Allen campaign statement acknowledges his mother is Jewish

[carolinayellowdog]

http://www.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2006/sep/19/va_sen_allen_admits_jewish_mother_0

The statement is as dishonest and manipulative as the statements about the Macaca incident.

on edit, excerpt from the Forward:

In his statement today, Allen criticized Fox for what he described as her efforts to impugn “the attitudes of my mother.” He also said that “the notion peddled by the Webb campaign that I am somehow embarrassed by my heritage is equally offensive, and also absurd.”

Allen said that although for years he has publicly mentioned that his maternal grandfather was incarcerated by the Nazis, he never knew if his grandfather was persecuted beacaus of “his nationality, his religious faith, his role as a community leader, or his part in the anti-Nazi resistance.”

“Some may find it odd that I have not probed deeply into the details of my family history, but it’s a fact,” Allen said. “ We in the Allen household were simply taught that what matters is a person’s character, integrity, effort, and performance – not race, gender, ethnicity or religion. And so whenever we would ask my mother through the years about our family background on her side, the answer always was, ‘Who cares about that?’

He ended the note saying that his mother “deserves respect and she also deserves privacy, especially where painful memories are concerned. I sincerely hope that simple decency will be respected.”

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. Did I misread?

Did he just call his Jewish ancestry a "painful memory?"

[Lurking Dem]

3. Her father being incarcerated

was a painful memory.

[barb162]

131. I think it was his mom's memory. He can't have a memory of it

if he didn't know it.And her memory of "pain" was about the persecution because the family was Jewish

[Fenris]

2. Watch the racists bolt from him.

[stepnw1f]

126. That's His Base Support

and he knows it.

[Mass]

4. No, he acknowledges that she is from a Jewish heritage.

[durrrty libby]

7. Wow...there was a youtube the other day where a reporter

asked him if his mom was jewish.

He would not answer and acted like a total jackass over the question

I'll try to locate it

[Captain Hilts]

33. He never saw her observe tenets of Judism, did he?

He's a racist shit, but do folks really think being Jewish is hereditary?

Do Jews who had Jewish parents get better seats than converts at 'Gog?

I love seeing him take a dive, but there are some serious religious, hierarchical and sexist issues at play here. Yes, I think it's sexist that religion is transferred only through women. And, no, I don't think you inherit acquired characteristics, like religion.

[Sequoia]

41. You said:

"Yes, I think it's sexist that religion is transferred only through women."

Women have the babies so I don't think it's sexist, it's just sexy! (wink)

But in Christian religion the men think they rule. Just look at Peter and Paul and those early Christians; they must hate women consdiering all the crap they say about women being quite and can't teach men.

[Captain Hilts]

43. You got that right. Start a thread on the sexism of Christianity and I'm.

there for you!

[Sequoia]

46. Thanks!

[sofa king]

61. I think racist folks might think being Jewish is hereditary.

The Nazis certainly did, though they were careful to set up their laws to exclude people who might have a Jewish grandparent like, say, Adolf Hitler. Whether or not Leopold Frankenberger was in fact Hitler's grandfather is less important than the fact that Hitler himself was apparently worried about it, that evil dickhead. Woulda served him right.

[greccogirl]

63. Actually, it is.

At least according to Jewish law I believe - if the mother is jewish so is the child.

[sofa king]

71. Yes, but only partly.

You can join the club, marry someone else who has just joined the club, and have Jewish kids. But those kids might not have any traceable genetic relationship to any other Jewish people. The hereditary component in that case is the magic pixie dust which is apparently sprinkled on people when they convert.

[Irreverend IX]

68. Jews are an ethnic group,

So being Jewish is, to a degree, hereditary. Judaism is the tribal religion of that ethnic group (and the only tribal religion extant in the Western world, although tribal religion has been the norm rather than the exception throughout most of human history). Someone who converts into Judaism joins the community of ethnic Jews, although they are not ethnically Jewish themselves. The Nazis and their ideological descendants believed that people of Jewish heritage were an evil and inferior race, so you can be sure that any revelation of Allen's heritage will make it less likely for the white-power crowd to vote for him.

[Kber]

73. It was a matter of practicality implemented in Eastern Europe

during a period of history when it was a popular activity to rape Jewish women. The decision that children born of these women were Jewish and full members of the community was meant to be compassionate, not exclusive to Jewish men.

