"Felix" Allen (R-VA) bristles at question whether he has Jewish roots.

[williesgirl]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/18/AR2006091801014.html

At a debate in Tysons Corner yesterday between Republican Allen and Democrat Webb, WUSA-TV's Peggy Fox asked Allen, the tobacco-chewing, cowboy-boot-wearing son of a pro football coach, if his Tunisian-born mother has Jewish blood.

"It has been reported," said Fox, that "your grandfather Felix, whom you were given your middle name for, was Jewish. Could you please tell us whether your forebears include Jews and, if so, at which point Jewish identity might have ended?"

Allen recoiled as if he had been struck. His supporters in the audience booed and hissed. "To be getting into what religion my mother is, I don't think is relevant," Allen said, furiously.

snip

Turns out the Forward, a Jewish newspaper, reported that the senator's mother, Etty, "comes from the august Sephardic Jewish Lumbroso family" and continued: "If both of Etty's parents were born Jewish -- which, given her age and background, is likely -- Senator Allen would be considered Jewish in the eyes of traditional rabbinic law, which traces Judaism through the mother."

snip

He may have been concerned that Jewish roots wouldn't play well in parts of Virginia.




Felix likes to say his grandfather was incarcerated by the Germans in WW11 but apparently doesn't like folks to know he was Jewish too!

[LynneSin]

1. Who cares if he's Jewish

Well, I don't care but I think it's funny that Allen freaked out. I guess he'll have to stop using those racist terms about Jews now since he is one!

[Julius Civitatus]

37. Apparently, he does. A lot!

He goes out of his way to hide this fact fro mhis redneck voters in Virginia.

He certainly does care if this coems out.

[blm]

2. Kerry and Clark handled their Jewish roots with grace and without shame

even though it hadn't been a prominent part of their upbringing, and in Kerry's case was not even known to him until after his father died.

What an insensitive idiot Allen is proving himself day after day.

[coffeenap]

3. Please change your title--the word "blood" does not

appear in the article's title and tells something about the poster, perhaps?

[williesgirl]

5. Sorry, I was trying to shorten it. I'm appalled at his reaction and

my choice of words was not reflective of any bias on my part. I believe we should all be proud of ANY factor of our heritage.

[Taoschick]

9. I'm appalled

That it would even be an issue.

Is that the type of question that passes as "hard hitting" in the media today?

[NorthernSpy]

17. Please! Politicians never freakin shut up about "faith-n-fambly"...

The media ask these sorts of questions because their readers and viewers really eat up that soft-news, human-interest, profile-of-the-candidate stuff.

"Appalling"? No. Unless you meant appallingly boring.

[Taoschick]

19. The question

Wasn't framed about his personal beliefs. Who gives a shit about his Grandfather's religion?

There is a wealth of issue that can be used to pin Allen to the carpet but his ancestor's religion isn't one of them.

[anotherdrew]

29. not his grandfather his mother - and himself

basically, this jewish newspaper is pointing out that by normal standards, Allen IS jewish and has denied his heritage. I think this is a valid issue, certainly it is one for jewish people who might not want to vote for someone who's turned their back on their jewish identity. And the question specificly asked when this turning away happened, sounds like Allen's father might have been "the decider" in this matter.

[NorthernSpy]

33. wait a sec... isn't it Allen himself who would have us know...

... that his grandfather was imprisoned by the nazis?

Are you saying that we don't get to ask him any questions about that? Why not?

Politicians are always answering questions about their family backgrounds. No one thinks anything of it. Except for Allen, who goes straight to DEFCON 1.


:eyes:

[Taoschick]

52. Huh?

Are you saying that we don't get to ask him any questions about that?

Where on earth did you get that?

Here is what was said:

"It has been reported," said Fox, that "your grandfather Felix, whom you were given your middle name for, was Jewish. Could you please tell us whether your forebears include Jews and, if so, at which point Jewish identity might have ended?"

What does that have to do with his unfitness for reelection? Sorry..but that seemed to me to be a sort of "Jew in the woodpile" type of snarky stupid question. I'm quite frankly, embarrassed for anyone who would latch onto that and shout "gotcha!!"

[Joanne98]

47. Yeah! Faith and family! All the time!

[coffeenap]

23. Thanks--just threw me there for a minute--especially because

in LBN we are supposed to use the actual headline. Peace.

[williesgirl]

28. Problem is Milbank's cutesy headline doesn't say shit. If it wasn't about

Felix, I wouldn't have read it. I live in VA and would give anything to get him out of any political office permanently. He's a blight to the human race in my opinion. He most likely won't even contemplate any Jewish heritage since he's so bigoted on anything not white and Christian. I'm white & Catholic, raised by two wonderful parents who believed and taught us that God wants us to respect and care about everyone regardless of race or religion.

