Actually , he did , but since your greed has blinded you, you cannot see it unless it bites you.
Allen tells of his Jewish heritage
He acknowledges he knew of his lineage when faulting a reporter for her question
BY PETER HARDIN AND JEFF E. SCHAPIRO
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITERS
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
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U.S. Sen. George Allen, R-Va., yesterday acknowledged his Jewish ancestry, a day after angrily ducking a question about possible Jewish forebears in a debate with his Democratic challenger.
Allen said in a written statement that his mother, Etty, confirmed he is part Jewish after he read an Aug. 25 article by the Jewish Daily Forward exploring his roots. The article followed the controversy over Allen's alleged racial remark to an Indian-American volunteer for Democrat Jim Webb.
He said in an interview that he was aware of his heritage when asked about it during the nationally televised debate Monday with Webb sponsored by the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce. Allen did not directly answer a panelist's question on his lineage but sternly criticized her for asking about religion.
The announcement by Allen, a Presbyterian who in over 25 years in politics has nurtured the image of a rural Southern good old boy, is the latest surprise in a closely fought campaign that could decide continued Republican control of the Senate.
Allen and campaign manager Dick Wadhams indicated that Allen's maternal grandfather, Felix Lumbroso, an Italian businessman jailed by the Nazis in North Africa, was Jewish. Allen said in the interview he does not know his maternal grandmother's religion.
Because Judaism is traced through the mother, children born to Jewish women are considered Jews. Allen said his mother, who could not be reached for comment, was raised as a Christian -- as was he.
"I embrace and take great pride in every aspect of my diverse heritage, including my Lumbroso family line's Jewish heritage, which I learned about from a recent magazine article and my mother confirmed," the Allen statement said.
A GOP presidential prospect, Allen is the latest national political figure to discover a Jewish past. Others include two former Democratic presidential candidates, U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and retired Gen. Wesley Clark, and former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright.
In the interview, Allen was asked why he did not acknowledge in the debate a Jewish tie that had been a source of speculation since his term as governor from 1994 to 1998.
Allen said he was "absolutely not" running from his heritage but that he was offended by a question he believed linked his mother and religion with the word -- macaca -- he directed at Webb supporter S.R. Sidarth. Allen has apologized to Sidarth and said he didn't know the word's meaning.
Allen said he faced "the question, the assertion, the offensive remarks that your mother taught you this slur, and that somehow it's because she has -- either she or her father was -- was Jewish."
Allen's disclosure followed news accounts focusing on the question and Allen's forceful response to it as well as a wave of postings on the Internet by partisan bloggers. Allen stood by his claim that the question by Peggy Fox of WUSA-TV was inappropriate.
"I don't like my mother getting dragged into it," said Allen.
He said his grandfather's incarceration by the Germans had a profound effect on his mother; that because it was a painful memory, it was almost never discussed.
"Some may find it odd that I have not probed deeply into the details of my family history, but it's a fact," Allen said in his statement.
Speaking with The Times-Dispatch, Allen said the disclosure is "just an interesting nuance to my background." He added, "I still had a ham sandwich for lunch. And my mother made great pork chops."
Political analysts were divided on the impact of the Allen disclosure.
"To the extent that a person can break out of a mold that inhibits their ability to reach out to others, to broaden, shall we say, their coalition, that is usually good in politics," said Charles W. Dunn, dean of the Robertson School of Government at Regent University.
Mark F. Rozell of George Mason University said the announcement was Allen's "macaca diversion."
Rozell said, "He's been wanting to change the dialogue in this campaign. At one point, he's been defending himself against charges of being a bully. Now he can play the victim and say he's the one that's being bullied and being treated with prejudice."
The Webb campaign, criticized during the primary for circulating handbills that supporters of opponent Harris Miller said seemed anti-Semitic, had little to say.
"We've always tried to make this campaign about the issues," said spokeswoman Kristian Denny Todd.
A leader of Richmond's Jewish community, Ric Arenstein, was disturbed by the timing of Allen's announcement.
"This story has been rumored and raised with him repeatedly," said Arenstein, a former president of the Jewish Federation of Richmond who has ties to both political parties. "I guess it troubles me that he cares so little about his lineage that he waited until it was irrefutable."
Contact Washington correspondent Peter Hardin at phardin@mediageneral.com or (202) 662-7669.
Contact staff writer Jeff E. Schapiro at jschapiro@timesdispatch.com or (804) 649-6814.
This story can be found at:
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD/MGArticle/RTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149190712778Everything else in this article is surely a lie except the ham sand and porkchop bullshit.
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