(Also, around the same time, a Jewish doctor and scholar confirmed that abortions were permissable, even required, if pregnancy posed a real danger to a woman's life. Included in threats to a woman's life were the risk that a woman might commit suicide after becoming pregnant through rape. - I think it's interesting how history and religious thought intersect sometimes.)

[greccogirl]

62. I don't blame him.

The question was totally inappropriate and should NEVER have been asked! What business is it of anybody's what religion their mother is?

[Copperred]

70. When you run for any elected office...ur ENTIRE life is open to question.

The end of the day this is a PC issue.....if u can't accept open politics....get out.

[Virginia Dare]

75. Read the entire exchange...

it didn't just come up out of the blue.

[Disturbed]

8. When will he acknowledge that the word Macaca came from

his mother, who lived in Tunisia, where that word is used against people that are not Caucasian?

[Kahuna]

17. Per the bible, you are what your mother is. If his mother is

Jewish, then he is also. Now if Macaca believes in his bible then he KNOWS that is what the bible says.

[barb162]

132. Yeah, but so what? He's Jewish or not Jewish as in SO WHAT?

I hope people look at his record and vote accordingly versus what his mother's background is

[thereismore]

5. So you have a Jew mother, Mr. Allen?

Sounds offending? It should. Just like those democrat candidates, democrat this, democrat that.

[greccogirl]

64. Yes, very offending and the reporter was a jerk to ask it.

So what?

[rodeodance]

6. ha ha----"character, integrity, effort, and performance'--he missed the

boat on these also!


.....“ We in the Allen household were simply taught that what matters is a person’s character, integrity, effort, and performance – not race, gender, ethnicity or religion. And so whenever we would ask my mother through the years about our family background on her side, the answer always was, ‘Who cares about that?’

[goclark]

65. How would he feel if they knew his mother was African American

or his father was AA?

Either way, he would be considered Black.

That would put him out of the running all together.

This should blow over and they will still get him elected by DIEBOLD.

[Virginian]

69. We elect AAs to Congress and as Governor --

I don't see any reason an AA couldn't get elected to the Senate except... Allen is a Republican and all our elected AAs have been Dems.

Virginia is getting bluer and bluer, especially where I live now. In my precinct, the 2000 race was almost 50/50. In 04, Kerry 58% - Bush 41%. In a little special election for our state senate last January, the Dem got 85% of the vote.

I know we are bluer here than the rest of the state, but the trend is in our favor. People are opening their eyes and noticing that they have been fooled once, maybe twice and they don't want to be fooled again.

[goclark]

84. I am well aware

that African Americans are elected to office.

I am African American.

The point I am making is that if tomorrow, it became known that McCain lied and he is really African American, how would that change things.

If his Aunt Suzi popped up with some papers to prove that he has lied to the public about being White, that would be a problem. Could he overcome it,maybe/maybe not?

For we never know about the "bigot" hidden vote.

Recall that they smeared him with his so called " Black Child."
Who knows how that changed his voter turnout.

It would certainly not be everyone but RepubliCONS know how to take a little piece here and a little piece there.

Recall how they tried to say that Mrs.Heinz - Kerry was Black because she was born in Africa. INSANE!

There were many little snips in the papers about that issue, they made her address it too.

How would some bigots feel about an "African American" first lady being in the White house? Huum

Note: I am absolutely sure that there have been First Ladies with AA blood.

There would be so many surprises if we all got our DNA checked.

PEACE

[Virginian]

129. For we never know about the "bigot" hidden vote.

Actually I was referring only to Virginia because that is where this race is taking place.

I do appreciate your comments and totally agree with what you are saying about any candidate.
If his whole life has been a lie, how can we expect the truth on other topics.

I find it ironic that Allen would join an organization (CCC) that would possiblydiscriminate against him if he had been open about his ancestry. The only thing I know about that organization is what I have read about it here. I should probably do the research for myself before making a definative statement about it.

Why do some candidates suddenly discover something new in their ancestry when they run for office? How did the reporter know it and Allen didn't?

If everyone on this earth had at least one ancestor from every continent racism would end, but bigotry would still exist.

[goclark]

130. You are so right nt

[robcon]

9. I hope this ends this talk about Allen

Who the hell cares whether his grandmother was a Catholic, a Quaker or a Jew?

And who the hell cares whether he acknowledges his grandmother's religion, or ignores it? It's private.

