[dogbyte12]

Lott needs to clarify his views. His "apology" was weaslesque. It is a shame, but Lott genuinely needs to say, that I believe segregation is wrong, Jim Crow is wrong, etc..

I originally thought it was a gaff. But combine his comments in 1980, with his support in the 80's and 90's of neo-confederate racists, and his comments this week, and I am really starting to wonder.

He is entitled to hold any views he wants. I make no bones about that. I am baffled as to what his views are though. He seems to say that he supported the dixiecrat philosophy, he writes articles for a magazine that rails against inter racial marriage, so I think he needs to hold a press conference and explain himself if he wants to keep his job.

If anybody has any comments from Lott that say specifically that he opposes segregation specifically, I would love to see them.

[sinkspur]

If anybody has any comments from Lott that say specifically that he opposes segregation specifically, I would love to see them.

If he said it now would you believe him?

You sound like one of these trenchant Lott-haters, too.

[jwalsh07]

In his letter to Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, Majority Leader Lott said, "I’ve never been a member of the CCC. Indeed, I can’t imagine being associated with an organization that promotes any form of racial supremacy." The Majority Leader further asserted that he "could never support -- or seek support from -- a group that disdained or demeaned my friends, my neighbors, my staffers or my constituents because of their race or religion."

How's this?

[Torie]

And, FWIW, we have this. Maybe Lott needs to have a nice little chat with Russert or something for about an hour, and clear it all up.

[michaelt]

I agree with you totally - Lott has to explain himself and apologize again.

I don't think he should resign the Senate - unless he comes out and proves he is a racist, which I don't think (hope) he is.

But I do think that it perhaps is time for someone else to be Majority Leader - and not because I'm mad about impeachment.

If that makes the Dems smell blood and try to get him out of the Senate, well, they are going to do that no matter what we do, so the Republicans should do whatever is best for us, and maybe that's a new Majority Leader.

Lott hasn't always shown a great deal of public political savvy. Maybe he can get along with many on the other side of the aisle, but it always seems like that when it comes to good (conservative/Republican) legislation getting passed, its the House or the President that ends up with the credit, not him.

Maybe he's gotten a bad rap for that too. But if he hasn't been able to disspell his many doubters on the right on this issue, how's he going to be able to get out of this new controversy?

[michaelt]

I agree with you totally - Lott has to explain himself and apologize again.

I don't think he should resign the Senate - unless he comes out and proves he is a racist, which I don't think (hope) he is.

But I do think that it perhaps is time for someone else to be Majority Leader - and not because I'm mad about impeachment.

If that makes the Dems smell blood and try to get him out of the Senate, well, they are going to do that no matter what we do, so the Republicans should do whatever is best for us, and maybe that's a new Majority Leader.

Lott hasn't always shown a great deal of public political savvy. Maybe he can get along with many on the other side of the aisle, but it always seems like that when it comes to good (conservative/Republican) legislation getting passed, its the House or the President that ends up with the credit, not him.

Maybe he's gotten a bad rap for that too. But if he hasn't been able to disspell his many doubters on the right on this issue, how's he going to be able to get out of this new controversy?

[ApesForEvolution]

Yes, regardless, Lott has become a GOP drum that conservatives will be beaten with ad naueum. The fact that I lobbied against Lott and don't care for him energizes me because I knew it was only a matter of time before the time bomb went off...and better than now than in the middle of the (hopefully) conservative GOP agenda. Lott has made enemies because of his character failures, both left and right. That's his problem, not my problem. He had very little political capital with which to expend and blew it in a stupid way.