You just can't make this stuff up.

In a debate yesterday between GOP Sen. George Allen and Democrat Jim Webb in the race for one of Virginia's Senate seats, local television journalist Peggy Fox posed an insightful, intriguing, relevant question:

Following the "macaca" episode, the Jewish press published stories that appeared on the Internet that explored your possible Jewish ancestry on your mother's side. You've been quoted as saying that your mother is not Jewish, but it has been reported that her father, your grandfather, Felix whom you were given your middle name for, was Jewish. Could you please tell us whether your forebears include Jews and if so at which point Jewish identity might have ended?

What's the follow-up question?

"Would you please exit the building to the right and hop on the train? Oh, and take this yellow star and put it on your lapel."

An apology is in order Ms. Fox. You can start with "I'm an idiot. I'm sorry" and end with "I promise to stick to 'off-the-beaten-path great human interest stories from all over Northern Virginia' and stay away from anything that anyone might consider serious."

Journalism. Wound. Self-inflicted.