[godai]

14. It's private? No, it's politics

I just don't see how it's anything for him to get so angry about.

[Roy]

18. Then why this extaordinary step making it public?

Or rather hinting that his family (maybe) suffered during the holocaust or were (maybe) gallant Nazi fighters without really saying ao.
And with an attitude that seems to me to pre-empt anyone from fact checking this unsolicited tirade.

He never really said his family was anything so fact checkers can't say he was lying by refuting his 'almost implications'.

This guy is slime and desperate.

[davidwparker]

37. I do when he is using it to spin his macaca statement. I won't

care when he has a come to Jesus moment and acknowledges that he knew what he was saying when he called what he thought was someone foreign a derogatory name.

[Virginia Dare]

76. He brought it up first...

he was trying to make a point that his mother wasn't a bigot, because her father was incarcerated by Nazis. It was a follow-up question to that, because there had been a recent article in a Jewish publication about his Jewish ancestry, which he has never acknowledged.

He's also brought up the fact on many occasions that he comes from "a football family" which is completely irrelevant.

You can't pick and choose as a politician which part of your life is private and which isn't. We learned that with Bill Clinton.

I say fight fire with fire.

[Lurking Dem]

10. I think there are many more

genuine things to fault this guy for.

Many, MANY people were not raised Jewish even though they came from Jewish background families.

Many, MANY survivors from the camps or people who managed to escape never ever talk one word about their experiences.

My last name is not Jewish because it was changed during the war. That is also true of many people.

Some Jews converted to other religions either as a practicality or personal choice. A Jew who adopts Christianity is no longer a Jew. They are a Christian. Unless you adopt the stance that Judaism is a race and only a race.

His mother was a practicing Christian and he was raised in a Christian household. Wes Clark's mother converted to Christianity when she married his stepfather and he was raised Christian. So Wes Clark is now a Jew?

We do NOT need to incite Nuremberg laws here. That is a dreadful path to take.

Fault the guy for his agenda and his policies. He'll keep you busy enough with that.

[Jane Austin]

20. Huh?

You said: "Wes Clark's mother converted to Christianity when she married his stepfather and he was raised Christian. So Wes Clark is now a Jew?"


Why would Wes Clark's mother convert to Christianity when she married his Jewish father? That makes no sense.

[Lurking Dem]

22. Read again

When she married his stepfather. Wes was raised a Christian.

[Lurking Dem]

26. Sorry.

It was my understanding she had converted to Judaism when she married his father and had then converted back. Apparently, she did not.

[Wesin04]

66. Wes Clark's father

Was a Jew. He died when Clark was 4 and his mother moved back to her home in Little Rock. It was here that she met his future stepfather, and converted to Christianity. His mother was not Jewish. Clark has been very proud of his Jewish heritage and learning about his father's background (from Russia. He learned to speak Russian as a result of this interest.

[barb162]

133. "Fault the guy for his agenda and his policies." Right!

Not his background

[lapfog_1]

11. Rut-roh... the KKK (ahem)...the CCC (ahem)...the southern repukes

wont like this... kiss your Presidential ASSpirations goodbye.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[godai]

12. Sure struck a nerve.

Wouldn't a simple answer, yes or no, have been sufficient, like he did today with the statement? They got worried that this would drag on and on and wanted to try to spin it to his advantage. But, I think the repub concern is that some of his supporters might have second thoughts about voting for a Jewish candidate. This is all pathetic but, again, his over reaction to the question means something.

Hope that there are no repercussions for Peggy Fox. She asked about 'macaca' more than anyone else dared.

I think that he's lying about not hearing 'macaca' at home, based on what I've read about his mother's arrogance toward DC.

It seems that his mother is alive? Strange that no one knows for sure. They may be keeping her out of public view, related to the macaca incident.

This guy deserves no breaks. His campaign will stoop as low as needed to try to win votes and the more he's on the defensive, the better.

[oncall247]

21. A simple "yes" would have disarmed the questioner.

But a liar's first impulse is to lie.

[Tin Man]

48. Ding-ding-ding! We have a winner - and welcome to DU OnCall247

:hi:

[Virginia Dare]

77. Exactly...

when the question was asked, his physical reaction was so telling. He looked as if she had slapped him.

Welcome to DU!!!

[Renew Deal]

13. Thsi guy knows how to turn nothing into a crisis.

This should be a non-story.

