Well, Clinton didn’t actually support Lott. What he said to CNN is that Lott is no worse than Republicans in general, but by “lashing out at Republicans,” as CNN put it, Clinton probably re-inforced whatever inclination some Republicans may have to circle the wagons around their leader. That may well be what he intended.
The former president said it was “pretty hypocritical” of the Republicans to criticize Lott for “saying in Washington what they do on the back roads every day.” Moreover, he said,
I think the way the Republicans have treated Senator Lott is pretty hypocritical since right now their policy is, in my view, inimical to everything that this country stands for.”
These comments should not dismissed out of hand. After all, Clinton was not under oath when he uttered them.
