Flier Blasted on Drawing of Jewish Opponent
Senate Candidate in Virginia Questioned About Depiction of Jewish Candidate in Campaign Flier

By BOB LEWIS

RICHMOND, Va. Jun 9, 2006 (AP)— Senate candidate James H. Webb, President Reagan's former Navy secretary, was criticized by his Jewish opponent Friday over a campaign flier that depicted the opponent with a hooked nose and cash spilling from his pockets.

The flier was intended for distribution among labor groups. It was titled "Miller the Job Killer," referring to Webb's opponent for the Democratic nomination in Tuesday's primary, businessman Harris Miller.

The flier, drawn in comic-book cartoon style, depicts Miller with a grotesquely hooked nose and cash overflowing from his suit pockets as he orders an underling to find ways to export U.S. jobs overseas. The flier refers to Miller as the "anti-Christ of outsourcing."

Miller called it "despicable."

"One of the things I hoped we would keep out of this campaign, because it has nothing to do with the campaign, is my religion and my background," Miller said.

Webb said the flier was not intended to disparage Miller's religion or heritage and apologized if it was perceived that way.

"I would not in any way look at that and say that it was anti-Semitic. Harris is the one who's played the race card in this campaign by distorting my views on affirmative action," said Webb, a Republican-turned-Democrat and best-selling author.

The winner in Tuesday's primary will challenge Republican Sen. George Allen, who is pursuing a second term even as he angles toward a 2008 presidential race.

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