[Mist]

4. Wow, "caca" Allen is turning out to be even nuttier than I thought--

I've always wondered about people who try to create a whole new identity--Allen's Confederate fixation while growing up in California, now seemingly running from part of his heritage. And the audience boo'd; what were they booing? The fact their boy might be part Jewish? Nifty base you got there, Felix.

[Divernan]

6. The audience's boos were knee jerk anti-semitic reaction, as was Allen's.

Very telling! I hope Virginia's Jewish community takes note.

[savemefromdumbya]

26. worrying

[Bucky]

54. I dunno. If I heard that question, I'd boo as well.

I think religion needs to be kept out of politics.

[the other one]

7. God I hope not.

:evilgrin:

[Laughing Mirror]

8. Forget his mother for a second

If you deny you're Jewish then that means you're not Jewish, does it not?

Oh, and that's "casting" aspersions, George, not ""making" aspersions. In this country, we say that one "makes" assertions, but "casts" aspersions. It's kind of tricky, but you Portuguese will learn. Stick around.

Enjoyed your recent "ethnic rally," George. I'm sure you'll get all the minority votes.

[greccogirl]

10. So what? His opponent is treading on

dangerous ground here and could create a backlash.

[mikeytherat]

12. His opponent didn't ask this, a reporter did.

mikey_the_rat

[greccogirl]

50. Still, this smacks of a racist

comment and could be attributed to the other guy.

[NorthernSpy]

13. Allen's opponent didn't ask the question -- a reporter did

What's the matter, Greccogirl? Didn't read the article?

And why is this "dangerous ground" in the first place? Politicians talk about this stuff all the time.

Asking someone about his heritage doesn't provoke a raging tantrum with most people. So why did Allen choose to pitch a fit over this?

[NorthernSpy]

11. merely asking about Allen's Jewish heritage = casting "aspersions"?

Allen's little freak-out:

Allen recoiled as if he had been struck. His supporters in the audience booed and hissed. "To be getting into what religion my mother is, I don't think is relevant," Allen said, furiously. "Why is that relevant -- my religion, Jim's religion or the religious beliefs of anyone out there?"

Wow... that's quite a visceral reaction! If the someone had said, "I hear your grandfather was a Baptist," or "is it true that your mother is from Italy?" would he have felt insulted and gone into hysterics over it?

It's as I thought. Despite all those self-serving accusations lobbed at the left by the neocons, it's clear that the real anti-semites are still on the political right -- where they've always been.

[brentspeak]

14. Why did this reporter feel it necessary to ask this kind of question?

What does it have to do with the election?

[gratuitous]

15. Nothing that I can see

But then, I've seen Democratic candidates grilled about irrelevancies such as their sexual orientation by reporters with an ax to grind, so turnabout seems fair play to me. And the fact that Mr. Allen considers the possibility of Jewish ancestry to be an "aspersion" is rather telling about an aspect of his character that me might not otherwise be willing to divulge, no?

[0rganism]

18. I suppose it might tie tangentially to support of Israel

Really that's pretty much the only reason I can see to raise the question in that context. It's a debate, not a Bar Mitz'vah.

[northzax]

20. frankly, I think it's an interesting question

and could answer a lot about his upbringing. If, as it appears, he is considered Jewish by birth, (since if his mother is Jewish, so is he, technically) how is it that this affects him and his family in their worldview? Allen brought religion into the debate, he's happy to talk about christian heritage and southern heritage, so why is it that his mother's religion had no impact on his life whatsoever? if the Confederate Battle Flag is a proud symbol of his faux-southern heritage, then what's the impact of the Star of David?

[Gormy Cuss]

21. From the column, the context is laid out.

Allen has mentioned his grandfather's imprisonment by the Nazis but did not state why. Was he Romany? Was he gay? Was he a resistance fighter? Or was it because the Nazis viewed him as Jewish because of his Sephardic name and heritage?

A simple answer to the reporter would have been to reply as he did about his mother being raised a Christian and saying that any Jewish identity was lost before her generation. Instead he used the term 'aspersion,' which implies a derogatory comment or slander. Why would asking if she were Jewish or of Jewish ancestry be slanderous in America? It was a serious over-reaction.

The reporter may have been trying to egg him on, he of the 'macaca' comment and well documented fascination for all things connected with the Confederacy. It's hard to tell.