[barb162]

140. What's the crisis? I see no crisis

[wallwriter]

15. Allen wants to bully and demean minorities in public....

That's why this is so deeply hypocritical.

If he had said to the East Asian guy with the camera, "Welcome, neighbor, we're happy to have you here shooting video of this fine event because we have nothing to hide." That would have been one thing.

[Disturbed]

16. "East Asian guy with the camera."

The young man is a US Citizen born in W. Virginia. Dumbass Allen didn't know this?

[FSogol]

86. Not West VA, he was born in VA unlike Allen. n/t

[The Deacon]

19. Frankly, I Don't Care What Religion Allen's Mother, Grandfather

or third cousin twice removed from a previous marriage is or was.
What I find scarey is his absolute insistence that he had no curiousity about it. If my mother told me that my grandfather was persecuted by the Nazi I'd want to know chapter & verse - a fascinating subject & story. Maybe its only me - but I don't think I'd be comfortable being represented by someone with so little intellectual curiosity.

[Mz Pip]

27. I don't either

but I would bet on it that there are plenty of his bigotted supporters who do. Their twisted bigotted minds are just freezing up with the thought that "Allen is part Jewish".

This turns off people in a couple of ways - it turns off the bigots to whom 'heritage' matters. Allen just ain't a good 'ole boy anymore.

And it turns off people who are offended by Allen's less than comfortable attitude with his heritage. He sure was comfortable with his Confederate flag heritage, his noose heritage, his wannabe cowboy heritage. Jewish heritage? Not so much.
Mz Pip
:dem:

[Captain Hilts]

45. B-I-N-G-O. nt

[DURHAM D]

23. This is ridiculous -

First Allen explodes in anger at the question (indicating his shame) and then he puts out a press release blaming the person who asked the question and seeks pity for his mother. This is going to be like the Pope's apology - he will do it over and over and over again.

He is so thin on character that it is astounding. He is not just an empty suit - he is a skeleton wearing skin. No brain, no heart, no nothing.

People like that him are making decisions about policies that affect my life - I am glad I am old.

[godai]

24. The last sentence is informative

"He ended the note saying that his mother “deserves respect and she also deserves privacy, especially where painful memories are concerned. I sincerely hope that simple decency will be respected."

They are trying to pre-empt anyone tracking down his mother and asking her about macaca. Since she apparently described DC as what would happen if Paris farted, she might readily admit to using 'macaca'.

[Sgent]

25. The real issue

is that Hitler, the KKK, and the CCC, will all consider Allen jewish (which he is according to orthodox standards).

This could eviserate his base.

[Lurking Dem]

29. The Orthodox wouldn't claim him.

He is married to a non-Jew.

[Sgent]

34. I beg to differ

the orthodox wouldn't accept his children without conversion, and would consider him an appostate. However, he would not need a conversion to have a Jewish wedding, be buried in a jewish cemetary, etc.

In addition, he, his children, and his grandchildren would all be the right of return (Isreal), as they would also be required to wear star's of david on their arms in Nazi Germany.

[MelliMel]

57. Incorrect

As an Orthodox Jew I can tell you he would be viewed as a Jew, but as an apostate, much the same way Jews who become Christians, Buddhists, or even atheists are viewed.

Now his children are another issue altogether. Under Reform Judaism standards, his children (even if married to a gentile) would be considered Jewish if he was raising them to be Jewish. Neither Conservative no Orthodox rabbis would view his children as Jews. His wife would need a conversion that included mikvah and an Orthodox Beis Din for that, and before the kids were born too.

[barb162]

135. I doubt if his base will vote Democratic over this.

They may not like him as much, thwe anti semites among them, but they, the base, will still vote party line I bet

[deadparrot]

28. I'm amazed that something like this still merits a press conference.

:eyes:

[wordpix]

52. It IS an issue if SmileyBoy lied about his religion previously to hide

he's Jewish. I don't know if that's the case but the article raises the doubt and that's bad for Mr. Smiley.

[Virginia Dare]

78. Precisely...

he handled it badly. Felix, like President Chimpface, doesn't think well on his feet.

He needed a full 24 hours for his spinmeisters to try and get this one out of the ashes, and twist it around to be his opponent's fault.

Didn't fly the last time, not gonna fly this time either.

[barb162]

139. You're so right. A person's ethnic or whatever background

shouldn't be an issue of any kind. Who cares if they are black or white or Chinese or Jewish or whatever? I can honestly say I look at the ISSUES and what the candidate is saying about issues.

