Amazing enough, Howard Kurtz has one of the harshest takes on the Lott flap:

Why So Late on Lott? ... Here's Lott trying to extricate himself, according to the New York Times: "Saying that he had used 'a poor choice of words,' Trent Lott, the Senate Republican leader, apologized tonight for his speech at the 100th birthday party of Senator Strom Thurmond, which critics had said was an implicit endorsement of segregation." Poor choice of words? In the sense that "Ah did not have sex with that woman" was a poor choice of words?

That one made me laugh out loud. Of course, Howie, like the rest of the media, was also late in coming to this story. But he only has implied criticizism for others.