Lott's conservative critics II. Didn't mean to leave the ultraconservative Family Research Council out of the list of former Trent Lott allies who are appalled by his racist remarks. Council president Ken Connor writes:

Sen. Lott has apologized for his thoughtless remarks, dismissing them as "A poor choice of words [that] conveyed to some the impression that I embrace the discarded policies of the past." A poor choice of words? Discarded policies? This is a quaint and benign way to describe the insidious evil that was Jim Crow. Now, we do not believe that Sen. Lott is a racist. But such thoughtless remarks -- and the senator has an unfortunate history of such gaffes -- simply reinforce the suspicion that conservatives are closet racists and secret segregationists.

Connor concludes by suggesting that the Republican Party would be a lot better off if Lott would resign.