[rzemanfl]

30. Oh for Christ's sake! He never knew his mother's heritage? Was

she a fucking surrogate or what? I call bullshit to the nth degree.

[wordpix]

51. he never said he didn't know her heritage, he said she didn't want

to talk about it so he never learned much about about it.

I agree it sounds like bullshit.

[rzemanfl]

122. Well if they never talked about it, that would mean he didn't

know, wouldn't it?

[barb162]

134. But Madeline Albright had a similar story.

She learned very late in life she was Jewish

[IChing]

32. Does this mean he gets the Jewish Vote now and any attack on him is

anti-Semitism or is it an attack on his racism?

[Lurking Dem]

40. Why would any Jew

vote for a Christian who considers being called a "Jew" an aspersion?

[Sequoia]

44. Don't give him any ideas.

[barb162]

136. Do you think people just vote on ethnic/ religion line?

I find you are putting out a strange question. Most Jews in the US tend to vote Democrat at least according to poll data I have seen. DO Muslim Americans or Mexican Americans only vote for Muslim American candidates or Mexican American candidates? And any attacks on them are racism? I think not

[davidwparker]

35. "Allen criticized Fox" This is what I wanted to check into, but

didn't have the time. My thought when I saw the exchange between Allen and a reporter is that it could be a setup. There is Sen. Macaca making a political gaff and exposing again his racist tendencies. Now, he's asked by a reporter about his Jewish roots and he gets to act all shocked, shocked I tell you about that and then goes on about how we're all created equal.

My thought that it was grandstanding and an attempt to do damage control. Now that the reporter is from Fox and Fox is the RNC's propaganda division, I have my answer.

Before it goes down the memory hole, his mother is FRENCH, who may be Jewish. She is from Northern Africa where macaca is a racial slur. He knew what he was saying and it is not a random sound that he made up on the spot as he restated Sunday on Meet the Press.

[godai]

38. Reporter is not from FAUX...she's Peggy Fox from WUSA (CBS) n/t

[davidwparker]

42. I stand corrected. I saw Fox and then thought collusion to

change the subject. Allen's racism is not a subject that I want to see changed.

[mikelgb]

36. boy...

he sure has a lot of chutzpah....


=Þ

[Sequoia]

39. The Grand Wizard calls up Allen and says to give back the sheet.

[DinahMoeHum]

47. Methinks "Felix" just lost the good-old-boy redneck vote. . .

fucking poseur got exposed.

:evilgrin:

[barb162]

141. I bet he hasn't. DO you think "base" pugs are going to vote

Democrat over this? Maybe a few of the worst anti-semites ogf the base will at best.

[bobbieinok]

49. Remember all the hoopla about Kerry's Jewish background

It was discussed and discussed and discussed.

But 'we' are supposed to shut up when the politician is republican????

[barb162]

142. No I don't

I remember it being brought up and that was about all. It quickly disappeared as I recall.

[Frances]

50. Allen is the one who advertised the fact that his grandfather

was imprisoned by the Nazis. I don't think I was wrong to wonder why.

If the American people elect Allen president, we'll get to see temper tantrums to rival those of George Bush.

[wordpix]

53. Allen is an empty suit Bush leaguer & I'm rooting for Webb

[pinerow]

81. According to Allen...His grandfather was "incarcerated" by the Nazis'

sorta like a DUI...???...sheesh!!

[Olney Blue]

54. Allen could start the first Confederate chapter of Jews for Jesus

[Frances]

55. Is the Olney in your name for Olney Maryland?

[Olney Blue]

56. Yes.

[ruggerson]

58. (Felix) Allen Says He Embraces Jewish Ancestry

Un-fucking-believable. He honestly thinks people are stupid enough to buy his lie that he just found this out recently?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/19/AR2006091901141_pf.html


Allen Says He Embraces His Jewish Ancestry

By Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 20, 2006; A01

Virginia Sen. George Allen (R) said for the first time publicly yesterday that he has Jewish ancestry, a day after responding angrily to an exchange that included questions about his mother's racial sensitivity and whether his family has Jewish roots.

At a campaign debate with Democratic challenger James Webb on Monday, a reporter asked Allen whether his mother's father, Felix Lumbroso, was Jewish. He became visibly upset, saying his mother's religion was not relevant to the campaign and chiding the reporter for "making aspersions about people because of their religious beliefs."

