Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele and his GOP buddies are grasping for straws in trying to make a big deal out of some silly comments dealing with race made by U.S. Senate Leader Harry Reid about President Barack Obama.

To Steele's simpleminded logic, the situation is as clear as black and white: When Republicans like former Mississippi Senator Trent Lott make a racial comment, as he did in 2002 when he publicly praised segregationist lawmaker Strom Thurmond, they are forced to apologize.

But when a Democrat like Reid makes a racial comment, as he admits to in a newly published book describing Obama as "a light skinned African American with no Negro dialect unless he wanted to have one" he gets a free pass.

Steele is simply playing politics and should know better. Yes, Reid's comments were racial, but they weren't racist, and there is a big difference.

Lott's comments were in praise of a segregationist senator who openly championed discriminatory policies for much of his public service career.

Reid's comments were in praise of Obama's quest to become the first black president of the United States. Yes, they were racial and the use of the word "Negro" by Reid is a bit unsettling, but the Nevada Democrat has been a chief supporter of Obama since the 2008 campaign began.

Like comparing apples and oranges, in my view.

Reid apologized to Obama and black political leaders as soon as his comments came to light. Lott, on the other hand, took days to offer a half-hearted explanation for his comments. Just to be on the safe side, it would probably be best for all involved if Reid were to stay far away from racial comments about the president for now on.

But for Steele to talk of a double-standard is a ham-handed and clumsy attempt to make political hay out of some dumb comments.