Posted 10:00 AM by Robert

Jim Crow Nostalgia

Virginia Postrel rightly takes Trent Lott to the woodshed.

He did much damage with his loathesome homage to Strom Thurmond's dark days. Maybe Mr. Lott should spend some time asking himself why Democrat Mary Landrieu next-door in Lousiana got more African-American support than her record deserved in her victorious Saturday election.

UPDATE: Kevin L. Martin, government and political affairs director of the African American Republican Leadership Council, said people were overreacting to the remarks. "By no means was he endorsing segregation or anything like that. It was lighthearted, it was humorous." Martin said Lott captures 25 percent of the black vote in Mississippi, which he said couldn't happen if Lott were a racist.

It is unlikely that Lott is personally a racist. But it is hard to understand how such mindless - at least - statements could flow so easily from him.