain this? And he mouthed whatever his explanation was, and she smiled and she batted those eyelashes, and she said, thank you for straightening this out. And it was over, it was done, no big deal.
The second point I want to make is that I think, as one who's in the free speech business, I think this society is so wound uptight about words and things that it is gone to the point of being ridiculous, and especially when the criticism is so out of proportion. You know, let people say what they say and let the chips fall as they may and so forth. But what this is doing far more than that. This is an attempt to totally destroy somebody over this, and as somebody who utters words 15 hours a week, I'm especially sensitive to this, and the same thing has been tried against me over the course of the now 18-plus years that I have been doing this.
We're way too sensitive, way too wound up over a whole bunch of things that really don't matter. For example, this is something that just really blew me away. I'm watching CNN. We played these sound bites for you. I don't have time to get them now. Don't worry, Cookie, I can handle this without the sound bites. Played a couple sound bites between Anderson Cooper of CNN and some guy for the New Yorker, and they're talking about Hassan Nasrallah, the head honcho of the Hezbos, and they are just marveling at his open anti-Semitism. They're talking about how "interesting" it is. Now, this is a terrorist. This is a man who has killed his own people by strapping bombs on them and sending them out to blow up Israelis. This is a man who was a known, proud, admitted terrorist, and they're marveling at his anti-Semitism, and they're openly curious about why he's so up front about it.
Because obviously it makes it much tougher to support him if he's so anti-Semitic. At the same time, Mel Gibson was being excoriated, buried, wiped out for a drunken spiel after being stopped by a cop, asking a cop, "Are you a Jew? Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world." Shortly after that, a guy goes into a Jewish center in Seattle and blows people away, and nobody wants to call it what it is, "Ooh, he recently converted to Christianity. I don't think we should jump to conclusions on this." So of these three instances, who do we destroy? Who do we try to destroy? Mel Gibson! For words uttered when he was inebriated! Meanwhile, a terrorist is pondered curiously about his anti-Semitism and real acts of anti-Semitism are not called that. I think we're way too hung up on words here and we don't get serious enough about actions that are truly damaging, dangerous, and detrimental.
END TRANSCRIPT
Read the Background Material...
(NRO: Allen, Webb, The M-Word & the C-Word)
(NB: MSM's Selective Outrage: ABC Claims Macaca to 'Haunt 'Allen for Years)
(NB: WashPost Front-Pages Allen 'Macaca' Comment for Second Day)
(WP: Allen on Damage Control After Remarks to Webb Aide)
(NB: Washington Post Editorial Distorts Alleged Allen Slur)
(HotLine: A New Explanation For "Macaca?")
(AP: McCain: Resentment Remains in 2000 Race)
*Note: Links to content outside RushLimbaugh.com usually become inactive over time.
------------------------------------------------------
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Wednesday, August 16, 2006
ALLEN, WEBB, THE M-WORD, AND THE C-WORD [Byron York]
In all the controversy over George Allen's use of the M-word, commentators and news reports are bringing up the senator's alleged fondness for all things Confederate. That's not surprising, but it's useful to remember that the Confederate issue, stirred up a few months by a long New Republic article, mostly disappeared after the Richmond Times-Dispatch, looking into why Democrat James Webb had not criticized Allen over the New Republic piece, reported that Webb himself has expressed deep reverence for the Confederacy. In May, the Times-Dispatch published an article , "Webb speech praised Confederate army; In 1990, the Senate hopeful spoke of forebears' sacrifices," that discussed a speech Webb gave at the Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery on June 3, 1990. The entire text of the speech is available at Webb's website, and it is worth reading. Here are some excerpts:
This is by no means my first visit to this spot.
