Macaca Mess

This is a Macaca

Rich Tucker recently wrote a commentary on the negative reaction to Senator George Allen's (R-VA) comments in a public appearance, where he called a campaign worker for his opponent a Macaca. Allen has subsequently apologized, and good for him. What has followed is a perfect example of why conservatives have difficulty changing their image as the "old white guys' club".

Tucker goes on the lambast the media, in general, and the Washington Post, specifically, for portraying Allen as a racist. Let's read an excerpt directly from Tucker's piece, and I'll let you decide if you think he's helping Allen's image as a racist:

• The piece dredged up the fact Allen once had a confederate flag in his home and noted that in 1984 he’d voted against a state holiday commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. “As a chief executive, he also compiled a controversial record on race,” the magazine asserted.

Whether or not Allen really is a racist remains to be seen. I think you can say that his record as Governor of Virginia, combined with his public comments would at least call this into question, but he did apologize, as every conservative commentator who has written about the event is quick to point out.

The problem is that every conservative political pundit from here to outer Mongolia has defended Allen's comments, and proceeded to paint the issue as a liberal media conspiracy. It's almost like a knee jerk reaction for these guys, and unfortunately, it makes them look like conservatives are defending racist comments. Not exactly a good position to take for a party that is trying to broaden their appeal to minority groups.

The better course of action would have been to praise Allen's apology and provide examples of things Allen has done in his career that show he's not a racist. There have to be some examples right? Particularly, if this whole image of him as a racist was invented by the Godless Left?

When one of the most prominent black members of your party is certified nut-job Alan Keyes, conservatives need to try harder not to appear like the Strom Thurmond-backing, Trent Lott-defending, good old boys who think that calling someone from India a monkey is an acceptable thing to do "because he was just joking."