Suddenly dancing to klezmer music

Writing for the Daily Progress longtime political reporter Bob Gibson calmly makes sense of the brouhaha that has had some aspects of the Virginia blogosphere spewing nonsense since Monday.

In spite of the efforts by Sen. George Allen’s spinning handlers and relentless bloggers to paint another episode of Allen’s bullying behavior in public as a gallant attempt to protect his suffering mother, in “Discovering, embracing a heritage” Gibson has no trouble seeing through the fog of bluster.

“...Politically, he publicly accepted his Jewish family roots at the proverbial point of a gun, first angrily dancing around the question at the Sept. 18 debate but chastising his panelist questioner for her marginally relevant query. Allen’s sudden burst of pride was clearly pried out of him by reporters.

“That Allen had not previously acknowledged or inquired about his Jewish ancestry made his non-denial, and his quite indignant attack on his live-TV debate questioner, a sudden topic of intense speculation. Allen’s campaign manager, Dick Wadhams, famous for quietly employing paid bloggers two years ago in South Dakota, is accusing paid bloggers for Jim Webb, Allen’s Democratic challenger, of anti-Semitism for discussing Allen’s response and subsequent sudden acknowledgment of his ancestry.

“Every time Allen lashes out in anger or bares his temper, it’s news now that his undenied White House ambitions are attached to his bid for a second Senate term.”

Don’t be surprised if Allen’s camp calls Gibson names, in an effort to muddy the water yet again. Don’t be surprised if Allen’s professional bloggers and wannabe professional bloggers follow suit, with righteous indignation bubbling over.

At my desk, it’s been a hoot watching a pack of white-bread right-wingers, many of whom we know damn well have cared not a whit about anti-Semitism before this week, suddenly dancing to klezmer music and wearing yarmulkes to hurl anti-Semitic accusations at Jim Webb. In most cases I’d say such convenient concern for the plight of Jews in Virginia, or anywhere else, is about as authentic as Allen’s contrived Southern gentleman/good ol’ boy image.

Kudos to Gibson for setting the record straight.