The Confederate Memorial has had a special place in my life for many years. During the bitter turbulence of the early and mid 1970's I used to come here quite often. I had recently left the Marine Corps and was struggling to come to grips with my service in Vietnam, and with the misperceptions that seemed rampant about the people with whom I had served and what, exactly we had attempted to accomplish. And there were many, many times that I found myself drawn to this deeply inspiring memorial, to contemplate the sacrifices of others, several of whom were my ancestors, whose enormous suffering and collective gallantry are to this day still misunderstood by most Americans+óGéĽ-Ş
I am not here to apologize for why they fought, although modern historians might contemplate that there truly were different perceptions in the North and South about those reasons, and that most Southern soldiers viewed the driving issue to be sovereignty rather than slavery. In 1860 fewer than five percent of the people in the South owned slaves, and fewer than twenty percent were involved with slavery in any capacity. Love of the Union was palpably stronger in the South than in the North before the war +óGéĽGÇĄ just as overt patriotism is today +óGéĽGÇĄ but it was tempered by a strong belief that state sovereignty existed prior to the Constitution, and that it had never been surrendered. Nor had Abraham Lincoln ended slavery in Kentucky and Missouri when those border states did not secede. Perhaps all of us might reread the writings of Alexander Stephens, a brilliant attorney who opposed secession but then became Vice President of the Confederacy, making a convincing legal argument that the constitutional compact was terminable+óGéĽ-Ş
And so those of us who carry in our veins the living legacy of those times have also inherited a special burden. These men, like all soldiers, made painful choices and often paid for their loyalty with their lives. It is up to us to ensure that this ever-changing nation remembers the complexity of the issues they faced, and the incredible conditions under which they performed their duty, as they understood it+óGéĽ-Ş
I am compelled today to remember a number of ancestors who lie in graves far away from Arlington. Two died fighting for the Confederacy +óGéĽGÇĄ one in Virginia and the other in a prisoner camp in Illinois, after having been captured in Tennessee. Another served three years in the Virginia cavalry and survived, naming the next child to spring from his loins Robert E. Lee Webb, a name that my grandfather also held and which has passed along in bits and pieces through many others, such as my cousin, Roger Lee Webb, present today, and my son, James Robert, also present+óGéĽ-Ş
When Allen Embarrassed Webb, WashPost Buried on B2
Posted by Tim Graham on August 16, 2006 - 09:03.
When the Democrats think they have embarrassed Sen. George Allen, it's front-page news. But what about when Allen's camp think they have mightily embarrassed Democrat opponent Jim Webb? One example came in a debate in late July, where Allen showed that Webb didn't know as much as he should about the state he's running in:
At a debate Saturday in Hot Springs, Allen surprised challenger James Webb by asking what he thought of [Craney Island], never mentioning the planned [cargo] terminal. Webb, who is making his first run at office, was forced to admit he didn't know what or where it was, causing Allen to get a chuckle out of the audience when he said, "It's in Virginia."
Tim Graham's blog | 59 comments | read more
Categories: 2006 Congressional | Virginia | Washington Post
WashPost Front-Pages Allen 'Macaca' Comment for Second Day
Posted by Tim Graham on August 16, 2006 - 08:16.
The fall campaign period for The Washington Post has clearly begun, as the Post has judged Sen. George Allen's "macaca" remark to be worthy of the front page again on Wednesday. This installment notes that "Democrats, left-wing bloggers, and civil rights groups called him 'insensitive' and 'racist,' while some conservatives called him 'foolish' and 'mean.'" The story ends by quoting National Review editor Rich Lowry from The Corner yesterday saying Allen shows a "mean streak." But there's more proof of the double-standard on demeaning Indians. On January 7, 2004, Sen. Hillary Clinton apologized for a bizarre joke about how Mahatma Gandhi ran a gas station in St. Louis. The Post buried her apology on page C-3 in the "Names and Faces" gossip column, with just 200 words:
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton apologized yesterday for joking that Mahatma Gandhi "ran a gas station down in St. Louis." The New York Democrat made the remark Saturday at a fund-raiser in St. Louis for Senate candidate Nancy Farmer while Clinton was introducing a quote from Gandhi. Many in the crowd of 200 laughed, and Clinton said: "No, Mahatma Gandhi was a great leader of the 20th century." She then quoted the Indian independence leader as saying: "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win."
Tim Graham's blog | 22 comments | read more
Categories: 2006 Congressional | Virginia | Washington Post
MSM's Selective Outrage: ABC Claims Macaca to 'Haunt 'Allen for Years
Posted by Mark Finkelstein on August 16, 2006 - 08:02.
