ANOTHER FRONT PAGE WA-PO STORY!

The Washington Post has another front page story coming out tomorrow on the Allen incident!

Key Quote:

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."

I'm proud of all the Republicans in the blogosphere who have been unwilling to stand behind these vile comments.

UPDATE:  Chad Dotson has his thoughts up.  He focuses on the kids haircut, and supporting the argument that the most disgusting slur possible from Allen's French background was all a big accidental coincidence based on the haircut. 

This argument, instead of a simple apology is a ridiculously dumb move. 

As long as Republicans continue to deny what happened here the story will stay in the news. 

I wouldn't be surprised if this incident doesn't make Virginia History Books- and I'm sad to see my friend Chad on the wrong side of history here.

UPDATE #2-  Perfect response.

UPDATE #3-  According to the Richmond Times-Dispatch ALLEN DENIES THE WADHAMS EXCUSE OF WHERE "MACACA" CAME FROM.

"In his statement yesterday, Allen made no reference to the campaign's initial explanation of the "macaca" comments.

Campaign manager Dick Wadhams said Monday that it was a nickname that referred to the young man's Mohawk haircut. But Allen did not make that claim yesterday.

Allen, whose mother was born in northern Africa, told the Associated Press that he made the word up."

I would be more inclined to believe Allen if he fired Wadhams.  Why?  If Wadhams lied on his behalf on where the word came from, Allen would and should certainly fire him.  If Wadhams issued that statement with Allen's advance knowledge he would certainly not fire him. 

Actions speak louder than words Senator.

Comments

I wish this photo had been out two days ago. It is a new photo of the Webb tracker and it really does look like he has a mohawk.

It is about half-way down this post--
http://vaconservative.com/archives/2006/08/15/the-manufactured-controversy/

[Not Harry F. Byrd, Sr.]

I can just see it now....

Thousands of liberal college students get their hair cut into what will now be known as a "macaca" hairdo in collective outrage.

Can you make Larry S.'s hair fall out so he has a macaca in those alerts?

[James Martin]

'Macaca' - French : racist slang; similar to English 'nigger,' used to describe Arabs.

Golly HFB your ability to defend racists is... well terrible, but you get a honorary nasty point just for trying!

[AFF]

They led the Daily Show this evening with the Allen video

You can see it tommorrow at 8:00 PM

[DukieDem]

Everyone remember to keep score at home: If you have a funny haircut, you are not a real American.

[pvogel]

net you this evening at webb quarters on wilson blvd.
Nancy &Paul sat

[Not Harry F. Byrd, Sr.]

I'm not defending him at all.

That whole mohawk = macaca thing is pure Wadams' spin. Allen hasn't mentioned "the hairdo" connection at all in any of HIS statements and is distancing himself from Wadams' explanation.

Wadams' head got big after he took out Daschle, he pulled out his shotgun on this one without thinking instead of apologizing, and now there are skeletons from Allen's closet doing dances around his boss all over the nation.

Time for Wadams' head to roll.

[Not Larry Sabato]

Daily Show will be back on at 1 a.m. for anyone who wants to see.

[billip]

I love how, in Chad's world, everyone who thinks Allen did anything more wrong than single this tracker out is a crazy biased Webb supporter full of hate.

Of course, he doesn't apply that critique to any of the dismayed Webb supporters. He doesn't mention that Levin is pretty much the only National Review commentator unequivocally defending Allen: he certainly doesn't see fit to question the sanity of THOSE people.

And of course, he has all sorts of inside information on the Allen campaign to the point where it seems like he was litterally involved in the "mohawk" jokes... yet he himself is unbiased enough to accuse everyone else of bias.

Did the campaign refer to this tracker as "mohawk?" maybe. But even if so, for all we know the full nickname was "Mr. Mohawked Macaca" It still doesn't explain how a two-sylable word that starts with a "moh" sound somehow morphs into a three sylable word with a "mah" sound that just happens to be an obscure slang slur in the very particular culture he was raised in.

[Not Chadwick]

Don't you love how Chad tries to turn himself into the victim in that post? Repubicans love the politics of victimhood

[charles]

OK. Chad has a picture of what the guy looked like last week, and he has a mohawk.

