Posted 10:28 AM by Scoobie Davis

Trent Lott's Rainbow Coalition
Today's Spinsanity has an insightful article on the GOP's race-baiting in the attempt to portray Democratic opposition to judicial nominee Miguel Estrada as racist. The choice of spokesmen for the GOP was what struck me as odd. Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott said about the opposition to Estrada: "They (Democrats) don’t want Miguel Estrada because he’s Hispanic." This is from a man who had close ties with the successor to the old White Citizens Councils, the Council of Conservative Citizens (CCC). Lott was an honorary member, his column appeared in CCC's newsletter, and Lott gave unqualified endorsements to the group. As soon Lott's associations with CCC and other white supremacist groups was reported by the media, Lott and his handlers--against all evidence--said that Lott wasn't familiar with the group's ideology; Lott also lied about the extent of his involvement with the CCC (Mikal Muharrar of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting was one of the lone voices who pointed out how Lott's office played fast and loose with the facts about Lott's association with CCC). Lott, who also in an interview with the white supremacist Southern Partisan magazine spoke about the "spirit of [Confederate president] Jefferson Davis", is now accusing Senate Democrats of racism. What next: an endorsement of Estrada by David Duke?