Breeze Perspectives: Webb is a racist
But does it matter anymore?
By Anthony Riedel, contributing writer
Posted on October 9, 2006

According to the Washington Post last week, a former acquaintance of Democratic Senate candidate James Webb came out saying that while Webb was a freshman at the University of Southern California in the early 1960s, he and members of his ROTC unit “would hop into their cars, and would go down to Watts (a black neighborhood) … they would take the rifles down there. They would call them (the “n-word”), point the rifles at them, pull the triggers and then drive off laughing. One night, some guys caught them and beat … them. And that was the end of that.”

Imagine for a moment: if this story was about Senator George Allen, you know it would be front-page news. Allen’s “macaca” gaffe earned him 10 Washington Post front-page articles. However, to find out about Webb doing what he did, you have to go to the Post’s B-section and read through the first nine paragraphs of that article. Can someone please show me substantial evidence that George Allen did anything even close to this in severity? Supposedly racist Allen has been getting flack for years for keeping a Confederate flag in his home. There is a major difference between embracing Southern heritage by owning a flag and going around pointing guns at people to intimidate them because they are black.

Keep in mind this is the same James Webb who wrote a book, “Fields of Fire,” which is sprinkled with the “n-word” throughout. Keep in mind this is the same James Webb who is running against a man who has served in public office 25 years without anyone accusing him of using the “n-word” until now. Keep in mind this is the same James Webb who, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch, portrayed Democratic primary opponent Harris Miller as a large-nosed Jew with money spilling out of his pockets. Keep in mind this is the same James Webb who received 83,298 votes in the Democratic Senate primary. I, for one, voted for Harris Miller for my own, selfishly Republican reasons. I ask you Democrats, does Jim Webb really stand for your “values?” If an unapologetic George Allen had gone around in a black neighborhood pointing a rifle at people because of the color of their skin, then he would not get my vote.

According to the Washington Post, Webb campaign spokeswoman Kristian Denny Todd said of the Allen campaign, “They are pathetic individuals. They are beneath it. They are slime. Here we are trying to talk about the issues. They are completely and totally desperate.” Is the Webb campaign really talking about the issues as his spokeswoman said? Does anyone really know where Webb stands on anything except that he is critical of the Bush administration and is opposed to the war in Iraq? Is George Allen really that desperate?

The fact of the matter is that George Allen will win by a substantial margin Nov. 7. The Webb campaign knows they are not going to win on the issues. That is why they are not talking about the issues. What really is going on is a character assassination on behalf of national Democrats to ruin Allen’s chances for the presidency. Unfortunately, they have succeeded. This campaign season has ruined the reputation of a man who otherwise would have been the 2008 Republican presidential nominee and if elected, an outstanding president.

Anthony Riedel is a senior communications major who congratulates Allen for asking the campaigns and Virginia Monday night to get back to the issues.