We all remember how the MSM climbed all over Hillary Clinton when a few years ago she thought it was funny to claim that Mahatma Gandhi "ran a gas station down in St. Louis." Or more recently when she made her "plantation" remark.
And of course we recall the liberal media saying it was a career-ender for Joe Biden to have said "you cannot go to a 7-Eleven or a Dunkin' Donuts unless you have a slight Indian accent. I'm not joking,"
Or not.
Mark Finkelstein's blog | 16 comments | read more
Categories: Hardball | ABC | Chris Matthews | Good Morning America | Immigration | Jessica Yellin | MSNBC | NBC | Political Scandals | Race Issues
Craney Island = Allen scores a debating point in a debate that was not open to the general public, covered on broadcast networks, and which occured in an area well out of the DC metro area. Webb also scored some points as was stated in the article. Sounds like a Virginia metro story to me. I was sad to see that the story didn't make the front page of the metro, but it definitely wasn't national news (and the Post is a national paper).
Comparison
Sitting senator with long history of racial insensitivity makes racially charged remark AND is CAUGHT ON TAPE.
How often does that happen? Sounds kind of significant to me.
8/15/2006
The manufactured controversyFiled under: Virginia politics , Dumb stuff , 2006 Senate campaign by Chad Dotson @ 10:41 pm
What a complete joke.
RCP on “The Phony Racial Incident”:
Watch the video for yourself. It is pretty clear, at least to me, that Allen is good naturedly ribbing a guy who is following him around and harassing him. The reason for him being singled out is not because the Webb volunteer, is non-white, but rather because the guy is following Allen around, unwanted, trying to catch him on film in an embarrassing incident.
Do you honestly mean to tell me that if Sidarth was just there all alone, among a hundred people Allen would have singled him out because of his ethnicity? Gimme a break. The guy was singled out because he is there unwanted, filming.
James Webb has a lot of things going for him that many Democrats do not have, but stooping to cheap racial tactics isn’t helpful and it is not smart politics in Virginia. He’d be better off sticking to the issues.
Eirishis on “Much Ado About Idiocy”:
First of all, it is NOT the end of the Allen campaign. “Macaca”, or something that sounds like it, could be interpreted as a racial slur. But in order for people to be offended by it, they must have a prejudged view of the word used. 98% of the Virginia electorate doesn’t have a preconceived notion that ‘macaca’ is a slur; even if you tell them that it is, they aren’t going to have a visceral reaction against it. And visceral reactions is the only way you get significant, immediate movement in the polls. This won’t have a major effect on the current election, and will be a footnote to Allen’s presumed run for the White House in two years.
Second - people on the left, calm down. He used a word that sounds like a racial slur, yes, but that doesn’t mean that he meant it that way. The video plays MUCH kinder to Allen than the transcript reads, and the footage makes the Senator look downright playful. He looks into the camera. Allen is many things, but he is not politically stupid, especially on the stump. If he knew the phrase he was using was an ethnic slur, there is no way he makes the comment when he knows he is on camera. I really believe that the blogs/pundits who are portraying this as a “shuddering” statement are overplaying their hand to the point where they are bordering on “guilty by geography”, as Lewis Grizzard famously termed faulty accusations o racism against Southerners.
Tim Graham, at The Corner:
[T]his George Allen thing, put at the tippy-top of the WashPost front page today, is aggressive Democratic media bias in action, a glaringly obvious Webb for Senate ad. Six years ago, the Post virtually campaigned for Chuck Robb, with color photos of Robb and his wife and family splashed on the front page. They’re obviously doing it all over again in this cycle.
Please consider the contrast here: in early July, Joe Biden joked before a C-SPAN camera that “you cannot go into a Dunkin Donuts of a 7-Eleven unless you have a slight Indian accent.” Conservatives had a little fun with it, but said: a harmless slip, but if a Republican ever did it, the media would have a much different standard. That day is now. Washington Post coverage of Allen? Hyped on the front page, and a very tendentious staff editorial to boot.
