Did Ohio Dem Have a 'Macaca Moment'?

The term "macaca moment" (also spelled macaque) refers to an event in 2006 that derailed the re-election campaign of Virginia Senator George Allen.  Allen's use of the highly-charged, offensive term at a campaign event and the controversy that followed are credited with turning an almost certain re-election for the GOP Senator into a victory for Democrat Jim Webb.  Will a politician in Ohio face a similar result following his insensitive and incendiary statements from the past weekend?

Social networking chats are a similar to a high-tech town hall meeting, allowing elected officials the ability to connect with the people they represent without having to face them.  Ohio State Representative Bob Hagan was in one such social networking discussion with constituents over the weekend when he made what is being called a racist comment.  Some the people in the "conversation" agreed with Hagan's position on the union battle being waged in Wisconsin and headed to Ohio, others did not.

As the back and forth between Hagan and others in the discussion became a bit heated, with one poster saying;

“I’m guessing your from an entrenched area ripe with corruption. I don’t recognize your name as a Cuyahoga County resident, but I’m guessing you’re from the land of Traficant.”

Rep. Hagan's reply;

“I ran against Traficant buckwheat ... so take your personal shots, and shove them where the sun don’t shine.”

The suburban Cleveland woman to whom that comment was directed has taken exception to it, calling Hagan's use of Buckwheat racist.  Hagan disagrees, and claims this is an attack from the Tea Party in an effort to make him look bad.  That is an interesting position to take as it was Hagan who printed and used the word "Buckwheat" and suggested that a voter "take your personal shots, and shove them where the sun don't shine."  In a follow-up interview Hagan has some choice words for both the Tea Party and his accusers;

“They are so full of ----. They’re so negative, these teabaggers."

and

"I have no apologies for telling her to shove it where the sun don’t shine.”

So Mr. Hagan's response to questions about his use of a potentially racially offensive term and a vulgar insult to voters is not to apologize for the insensitive behavior, but rather to pile on additional disrespectful and vulgar language.  The term "teabagger" has been shown to be an offensive and distasteful insult that was frequently used on TV in an effort to marginalize the movement now-credited the sea change in last fall's elections.

Bringing all of this back to the questionable word from Hagan's online discussion.  Here is the image that most Americans conjure up when they hear the word "Buckwheat."

And from the UrbanDictionary - #1 definition of the word "Buckwheat" is not exactly flattering;