For those who may have missed it....George Allen is a Racist

[LibDemAlways]

Yesterday Sen. George Allen of VA appeared on Tweety to discuss immigration. On a DU thread about Allen's appearance and obvious stupidity, a fellow DUer,The Casual Observer, repeated a story I've told here before. Another poster suggested that the story deserves its own thread. So, in a nutshell, in case you aren't familiar with it from previous posts.....

The Casual Observer and I attended high school with George Allen in Palos Verdes Estates, CA back in the late 60's. Allen and I were both in the class of 1970. Allen's father was coach of the NFL Rams at the time and was a well-known and respected man in the community.

The Allens lived in a beautiful custom home high on a hill with a great view of the ocean and city below. Palos Verdes is a wealthy community 20 minutes south of the LA airport set apart on a hilly peninsula.

Palos Verdes High School was a block from the ocean near high cliffs. Kids who went to "PV" High tended to look down on those who didn't live on "the hill," as it was known. George Allen was one of those kids. Given his pedigree, he was made quarterback of the varsity team senior year. He wasn't a talented player, but he had a lot of attitude. He also had a lot of Confederate flag stickers on his car - very odd in Southern California. {By the way, Allen was born in Whittier, CA. He didn't arrive in Virginia until his dad became coach of the Redskins in the early 70's.}

In the fall of 69 the PV High football team was scheduled to play the Morningside Monarchs, a predominently black team from down on the flatlands. During the week before the game, a bunch of racist graffiti was spraypainted on the outdoor walls of Palos Verdes High. It looked to be the work of vandals from Morningside. However, the word "Monarchs" was misspelled, and suspicion almost immediately fell on George Allen. He fessed up and was forced to apologize over the school PA. School officials made sure the incident was not publicized. They didn't want to see Allen's father embarrassed. Allen had done it to stir up racial tension between the schools -no other reason.

Allen went on to UCLA and then moved to Virginia with his family. He's been publically called on the carpet for the noose he kept in his law office and the Confederate flag on his living room wall. He claims the noose meant nothing more than that he was concerned with being tough on crime. He says the flag was part of a collection and no big deal.

I've been in touch with a couple of reporters about this. One, based in Virginia had written about the noose in an article. I sought him out. The other, from Salon.com, has been chasing "rumors" about Allen's racist past, and recently contacted me. The Virginia reporter says Allen has been asked about the graffiti incident, and laughs it off as a "boyhood prank." Given the sorry state of our corporate media and the amount of time that's passed, I doubt this will ever get any media attention. Too bad because if anyone deserves to have his filthy racist past catch up with him, it's George Allen.

[Virginia Dare]

1. Thanks for making this public...

as a Virginian I appreciate it. Allen ran as a "moderate" originally, something he will never be able to do again. His record speaks for itself. I hope his Senate campaign crashes and burns. I know the swiftboaters will be working overtime, as he apparently is a darling of the right-wing Bushistas. He's a "W Brand" Republican, and a f*cking moron at that. I'd like to see somebody wipe that stupid grin off his face sometime. Just like Chimpy he always looks like somebody's whispering amusements into his ear.

[frankly_fedup2]

57. I live in Virginia as well and have all my life. I remember slightly

when Allen was our governor. I know he never goes against anything Bush does or says (no matter how wrong).

If I didn't know better, I would think that George Allen was the middle brother with the younger being Rick Santorum and the oldest brother being Tom Delay. The three stooges. They all look so much alike as well as being Bush's boys with their smirks. If there is a podium, and there is a major debate going on, Rick Santorum is standing there waiting to make a statement as well as big brother George determined to get in there first. Of course, big bro Delay is trying to stay out of the spotlight right now. I wonder if he has that big smile on his face since Abramoff has been sent to jail? Why aren't the ones involved in all this scandal going to jail as well?

I don't think Allen's racist background will really hurt him, even if it does come out, (sad to say but we all know there is still a lot of racism on and off Capital Hill and across the country, not just Virginia); however, there are a lot of good Democrats that have that background as well, unfortunately. I believe the situation with Trent Lott was blown out of proportion and taken out of context. However, the Republicans were the first to divide this country, and due to that, the Democratic approach with everything has been gloves off toward the Republicans since the illegal impeachment of Clinton. They impeached him just because they could. Then to put salt in the wound, they stole the 2000 election and they know it. If Cheney had been practice shooting on the White House Lawn and shot his friend full of buckshot, would the Democrats claim he was unstable (which he really is) and guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors? I know that sounds stupid but there has been a double standard with this party and the Democratic party. And now the SOB's trash Hillary and even dare to compare Condileeza Rice against her. They have trashed her because she decided she would try to save her marriage due to her religious beliefs. Oh, and how dare she talk about a story in the Bible. Who does she think she is . . . Dubya? Rush Limpballs acted like he could not believe Hillary had any right to talk about anything in the Bible. What a hypocrite. I saved a recording of his and edited out the commercials when he talked about the Republican's God and the Liberal God. For some reason, it's not the same God. I'll have to find it and I'll post it on my DU journal if it will let me post an MP3 file. I'll have to figure it out. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Sorry got off track there. I just cannot stand the thought of George Allen being President. However, i have heard a lot of the talking heads say he has a great chance. Why I do not know.

