The True George Allen

Public figures are usually so careful about what they say in public that its difficult to tell what they really think. But when they slip up, we often get a rather ugly glimpse of their true feelings.

Mel Gibson is only one of the more recent and glaring examples. After denying for years that he is anti-semitic, Mel loosed his true feelings in a drunken tirade filled with anti-Jewish remarks. Sure, he apologized, etc., etc., but now we know the real Mel. The alcohol didn't cause him to lie.

Another good case in point is Virginia Senator George Allen, who recently got caught at a fundraiser using a derogatory name for a young man from an Indian family (India, that is--thanks Chris Columbus, for the centuries of confusion on that one).

The man, S.R. Sidarth, is a volunteer for the campaign of Allen's opponent, Jim Webb, who has been videotaping Allen's appearances around the state. (Guess what--it's Republican campaign hacks who pioneered that little trick.) Allen pointed him out during the fundraiser and said "this fellow here, over here with the yellow shirt, macaca, or whatever his name is . . ."

Macaca is a racial slur against African immigrants commonly used in Europe.

Who can doubt that in his more private moments, hanging out and joking around with his close friends and football buddies, George Allen regularly uses such derogatory terms. So, we have a small glimpse into the real George Allen.

Of course, his voting record tells us as much. Here's a guy whose record says "oh sure, I'll support an increase in the minimum wage for the regular working stiff, but ONLY if we also do away with the estate tax for the wealthiest Americans, the fellows funding my campaign." Nice guy.

Now for a minor complaint about the Webb campaign: whenever they refer to Senator Allen, they call him "George Felix Allen." The Curmudgeon reckons that's because Felix is a bit of an ususual name, but really, so what?

We don't like George Allen, but he is a Senator. There's no need to throw in the Felix--it's petty. Let Allen's mouthpieces pull that kind of crap. The last gubernatorial campaign showed that voters don't like all that negativity. Rise above it, Webbies.