[concerned about politics]

Will somebody explain to me how HER broad-brushing Republicans as racists is DIFFERENT from Lott's implying that Southerners are racists?

Democrats have dug their own graves with this one. If you have this question, using poll logic, 5000 other people also have the same question.

[First Amendment]

It's simple - liberals and conservatives both use the English language (here in USA) but many words have vastly different meanings.
To a conservative, the word "racist" means someone who labels and judges another human being soley or mostly by a person's race. This generally means that the person who is judging by the external appearance or ethnicity doesn't like the other person becasue of that and acts in accordance with their dislike.

To a liberal, a racist means a white person who doesn't notice or pay much attention to a black or Hispanic (or whatever is the fashion word for Mexicans these days) person's race, just deals with them as individual humans.

Oh - one more, when a liberal says "racist" it also means a white person who does not want to give a large percentage ofr their money to people who don't work.

It's just a communications problem!!
We're not talking the same language!