The George Allen flap in Virginia regarding his over-the-top response to an innocent press question about his Jewish roots was a priceless example of a closet anti-Semite running for cover. This son of a Washington Redskins’ football coach with no apparent accomplishments other than inheriting his father’s name and paranoia is part Jewish and wears cowboy boots but he is no Kinky Friedman. It is reminiscent of a story about William Loeb, long-time publisher of the Manchester (NH) Union Leader. Loeb was a fairly nasty piece of work who never found a right wing nut he didn’t love. When “accused†of being a Jew he went apoplectic and – twice – published his Episcopal baptism certificate on the front page of his newspaper. Of course a difference between that and Senator Allen’s pique over a similar “accusation†is that while Allen was similarly incensed, it was – alas – true. Allen has now embraced his heritage and our hearts are warmed.