Again, I think he's more stupid than anything else.
The "left-wing" papers picked up on the John Kerry haircut and ignored Lott's statement. And if Lott had stopped at mere praise for Thurmond, there wouldn't be anything to this at all. But, I suspect (still) that Lott went off the cuff and made the statement.
But even then he was given a pass. No one wanted to be accused of playing the race card. The left (with the exception of Marshall) ignored the event. The right, on the other hand (Sullivan et al.) began calling for the apology. (I suspect they knew what was in the cards.)
Go Lott apologizes with a wimpish, "I'm sorry if you took offense" comment. (Stupid II).
Now the issue is getting attention. (Hell, look at how BP when someone accused him of ol' "Separate but equal" .. immediate and total denial. - Why couldn't Lott decry segregation?) So people start reviewing his past. Some of the people he's hung out with aren't totally convinced that segregation was a bad idea (CCC and others).
Now the talking begins in earnest.
Frankly, I still don't think he's a racist - even given his court brief or talks in front of the CCC. I think he has associates that are racist and that he's made some dumb political moves so far.
But then again, I could be wrong by giving him the benefit of the doubt.