Jew!
September 18, 2006 at 2:59 pm
A Virginia Senate campaign fought largely in Youtube got its newest Youtube moment today — courtesy the unlikeliest of sources, a reporter.
9News Now reporter Peggy Fox probably wouldn’t have been booed at Nuremberg. But that’s the treatment she got inside the Hilton McLean Ballroom this afternoon when she asked Sen. George Allen — onstage with Jim Webb in front of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce — whether his veins coursed with Jewish blood because his mother’s father Felix was reportedly Jewish. Allen’s middle name is – as Fox noted in her prosecution – Felix. J’accuse!
The crowd hissed and booed the question. Jews (full disclosure: I’ve been Jewish since birth. Both sets of parents? Yup, Jews) might liken the reaction to Purim, when every time Haman is mentioned during the reading of the Megillah he is given a vigorous vocal thumbs-down.
”I’d like to ask you, why is that relevant,” Allen said as the merchants continued to boo. “Why do you think they’re booing?” He did allow, “My mother’s French-Italian.”
Not to worry — the debate was also kosher for Christians. Webb seems to have a fondness for the Trinity — or at least, listing things in threes. As we learned in the debate, there are, variously, “three Americas” in the economy, “three categories” to classify the macaca incident, and “three quick points” about transportation.
Webb also seemed to covet his opponent’s positions, offering, “I’d like to echo many” things Allen said in his opening statement, and later “I would echo want Senator Allen just said.” Political junkies will fondly remember such agreeable utterances from Jack Kemp’s pleasant gambit against Al Gore in the 1996 VP debate.
Unclear if Allen liked being agreed with so much. Maybe the quarter of him that possibly wears a Star of David just feels guilty.
UPDATE: Allen campaign blog charges religious McCarthyism
epaminondas said,
September 18, 2006 @ 3:23 pm
Your paperz !
Mach schnell !
oh and for the progressives veee hafffff:
http://robertlindsay.blogspot.com/2006/09/american-ugly-by-stojgniev-odonnell.html
a quite typical, and sad mirror of what progressive means today…the author is as blind as the folks of a few counties I could name in the 1964 south. It’s amusing in a sick kind of way.
Jack on Track! said,
September 18, 2006 @ 3:43 pm
Was the reporter educated in one of fine public schools? Certainly wasn’t a jesuitian question.
Elroy Jetson said,
September 18, 2006 @ 3:56 pm
The concept of “Jewish blood” is bizarre. Does a Jew that is 100% Ethiopean have the same blood of a Jew that is 100% Slavic?
Lurky said,
September 18, 2006 @ 4:10 pm
No. The latter would be “slew” blood. The other “Jewthiopian”.
Big Roy said,
September 18, 2006 @ 4:14 pm
This is one of the reasons I love reading this blog.
Here I was thinking Jews were just regular people. Now I find out they have their own damn blood!
charles said,
September 18, 2006 @ 4:31 pm
My favorite line:
Webb: I guess this is my “macaca” payback. I’ve had a lot of women write to me.
It’s nice to see that Webb undetstands what a crock the “m-word” incident was. And nice that he doesn’t have a problem saying what James Martin believes is the “n-word” in public like that.
Although it is hard to imagine Webb saying “I guess this is my “” payback.
It’s also odd seeing Webb take credit for the “m-word” incident.
hal9000 said,
September 18, 2006 @ 6:03 pm
Do you mean Nuremberg in 1936 or in 1946?
Ron Coleman said,
September 18, 2006 @ 6:08 pm
Yeah, I was wondering the same thing as Hal.
Mimi Schaeffer said,
September 18, 2006 @ 7:03 pm
The reporter asked the question in a very indelicate way.
The point is that Allen called a journalist once to complain about how he’d written a story and disclosed Allen’s Jewish background.
That’s the point.
Why is Allen ashamed? He certainly doesn’t mind anyone within earshot to learn about his glory football days; or that his father was the former Redskin coach.
Is Allen ashamed of his heritage? And if so, why?
Perhaps he doesn’t want his bubba pals to know the truth about his ancestry; he ain’t Virginian; hell, he’s half French and Jewish; oh total damnation, like JOHN KERRY!
Quite the little disconnect from the image and brand Allen had cultured during his entire political career.
Joel Rutstein said,
September 18, 2006 @ 7:38 pm
Lowell Feld’s shorthand-like rendition of the debate at raisingkaine.com says that Allen called being asked about having a Jewish ancestor was “making aspersions.” Can anyone else confirm this?