[screenplaya]

22. Allen wants it both ways

Allen, the big baby, wants it both ways. Dickweed wants to exploit what may have happened to his mother's father, but isn't bright enough to figure out why his grandfather was there.

Love this quote at the end of the article:

Allen, surrounded by cameras and microphones after the event, hadn't cooled down. "What do you mean, 'make me so angry'?" he demanded angrily when asked why Fox's query had made him so angry.

"To make whatever sort of comment that was, you just don't judge people by their ethnicity or their religion," Allen said, fuming that Fox would "drag my mother into this." The senator said his mother was the one who taught him about tolerance. "Because," he repeated, "my mother's father was incarcerated by the Nazis in World War II."

[freeplessinseattle]

46. oh, the irony n/t

[savemefromdumbya]

27. reporter probably wanted to 'expose him'

making him more vulnerable

[Bake]

31. I'd guess "provoke" rather than "expose."

The provocation, however, further exposed him as the bigot he is.

Bake

[NorthernSpy]

34. on the contrary, I think the reporter was throwing him a bone...

"So you see, I can't possibly be a bigot. Why, my own mother is of Jewish ancestry, and our family knows what persecution feels like. I don't always express myself well, but my heart is in the right place..."

He should have caught that one. A normal person would have. Instead, he dodged it as though it were a live grenade.

IN-coming!


:eyes:

[Bake]

36. Regardless of the reporter's motivation, Felix blew it.

On Hardball last night, the consensus was that for Webb to win, Allen needs to make another mistake. Another macaca moment. My guess is that this isn't quite "big" enough to qualify, but then we'll have to see how the MSM plays it. It could be the straw that breaks the back of Allen's public life; because he took what should have been a softball and whiffed it big time.

Bake

[screenplaya]

40. Confed-head is probably worried what his friends will think n/t

[savemefromdumbya]

25. maybe some of his donors wouldn't like it?

[Twitch14]

53. Planted question...

...showing how those disconnected, anti-Semite media types are persecuting the "pride" <puke> of Virginia. I just saw the video, and there's NO way this was some clueless reporter firing up a bad question. Allen was waiting to pounce on this like he was, maybe, prepared?

So far, Google searches on Peggy Fox for WUSA (channel 9 in D.C.) are coming up inconclusive. Can someone help on getting more background?

[w4rma]

16. Total public mental breakdown. (nt)

[savemefromdumbya]

24. You mean his fascist followers wouldn't like it?

what is he pretending to be a Christian heaven forbid!

[skip fox]

30. Doesn't matter whose "ox was gored," the question was inappropriate.

It would not have be correctly asked unless his hypocrisy was greater, i.e., if he was a noted anti-Semite.

[greccogirl]

51. I agree. The question should have never been

asked and was totally inappropriate.

[calimary]

32. Well, there goes the AIPAC vote.

He recoils when asked about his Jewish heritage? Is he ashamed of that? Anti-semitic? Just asking...

[Joanne98]

48. LOL!

[NOLADEM]

35. Maybe he and Kinky Friedman could run in 08???

[bigworld]

38. He's part Tunisian? Then he's African-American too!

I'd love to see how he'd respond to THAT!

[LibDemAlways]

39. Could Allen have handled this less appropriately? I think not.

Whether or not the reporter was out of line is not as important as how Allen responded. His anger and use of the word "aspersions" suggest that he was offended someone brought up the possibility of his having a Jewish heritage - as though there's something wrong with being Jewish. Very telling response. I hope Virginia independents and fence-sitters are taking notice as Allen's bigotry is exposed time and time again.

[lynne]

41. Here is link to the video of that portion of the debate:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2006/09/18/VI2006091800669.html

[The Count]

42. "clearly a racist - which in Va may either hurt him or help him" Jon

Stewart on his Maccaca comment. Comment keeps being relevant.

[RobertSeattle]

43. The California born "Virginian" doth protest too much

[yodermon]

44. You missed his BIGOTED MONEY-QUOTE:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/18/AR2006091801014_2.html

"I'm glad you all have that reaction," Allen said to the audience as people jeered the questioner. Allen lectured Fox about the importance of "freedom of religion and not making aspersions about people because of their religious beliefs."

Apparently to Allen, being queried about his possible Jewish heritage is synonomous with "making aspersions" about him.

THAT is the story here, no matter how lame-brained the question was (and it was quite).

[robbibaba]

45. This brings to mind another fellow

who was uncomfortable with his Jewish roots. Guy by the name of Adolf Hitler.

[madrchsod]

49. he is jewish

and that is really funny.....ya there are "certain parts" that would, be shall we say, be stunned that they let him into their circle....