Breeze Perspectives: Ignoring Webb’s ‘macaca’ problem
Press coveage of candidate prejudices seems to depend on the party
By Anthony Riedel, contributing writer
Posted on September 28, 2006

In August, Sen. George Allen was addressing a crowd of his supporters when he described how an operative of Democratic challenger James Webb’s campaign was following him around. Allen introduced the young man as “macaca, or whatever his name is,” and “macaca” again. George Allen later apologized on “Meet the Press” Sept. 17 and again during the Virginia Senate debate on Sept. 18 for using the word macaca. It is still being debated if Allen really knew what a macaca was. Liberals are still demanding an apology.

Then Allen’s ancestral Jewish roots and to “which point Jewish identity might have ended” were questioned during the Virginia senate debates. Afterward, The Washington Post’s Ruth Marcus attacked Allen for the fact that he would not set off Marcus’s mother’s “Jewdar” (similar to a “gaydar”) because he did not fit the stereotype of being Jewish. Marcus then viciously attacked Allen’s mother, who felt it necessary to conceal Allen’s Jewish ancestry.

Supposed-racist Allen has been getting flack for years for having a noose and keeping a Confederate flag in his home. Last week, Larry Sabato came out saying he knew for a fact that Allen used the “n-word” but then admitted that he never heard Allen say the word himself. Former U.Va. classmates and teammates of George Allen also have come out saying that Allen used the “n-word.” Paradoxically, other former U.Va. classmates and teammates of George Allen have come out saying the Allen is not a racist and never used the “n-word.” Additionally, Allen received the endorsement of state Sen. Benjamin Lambert, a senior black Democratic state legislator, because of Allen’s hard work in delivering “on [his] promises to support Virginia’s historically black colleges and universities.”

Compare this to the treatment that Webb has been getting. In November 1979, then-Naval Academy professor Webb wrote an essay titled “Women Can’t Fight,” in which he stated that a coed dorm at the Naval Academy was a “horny woman’s dream.” Recently The Washington Post reported how five females came out and shared their experience of harassment while at the Naval Academy as a result of Webb’s essay. One woman said the article “infected the brigade with hate and divisive anger.” Another woman said that Webb’s anti-woman essay “was like throwing gasoline” on a fire. On “Meet the Press,” another woman stated that, “there is no question that James Webb’s attitudes and philosophy were major factors behind the unnecessary abuse and hazing received by me and my fellow women midshipmen, this article was brandished repeatedly by our male upperclassmen, they quoted it and used it as an excuse to mistreat us.”

When asked, Webb only apologized that his essay could have caused hardship for women at the Navel Academy. Webb would not apologize for the content of the essay. Right before attributing his then immaturity to the “horny woman’s dream” comment, Webb had a smirk on his face that suggested his maturity level is at about the same as it was in 1979. Webb has written more recent articles questioning the role of women in the military. Additionally, Webb has called affirmative action “state-sponsored racism.” I’m still waiting for liberals to accuse Webb of being a racist.

The press and the liberals go crazy over Allen’s “macaca,” but have not gotten a whiff of Webb’s. Democrats should feel very uncomfortable that their candidate is not consistent with their supposed “values.” Or maybe he really is, since they are so fervently in support of him. That, or I’ve discovered blind hatred (for Allen) can lead to anosmatic hatred, too.

Anthony Riedel is a senior communications major who asks for the campaigns and press to get back to the issues.