Big Roy said,
September 18, 2006 @ 7:50 pm
“Why is Allen ashamed? He certainly doesn’t mind anyone within earshot to learn about his glory football days; or that his father was the former Redskin coach.”
Great point. Knowing how much of a pure politician Allen is. You have to figure in his mind he’s decided it’s better to piss off the Jewish voters than the good old boys.
Joel Rutstein said,
September 18, 2006 @ 7:54 pm
Oy Vey! It’s true! Allen likened asking about a Jewish ancestor to casting aspersions. The video is spreading like a virus and it’s hit the national blogs - wonkette and huffingtonpost. Unfortunately, the video captures quite well the audience’s immediate booing at Peggy Fox’s question. I guess one has to wonder on balance if Allen’s re-election prospects have been hurt or helped, but I take comfort in knowing that his Presidential prospects have taken a big hit.
sean said,
September 18, 2006 @ 8:02 pm
so where’s the link to the youtube video???
Joel Rutstein said,
September 18, 2006 @ 8:08 pm
Just go to http://www.wonkette.com and scroll down. You’ll see it. The freeze frame in the youtube screen shows Allen at his podium. Even later tonight and tomorrow when it falls off the front page of wonkette, there’s a handy “next” button you can click on. It’s not on huffingtonpost’s front page, and I’m not used to navigating further there.
charles said,
September 18, 2006 @ 8:27 pm
What is it with Webb supporters and jews? Everything is about either race, or religion.
Ben was an invited guest to the debate, and thought the entire thing was about race. I’m surprised he couldn’t find a way to turn Allen’s stem cell answer into a racist comment. (I fear I’ve given him an idea).
And while the rest of the world is appalled that a reporter, in the last debate we have to learn about real issues, wasted her time asking about family member’s religion, the webbies are making YouTube presentations trying to make it into an attack on Allen for reacting the same way as the entire audience to the inappropriate question.
They have a point — Allen can’t really gain from these debates, we already know he’s a proven leader. But Webb COULD gain from the debates, if the voters saw a person ready for the job of Senator.
We see how that turned out — the webb supporters are all talking about Allen. Allen this, Allen that. Whatever we do, don’t talk about Webb.
Mortman has it right — Webb spent a lot of time saying he was just like Allen, only much angrier.
MlR said,
September 18, 2006 @ 9:08 pm
“Is Allen ashamed of his heritage? And if so, why?
Perhaps he doesn’t want his bubba pals to know the truth about his ancestry; he ain’t Virginian; hell, he’s half French and Jewish; oh total damnation, like JOHN KERRY!”
Personally I find it funny that John Kerry gave the impression for 2 decades in Massachusettes that he was Irish.
Becky said,
September 18, 2006 @ 10:22 pm
I’m really confused.
This seems to be a blog of people delighting in the fact that a reporter exposed a candidate for being Jewish and even more delighted that the slur will hurt his chances for one reason or another. Newsflash - this slander is against all Jews that left unchecked will not stop at party lines.
You delight in blaming the victim for a reasonable response and seem completely oblivious to consequences of what just happened. Do you know how quickly the Hitler propaganda machine turned the German population against Jews? It was not years, it was weeks. Yet you are, cheering it on. Unreal.
Don Meaker said,
September 19, 2006 @ 12:33 am
I am not a member of that talented race, the Jews, but the word “blood” has long been, in English, a short hand for ancestry or heritage. Said appreciation for ancestry or heritage can be positive, or negative.
In 1929 the New York Celtics were removed from the NBA and the team disbanded because they had too many people of a particular ethnic background. Said ethnicity was thought to be ideally suited for Basketball, so much so, that teams with a lesser concentration of that ethnicity were at a significant disadvantage. The ethnicity: Jew.
Remember, Mules always claim their ancestors are Horses. Noone is quite sure who is the Father, but the Mother is always close to their children when they are born.
Sammy Davis said,
September 19, 2006 @ 7:06 am
Some of my best friends are Jews.
Big Bill said,
September 19, 2006 @ 8:09 am
In their last definitive decision on the subject some years ago, the Israeli Supreme Court determined that a full blooded Jew who converted to Christianity was still a Jew, according to Halacha. They nonetheless noted that he would not be permitted to immigrate to Israel under the Law of Return because as a Christian he was an enemy of the Jewish people.
Devout Jews of course want to know what Allen’s beliefs are. Who wouldn’t want to know whether he is an official enemy of their race before they cast their vote?
