Forgiving a Lott Fortunately in this holiday season, the spirit of Christmas can help serve as an antidote to the squalor and bitterness surrounding the recent ousting of Republican Mississippi Sen. Trent Lott as Senate majority leader. By now, most know that Lott more than once praised the 1948 segregationist presidential candidacy of Sen. Strom Thurmond, R-S.C. And most agree that Lott's comments were inappropriate and rendered him unlikely to remain effective in his leadership role. In fact, some GOP senators, such as the ambitious Don Nickles of Oklahoma, felt that Lott's misguided words justified an immediate vote for new...