So it must be time for the Washington Post to revive the charges that Senator George Allen is a racist and put it on the front page.

The Post’s efforts to help elect liberal candidates in Virginia are well known and date back years. For example, in 1989, many observers believed that the Post’s daily drumbeat of negative coverage attacking Gubenatorial candidate Marshall Coleman swung that election to Doug Wilder. The Post’s anti-Coleman crusade included a highly dubious last minute poll that showed Wilder well ahead. (He won by less than one percent.)

Why the Post’s liberal agenda is so much more pronounced in its state coverage is a mystery. But it’s there. And today’s story demonstrates that the paper has put Senator Allen at the top of its list. Indeed, it’s doubtful that any other paper that covers the Commonwealth would view today’s story even as newsworthy, much less worthy of the front page.

Broadly, I’m a big fan of the Post. Their coverage of national politics, sports and style is outstanding. But in this case, they have swung decisively from covering the news to outright advocacy. So, as voters contemplate their Election Day choice, they must look elsewhere for balanced coverage of the campaign. That’s too bad. And the Post ought to be ashamed of itself.