Regardless of the final outcome, if nothing else, l’affaire Lott has shown that conservatives and so-called “right wingers” (I’m always amazed when I’m accused of being a right winger), aren’t the racists that they’re always demonized as by the “left.” It was great to see Abigail Thernstrom getting a lot of visibility on Meet The Press this morning.

The first, and most full-throated criticism of Lott came from that quarter, and not just because it made him a liability to Republicans. They were clearly and truly outraged. Lott and his fellow Dixiecrat ilk will know that they can no longer state such views with impunity from their own party.

I doubt that most of the media will notice, though.