NLS linked to a picture over at RK, where the guy does NOT have the mohawk.

So here's the question.

Did RK put up an old picture and pretend it was knew to lie to us, or did the guy get his hair cut (removing the hair in the middle) so RK could put up a picture and pretend he didn't have a mohawk? Or did they just photoshop their picture.

In other words, it is now clear that RK and the webb bloggers are lying to us, trying to deceive us with pictures that are NOT representative of the truth. The only question is why. And I think we know the answer.

I notice that EVERYBODY here is completely ignoring that inconvenient elephant in the room -- the guy HAD A MOHAWK, and the democrats are lying about it.

[plunge]

At least he didn't say "Africans will have sex with anything with a pulse."

"I notice that EVERYBODY here is completely ignoring that inconvenient elephant in the room -- the guy HAD A MOHAWK, and the democrats are lying about it."

I have no idea who is right and what sort of hairstyle the tracker had at the time (it's perfectly plausible that he once had a mohawk and didn't at the event, but Allen's people still remmembered his mohawk). But I do know that MOH HAWK can't, even in the most mealy-mouthed mumble, turn into "MAH KAH KAH," let alone twice. Sorry, not plausible. In the least.

[Not Harry F. Byrd, Sr.]

"Mucaca" and "Mullet" are pretty close.

I used to get those mixed up all the time.

[Not Larry Sabato]

Charles, I saw him tonight. No changes to the hair, I could see what Chad's picture showed- and I could see what the RK picture showed. It's a medium length hair cut like mine- except instead of shaving the back of his head the medium length hair goes all the way down to his neck. It's a goofy haircut- but anyone who thinks it is a mohawk is also goofy.

[furrycat]

People defending Allen with the "haircut" argument are pulling at straws and know it.

Mon- Wadhams claims Allen mangled the word Mohawk. (the defense didn't pass the smell test)

Tue- Wadhams backpeddles furiously. Allen now claims he made up a word on the spot, meaning the "haircut" defense was a lie in the first place.

Tue Evening - Chad Dotson and Allen's defenders pathetically pick up on Allen's discredited first defense on Mon. Arguing hard based on a lie.

Just admit it folks. Allen knew exactly what macaca meant, and he reinforced this racist slur by adding "Welcome to America". There's no place for bigotry. And it's shameful that people would debase themselves to defend a bigot.

[plunge]

Still, I think it's fair to say that Allen's campaign folks could perfectly plausibly have called it a mohawk and even referred to him that way.

[Not Larry Sabato]

Sure, but there is no way "mohawk" turned into an obscure racial slur from Allen's own ethnic background.

[charles]

I haven't tried to make the link between "macaca" and "mohawk". But it is clear the guy has a mohawk, and what you are saying is that Chad's picture is accurate, and RK's picture is misleading, but you still say it's not a mohawk, I presume because you think the stripe is too wide to be a mohawk.

It's a strange haircut, and if you wanted to give it a hame, it would be "mohawk". That NLS now says the RK and Chad picture show the same thing, and that it is accurate, just proves that NLS was misleading us when he claimed nobody could mistake the haircut for a Mohawk.

And I ask again -- given that the "mohawk-macaca" connection is meaningless anyway, why are the webb supporters misleading us about the guy having what allen's camp would call a "mohawk"?

Why did NLS and others claim that Wadham was lying about the guy having a mohawk, and insisting that nobody would ever call the haircut a mohawk, when it is clear that it IS a mohawk and that people DID call it a mohawk?

My answer: because it's just more meaningless charges to throw on a pile of meaningless charges you are trying to make to help the candidate you support and who pays for advertising.

[Not Larry Sabato]

Charles, the picture in Raising Kaine is similar to the one taken by the Post photographer and linked here.

Is it possible some moron called it a Mohawk? Yes.

HOWEVER IT IS NOT ONE.

[plunge]

"Sure, but there is no way "mohawk" turned into an obscure racial slur from Allen's own ethnic background."

I agree, but clearly Webb's people made a mistake by trying to dispute this point. Now people like Chad have something to focus on to try and take focus off the still unavoidable implications.

