Apparently, Josh Marshall doesn't think Larry Sabato needs to explain his n-word charge against George Allen, only that Allen needs to respond to it personally. This is NOT the way it's supposed to work, and I'm surprised Josh doesn't know better.

Josh and I graduated from Princeton University together in 1991. I didn't know Josh at all in school, but that hardly matters. Suppose I went on national television tomorrow and said that 15 years ago he had used the n-word in college. And when the interviewer of the show asked me how I knew Josh had used the word, or whether he'd ever used the word in front of me I responded, "I'm not going to get into that."

I'm sure Josh would agree that would be unacceptable. Let me be clear that I'm not suggesting Larry Sabato is lying. What I am suggesting is that Sabato should have to back up an accusation like the one he made, and Josh Marshall should be asking Larry Sabato to produce the goods before asking George Allen to respond to the charge directly.

UPDATE: The USA Today blog reports: USA TODAY political reporter Jill Lawrence spoke with Sabato this morning. She reports he told her that he never heard Allen use the n-word, but believes the future senator did because "people I know and trust" have told him it happened.