Who you callin' macaca?

What is it about politicians on the campaign trail shooting racial slurs off at the mouth?

At a campaign rally in southwest Virginia on Friday, Virginia Senator George Allen repeatedly called a volunteer for Democrat James Webb "macaca." During the speech in Breaks, near the Kentucky border, Allen began by saying that he was "going to run this campaign on positive, constructive ideas" and then pointed at S.R. Sidarth in the crowd.
(sure didn't take him long to deviate from his campaign promise.)

"This fellow here, over here with the yellow shirt, macaca, or whatever his name is. He's with my opponent. He's following us around everywhere. And it's just great," Allen said, as his supporters began to laugh. After saying that Webb was raising money in California with a "bunch of Hollywood movie moguls," Allen said, "Let's give a welcome to macaca, here. Welcome to America and the real world of Virginia." Allen then began talking about the "war on terror."

So, if that's the "real world of Virginia," more than the gay & lesbian community should be packing up and moving out.
Allen claimed he didn't know what the word means. What kind of state deserves a senator who slings words without knowing what they mean? And if he was lying and did know what the word meant, then... repeat the question.

Allen is considering a 2008 presidential run. Just what we need: another idiot.

WaPo has the story.