Finally, a condemnation from President Bush:
We must also rise to a second challenge facing our country. This great and prosperous land must become a single nation of justice and opportunity. We must continue our advance toward full equality for every citizen, which demands the guarantee of civil rights for all. Any suggestion that the segregated past was acceptable or positive is offensive, and it is wrong.
Recent comments — recent comments by Senator Lott do not reflect the spirit of our country.
He has apologized, and rightly so. Every day our nation was segregated was a day that America was unfaithful to our founding ideals. 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.
Though I disagree with the Bush administration on a lot of things, I think he has been very good in general about race relations as well as taking the lead in keeping the focus on terrorists rather than all Muslims.
