Lott was a Deep South politician lionizing Thurmond for defending Jim Crow to the extent of filibustering the Civil Rights Act and creating a political party that endured thirty years for no other reason than to preserve segregation. Reid was a Westerner giving (admittedly poor) reasons why America would BENEFIT from a black President. Republicans may want to call Reid a racist, but he didn't switch parties over it, or extol a man who did. It's just like Bidens comment about "an articulate black man. " The person of whom he was speaking doesn't mind, but his political opponents want the speaker pilloried. "Gotcha!" politics, anyone...? I'm sure Obama is deeply touched by all the Republicans rushing to his defense, but until Reids comment bothers him it doesn't bother me. At a guess, I'd say Obama's a lot more pissed at Lieberman right now.