[itzamirakul]

96. Just a slight correction. Abramoff has NOT been sent to jail...yet...

He is still supposedly helping the government with other lawbreakers. Once he finishes "helping" them, his sentence will be reduced from 5 years to much less. I'll give you odds that Abramoff won't spend a year in jail.

[Faygo Kid]

2. "Boyhood prank." How many of us engaged in such a racist "prank?"

Another silver spoon, Dad-was-famous jerk-off who is also a dim-bulb lunkhead who was born on third base and thinks he hit a triple. Haven't we seen enough of this tripe? Thanks for posting this.

[LibDemAlways]

3. Shameless kick. Please don't let this sink.

[Poiuyt]

4. Thanks for this story. I hadn't realized how bad he was

I was going to suggest sending this to Chris Matthews, but I'm pretty sure that Tweety's a racist too.

[ArbustoBuster]

5. What a creep.

People like Allen are a disgrace to the country.

[Nutmegger]

6. K & R!!!

This needs a :kick: and a :thumbsup:!!!!

[RandomKoolzip]

7. Cool story, and thanks for posting. But...

You just KNOW that if a Dem dares to bring up Allen's racist history, a repub will counter with a remark about Robert Byrd's KKK days.

[Raksha]

37. The wingnuts on my home board trash Robert Byrd anyway.

They do it every time one of us libs says ANYTHING complimentary about him in any context. That doesn't make Allen any less of a racist, and we shouldn't let it stop us from talking about his racism all we want.

[KoKo]

59. and, plus, Byrd is almost 90 years old grew up with Civil War Parents

and in a South that was left with the ravages of that war. Allen grew up in a time when California was flourishing as the growing NEW AGE place to live.

There's a huge difference in a man from West Virginia who grew up dirt poor in a time when ravages of Civil War were still around and one had little to eat and no tv and little radio ...to George Allen in the late 60's early 70's when California was where everyone wanted to be.

Byrd went to school in a one room schoolhouse when most West Virginians started in the Coal Mines as soon as they could walk by themselves. That he got where he was shows he was a man who had ambition...and talents...and yet he was a prisoner of his times. He worked hard to stay within where he grew up but still inspire us with speeches in his old age of the History and preciousness of our Constitution.

There's no comparison between Allen and Byrd...that I can see...:shrug:

[misanthrope]

61. Please don't make excuses for Byrd...

...unless you are willing to hear the same said in regard to George Wallace, Lester Maddox, Orvel Faubus, and Bull Connor.

[TankLV]

75. But whereas Byrd has spent the better part of the last half of his life

repudiating and makeing amends for his - literally - youthful indescretion, as witnessed by his countless good deeds since then, and Wallace had profusely rejected and apologized for his racist past, the repukes of today, exemplified by Allen, Lott and countless others, have made it a point to become WORSE in their racism and more OPEN about it the older they get.

BIG difference.

Bigtime.

[hlthe2b]

88. Look, you have to look at the man in his entirety...(BYRD)

He has denounced these earlier actions and beliefs and spent the latter half of his life making amends. That isn't making "excuses," but rather realizing that there IS a major difference in Senator Byrd and all those unrepentant racists you name. I hope that you see that.

[nashville_brook]

82. Allen is NEW NEWS -- so what about Byrd -- the story will still be ALLEN

and too -- why not get a libertarian to make the gesture. :)

[oasis]

8. Does anyone recall a story about Allen acting to exclude minorities from

his college fraternity? :shrug: I read it on DU a couplke of years ago but have seen nothing about it since.

[adigal]

9. This needs 5 votes to get on the front page

and then the fact that Allen is a racist will perhaps get out there more than it is. This man is being portrayed as the new Ronald Reagan, beloved of wingnuts and racists (ofthen the same thing) everywhere -
give some thought to recommending it. :)

[The Witch]

10. Truth in anagrams: GEORGE ALLEN = ALL NEGRO? GEE!

:rofl:

[bunkerbuster1]

11. y'see, if I had talent like that

I could make people laugh!

(mostly posting just to K & R...)

