Okay -- I've been more off than on FR this week (sidelined with a bad back) so I may have missed a few things -- just what was the timeline here ? -- this is how I understood it...
- Senate Session Ends (Wednesday ?)
- Strom Thurmond has Birthday Pary (Thursday) at which Trent utters stupid remark
- Nothing (Friday into Saturday) from the Press, etc.
- Jesse Jackson sends an e-mail or note to media source (which one ??) upset over the Lott "remarks" (Saturday afternoon ??)
- Louisiana Election (Saturday)
- Press begins coverage -- Daschle makes "not a big deal" type remark (when ?)
- Black Congressional Caucus begins "commenting" (when?)
- More press, more coverage, more piling on (Sharpton, etc.), 1st apology (Monday ??)
- Daschle makes new statement, White House makes 1st statement (when?)
- More squawking, press really heats up (Wednesday), 2nd apology
- Pres. Bush makes strong statement but does not ask Lott to step down (Thursday)
- Long formal apology and Q&A session by Lott (Friday)
- Press coverage may be slowing down (today)
Now -- my big question is this....if the remark was obviously racist (or if it even "smacked of racism") -- why was there NO outcry for the first two days ? And did the LA election have any bearing on what's been happening?
Because James Carville wasn't ready for the offensive until day three. Lloyd Grove of the Washington Post said that Carville started contacting the media on day three. The anti-Lottites joined with the Carvillites on day four and here's where we are today.