Republican senator Larry Craig of Idaho has quit the Romney campaign after the revelation surfaced that he was arrested in June for allegedly propositioning a plainclothes cop for sex in an airport men's room known for sexual activity. Roll Call quotes the arrest report: "At 1216 hours, Craig tapped his right foot. I recognized this as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct.
Craig, who is married, is now doing all kinds of backtracking and trying to defend his guilty plea on his website, but the damage is pretty much done. A YouTube video of Craig praising Romney's "family values" has been yanked.
On one hand, you have to pity a public figure so desperate that he'll recklessly endanger his whole political career and his colleagues' for a Minneapolis bathroom quickie.
And yet, Andrew Sullivan writes, "My sympathy vanishes when it comes to people who support amending the Constitution to ban gay marriage, as Craig did."
Which is a good point. So all that's left to feel is glee that such base hypocrisy has come to light.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 5)
1. What concerns me is not the "sex" part, although engaging in sex in a public place should not be permitted, and it isn't. What bothers me far more is the "hypocrisy" of such people. They would preach "family values" and "virtue" to others yet, when it is their own behavior, they are found lacking in both. T'would seem that our "virtuous" Republican friends are no better than anyone else. Following the stories about the head of the Young Republicans, the McCain aide in Florida, and now the good Senator, it would seem that if the campaign for the the presidency continues much longer, they will be running without "staffs". Maybe they can go to the National Association of Evangelicals for "bodies". Oops! Can't do that either, given that the former head of that organization, Ted Haggard, was buying drugs and sex in Denver for three years before getting caught. What to do if one is the party billing itself as the party of "family values"?
Robert I. Laitres at 12:08PM on Aug 28th 2007
2. this is too good....the party of "family values and moral". it should be "do as i say and not as i do" party.
iamchavira at 12:09PM on Aug 28th 2007
3. this is to good.....the party of "family values and morals"....it should be "do as i say and not as i do" party.
iamchavira at 12:11PM on Aug 28th 2007
4. What I would like to know is if there are any Democrats engaging in this kind of two-faced nonsense? Is the whole hypocritical gay-bashing closet queer thing purely a Republican phenomenon, or are Democrats doing it too, and we just aren't hearing about it?
I'm just curious. I am quite certain that the GOP (and Fox News) are desperately searching for a naughty Democrat to out and publicly humiliate. I haven't heard anything, so I guess they haven't found one yet.
If our politicians want to have quickies with strangers, that's none of my business. It's tacky and well, just plain icky, but that's just my personal feeling on the subject. It's still none of my business. UNLESS...
..they legislate against OTHER people doing the exact same thing, right after they pull their pants up and wipe their chin. Bill Clinton didn't try to ban extramarital blowjobs just because he got one.
What are these guys thinking?! "If I take an anti-gay political stance, maybe nobody will notice that I'm gay?" Stupid, stupid, STUPID. I don't give a rat's rump whether somebody is gay, but if they're stupid and hypocritical, they're unfit to hold public office. I share Ada's glee. Draft Gore!
zuki at 12:55PM on Aug 28th 2007
5. The big problem with Democrats is that we're BORING. You almost NEVER hear of a Democrat getting caught indulging in clandestine homosexual sex, groping young boys, taking bribes, selling his or her vote, gerrymandering Congressional Districts outside the 10 year cycle, starting wars based on lies, etc., etc. Every Democratic sex scandal for the past 10-20 years has involved "consenting adults", and the most we could do on the corruption side is William Jefferson who we wimped out and immediately FIRED from the Chairmanship of his committe rather than defending him by trying to pretend that it was the REPUBLICAN'S fault. The last war one of us started based on lies was over 40 years ago! Come on Democrats, get with it, the Republicans are making us look like a bunch of boring straight-laced types with REAL family values!
demajors at 12:53PM on Aug 28th 2007
6. Sad. And they say the democrats have no values. Hypocrites, every one.
Makes me wonder how many people out there, claiming to be against homosexuality, are actually in bathroom stalls...
Me at 12:59PM on Aug 28th 2007
7. I've said if for years and I'll say it again. The harder they thump the Bible, or the Koran for that matter, the bigger the sinners they are.
lordfussy at 1:24PM on Aug 28th 2007
8. sad but republicans are turning into the worst form of hypocrites, Be tough, hang in there by bush cheney who both had thier chance to show thier metal and both ran for cover. The repubs are now the tax and spend party, a cowardly defered tax called a giant deficit, typical bush "not on my watch problem," now this
walter at 1:31PM on Aug 28th 2007
9. My neighbor's private life is none of my business. If he/she are engaging in extra maritral activities, then that is between husband and wife to resolve, not the public's business.
