September 25, 2006
Will The Press Cover Salon's Story?
Salon's Michael Scherer writes:
Three former college football teammates of Sen. George Allen say that the Virginia Republican repeatedly used an inflammatory racial epithet and demonstrated racist attitudes toward blacks during the early 1970s. "Allen said he came to Virginia because he wanted to play football in a place where 'blacks knew their place,'" said Dr. Ken Shelton, a white radiologist in North Carolina who played tight end for the University of Virginia football team when Allen was quarterback. "He used the N-word on a regular basis back then."
Right now, in newsrooms across Virginia, editors are debating how much credence to give this story. Both Allen's campaign and the NRSC have already released statements of rebuttal, which suggests to us that some reporters believe they have no choice and have started to make telephone calls. (Update: here's the AP, with Allen's denial.)
Just as Allen managed to regain some footing with a fairly sympathetic set of stories about his Jewish ancestry, another strong gust of opposition research comes from the left.
From the NRSC release:
"Salon.com is a partisan rag with a history of attacking Republican candidates during election years with preposterous and outlandish charges. Salon.com will no doubt level more scurrilous charges against our Republican candidates this election-year but folks should remember to consider the source; the DSCC has more credibility than these hacks."
Will Northern Virginia media pick up on the charges? TV, in particular? If so, will Webb have another million-dollar fundraising week? How much more of this can Allen take?
Is Allen being Swift Boated? That is -- are dissidents from his past coming forward at auspicious moments to force him to prove a negative?
Hard to say. "Swift boating" is not a dirty word to Allen's team, in part because one of his chief consultants helped put together the group and is convinced of the veracity of their charges against Sen. John Kerry. The Swift Boat Veterans For Truth ultimately collected about 60 affidavits from folks questioning whether Kerry deserved his medals. Some of them were directly in the chain of command. But the preponderance of the evidence, including the eyewitness testimony of Vietnamese villagers, suggested that Kerry's version of the events largely held up. But Kerry was forced, in essence, to prove a negative.
In this case, it seems as if the majority of Allen's teammates support Allen's "side" -- if "side" is the right word. Allen's campaign says it has contacted 16 teammates who never heard Allen say anything racist. Two of them are black.
A selection of those testimonials are after the jump.
Statement from Doug Jones, defensive back on the University of Virginia football team 1971 thru 1974 and roomed with Ken Shelton in his second year:
“I was on the University of Virginia football team with George Allen for the 1972 and 1973 seasons. During that time I never heard George Allen use any racially disparaging word nor did I ever witness or hear about him acting in a racially insensitive manner. He was a scholar-athlete and a leader. I was proud to be his teammate.”
Statement from George Korte, linebacker on the University of Virginia football team from 1970 through 1973:
“Contrary to Ken Shelton, I have kept up with George Allen the past thirty-five years. During this time, I have never known or heard him use racial epithets to describe blacks either in public or private.
“Specific items in the article that are not true are as follows:
1. As stated above, George Allen did not use racial epithets or demonstrate racist attitudes towards blacks in the early 1970s.
2. George came to University of Virginia because his father became the head coach of the Washington Redskins. Instead of continuing his undergraduate education at UCLA, he transferred to be closer to his family. He came to University of Virginia to attend one of the top public Universities in the nation not as the article states “because he wanted to play football in a place where ‘blacks knew their place’.
3. Many of the nicknames used to describe the players were not given by George. Mine was Tez. I received this nickname because a coach mispronounced my name as Cortez. This resulted in my nickname given to me from another linebacker. Ken Shelton received his nickname because of his ability as a tight end to magically get open and catch the football not because he shared someone’s last name.
“It appears to me that Kenny Shelton has some deep rooted problems with his self identity and a rather hyper active imagination.”
Statement from Joe Gieck, the University of Virginia football team trainer for 43 years and a professor in sports medicine; he retired in 2005:“I seem to recall that Ken Shelton got the ‘Wizard’ nickname for his pass catching ability and before George Allen came to the University of Virginia.”
Statement from Charlie Hale, center on the University of Virginia football team from 1970 through 1973:
“My name is Charles M. Hale, Jr. and I am writing this to state my personal knowledge of Senator George Allen.
“I received an athletic scholarship and attended the University of Virginia from 1972 till 1977. I was a member of the football team and met George Allen in 1972. During my first year the position I played was center and Senator Allen was a quarterback. Neither Senator Allen nor I were on the starting team and our job was to run the opposition offense for our starting defense to prepare for upcoming games. It was during this time we became close personal friends.
“When I was being recruited by UVA, the head coach Don Lawrence, informed me and my family that we would have a new quarterback, it was the son of Coach George Allen who was going to be taking over as head coach of the Washington Redskins. The reason that Senator Allen came to Virginia to play football from UCLA was the fact that he was very close to his father, loved professional football and wanted to be near his family who would be living in Leesburg, Virginia.
“Senator Allen and I were team mates for a period of two years 1972 and 1973 when he finished undergraduate school and then he attended law school also at UVA. We have maintained a close friendship now for 34 years. In the summer of 1976 we spent 6 weeks together driving and camping across the United States to visit his home and family in California. After graduation from law school at UVA the Senator worked in Abingdon, Virginia as a law clerk, and I lived in Grundy, Virginia we continued to see each other and go hunting.
“In 1988 I returned to UVA for a celebration marking 100 years of football at the school. I had been living in the western US since 1978 and we renewed our friendship. He took me home with him that night where I was to meet his wife Susan. Since that time we have remained close personal friends.
