A Man Out of Time

摘要

It was just a quick stop, at a store on a campaign trip through the Northeast more than a dozen years age. Trent Lott, then a Mississippi congressman about to make his move for the Senate, was visiting a state for a Republican candidate. When Lott walked in, he asked:"Why aren't there any black people here?" a source who has spent time with him in unguarded moments tells NEWSWEEK. Nervously, someone explained that this was not he most diverse of regions. "Not even behind the counter?" Lott said. Warming to his Punch line, Lott added:"We'd be happy to send you up some if you need any"-and then chuckled. Asked about the incident last week, Lott told NEWSWEEK:"I can't imagine when I would have done that. I don't believe I did that. I did that. Iedny that Ided that, but you know I can't deny every word or that I may have been in the area." If anything "close to that was uttered, that would have totally out of order," Lott said.