Ensign says Reid caught in “politics of gotcha-ism”

In his first comments on the controversy around Sen. Harry Reid, Sen. John Ensign told a conservative talk show station in Reno this morning that Reid has been ensnared in "politics of gotcha-ism."

Ensign was interviewed on KOH-AM 780 by morning hosts Monica Jaye and Ross Mitchell.

Mitchell asked whether Reid's remarks, reported in a new book, about Barack Obama's skin color and way of speaking, were "perhaps well-intentioned but the words were poorly chosen."

"I don't know what his intentions were but I take Senator Reid at his word," Ensign said. "I think his apology was sincere and he regretted how his comments were taken."

"I just think we need to get away from these politics of gotcha-ism," Ensign said. He blamed Democrats for "what they did to Trent Lott", and "we shouldn't do the same thing to Senator Reid.

"The media unfortunately tends not to treat Republicans...." The remainder of the comment could not be heard above the laughter of the hosts. But the point seemed to be clear.

Lott, a Republican senator from Mississippi. resigned as Senate majority leader on Dec. 20, 2002, 15 days after remarks he made at a 100th birthday party for Sen. Strom Thurmond, who ran for president in 1948 on a largely pro-segregation platform.

Lott said Mississippi had supported Thurmond's candidacy, and if he had been successful, "we wouldn't have had all these problems over the years." In the resulting furor, Lott was criticized by senators from both parties, and then-President George W. Bush declined to throw him a lifeline.

Ensign publicly supported Lott for the two weeks the Mississippi senator was under fire. But after Lott relinquished the leadership job and was replaced by Sen. Bill Frist of Tennessee, Ensign said he had privately urged Lott to quit.