I chalk this up to the somewhat over-eager folks at Raising Kaine, who seem to be stuck in a sloppy blog mentality rather than a serious and focused on message mentality.

[plunge]

Though now that I see more pictures, I guess it isn't as obvious. Chad posted probably the best possible case picture, but even that seems pretty weak. His posturing about "around here" we call that mohawk seems, in retrospect, a little puffed up and defensive. Again, I think it's plausible enough that Allen's people were sloppy enough to call it a mohawk, and Webb's people made a tactical error in trying to argue the point (thus losing focus).

It's interesting that the news articles so far do not mention Allen's "French connection." That could be a revelation that will keep the story in the press for yet another day.

[Doug]

A guy came into the office building I work in yesterday with a freshly done mohawk. Statement? Beats me, but I giggled my ass off.

Dick saying macaca was mohawk mispronounced is a straight out attempt to cover up. Who cares? Is mohawk as hard to say as Abu Gharib? Why did Allen say it exactly the same twice? And Dick was just wrong, its not a freaking mohawk- its much more of a preppy dude thing that I don't get, but I'm an old fart.

Anyone think the haircut crap is a lot like people making fun of Cynthia McKinney around her incident (I do not like that woman, but I'm making a racist haircut point) when Imus and other establishment racists just went on about of course she wasn't recognized with that goofy ghetto haircut?

Charles and other racists internalize this crap and make it ok to go after groups of people for cultural differences, and this whole thing sure does show it all.

[Doug]

Oh, where is I.Publiclylovecheetos and his "this thing has no legs!" posts this morning? It made the daily show:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNN5QgOFbyw&eurl=

"I don't know what Macaca means, but it sure as sh-- sounds racist."

[Not Conrad Burns]

And Wonkette has nicely put me in a komedy skit with Allen!

http://wonkette.com/politics/un/a-poll-has-closed-but-a-lifetimes-worth-of-comedy-magic-has-begun-194456.php

Now, stop blogging and get to work. You guys are not doing a goddamned thing here!

[Used2Bneutral]

Good Morning America ABC Network is leading with the video and story this morning....

[Bubby]

I.Publius? Come out, come out, where ever you are? The legs on Allen's racism seem to be growing. And FSAC is done with Martinsville (except for the bill). Time for your spanking troll boy. Take it like a man.

[Virginia Centrist]

One thing cannot be disputed.

Dick Wadhams was lying on Monday.

[CheetoFingersMom]

I'm sorry, I.Pub can't come out today. He had to make a trip to the emergency room last night after eating 6 bags of cheetos, 3 two liter bottles of diet cherry Dr. Pepper and playing Left Behind for 12 hours straight.

[pm]

Anyone else having trouble getting on to the Raising Kaine site this a.m.?

[Dick Wadhams]

Bwahahahahahahaha, we've brought down Raising Kaine. Next, Not Larry Sabato with our powerful "laser." No more discussion of my candidate's racism for you! Bwahahahahahahah.

[Not Dick Cheney]

Don't make me get out the hurricane machine. You won't like me when I get mad.

raisingkaine.com = 404

not found

[phriendlyjaime]

Wow. The people defending the "mohawk picture" need to get something straight:

This is going to be played out a bit more in the news. The talking heads are having fun with it. Chris Matthews LAUGHED OUT LOUD at Allen's campaign. They love speculating on this race, whether Allen can win, whether he'll run in 08, etc. They are intrigued by Allen's racism, and they are bringing up the old stories and pondering Allen's background and heritage.

If any of you think for one minute that they are going to spend any more time than a passing LAUGH at the fact that Siddarth had a mohawk, then I don't know what channels you watch.

Ooooooo, I can see it now: a round table on Hardball, skipping the race issue to chat about the haircut and what the proper name is!

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Stop the spin, I want to get off.

You know

[UVA08]

You can add Chad Dotson to the list of sick idiots I was speaking about. By buying into this excuse he looks like a true pathetic partisan hack. I suppose if Allen called a Black person a nigger he would buy the excuse that he was referring to his shoes which are Nikes and the wrong pronunciation came out. Give me a break.

