[...] Every partisan in every party has to learn one thing: Sometimes your people are wrong. To paraphrase an old retort, saying "My party, right or wrong" is like saying "My Kennedy, drunk or sober." Credibility is earned, and standing up and saying "Fie!" now and then reinforces your truthfulness.

But among whom? Republicans are a little defensive when their enemies prod them to dine on the flesh of their fellow elephants. Conservatives who reject their party's tenets are often described as having "grown," just as you'd describe a child who no longer believes in the Tooth Fairy.

Internecine sniping at Lott would give comfort to the enemy; you can see Jim Carville steepling fingers like Mr. Burns on "The Simpsons" and muttering "excellent" under his breath.

All true. So? For months we've heard calls for moderate Islamic scholars and mullahs to denounce the excesses of their co-religionists -- well, this is much like that. Not that Lott's comments were anywhere near the ravings that flow from mosques in the Middle East; he didn't call for Thurmondism to sweep the world at swordpoint. But it's the same idea. You can stay silent and hope it'll blow over, or disagree for the sake of your party's soul.

Just because your opponents are making hay over the issue shouldn't keep people of integrity from speaking up. Doesn't mean you call CNN and offer to unfurl your outrage for six minutes of face time, but please: If the subject comes up, don't flick it away like an outhouse fly.

Censure? No. Step down from his Senate seat? If he's caught having sex with an intern from the Iraqi United Nations delegation, then we talk expulsion.

Step down as Senate majority leader, lest this remark cause the GOP to lose the trust of its 3,247 black supporters? That's probably the best route. No one looks to Lott for leadership and inspiration. He's a haircut and a grin. [...]