[The Witch]

13. talent? It takes no talent.

http://www.wordsmith.org/anagram

:)

[bunkerbuster1]

17. nice link.

Shoulda figured a program like that would be available on Teh Internets.

[Radio_Lady]

45. Well, Witch, that's a terrific site! Here's one for you!

I need it when I play Scrabble. You should see me furiously arranging those tiles as I try to think. Wonderful! Thanks so much.

Since we're playing around, here's one for you:

Oddcast Text To Speech Demo

This is a mini-demo. The speaker will say the words you type in (it can even be quite a long paragraph if you wish -- and you can choose the language). It's time limited and you can check out the company that provides the demo if you wish.

(WARNING: If you're in an office cubicle with other people, and you ask the program to blurt out OBSCENITIES, you'll be sorry!!)

CLICK ON THE URL BELOW.
When you move the mouse around, the speaker's eyes follow it. When you write something in the left space and then click on "Say it", she says it! You can also change persons doing the talking, etc. You can change to other languages!

http://vhost.oddcast.com/vhost_minisite/demos/tts/tts_example.html

[Radio_Lady]

47. I just got my husband with this phrase. He thought I was talking to

a competitor!

Hello, darling. I understand you and your husband are coming to London? Let's simply ditch him and go off to some little pub for fish and chips. You may be old but you're not dead yet. Love from your Cockney friend Basil who will do your every bidding when you are here. Even take you to my loft for a little nightcap. Cheerio!

[hunter]

55. Dang, some anagrams of my name are really dirty.

I hate you.

:silly:

[Iowa]

12. K&R - Thanks, and it would be good to repost this every 6 months or so...

...so as many see it as possible. This is great information we may not see anywhere else.

[Virginian]

90. Yes, please keep telling it. n/t

[spooky3]

14. the funniest part of this pathetic story

is that they suspected GA Jr. because "Monarchs" was misspelled!

As Judge Judy says, "beauty fades, but stupid lasts forever."

[Gabi Hayes]

15. STOP STOP STOP with this!!!!

I want in the worst way for this imbecile to get the nomination

save this for after he gets it

please

I'm serious

you want McCain?

Giuliani?

[LibDemAlways]

19. The media isn't going to run this. It

wouldn't matter if everybody who was there and remembers it came forward. We'd all be ignored. Other than on sites like DU, this story will never be told.

[blondeatlast]

28. But the underground will keep the story alive just below the surface

to be brought up when necessary--it's the beauty of the internet.

It may not be tremendously effective, but the fact that it is out there will make Allen justifiably uncomfortable.

If it gets spoken enough about in the UG, it'll come up in the press.

I can live with that and if he gets the nomination, you can bet it will be publicized more fully.

The rumors of his racism have been circing for years.

Thanks to both you and The Casual Observer for sharing your experiences.

[0007]

16. bttft

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. So he's a racist and

he can't spell. Some presidential material. Yep.

[Craig3410]

23. WTF are you talking about?

The CURRENT president is a racist and can't spell!

:D:silly: :crazy:

[proud2BlibKansan]

25. Hence, Allen is good pres material

[DinahMoeHum]

20. He'll be up against a real son of Virginia, if all goes well. . .

www.webbforsenate.com

:kick:

[skypilot]

21. I confess to not knowing much about George Allen but...

...I have to say that the very first time I ever laid eyes on him a couple years ago on a special edition of Nightline I knew that he was a scumbag. I can't stress enough just how strong my reaction to him was--and that was before he even opened his mouth. After he spoke, my reaction went from strong to visceral. He'd be a pathetic, laughable little poppinjay of a man if he weren't so contemptible.

[The_Casual_Observer]

22. Allen couldn't play football very well either.

[LiberalinNC]

24. Funny how some folks think their "boyhood pranks" and beliefs won't

catch up w/ them! And then to grow up and have a noose and Confederate flag in is office, is just disgusting!

[MrScorpio]

26. I've actually met him once where I work

He's a surprisingly weak looking person.

I wasn't impressed at all

[Penndems]

27. George Allen isn't one of "us" - he wasn't born here and he's not

from here.

Carpetbagging in this state and trying to reinforce a stereotype isn't the "Virginia" way - and I say this as a twelfth-generation Virginia. I support Jim Webb who, on the other hand, is an honorable, decent man, a veteran, and CAN be considered a dyed-in-the-wool Virginian. Allen doesn't represent me and mine, and he NEVER HAS. That asshole is an embarrassment to natives like me.

BTW, my Pennsylvania neighbors might want to take note here, especially the ones who seem hell-bent on voting for a jock as their next Governor.