[Not Ben]

http://www.umsl.edu/commencement/galleries/spring2002/images/mohawk.jpg

Above is a link to a true mohawk. Having the hair above one's ears shaved is not my hair style of choice, but it also isn't even close to a mohawk.

[Not Ben]

Also, is RaisingKaine down?

So it was a mohawk! High and tight? wrong. "Mochawka" Allen weasels out of it. 'Course Allen is a weasel.

The correct translation of "mocaca" would be "sand ~negro~" in the american vernacular, right?

[phriendlyjaime]

We should make a commercial and tell what our background is and then our names, but tell Allen it's ok if he wants to call us the derogatory term bc we understand he's a total moron.

Phriendly, they're all talking about 2008, not this race... probably because all the Webbies are wasting their time laughing about this on blogs instead of raising money. Vamoose! Even it up!

[Heart of Blue]

No way that is a mohawk.

Dick lied, but I am not surprised.

Where is Ann Coulter on all of this? ;)

[Julie]

I don't think the makaka is the issue. The issue is George Allen chose to bully the one person of color in an arena full of white people. He then assumed this person was not American, because of his skin color. It was racist, scary and cruel.

[phriendlyjaime]

Yeah, it doesn't really matter to me. Why? Webb gets free publicity, since the netroots went bonkers for this story, he raised some extra $$, and anyone saying anything pertaining to the TRUTH about George Allen re: racism no matter what race is good for america. why? BC Allen is BAD for America.

But, yeah-nice comeback. "Fundraising, hahaha!" Good one.

He was a Webb tracker: fair game.

[What?]

For what its worth, a hard-to-explain Dennis Miller-esq reference that is somehow a slur if you look at it in another language is great blog-o-sphere fodder . . even for 2-3 days in the no-news-in-August period of time - but the story is now officially dead: ABC News spotlighted the story this am and the "victim" came offf as a political shill.

[I Trust Webb]

Anon 9:29,

Hold on there. Found out that Rasmussen is considering moving up their Webb-Allen August poll. They were to conduct the poll next week, but may move it up to late this week.

Their last poll in July was 50-39. This issue has some legs. 48, 46, 44 for Allen? That outcome would bring in more Webb contributors, more free media, and more heartburn for Allen/Wadhams. All in time for the media to write, “Allen’s private fundraiser with President Bush…while slipping poll numbers indicate…”

[What?]

ITW - Good points, all - and if I were on Webb's team, I would tell him to push this for all its worth and poll, poll, poll. Hell, you can't beat having a well-spoken, well-prepped "victim" like S.R. If the plan was to bait Allen into a misstep with webb tracking it was Rovian in its cleverness (for the first time!). It would be foolish, though, for Rasmussen to move upm his poll as this is a typical mid-August blip that will skew the results.

[McCaca]

Never mind the precise definitions, check out the REAL Macaca! Bwaa ha ha ha!!!!

http://www.cafepress.com/macaca

[I Trust Webb]

What?,

I won’t argue your questionable rovian analogies, but I believe that a poll right after this issue will indicate, at the very least, any short-term vulnerabilities of Allen. Granted, if Allen does dip in that poll (and any other poll) this week, he will likely bounce back a little. But next week is next week: another opportunity for Allen to do what he does best—remain judgmental, insensitive, and foolish. And don’t forget, next week is Allen’s second week of his listening tour. More opportunities to stumble.

[Virginia Centrist]

There "What?" goes again. Blaming the victim.

I used to think Chad was different from the rest of the conservative bloggers: Reasoned and reasonable. His blog probably jumped the shark a long time ago when it became nothing but baseball and caption contests, but clearly he is showing himself to be just another ordinary, partisan apologist for an inexcusable act of racism.

[What?]

VC - I'm not blaming the victim . . . even though I support Allen (obvious?), I am celebrating the 'victims' success: hee did exactly - precisely - what he was supposed to do. As an added bonus, he's well spoken and was poised to present his heartfelt hurt. Bravo, S.R.

[Matt in VA]

Is RK down for anyone else?

[Not RaisingKaine]

RK's been down all morning. Looks like the server bled out.

That's "blade out". ha ha "Blader server" Get it?

