BASH: Just a few months ago, the Virginia Republican held a double digit lead. That has vanished. Now he's at 46 percent, Democrat Jim Webb, 50 percent -- a statistical dead heat, according to CNN's new poll conducted by Opinion Research Corporation.
ALLEN: This fellow over here with the yellow shirt, macaca or whatever his name is.
BASH: Most trace Allen's plummet in the polls to this moment, what sounded like a racial slur aimed at a Webb aide.
BASH: In all candor, is it because of what happened over the summer?
ALLEN: Look, I majored in history. Talk to your political consultants and political science folks.