McClellan mum on Lott-Durbin comparison

Editor's note: Each week, WorldNetDaily White House correspondent Les Kinsolving asks the tough questions almost no one else will ask. And each week, WorldNetDaily brings you the transcripts of those dialogues with the president and his spokesman.

At today's White House news briefing, WND asked presidential press secretary Scott McClellan whether or not the White House had praised the apology of Sen. Trent Lott after he made controversial comments in 2002, as it did this week in commending Sen. Dick Durbin's apology.

On Tuesday, Durbin apologized for his June 14 Senate remarks, which included comparing U.S. treatment of prisoners to "Nazis, Soviets in their gulags or some mad regime – Pol Pot or others – that had no concern for human beings."

WND: Scott, yesterday you, as the president's spokesman, warmly commended Senator Durbin for his apologizing for what you called the reprehensible and Mayor Kelly called a disgraceful statement about our U.S. troops. But I can't remember any such White House commendation of Senator Lott for his apology in 2002. And my first question, did you or Ari Fleischer ever publicly commend Senator Lott for his apology, and what did you say if you did?

McCLELLAN: Les, that matter was addressed long ago and I don't think there's anything else to add to it.

WND: Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute, I've got a follow up. Mississippi Republicans who did so much to lead a great Bush re-election victory in their red state are surely aware of the enormous difference between what Senator Lott said was "totally in jest" at Senator Thurmond's 100th birthday party and what was reprehensible and disgraceful. Will you now warmly commend Senate Rules Committee Chairman Lott for his apology in 2002, or won't you?

McCLELLAN: Les, this issue was addressed back in 2002, and –

WND: He still is with us.

McCLELLAN: – and we're focused on how we move forward.