Macaca, kimosabe.

A plugged-in emailer wonders what is up with the spate of "macaca" references. Here is my version of the story for all who missed it. If you want more, Senator Allen is on the cover of this week's Weekly Standard.

Senator George Allen was teasing an operative of the Webb camp who attended all the Allen events. He called to him on the stage, telling everybody to say hello to "Macaca." Confusing the term, perhaps, with "Mohawk" because of the young man's haircut.

It turns out "Macaca" is a racial slur used by French citizens to North Africans.

Sen. Allen is not French, the young man was not North -- or any kind of -- African. Yet America is America and the Senator was forced to apologize about 53 times.

Posted by jk at September 26, 2006 3:07 PM