Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Sen. Allen Affirms Jewish Roots
At long last, Sen. George Felix Allen affirms his Jewish heritage.
The Washington Post reports that "a day after responding angrily during a campaign debate to a question about whether his family has Jewish roots," Allen's office "for the first time today" disclosed his Jewish ancestry.
One would think that even before the Ryan Lizza article of New Republic, Allen might've wanted to know about his heritage when Bob Gibson of Charlottesville's Daily Progress wrote about his mother's Jewish background -- especially since at the time, he vehemently denied it; and for the first time in Gibson's long career of covering Allen, the junior senator had demanded he retract the story.
Shouldn't a public official check out the facts before he clamors for a reporter to take back a story?
Allen admits that some might ask how is it that he didn't earlier know he was Jewish; add Howling Latina to the disbelieving list.
Hopefully reporters will follow the story thread with follow-up questions regarding the Gibson incident; never mind his raging anger and the bit about ethnic "aspersions" towards his family; seems like Allen was doing a little projecting.
Projecting (psychology): to ascribe one's own feelings, thoughts, or attitudes to others.
The Washington Post reports that "a day after responding angrily during a campaign debate to a question about whether his family has Jewish roots," Allen's office "for the first time today" disclosed his Jewish ancestry.
Guess the junior senator didn't want the "J" story to overshadow the fall campaign like the "M" story had earlier sucked all the air out of his listening tour.In a statement released by his campaign, Allen denounced the TV reporter who asked the question but said he is proud to have recently discovered that his grandfather, a Nazi resistance fighter in North Africa, was part of a well-known Jewish family.
[...]
"I was raised as a Christian and my mother was raised as a Christian," Allen said. "And 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."
"I was raised as a Christian and my mother was raised as a Christian," Allen said. "And 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."Hmm, so Allen just recently discovered his Jewish heritage after the magazine article...?
One would think that even before the Ryan Lizza article of New Republic, Allen might've wanted to know about his heritage when Bob Gibson of Charlottesville's Daily Progress wrote about his mother's Jewish background -- especially since at the time, he vehemently denied it; and for the first time in Gibson's long career of covering Allen, the junior senator had demanded he retract the story.
Shouldn't a public official check out the facts before he clamors for a reporter to take back a story?
Allen admits that some might ask how is it that he didn't earlier know he was Jewish; add Howling Latina to the disbelieving list.
Hopefully reporters will follow the story thread with follow-up questions regarding the Gibson incident; never mind his raging anger and the bit about ethnic "aspersions" towards his family; seems like Allen was doing a little projecting.
Projecting (psychology): to ascribe one's own feelings, thoughts, or attitudes to others.
// posted by Howling Latina @ 6:18 PM 