[UVA08]

----"ITW - Good points, all - and if I were on Webb's team, I would tell him to push this for all its worth and poll, poll, poll. Hell, you can't beat having a well-spoken, well-prepped "victim" like S.R. If the plan was to bait Allen into a misstep with webb tracking it was Rovian in its cleverness (for the first time!). It would be foolish, though, for Rasmussen to move upm his poll as this is a typical mid-August blip that will skew the results." -----

What the hell are the quotations for around victim????????? He was a victim. Let me ask you a question "What" have you ever been called a racial slur by a United States Senator in a room full of his supporters, all of whom happen to be of one race? Can you imagine how embarassing and intimidating that would be? He is a victim and you shouldn't let your partisanship blind you from seeing the truth.

[Lowell]

Raising Kaine is down due to some sort of server problem with our host. I am trying to contact them; thanks for your patience. In the meantime, Virginia Centrist (http://virginiacentrist.com/) is kicking butt!

[AllenisScrewed]

Dick Wadhams has is taken out big media outlets one at a time. First, spamming Raising Kaine into crashing. Next, he's going to send three young girls into the lobby at CNN to make out while Hunter Pickles slips in the back door and tries to flip off the power switch. Finally, he's going to track Jon Stewart down, shown him Webb's anti-Semetic cartoon, and when Jon doesn't find it racist, punch Jon right in the face.

All those people who said the TNR article was biased look pretty stupid right now. I think they went too easy on him.

[Southsider]

By the way, the Daily Show segment is hilarious.

[Not RaisingKaine]

No, it's Apache. That's American Indian for anyone up on irony for the morning. And Tomcat, who's a handsome man but VERY heterosexual. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

[pm]

Zogby did a Webb/Allen and Bush poll yesterday.

Karl Rove wins again.

[What?]

UVA 08 - please . . . wake up . . there MAY be a question about our US Senator's political correctness - but there's no question that S.R.'s job was to take one for the team - which he did quite well.

This story has no legs!

Heard that one before? Since yesterday the number of links from Google News has gone from 47 to 179. It's appearing on the front pages of more than the WAPO website.

Everyone knows racism when they see it, and NLS nailed it when he said that this thing will stay alive as long as the Republican operatives keep trying to spin their way out of it.

It is exactly what it looks like and the harder they try to pretend it's not, the more they tangle themselves in lies and illogical explanations.

[Dick Wadhams]

Let me second "What?" here! Taking one for the team can also include the recepient of a friendly gang rape, lynching or gay beating. Way to go, all those heroes through the years, taking one for the team.

[UVA08]

"What"... what are you "please"ing me about? Is it not obvious that you and your fellow hacks are in the minority on this? Lesson 101 in Racial Politics: code words ("welfare queens" "law and order vote") and even subtle photos (Willie Horton) work to incite racial resentment, straight out racism angers minorities and turns off moderate voters. This is not the same Virginia. These kind of comments will not fly anymore.

Now let's go with your lame excuse for just one minute: The Webb campaign conspired to have Allen fall into a trap and call this guy a racial slur. (I sure hope you don't really believe this) Does this excuse Allen's behavior? Allen has a long questionable history when it comes to racism and this is just another incident that adds to the pattern. Again I ask you if your pathetic conspiracy theory is right, does that excuse Allen's racist comments?

[KCinDC]

I saw Sidarth at the Webb event in Arlington last night (and it was good to meet and congratulate NLS there). His haircut is certainly neither a mohawk nor a mullet. But I could imagine someone who was grasping for something to call it calling it a mohawk, even though it's much too wide and short to be one.

In any case, the kind of haircut Sidarth has is completely irrelevant to the story. Allen isn't claiming any connection to the haircut, and the idea that "macaca" was a mispronunciation of "mohawk" is ludicrous. Time to move on to a new lame defense, Allenites.

[What?]

UVA08 - you either missed my point, or you took it as a chance give the story legs. There is no conspiracy - S.R.'s job was to track Allen's moves withn a video camera and sit and wait. That's standard 2006 electoral politics 101. The Senator then did the rest of the work. S.R.'s media tour is a campaign bonus. To your point: Racism is never excuseable. Determining whether Sen. Alle is racist is for every voter to decide - they've already had an opportunity and have said no - we'll see how this effects that; political incorrectness is ALWAYS risky and Allen is paying a price. We'll see if, 30 days from now, this story appears anywhere other than in the blog-o-sphere.