Allen's campaign manager said the senator believed the question was hostile because it followed another one about whether Allen had learned the word "macaca" from his mother. The word, which Allen used last month to describe a Webb volunteer, is a French slur for a dark-skinned person. Allen's mother, Henreitte "Etty" Allen, is a native of Tunisia and speaks French.

In a statement released by his campaign yesterday, Allen said he was proud to have recently discovered that his grandfather, a Nazi resistance fighter in North Africa, was part of a well-known Jewish family.

(more)

[laststeamtrain]

59. Is Rove doing this stuff to Allen ?

On behalf of _____? McCain? _____?
:tinfoilhat:

[muntrv]

60. Does this mean he'll give up that picture of him with the white

supremacist council of conservative citizens?

[underpants]

83. Yeeee HAW he still likes 'em a ham sammich though

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2521018&mesg_id=2521018

Speaking with The Times-Dispatch, Allen said the disclosure is "just an interesting nuance to my background." He added, "I still had a ham sandwich for lunch. And my mother made great pork chops."

[LibDemAlways]

67. Allen is unraveling more quickly than I could have imagined.

First his lifelong love affair with the Confederacy, racist past, and abuse of his siblings are examined in The New Republic last April. Then, he sticks his foot in his mouth bigtime with "Macaca." Then, when a reporter asks about his heritage, he reacts as though he's been asked if his mother is a cockroach. Then, realizing that his response sounded suspiciously like an anti-semitic rant, he awkwardly attempts to backtrack with the laughable assertion that he never knew his mother's heritage, but he did know his grandfather was persecuted by the Nazis, all the while hoping that his freeptard base won't desert him.

Should be a very interesting election night.

[HuffleClaw]

72. he tried to HIDE this ?

[Virginia Dare]

79. Yes, he did...n/t

[DarkTirade]

74. Media? Respect simple decency?

What the hell country has he been living in the last few years?

[izzybeans]

80. I'm sure this will be unpopular but his view of his ancestry

is pretty similar to my own.

I could pick one of 15 flavors and claim loyalty to a group. My Great-grandfather was Jewish, but I am not. I did not know this until recently, didn't explore it on my own, and it had no affect on my whatsoever. Why? Bland white boys like myself and mister macaca can slide on by without noticing because no one ever asks THAT question; "Where are you from? Well I mean your grandparents? Why? Well your skin is a unique color and I want to be able to categorize you."

The whole thing about power and ethnicity is that bland white boyz like me and macaca over there is that we can escape classification; unless we voluntarily choose to categorize ourselves. Apparently white isn't a color. So for here on out, I am a proud African-American male with Cherokee blood pumping in my vains. But alas, that just references two people in my family tree, and this is the Jim Crowe south; so thanfully my Starbucks will let me by my Venti Bold. This ancestral fact apparently only showed up in maybe my father and grandmother's dark hair. But who could tell, we are as white as can be. Crackers if you will. Only bland until we get a hold of the Babaghanoush and curry (or is it electric guitars). We taste better with a little spice. Don't you think?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

82. "what matters is a person’s character, integrity, effort, and performance"

Unless you're gay. Or a macaca. Or a liberal. Or....

[yellowcanine]

85. Allen's campaign is starting to get weird and weird does not play well

in senate campaigns. Just ask Katherine Harris.

[underpants]

87. Allen tells of his Jewish heritage (Va. Senate)

Here is the video from the debate


He acknowledges he knew of his lineage when faulting a reporter for her question
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149190712778

U.S. Sen. George Allen, R-Va., yesterday acknowledged his Jewish ancestry, a day after angrily ducking a question about possible Jewish forebears in a debate with his Democratic challenger.

He said in an interview that he was aware of his heritage when asked about it during the nationally televised debate Monday with Webb sponsored by the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce. Allen did not directly answer a panelist's question on his lineage but sternly criticized her for asking about religion.

Speaking with The Times-Dispatch, Allen said the disclosure is "just an interesting nuance to my background." He added, "I still had a ham sandwich for lunch. And my mother made great pork chops."

A leader of Richmond's Jewish community, Ric Arenstein, was disturbed by the timing of Allen's announcement.

"This story has been rumored and raised with him repeatedly," said Arenstein, a former president of the Jewish Federation of Richmond who has ties to both political parties. "I guess it troubles me that he cares so little about his lineage that he waited until it was irrefutable."

