Trent was the most powerful Republican in government, that he would make comments like that, more than once, is a sign of a person not cut out to be a leader.
The comment in no way endorsed segregation under its given circumstances. If it weren't for one reporters long memory or anal retentive research it wouldn't even have been realized in that context, hell if Thurmond was any older we'd be bitching about his vote on the possesion of fire or stone knapping tools. Also, Republicans need to get over this abject fear of their offhand comments being fodder for race baiting whiners, a slip of the tongue shouldn't be an opportunity for fawning submission, it should be an opportunity to point out that 'Rats are losers without an agenda worthy of consideration which is why they carp about this crap.
If you don't want to be called a whore, then don't get caught getting paid for sex.
I could maybe see the analogy if Lott was caught wearing bed linens and burning religeous icons but hardly in the case of a kudo to a 100 year old politician retiring...