(edited for typo)

[GRLMGC]

30. As a Californian

I apologize. I certainly don't wanna claim him either. Also, what the hell is up with the cowboy garb? That's soooo Virginian :sarcasm:

[Penndems]

31. No apology necessary, Friend

I LOVE California - the people, the lifestyle, the weather, the shopping! I have dear friends in the Los Angeles area, and I'm always treated well when I head out to The Golden State.

Now if you could just get "Governor Ah-Nold" out of office, LOL!

(P.S.: We don't wear cowboy gear here, but if we did, we wouldn't be "Rhinestone Cowboys! ;))

[GRLMGC]

32. Ahnuld is toast

Come November, the fool is gonna be run outta Sacramento

[Penndems]

35. He'd BETTER be, LOL! ;-)

I heard on Wolf Blitzer's show this afternoon that The Groupenfuhrer was running eight points ahead of Westly and fifteen points ahead of Angelides.

Come on, California - we're countin' on ya! :hi:

[GRLMGC]

36. Perhaps his pandering has had an effect

I'm hoping that when we get our nominee, he'll step it up and we'll snatch back our state from Ahnuld. It was a dark day when he was elected :(

[Penndems]

38. I hope so, too - you've got two great candidates

Looking forward to seeing what happens at your convention next month.

Art Torres is a great guy, BTW.

[GRLMGC]

40. Me too

I'm gonna be there! I'm so excited!

[Ignacio Upton]

46. What about Mark Warner and Tim Kaine?

They are both from the Midwest. Although in their case they don't try to pretend to be "good ol' boys."

[Penndems]

50. Here's the thing about Mark and Tim . . .

They didn't come to Virginia attempting to change this state, or pretend to be something they weren't. They didn't set up shop here and say, "O.K., we don't like the fact that this is a Southern state, so we're going to impose our set of values on you." Neither Mark nor Tim spoke to us as if we were nothing but a bunch of dumb hicks who needed "reforming".

Unlike George Allen, Mark and Tim actually LEARNED our history, our culture and our attitudes - and they embraced all of it and, more importantly, they contributed something BACK to Virginia. In Mark's case, he started the business that eventually made him a millionaire right here in The Old Dominion. Tim Kaine actually went one better than Mark - he married the daughter of former Governor Linwood Holton (which automatically makes him a Virginian by extension. ;) We love 'em both!

BTW, Jim Gilmore, who is a native Virginian, didn't even know what the correct translation of the state motto ("Sic Semper Tyrannus") was, LOL!

[JohnKleeb]

71. Sic Semper Tyrannus is

Thus Always to Tyrants right. You're absolutely right about how Mark and Tim did it, they're great democrats and I think Warner really could be a good president too ebcuase he is able to get coattials. Tim and Mark really do understate the state's history, I read Tim's inagural address, it was very filled with history. I wonder though who will run in 2009, too bad Creigh Deeds didn't win Attorney General, I think he would have been a great candidate but I am kinda biased about Deeds I guess because my cousin is married to a cousin of his.

[Bunny]

78. Okay, your point is well-taken.

But would you please, PLEASE, keep Santorum, after we throw him out this fall? We don't want him back! :)

[justjones]

29. What exactly did the racist graffiti say?

Besides the mispelling of "Monarchs".....can you recall?

I'm just curious.

[The_Casual_Observer]

33. It was reverse racism stuff, "Fuck Whitey" that sort of thing.

The intent was to stir up trouble or something. It was a very stupid thing to do.

Charley Manson had the same general idea about starting race wars a few months earlier, on a grander scale of course.

[justjones]

67. Thanks for clarifying. n/t

[Raksha]

34. Thank you for posting this story. I spent my teen years in the area

(Redondo Union High School, class of '63), so I'm very familiar with the neighborhoods and the demographics. There's absolutely no excuse for a privileged rich kid from Palos Verdes being such a racist, unless of course he was raised that way.

[Hatalles]

39. Here's his squeaky clean Wiki article.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Allen_%28politician%29

[countingbluecars]

41. From wikijpedia-

"Allen has been mentioned by Rush Limbaugh on numerous occasions, and also on Hannity & Colmes, as being the Republican presidential hopeful most likely to follow in the conservative mantle of Ronald Reagan."

Expect to hear the Reagan comparison often if he runs. The republicans will eat this up. He is already a fundie favorite.

[Penndems]

42. LOL! The Grimm Brothers couldn't come up with a better fairy tale!!

I love this:

"In 1993 Allen was elected the 67th Governor of Virginia, serving from 1994 to 1998. As governor, he was recognized for educational improvements such as the implementation of rigorous academic standards and accountability. His tenure also included the overhaul of the juvenile justice system, work-oriented welfare reform and the abolition of parole for felons. Virginia, especially Northern Virginia, boomed during this time period, particularly in the technology area. Allen has been criticized by liberal groups for alleged insensitivity to racial problems during his term. In 1997, he proclaimed April as Confederate History and Heritage Month and called the Civil War "a four-year struggle for independence and sovereign rights." *************************************************************************
Point-by-point rebuttal:

1. "Virginia, especially Northern Virginia, boomed during this time period, particularly in the technology area"

We started "booming" back in the early 1980s, a hell of a long time before Allen even showed up on the scene. Why? Because we elected visionary DEMOCRATS (like Chuck Robb, Gerry Baliles and Doug Wilder) who marketed the living daylights out of our state, balanced our budgets and kept us fiscally conservative. George Allen and Jim Gilmore got into the Governor's Mansion and ran up a deficit of almost $6.5 million dollars. They also almost cost us something very near and dear to our hearts: Our Standard and Poor triple-A bond rating. Those two idiots almost bankrupted us.

Just another good reason not to elect Republicans. THEY CAN'T GOVERN.

2. "Allen has been criticized by liberal groups for alleged insensitivity to racial problems during his term."

He brought it on himself. And YES - he IS a racist.

BTW, Allen Groupie who wrote his Wikipedia entry: I'm no liberal; I've been a moderate Democrat for over twenty-five years.

3. "In 1997, he proclaimed April as Confederate History and Heritage Month and called the Civil War 'a four-year struggle for independence and sovereign rights.'"

How the hell would this "Rebel Wanna-Be" know what The Civil War was? He slept through his classes at the University of Virginia and finished in the bottom third of his class at UVA Law School!

Now, Virginia is a Southern state, and our part in The Civil War is an integral part of our history. There's nothing we can do to go back and change the past.

But the war's over, and throwing this sort of thing up only serves to foster anger and resentment.
*************************************************************************
Wow - you can tell whoever wrote this Wikipedia claptrap must've worked on the Allen campaigns, LOL.

[Trevelyan]

43. K&R I wondered if George Allen was related to the football....coach

There are only 100 Senators and we need to start knowing more about each of them. The media starts focusing on the Presidential election, right after each Presidential election and have contributed to the idea of the unitary executive by reporting bigtime only on Presidential races. We need to find out about our Senators and given the fact that ALL the Dems save Russ Feingold and Pat Leahy and one Independent voted for the Patriot Act... we need to seriously consider getting rid of all of them.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/3/30/34714/7535

The DCCC works to defeat a Democrat
by cfinnie Thu Mar 30, 2006
That's right, on Tuesday, March 21, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the DCCC, won their first election--against another Democrat.

Washington knows best
They brought in the big guns. Hillary Clinton hosted a big-ticket fundraiser in New York. John Kerry sent out emails to raise more money. Barack Obama taped TV spots. By the end of the campaign, the Tammy Duckworth for Congress campaign had sent eleven different pieces of direct mail to voters in the 6th District in Illinois, covered the airwaves with commercials, and had spent close to $1,000,000....

[Penndems]

44. The late George Allen, the football coach, is the father of

George Allen, our "esteemed" Senator. :sarcasm:

[countingbluecars]

48. When he was governor,

Allen advised Republican supporters on how to deal with Democrats. He said, "knock their soft teeth down their whining throats". Kidding or not-I find his choice of words very telling.

[jaysunb]

49. A chance meeting with Allen

A few years ago I was playing golf at PV country club W/ a boyhood friend who is a member-and also happens to be Black and lives in the Estates,- along w/ Dave "Deacon" Jones a Hall of Famer who played for Coach Allen. When we made the turn at 9 we were approached by a guy who seemed to know Deacon more than just a fan or autograph seeker.

After introducing the rest of us to Allen, he ( Allen ) ask who we were the guest of and when told who the member in the group was, made some stupid remark about how things had changed since he and his family belonged there--all in jest of course :sarcasm: ......
Our stoney glares were enough to have him mumble some shit about having to dash off to meet his party in the club house.

When he left, he left 4 very pissed off Black men who have all heard this kind of stuff before, but it's still never is easy to digest. And to tell you the truth, I really wanted to kick the fuckers ass right there,but.... :evilfrown:

Now days it's hard for me to reconcile the good feelings I had about his Daddy, realizing Lil George didn't just "accidently" develop this deep seated bias and racist mind set out of the blue.

BTW, I got arrested in PV back in 1970 for " loitering" as I sat looking at the ocean from Portugeese Bend. Seems I had a bag of pot that I didn't know I had. It ended well though. I promised not only to stay out of PV, but to stay away fron white chicks, even if they WERE dirty feet hippies.......:evilgrin:

[Binka]

72. I Would Have Shoved A Three Iron Up His Ass

And I am a white chick! My feet are clean though....

[LibDemAlways]

73. Thanks for sharing this.

Pitiful, and I hate to even admit it, but PV was so racially isolated back in the 60's and 70's that the high school administrators actually invited black kids from other schools to come on campus for "ethnic understanding day." I kid you not. It makes me cringe to even think about it!

[nashville_brook]

83. from a white dirty-foot hippie girl...

now, settle down... :)

[jaysunb]

100. About " dirty foot" white chicks....

Those were the cops words-- not mine.
I hadn't gotten that far in my " examination " of her. :rofl:

[radio4progressives]

51. Right On For Exposing this!

:applause: :kick: :applause:

[clydefrand]

52. I couldn't agree more with your assessment of this man.

I knew there was another reason to dislike his smirky countenance! I hope this becomes well known if he should try to run for President. I wish it had been know before he became governor of our state. He's worthless.

[IceOwl]

53. Why is this a surprise?

Isn't Virginia one of those most backward states in the union?

[Penndems]

54. Don't judge all by the actions of a few, Friend

Not every Virginian voted for this fool. Most of us have actually metriculated and are rather bright. We know when somebody like Allen (or Bush) is attempting to insult our intelligence.

Let's not resort to insults by implying that we're just a bunch of ignorant hillbillies.

P.S.: We've been named "Best Managed State in the Union", as well as one of the most prosperous. :)

[IceOwl]

64. I'm sure not everyone voted for him..

But obviously, most Virginians did or he wouldn't have been elected.

[Penndems]

66. The majority of Allen's support came from downstate

Southside, the Richmond suburbs, and the rural areas of southwestern Virginia. They were under the mistaken impression that Allen was "one of them" - a good ole Southern boy.

What a con artist.









(edited for typo)

[IceOwl]

74. They don't call'em cons for nothing...

What's a bigger scam than fooling people into going to war for no good reason and spending the government and the country into massive debt...

[Virginian]

94. Part of it had to do with timing and with his opponents.

Gubernatorial opponent
The governor before Allen was Doug Wilder, an African American leader in the Commonwealth. George was pitted against a woman, Mary Sue Terry. A Rovian style whispering campaign questioned her orientation as she had a lifelong devotion to her career and had never been married.

Voting trends
As I saw it, the voters are like a pendulum. They go slightly back and forth in a moderate state like ours. One election will get out the more liberal vote, the next will get out the more conservative vote. It was very liberal for the state to elect Doug Wilder governor. He was the first Black elected to that office since reconstruction. The Dems should never have run a woman immediately after him; we have never elected a woman to that position. The state was not ready for two firsts in a row. As it turned out, George Allen was not the conservative leaning moderate that he professed to be. His having no prior elected office record for verification, the electorate had to take his word for it.
Wedge issues may trump the pendulum trends in the future.

As Governor, he showed his conservative side, but he seems to be growing more and more radical as time goes by. I think he tests the water and if that works he moves a little further to the right. He calls himself a Jeffersonian conservative, but I thought Jefferson was a liberal for his time.


Senate opponent
In 2000, Allen's opponent was incumbent Chuck Robb, also a former Governor and a son-in-law to LBJ. Virginia went red for Bush that year. Allen won some of the coattails vote.

Democratic infighting
Wilder and Robb had been sparring for a few years and were not friends. I think Wilder was satisfied with his base staying home and not supporting Robb.

Another aspect may have been fidelity.
Both previous governors Robb and Wilder had reputations for being ladies men. In both elections, Allen ran ads with his wife and young children and talked about family values. There was no mention of Allen's previous wife. (I read about a previous marriage on DU maybe someone can verify that and say if there are kids.)

When Allen ran against Robb in 2000. It could have had something to do with the fidelity issue after all the press coverage of the Clinton impeachment, but people did not forget that Chuck Robb had been rumored to be a ladies man.

------------
I have always voted AGAINST Allen. I dislike him immensely and hope he roasts in hell. I don't feel he represents anyone but himself in the Senate and he is brown nosing the White House to further his own political Career. His youthful high school prank shows us that he will do anything to anyone (a la Rove) to further himself. He is NOT an honest or honorable man. People like him should not be put in a position of authority. This is just my perspective from within the state.

[Ignacio Upton]

56. Allen is from California

There are Freeper types in Virginia, but the state is changing. It will be blue in 2008 or 2012.

[JohnKleeb]

70. Hardly

We've had Democratic governors the past two terms. We had a democratic senator until Allen beat him. I'll admit its historically a democratic state in elections but backwards its not. Here in the northern part of the state we have a lot of diversity and its the diversity I feel that is making this state more democratic.

[Virginian]

89. IceOwl, Where did you come up with that tidbit of misconception?

I guess you've been watching too many movies like "Remember the Titans."

The movie starts out by saying that T. C. Williams High School was integrated in 1972. Not true. The school was integrated the day it opened its doors for the first time in September 1965.

Hollywood seems to give the world a false impression of our state.

Oh, and FYI people with southern accents are NOT stupid. -- another misconception.

[KoKo]

58. Thanks for putting this out for all of us to see.

It probably goes deeper and this might give some folks some encouragement to DIG...DIG...DIG...on Allen.

[rateyes]

60. Not trying to reveal my identity,

but my brother lives in Charlottesville, VA. When he first moved there he joined the Democratic party (a minority party in that part of the country)--my brother and his wife used to babysit for George Allen and his wife. When Allen ran for governor, my brother decided to run the "Democrats for Allen" campaign, and was summarily kicked out of the Democratic party. Ever since, my brother has spouted neocon ideals. He, my brother, actually thought that Allen would appoint him to some job in his administration in Richmond. Like that was ever going to happen! When George Allen got in office, he fired a woman who was in charge of social events at the Governor's Mansion (a wife of another friend of mine) who had held that postion for 15 years prior for both Republican and Democratic governors, and gave the job to the daughter of a campaign contributor who had never been employed anywhere.

I told my brother when he was kicked out of the Democratic party that it served him right, and that George Allen was Southern California, Texas cowboy wannabe who got elected because of his name, and that he was dumb as a bucket of rocks.

My brother, in January 2005 was invited to GWB's inauguration. He called our Dad from Washington on his cell phone and told him to turn on the television to see if my Dad could see him on TV---that he was at Bush's inauguration. My Dad promptly said, "Don't say another word to me about that damned bastard. I don't want to hear it. Bye."

Just thought you'd like those stories.

[DirtyDawg]

62. With any luck...

...somebody will dump a bucket of Gatorade on his ass and he'll suffer the same fate his father did, only sooner.

[singe]

63. goody goody

nice,nice very nice....so many shit heads in the same device. this is an excellent. this piece of crap needs to be put down before he becomes the next rabid dog in the WHITE house. mucho thanks. and remember " life is just high school over and over again".

[mitchum]

65. Kicking this to head off the motherfucker for 2008

he will be their candidate

[2Design]

68. allen as governor of virgina barred anyone not married from getting

mortgages - I did not live there then but have read it somewhere in searching his past - he is further right than pat robertson - a very evil man

[Oilwellian]

69. Allen & his wife....

used to be quite the party-goers and loved hanging out with those who had the nose candy. I have a friend who played in the same crowd and knows the Allens well. They're elitist scumbags.

[LibDemAlways]

76. This doesn't surprise me.

One of the few clubs Allen belonged to in high school was the falconry club, whose most notorious member was Daulton Lee - big time drug dealer who was later convincted of espionage. (That story was told in the book and movie "The Falcon and the Snowman.") I wasn't in Allen's circle and don't know how well he knew Lee, but it would be interesting to find out.

[Virginian]

106. kick

[abester]

77. Don't be too harsh on Allen

Because who kids are and who they become depends on a great deal on their parents and surroundings.

It has already been established that they lived in a very exclusive part of LA, and based on the other information, it is also quite likely he got his racist feelings from his parents.

Naturally, if you have a kid thats brought up so isolated and later on moves only in elite circles, where many think like he does, no wonder.

This signifies a deeper problem with America, possibly its greatest, namely the insane difference of wealth between people and the inate rascism of many.

[tritsofme]

79. That's all fine and dandy

But if he gets the GOP the nomination, theres about a 50/50 chance he wins the WH.

The the real trouble.

[nashville_brook]

85. yes, there's a larger signifier, BUT the great thing about being a PERSON

is that you don't have to make the same mistakes as your parents, no matter how much money they have. i have PLENTY of friends who had the good sense to REBEL against their parents' rascism, homophobia and ignorance.

once you get to the age of REASON (some say that happens way before drinking age), you become RESPONSIBLE for your actions. period.

but yes, the parents are evil bastards.

[spinbaby]

80. More to the point, he's stupid

Have you seen some of his performances on the Sunday shows? The man is DUMB!

