George Allen Said The N-Word In College (According To A Demcorat)

There are two other witnesses, but the guy who provides the most detail seems to be politically compromised.

This may be bullshit, it may be overstated -- hey, I've said "nigger" myself, almost always ironically or for shock value -- but this should pretty much end any chance of a serious presidential run. The claim is that he used the world quite casually, and in an unambiguosly racist sense.

He can recover, though, enough to hold his Senate seat. Given the shelf-life of this charge, and the dubious sourcing, I think a plausible case can be made that it's time to move on from it.

Then again, I also can't strongly argue with liberals or blacks that they too should give Allen a pass.

Based on the "macaca" imbroglio, I'd have to say this fits a pattern. Which isn't to say it's true; but it does seem to be more likely to be true.

Tough call. But if Elvis Costello can be forgiven a more recent use of the word -- calling Ray Charles a "blind, ignorant nigger" in 1979 -- I guess it comes down to one's capacity to give prior signs of racism a pass.

The "macaca" slur -- made just a month ago -- doesn't aid his case very much, though.

Update: The chief accuser -- the one who began taking notes about a 30 year old utterance when he realized Allen had a shot at the presidency -- is also, of course, an environmental activist.

posted by Ace at 12:41 PM

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