Syndicated conservative columnist Kathleen Parker is defending George Allen against Ryan Lizza’s New Republic profile. Her main defenses are (a) Lizza and others are saying Allen is a racist because they’re worried about him as a 2008 candidate; (b) Allen was a “rebel” in high school, not a racist; and (c) everyone makes mistakes in high school.

Let me briefly respond. No one has said Allen is a racist. As I wrote before, “I’m not saying Allen is a racist — I have no way of knowing what his private thoughts are. I can only judge him on his public actions and statements, and that record is troubling at best.” Similarly, I don’t think Allen’s actions in high school would be a big deal except for the fact that his racial insensitivity as an adolescent mirrors his record in Virginia so closely. He went from displaying the Confederate flag as an act of rebellion to becoming a politician who exploited the issue of race for years. That’s a matter of serious concern for any presidential candidate.

Parker’s column also includes also this incredible passage defending Allen against the charge that he developed Southern affectations while living in a California mansion:

[Allen] also loves being a Virginian, even if he grew up elsewhere, and loves being Southern, even if he’s not quite.

It’s interesting how conservative pundits criticize privileged Democrats like Al Gore and John Kerry for their the lack of authenticity while failing to mention the similar backgrounds of leading conservatives like George W. Bush and George Allen. Look for this pattern to repeat itself in 2008.