[nashville_brook]

81. racist doesn't cover it. THAT'S SOCIOPATHIC

it's on thing to HARBOR fear and hatred.... it's another thing altogether to INCITE a race war, even if it's on the 'turf' of high school. worse, maybe, because it shows the degree to which this person's internal controls don't work.

i don't want to split hairs, but hey, people of all races have a certain amount of xenophobia. it's a matter of ignorance. but to take that FEAR and HATRED into PUBLIC... to use your family's status as cover while committing crimes against public COMMITY is downright SOCIOPATHIC.

he USED his social class to deflect blame for his CRIME onto a weaker social group. that's a BAD MONKEY. he needed to be taken out and taught a lesson by the larger group (of rich white monkeys). but they didn't do that. they protected him. he's a sociopath -- and the social institiutions that coddled him are sick too.

[LibDemAlways]

84. And they protect him still.

I have tried to cajole other members of the class to go public with this and have gotten a bunch of lame excuses like, "That happened a long time ago. Give it a rest." The reporters I've talked to tell me there's nothing they can do without corroboration from a bunch of people. They've been digging and making inquiries, but so far, nothing.

[nashville_brook]

87. random wonderings....

was there a student newspaper that covered it?
old girlfriends who might want to get even?
a school record that might show the offense?

this goes way beyond 'racism' and speaks to his fitness for 'leadership.' keep digging. find the people who were 'outsiders' enough not to be swayed by the 'give-it-a-rest' argument. those people HAVE TO BE OUT THERE. who were the girls who smoked in the bathroom -- you can always count on them to take a football player down! :)

[Ignacio Upton]

98. How many students and faculty were in Palos Verdes in 1970?

If there were like a thousand students or so, then just go to a yearbook and fine someone. Maybe some of the faculty could come forward? However, since this was 36 years ago, a lot of them may be retired or dead, so doing that may not be as helpful.

[LibDemAlways]

102. There were 2500 students and perhaps 60 faculty members.

A couple of years ago I came across an article about Allen on the internet. The reporter had contacted the former (now retired) school activites director from back then. He was quoted as saying Allen was an average student and didn't have a Southern accent. Real inocuous stuff.

The general attitude among classmates is one of amazement that Allen has made it this far in life. No one I've talked to seems inclined to rock any boats, though.

These days it's easy to find out who was in a particular school at a particular time. All these reporters need to do is sign up for Classmates.com, go to Palos Verdes HS Class of 70, and begin e-mailing.

[hlthe2b]

86. I get the willies thinking of ANYONE keeping a noose in their office...

There is no context, no explanation, that makes this anything less than horribly SICK. There must be a special place in hell for people like that...

[BonnieJW]

91. Don't jump the gun

Before he tries to run in 08, he must be defeated in 06. Webb is running against him and would probably like to have this information.

[LibDemAlways]

92. After the June primary I'll

pass along what I know to his opponent. I gave the info to Robb's people back in 2000, but it never surfaced. (Even invited members of Robb's staff to attend the 30 year reunion as my guest. They passed.)

[Virginian]

95. If he is defeated in '06...

I think that take s the wind out of his sails for '08.

[Midlodemocrat]

93. For someone who only arrived in the South in the 70's he sure

picked up the accent fast.

If it is okay with you, I am going to send this to Michael Paul Williams at the Times Dispatch. Or you do it.

Thanks for this information.

[LibDemAlways]

97. That's fine. There's another

Times Dispatch reporter I've talked to about this.
The Salon.com guy who sought me out asked if I had heard from anyone at the Washington Post. He said he heard rumors they're on the story, too.

Given the pitiful state of the media and the general reluctance to cast a critical eye at the GOP, though, I'd be surprised if this ever surfaces.

[Midlodemocrat]

99. I sent it. We shall see.

I may need to contact you if he contacts me. Hope that is okay. Thanks for posting this.

[Cleita]

101. Palos Verdes Estates is a beautiful and privileged place

even though it is gradually falling into the ocean. No doubt his family hired undocumented hispanic domestic workers like most of the rich and ultra rich of Los Angeles County do. That makes attitudes like his doubly dispicable because he was probably raised by a hispanic nanny, ate food prepared by a hispanic cook and slept in a bed made by a hispanic maid. Perhaps all three job were done by one overworked and underpaid woman.

[LibDemAlways]

105. Back then in Palos Verdes many domestic jobs

were done by black people, too. I would be willing to bet that his family's housekeeper was a black woman.

Very good points you raise.

[Maraya1969]

103. How interesting. Sen. Allen just put up a photo of him and a black

man on his website. Damage control.

http://allen.senate.gov/

[LibDemAlways]

104. Lately he's been trying very hard to cast

himself as a friend to black people. Even co-sponsored some apology for past lynchings legislation not long ago.

If you click the bio on his website, you'll see that it lists his birthdate, but not his birthplace. No mention of his California roots or Palos Verdes. Anyone not familiar with him would think he was a native Virginian. He's making a concerted effort to erase his past.