One For The Libs Down On Allen

Relax folks, I have it on good authority, if he ever did use the phrase, he was only talking about white niggers. Clearly that one doesn't bother you at all. Just ask the conscience of the Democrat Senate Robert Byrd. He doesn't even need to remember back to his college days to clue you in.

Webb will need a few more of these if he wants to continue to avoid talking about the issues before November. But then, if he did, most of the Libs supporting him and half the moderates wouldn't vote for him anyway.

EX-KLANSMAN Robert Byrd, the senior senator from West Virginia, casually used the phrase "white nigger" twice on national TV this weekend. Enraged civil rights groups organized a protest campaign against Sen. Byrd and demanded that he undergo sensitivity training ... not. The ex-Klansman, you see, is a Democrat. Democrats can join hate groups and utter the ugliest racial slurs and get away with it because they are Democrats. They belong to the party of racial tolerance and understanding. They're paragons of virtue, and the rest of us are bigoted rubes.

Comments

[Elmo]

Issues? Give up on that one there. The only issues the Dems have are the ones they mumble in their ginormous collective, empty echoey online voids. And those they can scoop up out of a porta potty (they are starting to run out of memes).

http://www.mailorderexpress.com/3275_Playmobil_Construction_Portable_Bathroom_Toilet_With_Crew.asp

[BumperStickerist]

The key thing with Byrd and the KKK is this: He didn't just join the Klan - he organized the local Klan chapter.

And, once he went around, recruiting members, getting the bylaws approved, registering it with the national group and all that, he got the Grand Wizard to come and pay a visit to the Chapter that he, Byrd, had just put together.

That goes several steps beyond 'he just joined the Klan'.

But - hey - we could invoke the Margaret Cho rule - much as Bader-Meinhoff evoked a time when terorism was cool and trendy, maybe Byrd and his apologists think the KKK in the 40s was sort of a social club, for bankers and professionals, white bankers and professionals, who weren't jews - sort of like the clubs that Ned Lamont liked to be part of until recently.

Not the KKK/White Power 'Foaming Deranged Losers in Percale Sheets' that we see on TV today - maybe Margaret Cho will name a dog after a Klan leader from the 40s.

[Elmo]

F*ck the Klan, f*ck racists. But speaking reverentially of Margaret Cho? You people are nuttier than the Skippy Peanut Butter factory. Margaret Cho? As one American to another ..... get help buddy.

[BumperStickerist]

I guess those reports of Irony not being dead are premature.

[Amiee]

Somebody believes Webb, this race is getting tighter and tighter with many in VA predicting a loss for llen. He's had this racist baggage forever, it wouldn't be all that bad if he did lose. This nutjob refused to have a Martin Luther King day at first and instead instituted a "Confederate history month" Anyone that doesn't have shi* for brains knows that was a bone headed move, that was just the beginning. He's made his bed, lay down and shut up George!

[zadig]

So your point is that it's OK if Allen's a racist moron, because Byrd is, too? Lovely logic, really lovely. You were in the debating club, right?

Hannity and Limbaugh do the same thing, so I suppose we shouldn't be too surprised you're trotting this one out, too. Any time a right winger flies racist colors, it's OK because of Robert Byrd.

And you don't see anything wrong with that logic, do you? Nope, thought not. It's just sad, that's what it is.

[pj]

Strangely enough, Byrd was the lone southern dem racist not to switch to the republican party when Nixon siezed the opening to remake the party into the white southernor party. Maybe he was too busy giving longwinded speeches and never got the memo.

But the newbies, like George Allen, know where to go.

[RW]

Sure looked like George Wallace on stage at the '76 convention endorsing Carter. Or did they not mention that in the talking points?
Maybe we should ask the guy who put the confederate flag on the SC capitol: Strom Thurmond.
Or the guy who helped in the civil rights filibustre: Al Gore, Sr.
Or Bill Clinton's political mentor & segregationist: Fulbright.

Nice try.
So your point is that it's OK if Allen's a racist moron, because Byrd is, too? Lovely logic, really lovely. You were in the debating club, right?
That's covered under debating logic 099: "who are you to complain about X when you have X in your own closet?"

Are you working to oust Byrd?
Didn't think so. Selective outrage......that's something that debating can bring about for everyone to see. Didn't take long, either.

[zadig]

Are you working to oust Byrd?
Didn't think so. Selective outrage......that's something that debating can bring about for everyone to see. Didn't take long, either.

I can't vote for Byrd; I'm not in his constituency. The information about his behavior is out there for his constituents to use when voting. If they don't want him, they'll vote him out.

Nobody is trying to "oust" Allen. The information about his (cumulative) behavior is simply being placed out there so his would-be constituents can use it when voting. If they don't want him, they'll toss him out of the voting booth on his racist ass.

