Allen on Damage Control After Remarks to Webb Aide

[cal04]

Sen. George Allen on Tuesday sought to contain the political damage from remarks he made to a Fairfax County man that dredged up charges of racial insensitivity -- allegations that have dogged him for years as governor, senator and now presidential hopeful.

Despite a quick apology Monday, criticism poured in about Allen's use of the word "Macaca" to address a volunteer for the campaign of his Democratic opponent, James Webb, and also about another Allen comment, "Welcome to America." Democrats, left-wing bloggers and civil rights groups called him "insensitive" and "racist," while some conservatives called him "foolish" and "mean."

The question was fiercely debated all day: Was "Macaca," which literally means a genus of monkey, a deliberate racist epithet or a weird ad-libbed word with no meaning? And what was Allen trying to say by singling out the young man of Indian descent?

(snip)
"There are very few issues in American politics that are more sensitive than race. Senator Allen has just plunked himself down in the middle of it," said Geoffrey D. Garin, a leading Democratic pollster. "Allen's comments take him back to a place he was trying to escape from."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/15/AR2006081501210.html

[wanpete]

1. "his remarks take him back to a place he was trying to escape from"

huh? I guess his true colors have come shining through. You cannot escape that which you have not left. I hope this mean-spirited, racist comment seals his fate for the senate and for his bid for the presidency. He is exactly what he is and cannot escape that which lives within him.

[babylonsister]

5. Yes, the guy was talking about the man filming him, not his haircut.

He is a racist, pure and simple, and it lives within him. I'm really tired of people like this, and I include dimson in this category.

[MadMaddie]

2. Nothing new....just another Repug bigot.....the Repugs just love to

stick their foot in their mouth....

[JohMunich99]

3. Wasn't he suppose to become President?

Or I mean be a leading candidate in 2008 for the Republicans?

[countmyvote4real]

4. Bummer. That leaves a “moderate” racist/fascist and a bootlicking war hero

Of course, that presumes that the current emperor will resign once his term ends.

[Dr.Phool]

6. Just the same crap as the Christian Coalition pulled on McCain.

"Would you be more or less inclined to vote for John McCain if you found out that he fathered an illegitmate black child"?

He has an adopted daughter from either India, or Bangladesh.

Same shit. Different flies.

[snowbear]

8. Hmmm.

Are you comparing us to the Christian Coalition?

[hedgehog]

7. That was no mistake

He identified the cameraman as a Webb supporter, faced the camera and used the epithet twice. There was no gray area as in the comment Mitt Romney made last week. (We ran that phrase to death and I think agreed that while in some circles it is a reference to a folk tale, in others it clearly is a racial epithet) Clearly Allen was openly pandering to the racists out in the electorate. By apologizing (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) he makes himself acceptable to the people who think radism is impolite while endearing himself to his base.

[citizen snips]

9. And the cameraman introduced himself to Allen

that is what I heard him say on CNN. So Allen choose to go racial instead of using his name.

[snowbear]

10. His comments about "Welcome to America" as he laughed...

... his racist face off were also DISGUSTING!

That idiot seriously needs to ..

[citizen snips]

12. That is the icing on the cake

SC elected Strom Thurman I hope VA does not elect this racist.

[Ninja Jordan]

11. I smell an ad (nm)

[hedgehog]

13. What is it about Republicans that they don't like to have outsiders around

Just the party faithful are supposed to be there to hear what is being said. Allen really resented being followed by a cameraman from the Webb campaign. Clearly there was nothing underhanded about it, Allen knew exactly who the cameraman was and who he worked fro. Maybe that's the problem. Republicans learn about their opponents by searching through their e-mails and offices at night when no one's around.

[threadkillaz]

14. Big Mistaca.

lol.

[wanpete]

15. funny!

:rofl: