Framing a slur
According to the latest Virginia poll, Jim Webb, Sen. George ‘Macaca’ Allen’s opponent, is now the frontrunner for the first time:Now all the challengers will be getting their own Indian kids
For the first time, a new poll shows Democratic candidate Jim Webb ahead in the race for U.S. Senate in Virginia. In the Wall Street Journal Zogby poll, Webb has 47.9 percent of the vote; Republican Sen. George Allen has 46.6 percent. [Link]
Wonkette wisecracks:
… who knew veiled racism had political consequences! In Virginia! Now all the challengers… will be getting their own Indian kids. [Link]
Allen responded to the poll by plastering this ‘I love black people!’ photo across his home page, though he really should’ve Photoshopped a three-way hug with Gandhi and Mother Teresa. From the tracking graph, it looks like Macacagate was responsible for a ~20-25% swing in the polls beginning in early August:
There’s still plenty of time for the incumbent before the Nov. election. Webb has just one-seventh the campaign cash of Allen:
The Allen-Webb race is not considered one of the five or six most competitive races in the country. We might rank it at the bottom of the top 10. Without it moving up, the national Dem party won’t infuse money. [Link]
You can donate $20.01 to Jim Webb. Meanwhile, The Daily Show (congrats on the Emmy!) tackled Macacagate again with a black correspondent:
‘Macaca? Tar baby? Nigga please, those are just lame.’
What’s odd is that the discussion of a slur directed at a desi is framed in the press, by Allen’s campaign and on The Daily Show, around the impact on black voters. In Britain, that would not be the case.
on Tuesday, August 29th, 2006, 2:59 pm in Issues, Macacagate, Politics › 
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what was dissapointing to me, at a party this past weekend i wore my ‘who you calling a macaca’ tshirt.. only 2/25 desi’s knew what it was in reference to… ugh
How many even knew the exact location of Virginia? ;)
Manish, you are in rare form these days!
That said, outside the internets, Macaca-gate has not been covered as extensively. I was out last weekend and informed at least 4 different desis about it, because they had not heard anything of it. I rather adore that everyone had the same reaction: “What? What’s a macaca?”
Anyway, just wanted to point out:
Fantastically snarky!
True, Brimful– not much MSM coverage on Macaca-gate. Jack Cafferty *did* mention it about a week ago, on Wolf Blitzer’s Situation Room (CNN) BUT he didn’t explain the etymology of Macaca, thus without an explanation as to the depths of offense in Allen’s offensive behavior, most people probably went “maca-what??” and sat tight for more news of John Mark Karr… bummer.
Notice Allen’s strained smile.
They forgot the voice-over caption:
hehe.. manish is getting snarkier… well at least virginia is in north america… got one state down ;)…
the true test will be wearing the macaca shirt at the netip meatmarket (i mean conference) this weekend…