Sally Powell at 1:43PM on Aug 28th 2007
10. Their sure seems to be alot of republicans engaging in questionable activities, contrary to publicly stated positions on morality or family values. These people can be compromised by their activities, no wonder so many are corporate whores, taking positions often against the public interest. There's probably extortion being played by Craig's financial backers to 'out' him if he doesn't play ball.
Democrat's on the other hand don't have as many opportunities for corporations to extort favors, democrats like the opposite sex. Therefore the rationale for corporations supporting republicans is that they can be easily blackmailed
DaleF at 1:51PM on Aug 28th 2007
11. The prosletyzing and vehemence with which Republican's use to grasp for moralistic and ethical voters is - if everyone is using comparison's these days - compared to Rush Limbaugh Darfur vs Iraq morally decadent rant is only the latest hypocrisy rampant in the Republican Party of power run amok. They are not the President with all sorts of immunity from lies and spotlights. These are representatives of we American's. Short of asking SENATOR Craig will he be seeking reelection -his CONSTITUENTS should be DEMANDING his CENSURE and REMOVAL from representing them. I only know he's LIEING because this same perversion happened to me in a Department Store restroom a year ago. Though this animal decided to finish his business after "tapping" away - Gregory Hines in the stall next to me - he looked into my stall and apparently did not see my young son whom I was then assisting and said, "no reciprocation required". Whatever he was very insistantly talking about - I didn't care. I opened the door cell phone in hand and informed the man - older, suit and tie - to leave us alone, take himself away from my son as I let him see I put 911 in to dial. His smile quickly faded and he fled out of the restroom. So when the good SENATOR declares: ~ “I should have had the advice of counsel in resolving this matter. In hindsight, I should not have pled guilty. I was trying to handle this matter myself quickly and expeditiously.” ~ He's merely attempting to slip through a crack the width of the space between the stall and the wall. Gay friends told me that Store in the city was a known place for men on the "Down Low" and that foot tapping is a signal of some sort. I know SENATOR CRAIG was, in FACT, horny enough to INDEED find "cruising" a men's room in an airport to be titilating enough to risk all and everything. Either that or employing a really way too familiar manner to introduce himself and campaign for votes.
Family values? Trying to explain to my son what the man wanted without lieing, but instead using it as a learning example if he's ever alone. Old enough not to bring into the ladies room with his mom, and yet young enough I fear those that may attempt harm on him. (I don't think the man was criminal - just seemed to like the sandals(or my feet)I was wearing and made a big mistake in not taking "wrong stall" "occupied" as an answer.)Instinctively I felt strongly he was asking for something I wasn't granting. I thought my answer was strident enough - but with my son there perhaps what I said wasn't declarative enough. In any event - even had the man tried to hand me a card declaring he was a SENATOR -I would've taken it to authorities for finger printing and backing charges.
SENATOR Craig may be "punished" - if one can call "retirement" from what is supposed to be such an August body of Representatives to a life of a pension most 4 member families could live comfortably on, full healthcare - though 60,000,000 American's have NONE - and feel only remorse for being caught. After any divorce or older children ostracising him is over - I'm sure SENATORS such as Foley and Craig will be found doing the same thing -only with cards saying they're "Past Senator from (State),Ret." those unfamiliar with their past won't think twice of being set up for use. Sex ='s Power. Even if that power was abused to the point of injury to others. Lieing for their President? A mere extension of Super Ego - and sending troops to their deaths for alterior motives bothers their Id's not at all - sending whatever caring humanity they may have possessed to join the uncaring molestations of their unfettered unconsciousness for their own personal aggrandizement.
John at 1:57PM on Aug 28th 2007
12. I feel sorry for his wife and kids. His wife should get an AIDS test-immediately! The sore on his face in one of the pictures I saw of him looks suspiciously like Karposi's Sarcoma.
conizme2 at 2:12PM on Aug 28th 2007
13. IF THIS IS THE BEST REPUBLICIAN SCANDAL OF THE SUMMER THEN THE DEMOCRATS HAVE THEM BEAT BY A MILE. I'M TALKING ABOUT THE HUGE AND CONSISTANT "CHINESE" DONATIONS TO THE HILLARY CAMP THAT THE NEWS ISNT COVERING. SEE IF YOU CAN FIND IT AND REPORT BACK...
SUE at 2:37PM on Aug 28th 2007
14. #2 you dems have been backing these homo "family values" for years, be tolerant, be compassionate, dont be a hypocrite!!
kerry at 2:37PM on Aug 28th 2007
15. I will need to be careful where I tap my foot in the future!
Mary at 2:40PM on Aug 28th 2007