Washington Post coverage of Biden? None. Not in the paper.
Yeah, Allen is a local candidate, but shouldn’t the post have mentioned the Biden thing in passing, at some point? Nope, because that doesn’t score political points for them.
The Hotline:
The death-knell for Republican candidates in Northern Virginia has been the active hostility of the Washington Post. Usually, a GOP candidate can neutralize the problem by neutralizing the Post — not alienating the beat reporters and keeping the editorial page from beating the snare drum.
Two signs today that the Allen campaign has seriously angered the Post. First, there’s the A1 placement of a story that is arguably interesting and compelling but not earthshatteringly newsy….
The Post is ganging up on George Allen. Certainly, a videotaped alleged slur from a candidate is more relevant than an alleged anti-semitic flyer from another, but the disparity in attention is so wide as to suggest that a media framing device is at work. It’s not necessarily a political bias; it’s a conflict bias; it’s a bias against complacency; it’s a bias toward Northern Virginia and its values.
The upshot here is that Jim Webb (D) is a free media candidate. He’ll never raise enough money to properly introduce himself to Virginia voters. His campaign’s strategic goal is to drive up Allen’s negatives and then, when everyone is paying attention in October, allow the currents in the media to carry Webb to the shore.
From the same post, there’s this:
Wadhams, in a phone interview, suggests the battle lines are drawn and quartered. “The Post took a pass on the anti-Semitic flyer that Webb made and in fact the editorial writer for the Post told me yesterday there was nothing anti-Semitic about that flyer. It was premeditated and Webb even admitted looking at and approving that before it went out. They did not write a peep about that incident,” he said. “There is an institutional bias against Senator Allen at the Washington Post. It is probably even more pronounced now because he keeps winning and they keep opposing them. This was something I anticipated from the very beginning. They’re in Webb’s hip pocket. It’s going to be a reality we face in this campaign.”
Wadhams pointed out that he is familiar with “hostile” media. The Denver Post “might have well have operated their printing press out of the Tim Strickland headquarters,” he says of Sen. Wayne Allard’s 2002 race. And “The [Sioux Falls] Argus Leader was [for Tom Daschle],” he says of John Thune’s campaign.
“We have beat those guys every time and we’re going to beat them this time.”
Mark Levin:
Allen has been an excellent senator, and he was an excellent governor — which gives us significant insight into how he would govern should he become president. Nothing about him suggests any kind of discriminatory instincts. Yes, the libs will blow this out of proportion. That’s what libs do, as they sanctify Robert Byrd “the Conscience of the Senate” and tolerate all kinds of racism and anti-Semitism from their ranks.
Riehl World View: “Washington Post Distorts Alleged Allen Slur”
As Webb likely can’t get elected for his experience or positions, perhaps race baiting sensationalist fodder for an all too politically correct America is the only real hope he has.
This sums it up pretty well:
This whole episode is MACACA! I read the whole article and no one involved, not one person, know what macaca means. The world has become so sensitive that people are offended by words that no one knows the meaning of.
Finally, Kate O’Beirne:
The front page headline “Allen Quip Provokes Outrage. . . ” and the editorial (”George Allen’s America” no less) represent a pro-Webb two-punch. Who exactly was outraged by Allen’s putdown? The Webb campaign and its volunteer. The silly editorial irrelevantly points out that the offended Webb partisan has “an excellent academic record” and “is thinking of applying to law school.” Although the bright young man wasn’t smart enough to avoid insulting Virginia voters. He told the Post, “I was the person of color there and it was useful for him in inciting his audience.” He apparently believes that drawing attention to him would reliably rile up the racist Virginia crackers. Whose quip should provoke outrage?
I suppose I’m one of the racist Virginia crackers — since I attended that event, though (un?)fortunately I arrived after Allen’s remarks — who was supposed to get riled up at his presence in the crowd. (I can guarantee that not one single person in the crowd took it as a racial comment.)
Listen, I can buy the sentiment that Allen shouldn’t have singled this kid out like he did. That’s what Allen has apologized for, I believe, and I can see that. Heck, I saw the guy twice that very day; once at an event in Norton (where I introduced Allen) and at the Breaks picnic. He was quiet and polite when I saw him, standing silently in the back with his videotape running.
