The neo-cons in the GOP were the ones who blew the issue out of proportion by make apologies for Lott almost immediately after he uttered those fateful words. If they would have kept their mouths shut, Lott could have simply said, "I wasn't talking about segregation. I was just voicing my admiration for my colleague, and I think much of what Strom Thurmond has done over the years has been a credit to this nation." End of story. The left would have had nothing to run with.
Like hell they wouldn't have. Lott said the country might have avoided some "problems" had Strom been elected in 1948. Since the Dixiecrats existed almost solely to perpetuate segregation, it is a very reasonable jump to believe that Trent was praising that institution. Only Trent knows if he is a racist or is just an idiot, but neither is a suitable trait for a majority leader.
This story is done and gone, but you seem compelled to keep it alive. However, the more you run over a dead cat, the flatter it gets, so pull out your spatula if you want to pry this one off the asphalt.