The blog entries here make it sound as if Democrats shouldn't be talking about Allen's behavior because of Byrd. That's stupid. They're independent situations. Information about Allen is out there, and more is coming out every day. People will vote accordingly.

[RW]

Follow closely: if one accepts Byrd then pontification's about someone else's, er, racial baggage, ring hollow.

****Nobody is trying to "oust" Allen *-***

Filed under "naive". Or, better yet, "lame attempt to portray as a non-ideological moment". Suuuuuuuuurre it's all about finding out stuff on someone so the citizens can make a determined decision. That's why every candidate has been asked about whether or not they've used certain words.

Right?

[RW]

Anyone asked Hillary about the "f*#@ing Jew b@stard" comment? Where is the link to the WaPo reporter covering the case? AFter all, people will vote accordingly.

[zadig]

"Filed under "naive". Or, better yet, "lame attempt to portray as a non-ideological moment". Suuuuuuuuurre it's all about finding out stuff on someone so the citizens can make a determined decision. That's why every candidate has been asked about whether or not they've used certain words.

Right?"

Non-ideological? Who the hell said that? Of course it's ideological... Allen's opponents will use information that makes Allen look bad, and vice-versa. Welcome to politics. Who's naive now?

And of course not "every candidate has been asked about ... certain words". That would be a waste of time. But when a story surfaces that makes a candidate look bad, every candidate has certainly been asked to comment on it, or if there's overwhelming evidence (as in this case) to try to explain it away (or, in Allen's case, make it worse).

So, let's recap.

1) Allen has behavior in his past, both distant and immediate ("macaca") that raises reasonable questions about his racial attitudes.

2) Allen's opponents are asking those questions, and voicing opinions on the results.

3) The voters will read these stories, decide on their relevance and credibility, and vote accordingly.

4) Right wingers, each and every time one of their own is called on racist behavior, points to Byrd as if that is somehow relevant. The voters have read those stories, decided on their relevance and credibility, and voted accordingly. Old news that has no bearing on Allen's campaign implosion.

Get it? Unless you have something substantive to say about the allegations against Allen (Is the report of the behavior credible? Does Allen excuse the behavior at all? Is the report substantiated by numerous repeated acts of this behavior and by multiple credible witnesses?), why drag the irrelevant Byrd into this?

[mylena]

listening to this all I wonder: did we all ever grow up? I mean it is like i am walking around in my toddlers class....

Cant' we just stick to whatever the beliefs are and the politicians are intending to DO, Cant they just talk about that ? what do I care what someone did in the 70s... I care about the things someone stands for RIGHT NOW, all the 'campainging' im seeine is one politician getten some dirt to one and another... it's so sad

[zadig]

As for any comments *allegedly* said by Hillary Clinton, read my above rant, substituting "Clinton" for "Byrd." Irrelevant.

[tbogg]

Since you didn't mention that Michael Moore is fat, this post doesn't count toward your Wingnuttia Merit Badge so I'm going to have to give you an imcomplete.

Next time show work.

[nova]

Back in the 1950s pols could smear each other by calling each "a communist". Now that the cold war is over and the commies are long gone the new tactic is to smear someone using either the word "racist" or "sexist". You dont have to prove it. All you have to do is call them one.

[RW]

*****why drag the irrelevant Byrd into this?****

The guy was president pro tempore (third in line for the presidency) during the time he said "white niggers" on national television, and if there's anyone with a history & pattern, it's Senator KKK.

Who is running for re-election, btw. Interestingly enough, you don't want to discuss HIS campaign, now do you?

And, no, no stories in the WaPo or specials on Hardball about his pattern. All that matters is the Republican, baby. No need to discuss hypocrisy on display. Nope. Hail mary time.

[RW]

By the way:'

*** The voters have read those stories, decided on their relevance and credibility, and voted accordingly***

Excellent notation. Time for folks to STFU about Bush, isn't it?

[Nick J.]

About Bush's election, RW? I wager we libs would be willing to shut up about that, so long as we can still talk about the piss poor job he's doing as the CiC. Is that all right with you, honey? I wouldn't want to offend your delicate sensibilities, of course.

[RW]

****, so long as we can still talk about the piss poor job he's doing as the CiC.****

Last time I checked, you "can still talk" as freely as you wish (nutcase protestations about Orwell's 1984 looming around every corner notwithstanding). Talking is what you guys do best.

****Is that all right with you, honey? I ****

Heh, I'm 6'5" and 235 lbs and some internet atriette is calling me "honey".

**** I wouldn't want to offend your delicate sensibilities, of course.*****

Nah, I'm part of the party that's tough on terrorism, not the type to run around whining about how badly the jihadists might get treated in Gitmo. Boy, Clinton really DID give you guys a virtual spine over the weekend....you all are.....typing...so tough, "Nick".

I'm guessing your inauguration party was a bust, eh?