As we think back on the festivities down in Washington last week, it should be clearer than ever how complicated or contradictory the image of the Republican Party is. On that cold Washington morning, there were a number of people seated near the podium. At the center of the ceremony was Trent Lott, whose presence was taken as an insult even by black Republicans. Sitting there in the chill with everyone else was Democrat Barak Obama, the new senator from Illinois, whose opponent was the carpetbagger Alan Keyes. A contemptuous quick fix by the GOP, the elephants flew him to...