So yeah, maybe Allen shouldn’t have even mentioned the guy. However, anyone who is suggesting this is racially-tinged is so blinded by their hatred of Allen that they are making no sense whatsoever. It defies logic to suggest that Allen, who knew he was being videotaped, by one of his opponent’s flunkies, would make a comment that he intended as racist. Watching the contortions that lefties are going through to try to make this a racial incident would be funny if it weren’t so pathetic.
Same for the bloggers (who are bought and paid for by Webb, we should mention) who are claiming that the guy didn’t have a mohawk. Here’s his picture:
In my neck of the woods, we call that a mohawk. What’s laughable is that the guy says he has a mullet. Listen, I was born and raised in the mountains of Southwest Virginia, on the Kentucky border. I know what a mullet looks like. That ain’t one.
Also, I can verify that the Allen campaign had discussed this guy’s mohawk hairstyle long before the Breaks event. Before noon that day, prior to the Norton event, they called and told me that “a guy with a mohawk” would probably be there; he had been trailing them at other events. So the campaign had been identifying him by his hairstyle.
After the Norton Town Hall meeting (which was a few hours before Allen went to the Breaks), three people who weren’t affiliated with the Allen campaign asked me who “the guy with the mohawk” was.
—–
When you’re blinded by hatred — or taking cash from Webb — you have little credibility. As such, this is the last time I’ll respond to this nonsense, or even address this manufactured controversy.
Go watch the actual video of the remarks. It’s Allen’s best defense against these absurd charges.
I agree with Dick Wadhams: the battle lines are drawn. We’re fighting against an opponent in this race whose followers are demonstrating the worst characteristics of the Anyone But Bush crowd; they’ll say anything to bring down the man they hate so much. If they didn’t have a terrible candidate in this particular Senate race, we might have more to worry about. As it is, we need to keep fighting the good fight to get George Allen re-elected to the US Senate.
Let’s enjoy knocking their soft teeth down their whiny throats.
A final point: one thing here is hilarious. I love how these people on the left side of the blogosphere — who ordinarily couldn’t care less about my opinion — have suddenly been emailing me and commenting here, desperate to hear my opinion on the matter.
Okay, the comments section is open. Let’s hear it (but keep it within the commenting guidelines).
UPDATE: Sen. George Allen’s statement:
“I’m concerned that my comments at Breaks Interstate Park on August 11th have been greatly misunderstood by members of the media.
“In singling out the Webb campaign’s cameraman, I was trying to make the point that Jim Webb had never been to that part of Virginia – and I encouraged him to bring the tape back to Jim and welcome him to the real world of Virginia and America, outside the Beltway, where he has rarely visited. I also made up a nickname for the cameraman, which was in no way intended to be racially derogatory. Any insinuations to the contrary are completely false.
“Yesterday, I apologized to anyone who may have offended by the misinterpretation of my remarks. That was certainly not my intent. On every stop on my Listening Tour – I have talked about one of my missions for this country – to make it a land of opportunity for all. I have worked very hard in the Senate to reach out to all Americans - regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity or gender. And I look forward to continuing to advocate this important mission for America’s future.
“I never want to embarrass or demean anyone and I apologize if my comments offended this young man. Even though he has signed onto my opponent’s campaign, I look forward to seeing him on the trail ahead.”
Permalink | 106 Comments »
Dear Mitch,
Send George Allen a
message. Contribute today!
We know that all Senator George F. Allen wanted to do this week was run away and hide after calling our campaign's volunteer, Sidarth, "macaca."
That's what happens, Senator Allen, when you hurl the epithet "macaca" at another person. That's what happens when you derisively "Welcome to America" a 20-year old Indian-American who was born and raised in Virginia -- especially when you were born and raised in California. And that's what happens when you don't have the guts to apologize to a young person of color you demeaned amongst an otherwise all-white audience.
