The more things change

President Bush ,December 12, 2002:

Recent comments -- recent comments by Senator Lott do not reflect the spirit of our country. (Applause.) He has apologized, and rightly so. Every day our nation was segregated was a day that America was unfaithful to our founding ideals. (Applause.) And the founding ideals of our nation and, in fact, the founding ideals of the political party I represent was, and remains today, the equal dignity and equal rights of every American. (Applause.)

And so the -- and this is the principle that guides my administration. We will not, and we must not, rest until every person of every race believes in the promise of America because they see it in their own eyes, with their own eyes, and they live it and feel it in their own lives.

The question now, in light of Senator Lott's election to Minority Whip in the Senate, is if those comments reflect the spirit of the country now? Or if this is the way that conservatives intend to get back to their base?

I'm sure that Trent Lott will be an effective Whip for the Republican party, and maybe those that elected him looked at that factor alone before choosing him. But political parties need to remember that their actions reflect both the party the represent and the country in general. And we now live in a country where a man who made the claim that if we had elected a strict segregationist to the White House years ago, we wouldn't have the problems we have today is once again climbing the ranks of power in one of the major political parties.

Trent Lott not only uttered those words, but also has a history that reflects questionable judgments about race in America. And 25 Republican Senators have signed off on those views as ones they would like to see reflected in party leadership.