Tonight's Evening News dumped on Felix - HARD.
You can watch the complete segment by clicking the picture above.
Here's a choice sound bite:
"He suggested to people through his actions that he was embarrassed about being Jewish. So he took a potential plus, he turned it into a minus, and it is another embarrassing moment from his campaign."
The complete transcript, below the fold
And in honor of Miss Blue, I've added some George Clooney Eye Candy in the comment section.
How one word turned the Virginia senate race, from an election that wasn't even close, into a cliffhanger.
Joie Chen: Headed into this season, Virginia senator George Allen looked every bit his team's number one draft pick. The son of a N.F.L. Hall of Fame coach. A sure thing to win reelection this fall. A proven campaigner. Allen was already on the short list of G.O.P. Presidential contenders. But that was before this.
Allen: This fellow over here with the yellow shirt, macaca or whatever his name is.
Joie Chen: A staffer for his opponent was videotaping Allen when the candidate turned to the camera.
Allen: Let's give a welcome to macaca, here. Welcome to America.
Joie Chen: The word Allen used as he spoke to the cameraman, "macaca," turns out to be a French racial slur. Allen insists he didn't know that and apologized, but the video quickly became a sensation on the internet, and plunged the Senator's campaign into a tailspin.
And it doesn't end there.
At a debate, Allen, a Christian, appeared flustered when asked about his mother's religious background.
Peggy Fox: Could you please tell us whether your forebears include Jews, and if so, at which point Jewish identity might have ended?
Allen: You know what, I'm glad you all have that,.. I'm glad you have that... reaction.
To be getting into what religion my mother is, I don't think is relevant. And I'll say one other thing, preserving our foundational values, and one of those values is freedom of religion, and not making aspersions about people because of religious beliefs.
Joie Chen: Turns out Allen had only recently learned about his Jewish heritage. While he now says he is proud of his roots, political scientist, Larry Sabato says, Allen's campaign hasn't recovered.
Larry Sabato: He suggested to people through his actions that he was embarrassed about being Jewish. So he took a potential plus, he turned it into a minus, and it is another embarrassing moment from his campaign.
Joie Chen: And an opportunity for his opponent. Since the "macaca" incident, the gap between Allen and Democrat Jim Webb has closed from 12 points to just four.
Smelling blood, Democrats launched their biggest rock stars to campaign with Webb and moved him into the top tier of their could-win candidates.
Jim Webb: He had a couple of mistakes. And I think the mistakes actually illuminated what we're doing, because a lot of people started paying attention to the race.
Joie Chen: Now Allen is on the run, not just to hang on to his Senate seat, but to be a player in the big game, the 2008 presidential race.