[What?]

As to 'Dick Wadhams' equating name calling with gang rape, lynching and gay beating - keep up the good work, you really know how to kill a story with extreme hyperbole.

[UVA08]

What.... I am sorry to keep going after you but I would like you to clarify this point if you didn't mean to imply some crazy conspiracy theory.

"...but there's no question that S.R.'s job was to take one for the team - which he did quite well."

[Not tWhat?]

Hyperbole sure is a big word there son, you sure you know how to use it? I'm quite sure Mr. Siddarth didn't feel like if he'd done or said anything in the crowd he might not have met a little southern rebuttle later in the parking lot. No sah, not the same thing at all! No sah, no pejorativeness meant. I'm sure What? would be fine in the middle of a black panther rally if the speaker just said, "and lets all say hi to the cracker over there. Hi cracker! Welcome to America."

Yessah, you're right as rain.

[John]

I think you Democrats have about lost your minds. I have never heard the word macaca in my life and neither have 99% of VA voters.

I dont think this will change a single vote unless you and your friends in the liberal media continue to discuss what was obviously a setup by a Webb operative.

Now since you cant find a candidate saying something inappropriate we have to manufacture it for obviously petty partisan reasons.

[UVA08]

John.... what a sorry excuse for spin. Now it's the Democrat's fault that you your representative is a racist idiot. The point isn't whether you know what the word means it is whether Allen did when he used it. His background tells me he does.

[UVA08]

*background tells me he did know what it meant*

[John]

I think you will do anything to destroy your opponent's reputation and that is a real pity. You are engaged in McCarthyism of the worse kind and should be ashamed of yourself.

[Fan of Integrity]

John said: "I think you Democrats have about lost your minds. I have never heard the word macaca in my life and neither have 99% of VA voters."

It's a French (among other nationalities) racial slur -- Allen's mother is French Tunisian. He knew exactly what he was saying (twice), then added Welcome to America for effect.

Like I said before -- the only voters this does NOT affect are the ones who have no problems using racist terms for people different than themselves.

Go figure.

You re-post a photoshop pic from your buddy Libertas of Allen, with what has previously been described as "jizz" running down his face, and expect to be taken seriously? Whose nut is it that is supposed to have been shot on his face? You dem bloggers have been re-energized by this so-called "scandal," but even you realize that 1) It's not going to result in a Webb victory in the Senate race, because he obviously doesn't care enough to do what it takes to win (I have yet to see a single comment from Webb personally on this "scandal"), and 2) even George Allen fans know that his chances at a Presidency are/were slim given the similarities with, and unpopularity of, GWB. And finally, most bloggers, left and right, believe they are making a difference (and have enormous egos), but they aren't. One day, maybe, but not yet, and the average voter in Virginia, regardless of the newspaper covereage, doesn't know shit about this "scandal." All they hear is that "Allen did this" and the response that "No, he didn't." Their take: typical politics.

[Chad]

For what it's worth, I didn't "focus on the kid's haircut" as an explanation. That was just a response to the very misleading photo posted on a bought-and-paid-for Webb blog, and the claim that the kid didn't have a mullet. That was just a sidenote to the actual post; the kid did have a mohawk and people identified him as such before Wadhams made his comment.

[Macaca ≠ N-word]

Macaca is NOT the same as the N-word. That's just ridiculous. It's not even about the word itself, but the way he said it. He could have used any three syllable combination (ababa, babalu, etc.) and it still would have been an ugly comment.

The reason the N-word is so toxic in this country is because of its cultural context. I'll never forget the time I was on an international airline and heard the song "My Neck, My Back" by Khia on the in-flight entertainment system. (This song is full of every vulgar word you can think of.) To us here, that would never be on an airplane where children could hear it, and if it was it would be a big news story. But for the nation whose airline I was on, those words did not mean anything because English was not their language.

"Macaca" has no cultural context in this country, so while I do think that Allen's intent was clearly ugly (and THAT'S the problem), I don't think he had a specific word in his mind when he said "Macaca."