[Virginia Dare]

88. "I still had a ham sandwich for lunch..

and my mother made great pork chops". Is that a veiled anti-semitic reference?

Anyway, he probably lied about that too. His mom probably made really shitty pork chops, and he probably had a hamburger.

[Lautremont]

90. It means "I'm no Jew, and don't call my mother one either."

It means he still thinks being "accused" of having Jewish heritage is "casting aspersions."

[Virginia Dare]

93. Oh, I get it...

it was "code speak" to his Klan buddies.

[underpants]

97. What klan buddies?

THAT is the CCC!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Council_of_Conservative_Citizens

http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=360

[Virginia Dare]

98. My apologies...

I get my white supremacist organizations all mixed up sometimes.

[goclark]

100. What a bigot he is, to the core. nt

[IndianaGreen]

102. My G-d! Why can't this guy just shut up?

"I still had a ham sandwich for lunch. And my mother made great pork chops."

As in his explanation for the macaca slur, Allen keeps digging himself deeper into a hole when he tries to explain his behaviour. I am now truly convinced that Allen is a complete bigot, a white supremacist to the core, and one that has some serious issues with his Jewishness.

If there is any such thing as a self-hating Jew, Allen definitely fits the bill.

[NOLADEM]

118. Yep.

Here's a translation...

" I learned some unfortunate information about my past today. But, fear not, I am no Jew. I may have Jewish blood, but I disavow it and worry not fellow rednecks, I still hate em as much as we all hate black people. Vote for me. I promise not to be a Jew."

[Human Torch]

89. "I still had a ham sandwich for lunch...

...And my mother made great pork chops. And oh yeah, one other thing. She taught me the word "macaca."

Let's get it ALL out, you shifty little shit.

:patriot:

[Sequoia]

112. "Aren't you going to ask me about the pig?"

Oink, oink.

[godai]

120. Ha! Ha!Ha! Don't think he'll ever admit macaca

The best bet is to find someone who knows he used the word before, maybe his sister, who apparently despises him. I noted that he denied that his MOTHER used the word. Perhaps it was his FATHER, the 'great' Nixon supporter, religious fanatic and football coach, from whom he learned macaca.

[kenny blankenship]

91. Still gets invited by Klan to midnight BBQ rallies too

as a token of respect for his office and past service, although I'm sure they'll never look at him the same way again.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

92. So don't worry, he's one of the good ones.

:-)

(We really need a little KKK smiley or something, don't we?)

[underpants]

96. From the weekly Top10 list's key

[Gidney N Cloyd]

106. OK. But I was hoping for a klansman eating a pork chop...

[Sequoia]

113. Here's a bookmark on Allen's computer.

Membership Requirements for the Men

Not allowed in the ranks if not able to declare an unqualified allegiance to the constitution.
Not allowed in this movement who cannot pledge themselves to the protection, preservation, and advancement of White race.
No one is allowed if you are not able to practice Brotherhood.
Only Pure white Christians allowed. 18 years of age, and who can dedicate their lives to the KKK.
The KKK is a strict law abiding orginization. You will be SWORN to uphold law
The KKK concedes the right of every Christian citizen the right to worship God as he sees fit.

Ku KLux Klan Facts

1. The KKK supports the idea of the extinction of blacks, Catholics, and Jews. (uh oh Allen....you're in big trouble here!)
2. The Klan believes the only way races can develop their full potential and culture is through racial seperation.



http://cjwww.csustan.edu/hatecrimes/00/kkk/KKK%20web%20page

[gratuitous]

94. Cornered like a rat, Allen confesses

Oh wait, I forgot: He's a Republican, so his previous shadings of the truth are totally excusable. Still doesn't explain why he thought that the truth about his ancestry should be regarded as "casting aspersions" on his character. Perhaps he'll get to that in v3.0 of Felix Explains It All.

[pinerow]

95. This guy is his own worst enemy...

nt

[LibDemAlways]

99. Bad enough that Allen acted pissed when asked about

his heritage. Then he claims he just learned recently. Then he tosses a bone to his freeptard supporters basically saying, "OK, I had to fess up about mom's side of the family, but I'm not one, no way, no how." What a dumbass.

Allen claims he didn't know what the Confederate flag symbolized until recently. He claims he didn't know "macaca" was a racial slur. Now this.

