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 5 of 5)
61. Let's get a grip. What exactly did Craig plead guilty to? Certainly not a lewd act or other sexual crime but disorderly conduct. Is this the first time a person has pled out a case to "make it go away"? It happens every day in every jurisdiction. I've read many comments that refer to the numerous rumors that have been floating around for years. Rumors are just that, I sure hope I''m not judged by rumors that may have been started by folks who have it in for me for my political or religious beliefs. Politics being what it is today, Craigs public service life may be over but I for one won't judge him on the flimsy evidence so far offered. (And yes, I've read the police report.)
Joe Edgington at 11:09AM on Aug 29th 2007
62. #55 (Pat Young), my hat is off to you. That was a very humorous way to handle this otherwise ugly subject.
As for the neo-cons posting here, this is the message I am getting from you, "We love every can-do-no-wrong-bible-thumping-right-wing politician. And hate homos. Unless of course the homo in question happens to BE that can-do-no-wrong-bible-thumping-right-wing politician. Then we'll make excuses for his behavior. Such as, gee-whiz and golly, it must be that he turned gay BECAUSE of the refusal of those go-to-hell liberals to let us legislate our Fundamentalist religious rules into THEIR government. And what the hell is this "hypocrisy" thing those crazy traitorous libs keep talking about? Don't mean shite to me, Rush, or my preacher, Bubba, so it must be more traitorous lib horse-shite!")
David Majors at 1:17PM on Aug 29th 2007
63. I heard his press conference, and what struck me as odd, as he used the statement, " I do not go cruising for men" and "I would not do it in Cheyenne, Wyoming". I find it interesting that he used Wyoming as the state where Matthew Sheppard was murdered 11 years ago. He may not have had any idea of the foot tapping "code", but to use the term "cruising for men" and the state of Wyoming is what made me think twice.
Jim at 2:39PM on Aug 29th 2007
64. Interesting thing for everyone to think about........should not police officers patrolling the airports be spending their time detecting possible terrorists and protecting our safety rather than hanging out in the bathrooms trying to catch some closeted republican looking for a quickie? I feel much safer in the MPLS airport now that I know the police on on the job looking for perverts rather than terrorists - - that will certainly make air travel safer!!!!
David at 4:02PM on Aug 29th 2007
65. He wasn't arrested simply for tapping his foot.
This hypocrite, who has a history of sex in public places with other men, started out by STARING INTO the stall the officer was in, and then "rubbing his fingers" together. He then went to the stall next to him and start tapping his feet, moving it over until it TOUCHED the officers foot, which was STILL INSIDE THE OFFICERS STALL, and then proceeded to PUT HIS HANDS UNDERNEATH THE STALL to signal for sex.
All of these things are common signals for men who are looking for sex in public bathrooms. And let's not forget, the officer was there because this was a known spot for this kind of behavior, and places like this are listed and easily found on the internet.
Last but not least, to the person who actually typed he's innocent until proven guilty....well...you just think about that for a second and realize he himself plead guilty. You don't get much more conclusive than that.
SPC123 at 5:44PM on Aug 29th 2007
66. Gays who slink around bathrooms staring at heterosexual men and children while they sit on the toilet ought to be put in prison where they'll learn a lesson.
Erin at 9:01PM on Aug 29th 2007
67. If folks in this country would relax and let gay people live their live, the need to hide would be a non-issue. Yet here is the President of all Americans threatens to veto ENDA which protects gays from being fired simply for being gay. But people can't get the "special right" tag out of their heads, even though the GAO lists over 1000 rights afforded to straigths but not gays.
Ed Jett at 12:56AM on Sep 1st 2007
68. We can not find same one guilty ,with out a fair hearing .
To often we jump to conclusion ,hi or she is guily ,when it was not so .
America stands for Demacrocy ,then lets give everybody a chance .
Politics ,is a cruel buisness ,Money sex and Power .
Clinton was one of the best Presidents we ever had ,he did o wrong ,but we all make mistakes .
I have admitt ,that one who bark the most ,are like judas ,like they are perfect ,because they can not amit there own wron doing ,so they need to push the wrong doing to same one else .
Priests ,Preachers and so on are poeple just like us ,the problem is we expect them to be perfect ,wich none of us are .
We have to ask our selfs what we gain by ,putting others down and even enjoying it when they go down .
Peace -Health -Love and Compassion
Thea Schlosser at 9:35PM on Oct 26th 2007
69. He's a closet gay, he just will not admit it. And he is also an enemy of veterans, saying basically that PTSD doesn't exist. He wanted to cancel benefits for veterans drawing disability for PTSD. I say we cancel his pension for being a prevert and a liar.
victor58 at 10:26PM on Oct 26th 2007
70. To all the men here, think about it. When you go into a public restroom, how do you determine if there's someone occupying a stall? You look UNDER, not through a crack. If someone put his friggin feet in my stall, I'd tell him to knock it the hell off. He pled guilty to the lesser charge so one of homosexuality wouldn't be on his record, how can anyone defend this guy, he is a pathological liar and sex addict.
victor58 at 10:31PM on Oct 26th 2007