[tango7799]

I think you've created a straw man argument. Sure, Lott has been repeatedly elected, but that is on the basis of his record prior to his comments at Thurmond's b-day party. After all, he's already used his "apology" card more than just a couple times in recent years. However, this most recent incident is the essential difference.

The Republican party must ask itself: How can the American people continue to trust us if we keep him as Majority Leader? Now, the stakes are higher than ever before. We risk losing that trust in future elections, if we do keep him. Of course, thank god we have President Bush to serve as the face of the party. But Lott does not serve an insignificant role. He is a prominent Republican leader. If Bush is trying to reach out to minorities on one hand, and Lott stays as Majority Leader on the other, then our political presentation is mixed, to the point that blacks and other minorities won't be enthused enough to make the giant leap to the Republican party.

[Texasforever]

We risk losing that trust in future elections, if we do keep him.

Yep if we can dump that racist Lott the republicans will get 5% instead of 3% of the black vote. This will be the one that finally convinces blacks to abandon the democrats but if not, the next sacrifice will be the one that makes the difference or the next one. Don’t worry Lott is gone and all is well.

[bybybill]

Rush sked this question: What is worst, being a racist or falsely accusing some body of being a racist?

[Chancellor Palpatine]

He's used the apology card to get out of his race scrapes more than once, and now he's completely outed. The whole history - from fraternity and college to the neoconfederate and segregationist groups, its all out there.

And these Senators who voted for him knew it.