“During the 34 years I have known George Allen I have never heard him use racial slurs or derogatory language to describe a person or group of persons.
“Ken Shelton is a close personal friend of mine for the same period of time I have known Senator Allen. Ken was and still remains an amazing athlete, he is one who contained the ‘complete package’ height, speed, toughness, coupled with an uncanny ability to block, run and catch the football. I lived in the same apartment with him for two years (1973 and 1974) and got to know him very well. I have always known him by the nickname, ‘Wizard’. I have always thought the name came from his ability to catch passes (like the day against the Naval Academy when he caught 3 for touchdowns) or his ability to somehow get open in the field. Personally I believe that he was a true ‘Wizard’ because he always had the ability to sneak out after curfew and never get caught.”
Posted at 01:01 PM
Comments
Forget the racial slur.
What about the possible hate crime?
It's allaged that Allen singled out a black family and put a dead deer's head in their mailbox!!!
Virginia Centrist | 09.25.06 01:31 PM
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We went to a after-church brunch yesterday, before the salon.com story came out. About two dozen Catholic families were there, and to my shock as a Democrat, the host stood up to talk about George Allen.
There were roughly 40 adults there, and most of them seem to nod in agreement that the media has been too tough on Allen. My wife and I were beside ourselves, literally.
At the end of the brunch, as we were leaving, there were allen bumper stickers and literature for the taking.
I have no problem with presuming the vote count at that function was 30 for Allen and maybe 10 for Webb. Both my wife and I think this will be a very long, tough and dirty campaign.
John | 09.25.06 02:20 PM
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Well, that's some selection of testimonials! Good ol' regular fellas Doug Jones, George Korte and Charlie Hale.
That meme lasted about ten seconds. "TomVA" at Daily Kos does the work the rest of the media doesn't:
Doug Jones, Fairfax County Republican Committee
Doug currently serves as the Unit Operations Co-Chair for the Allen campaign in Fairfax County. He has been the Mt. Vernon District GOP Chairman since 2000. Last year he served as the Fairfax County Co- Chair for the Bob McDonnell campaign.
Doug believes in the importance of 'grassroots' involvement in a successful campaign. The 25 precincts in Mt. Vernon participate in canvassing, 'Back to School Night' coverage, poll coverage both inside and outside on election day and he strongly endorses the efforts associated with the '72 Hour' program.
In fact, just two weeks ago, volunteers knocked on 2400 doors in Fairfax County.
Doug worked his way up from precinct captain to District Vice-Chairman which led to his current position in the Allen campaign. 'I believe that there is nothing more influential than when avolunteer knocks on a neighbor's door and asks for the support of a Republican candidate,' says Doug.
Doug attended the Sorensen School of Political Leadership in 1998. He is a graduate of the University of Virginia where he played on the football team with quarterback, George Allen.
Next?
Executive Marketing Manager for Federal Systems Division of Intergraph Corporation, one of Allen's biggest corporate patrons.
Next?
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 193
Offered January 8, 1997
Confirming appointments by the Governor related to commerce and trade.
Board of Mineral Mining Examiners:
Charles M. Hale, Jr., 149 Hill Drive, N.E., Abingdon, Virginia 24210, Member, effective July 1, 1996, to serve for a term of four years, ending June 30, 2000, to succeed himself.
Kagro X | 09.25.06 03:21 PM
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So now its he said, he said? It is time for the local media to do its investigative work.
Given Allen's awful history, I'd take the word of the Doctor over Allen's any day.
ps. One of the people defending Allen has sent contributions to Allen. over a $1000.
vamatters | 09.25.06 03:25 PM
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Allen said "I don't remember ever using that word and it is absolutely false that that was ever part of my vocabulary."
Not a particularly strong denial if you ask me. It’s the same as "I don't recall ever using that word". I can say I have NEVER used that word, why can’t he?
John | 09.25.06 04:34 PM
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Someone at Salon confused Senator Allen with Senator Byrd.
Don Tomaso | 09.25.06 04:53 PM
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If anyone has "Swiftboated" George Allen, it is The Weekly Standard. Bye, George.
WW | 09.25.06 04:59 PM
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Personally I think it's only the niggers, queers kikes, and camel jockeys who actually dont give a shit a bout this story.
Cassandra | 09.25.06 07:42 PM
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This is a man who displayed not only a Confederate flag in his office -- but a noose.
How much more do we need to know about him?
TK Major | 09.25.06 09:14 PM
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The New York Times is starting to add more sources. It was stupid of Allen to deny he used the word nigger when he often has. This started with an amazingly stupid macaca moment, which Allen continues to lie about, and has gone downhill from there. As several Google searches of racist hate sites showed, as well as several University students blogged, Macaque was becoming common slang in racist parts of Virginia in addition to his mother's background.
Gary Denton | 09.25.06 11:34 PM
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What's next for Allen -- more smearing of the Taylor, another sob story about his mother? It's hard to say. But we do this -- whatever sleazy, implausible story he comes up with, the media will buy it, lest they be accused of being "liberal"? It's the meme that keeps on giving to the Republican party.
TomT | 09.26.06 01:14 AM
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Now it's Sabato on Hardball confirming Allen has used the N word, which he's denied ever, ever using.
Seems there's more to the story because of Allen's clumsy denial.
DemFromCT | 09.26.06 08:51 AM
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