Sonny Goldreich said,
September 19, 2006 @ 2:47 pm
George, We Hardly Nu You
So George Allen, who has denied having any Jewish blood in the past, now refuses to answer the question. But, as Zayde Felix surely would have told him, we have ways to make him talk. Here are 10 questions that interrogators (I mean reporters) should ask at the next debate.
1. Corned beef with Russian dressing. Kosher or kosher-style?
2. Christmas dinner. Ham, turkey or Chinese?
3. Madonna and kabbala. What’’s not to like?
4. Feith, Wolfowitz, Libby. Cabal or patriots?
5. Hank Aaron or Hank Greenberg?
6. Circumcision. For or against?
7. Menachem Schneerson? Will he make a comeback?
8. Caspar Weinbergr, Harold Brown, James Schlesinger? Who was the first Jewish secretary of defense?
9. What kind of name is Caspar anyway?
10. Ari Fleischer. Would it have killed him to marry a nice Jewish girl? Maybe one his own age?
epaminondas said,
September 19, 2006 @ 2:52 pm
If you see the video Allen doesn’t seem to answer until the crowd starts to boo, was his finger wtted in the wind of audience opinion?
He should have asked the reported her religious and parental heritage.
He should have demanded to know if she was now or has ever been a member of the communist party.
He should have asked if she was part black, latino or croat.
He should have asked for HER paperz, instead Mr. Conservative seemed to hesitate waiting to be lead by public reaction. That doesn t mean the democrat is any better, becuase HE should have gone berserk as well …what a sound bite was missed (if we think cynically as well).
And finally whether or not he is jewish in practice or belief, race or heritage, or secretly has gefilte fish wrapped in bacon every friday night and sunday morning in his own kitchen is not only nobody else business, but has absolutely NO pertinence any more that if he was descended from asians and was one day bound to be voting on questions concerning Cambodia, Maylasia or Singapore.
What’s going on in THIS nation is getting a bit disgusting. What the heck kind of example is this? How would that reporter’s question look played in Ramadi on Al Jazeerah?
richarda said,
September 19, 2006 @ 3:26 pm
So, Extreme, what’s your record number of comments on an item?
aaron said,
September 19, 2006 @ 4:24 pm
A guy who cowtows to fundementalist Christians declares that his possible jewish ancestory is no one’s business. I wonder if Pat Robertson thinks it ’s anyone’s business? Is ancestory important? There’s never been a Jewish president, unless of course you forget that you can’t really be a Christian if you’re not a Jew first. Anti-semitism is at minimum 3500 years old, and there is no doubt in my mind that George Allen harbors some latent anti-semitism. Further, he has a long history of fraternizing with known confederates, and being very insensitve to many minorites. He may well be different today than he was twenty years ago, but can anyone seriously doubt that he’s a tolerant person?
leonard said,
September 19, 2006 @ 7:53 pm
You’d be mad too when you consider the consequences of what might happen when The Council of Concerned Conservatives finds out you’re really Jewish and have hid it all this time.
Boy what a pickle, there goes membership in the club, there goes support, there go those KKK votes, and maybe even attack from his former allies when they connect the dots and feel betrayed and used.
Jane said,
September 20, 2006 @ 12:34 am
No one seems to have watched the debate. I did. The question about Allen’s mother, and her parents’ background, came right after another question about Allen’s mother. It seemed to me that Allen was sick of aspirations and accusations against his mother. Don’t most men feel that way?
The question, about the possibility of Allen’s ancestors being Jewish, was clearly a plant from the Webb campaign and asked in very nasty fashion. Who the heck cares if some of Allen’s ancestors were Jewish? Why would that question have any relevancy to a Senate seat? Because the Webb campaign is hoping to use it to say that Allen is denying his Jewish roots. By saying that, the Webb campaign is saying that there is something worth hiding if one has some Jewish ancestors. The question was designed to put down Allen, and his mother, and Allen reacted exactly as he should have. It was a straight from the Webb campaign, a ‘gotcha’ moment. Allen saw it, as did the audience. Allen reacted as real, human, man, defending his family and stating the truth, that his mother was raised as a Christian, and so was he. Why would anything else matter? It doesn’t matter, except to the racist, anti-semite, Webb campaign, and their fellow democrats. They should be ashamed of themselves and so should Peggy Fox for being their stooge. She was used, and she made a complete fool of herself.
Janie
Jon Swift said,
September 21, 2006 @ 2:36 pm
I agree with Jane. I am sick of aspirations, too. People should just be happy with who they are and stop trying to be something better.