Lott Apologizes Again, Denounces Racism
By DAVID ESPO
AP Special CorrespondentWASHINGTON (AP) -- Senate Republican Leader Trent Lott denounced segregation and racism as immoral Friday and asked "forbearance and forgiveness" as he struggled to quell a controversy that threatened his hold on power.
"I apologize for reopening old wounds and hurting so many Americans," Lott said at a news conference in Mississippi meant to end eight days of controversy that he triggered with comments that seemed to imply support for racial segregation.
"I'm not about to resign for an accusation for something I'm not," Lott said emphatically at the news conference.
Some Democrats have called on Lott to step aside, and President Bush sharply criticized the Mississippian's comments in a speech Thursday.
In a brief opening statement, Lott said several times that segregation and racism were wrong - "immoral," he called them.
"I take full responsibility for my remarks and only hope that people will find in their heart to forgive me for this grievous mistake," he added.
Lott, 61 and in line to become Senate majority leader in January, triggered the controversy when he said last week that Mississippians were proud to have voted for Sen. Strom Thurmond in 1948 on the pro-segregationist Dixiecrat ticket. "And if the rest of the country had followed our lead, we wouldn't have had all these problems over all these years either," the Mississippian added in remarks at Thurmond's 100th birthday.
Lott said he was "winging it" with those words, saying they were not part of prepared remarks and were not meant to convey support for racial segregation.
Bush: "Tell ya what, Trent. I'll make you an offer you can't refuse..."
Lott: "Aw, come on, Mr. President! I said I was sorry!"
Bush: "See this speech? Karl Rove wrote it. Either you'll give it or you'll be pushin' up daisies next to Jimmy Hoffa...."
Lott: "urp..."
Be Seeing You,
Chris