OK, George. Which is it? Are you a total ignoramous or a serial liar?

[zbdent]

101. A Dem is constantly criticized as being "Un-" and "Anti-" Christian, and

when Felix is asked about his religious background, he's appalled?

:eyes:

[Virginia Dare]

103. Dumbass Felix says religion doesn't matter...

then he quickly moves to reassure his base that he's not a Jew.

Slimy lieing bastard!.

[underpants]

104. except that it matters because the liberal Va. press is after him

If this downward slide continues he will be in his underwear in a corner in the dark.

Wow.

I'll bet this is being reported as being a WIN for Allen....finally.

[partylessinOhio]

105. Why do so many politicos say they didn't know they were Jewish?

I can think of Hillary Clinton, John Kerry, Madeleine Albright and now George Allen. Why did they pretend they didn't know?

[11cents]

109. Um, you're wrong on most of these counts.

Hillary Clinton had a Jewish step-grandfather or something of the sort. She's not Jewish and has never "pretended" one way or the other. John Kerry's grandparents converted to Catholicism while living in Vienna; he really didn't find out they were Jewish until he was an adult. (Ditto Wesley Clark -- his Jewish father died when he was very young, and his mother subsequently obscured his identity; Clark didn't find out his father was Jewish until paternal relatives contacted him when he was a young man.) The only one you mention who can conceivably be accused of having "pretended" is Madeleine Albright, of whom it can plausibly be said that she should have suspected. But how many of us would think to question our parents on something like this?

[Gormy Cuss]

111. Allen may not have known until recently either.

The issue for me is that he's acting like it's a stain on the reputation of his pork loving family.

[zonkers]

107. That reporter had no comeback his lame question as to why it was

relevant to ask that question.

[carolinayellowdog]

127. She most certainly did!

Said that honesty was the issue. It really bums me out to see DUers buying the Allen line here that the reporter was out of order. Hopefully none of his supporters here are Virginia voters.

[Tyler Durden]

108. Can we arrange for him to be circumcized?

Can I assist?

OOPS.

[Renew Deal]

110. It's Allens fault this is a mess.

He created a scandal out of nothing.

[barb162]

138. What scandal? I don't see a scandal, just an acknowledgement

of his background.

[MallRat]

114. "I still had a ham sandwich for lunch." Wow, is that defensive.

Why are you in such a hurry to distance yourself from your Jewish heritage, Governor Allen?

Most people would embrace it and celebrate such a discovery... you seem be running away from it.

Being part-Jewish shouldn't impact your turnout in the election, right? I mean, your friends with the Council of Conservative Citizens would still vote for you, right?

Right???

[LibDemAlways]

115. Allen was sure pissed at the reporter who brought it up.

If I had only seen his answer without hearing the question, I would have thought she asked him if it was true his mother was a Satan worshipper.

He really tipped his hand with the comment that she was "making aspersions" by asking about his mother's Jewish heritage. Definite implication there that he thinks there's something wrong with being Jewish - or he knows damn well his base does.

However, you can be sure from here on out, he'll be munching ham sandwiches and pork ribs at every campaign appearance.

[underpants]

116. So far I haven't seen anything locally about Allen running from the rebel

flag.

The rebel battle flag that is.

So far they have been able to keep that away from their "base" ;-)

[godai]

121. Needs to convince his base that he's not Jewish.

They obviously fear loss of votes. The ham sandwich and pork chop references are pathetic. But no more pathetic than Felix walking around in high heel cowboy boots. He thinks he's Raygun reincarnated.

[Ex Lion Tamer]

117. Anybody ever see Chappelle's "Race Draft" skit?

I propose we give George Allen to the Jews in exchange for Woody Allen.

[underpants]

119. 7:58

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvToPTbH7UM

[Ex Lion Tamer]

123. Thank you!

I hadn't seen it on YouTube.

[Anakin Skywalker]

124. Aww. I guess if you don't vote for him now,

you are an anti-Semite.

[barb162]

137. If a pro Allen voter switched his or her vote over this, I'd call it

anti-semitism. WHat else would you call it?

[stepnw1f]

125. A Real Shocker to Your Base, Huh Al?

Oh well... your base gets to see who you really are... I'm sure they won't care either way...lol.

[kdpeters]

128. Oh bologna. He's trying to play the victim card to counter his racism

Republicans have zero morals.