Unfortunately for Senator Allen, he can't run away from the Virginia voters. Virginians are starting to see Senator George F. Allen for what he really is, and they don't like what they see: In the latest Rasmussen poll released just today, Senator George F. Allen only leads Jim Webb by a 47%-42% margin. Yes, in just one month - before even hitting the airwaves with our TV ads -- our campaign has cut Senator Allen's lead in half, from 10 points to just 5 points! And the senator is under 50%, a danger zone for any incumbent.
Help us keep the heat on Senator George Allen. Send a message that Virginians deserve better. Contribute to Jim Webb's campaign today!
At the beginning of the week, Senator George F. Allen tried to hide behind his handlers and consultants, allowing them to offer their pathetic excuses for his despicable comments (memo to Allen's campaign manager Dick Wadhams: "mohawk" and "macaca" don't sound alike). When Allen finally spoke, he tried to use the old "non-apology apology" trick, saying, "I apologize if my comments offended this young man," effectively blaming his victim for his very own actions. And still, the senator has yet to reach out to Sidarth and personally apologize.
Sorry Senator, that's not good enough.
We've got a chance to get rid of Senator Allen once and for all. This latest Rasmussen poll shows that Senator Allen is in trouble. Even after more than 20 years of incumbency, Virginia voters are leaving him in droves. But with his $6 million war chest, Senator George F. Allen is going to try to bury Jim Webb under the weight of his media propaganda. We can't let him do that.
We can beat Senator Allen, but we need you to turn up the heat on him. Please contribute $100, $50, or whatever you can afford to Jim Webb's campaign today!
Let me tell you what a real leader looks like. This week, Jim Webb laid out a National Security Plan, outlining a strategy for Iraq as well as a broader strategic approach to dealing with the chaos currently enveloping the Middle East.
And what did Senator Allen do this week? He hid behind his handlers and attacked Jim Webb.
Senator Allen should answer the question -- what's his plan for Iraq? "Progress is being made," "stay the course," and "adapt to win" are slogans, not solutions. Our troops, the people of Iraq, and all Americans deserve a real discussion of the issue. Why doesn't Senator Allen have a plan?
Maybe Senator Allen doesn't realize that rubberstamping a President who has no plan, is not a plan of action. Jim Webb laid out a comprehensive and extensive plan for national security in this country. Senator Allen refuses to do so. Senator Allen has no plan for Iraq. He has no plan for the Middle East. Heck, he doesn't even have a plan to keep his own foot out of his mouth.
And like his refusal to apologize to Sidarth, Senator Allen doesn't have the guts to confront Jim Webb directly and debate him on national security, Iraq, or any other issue.
Virginians deserve better. And based on the latest polls, Virginians know it too. Will you make a contribution today to help us rid Virginia of George Allen once and for all?
With just three months to go, you've got Senator George F. Allen shaking in his dude-ranch issue cowboy boots. But we can't get complacent.
Now is the time to seize the upper hand. With the voters of Virginia coming our way, we have to keep the heat on Senator George F. Allen, every second of every day. If you and I along with thousands of Virginians do this, then on the evening of November 7th, we'll be celebrating the election of Senator Jim Webb, from the state of Virginia.
Sincerely,
Jessica Vanden Berg
Campaign Manager
Webb for Senate
P.S. Help us spread the great news about today's latest poll numbers. Forward this email to everyone you know!
Contribute Today!
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Paid for by Webb for Senate, P.O. Box 17427, Arlington, VA 22216.
Contributions and gifts made to Webb for Senate are
not tax-deductible for federal income tax purposes.
Rush Limbaugh gives us the lowdown
Q. Who do you think will be the GOP's candidate for president in 2008?
A. This is the first year I can remember, the first election that there's no acknowledged frontrunner. It's wide open. A number of people think it will be McCain, I hope not. I like George Allen.
Q: Who's your Republican candidate in 2008?
A: Right now I like George Allen. I anticipate the John McCain and Rudy Giuliani talk will die down in the end. But it's wide open. Republicans who win elections are conservatives, though.
"It's early. The danger with mentioning names is that you hurt the feelings of people that you leave out. I'm going to leave some people out because of time constraints, but when I hear George Allen speak, there's a part of me, "Yes, rah-rah."