I had no idea how you were supposed to proposition men for homosexual sex in a public restroom. But luckily, now the conservative Republican Senator from Idaho, Larry Craig has filled us all in. He was caught trying to proposition a cop for gay sex in an airport in Minnesota. And apparently there is a secret code for that request. Watch the video below to find out what you're supposed to do to ask for this kind of sex act in a bathroom:
After we did this segment on the show this morning, we got a ton of calls confirming that this is true. Men called in saying they have done this trick many times before and it has worked. I loved the truck driver who said he used to do it, but he doesn't anymore. Sure, whatever gets you through the night.
Man, these Republicans are unbelievable! How many sex scandals is this now? And how many of them are gay? I would list all of them here but I have other things to do today. We have been doing a segment called Republican Sexcapades every week on our show for the last year -- and we go through about three stories a week. We are nowhere near running out.
Remember the Republican in Florida who propositioned the undercover cop in a men's room and then pretended he was scared of black people and offered to service the guy out of fear. Remember the head of the Young Republicans who would lower young men's pants while they were sleeping and try to force himself upon them.
Remember Mark Foley who hit on the underage male interns working for Congress. Apparently, Larry Craig got in trouble for the same thing back in 1982 (and back then the interns said there were 10 to 15 Congressmen who were trying to have sex with the teenage interns -- that is beyond belief). Remember David Vitter who campaigned against Bill Clinton's immoral behavior and then got caught on the DC madam's list (and with a New Orleans hooker to boot).
It goes on and on. Are there any Republican politicians left in the country who aren't involved in a sex scandal or gay? And all of this would be funny but not very relevant if it weren't for the gross, gigantic hypocrisy. Listen to Larry Craig talk about family values here (that's why he says he supports Mitt Romney -- who of course jettisoned Craig from the campaign quicker than you could shuffle your feet in a men's room).
So, it turns out Mr. Conservative Family Values Republican Senator was looking to have gay trysts in public restrooms. You'd be surprised if you weren't so used to it already. So, the next time a Republican comes around saying they are going to protect your family from gay people, think about what he must be doing in a public restroom near you.
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UPDATE: Larry Craig is not gay! And he's never been gay!! At least that's what he says. Listen to this hilarious press conference he had yesterday and the even funnier Meet the Press appearance from 1999 when he was speaking about Bill Clinton's sex life:
UPDATE II: It looks like Larry Craig has finally resigned. We don't know if it's to pursue his dream as a tap dancer in a local bathroom near you.
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 16)
1. Well, it seems that all homosexuals are not democrats, just 99% of them, huh? Don't you see your the two-faced nature of you comments? The party of kissing homosexual butt, making fun of a elderly gay man. You might get away with it (morally) if you were a comedian or a journalist, since your neither, your just a bigot.
Wally Lind at 1:40PM on Aug 28th 2007
2. Secret code: " do me again, Cenk"
twann9852 at 1:49PM on Aug 28th 2007
3. When it comes to reporting on sex-related issues, the news media seems to have the mentality of an 8 year old. There is no such thing as "gay sex." The word "gay" refers to personal identity, not sexual behavior. The accurate terms to describe sexual behavior are either "same-sex" or "opposite-sex." While I am no defender of hypocritical politicians who publicly oppose equal rights for gay people, and then engage in "same-sex" behavior behind closed restroom stalls, it is erroneous to conclude that Larry Craig is gay. Just because he solicited sex from another man does not mean he personally identifies as a gay person. The news media should be more sensitive and respectful of gay people and not confuse personal identity with sexual behavior.
Mike at 1:58PM on Aug 28th 2007
4. Thanks for letting all of us young straight men know what we can do now in a men's restroom just in case we are "curious" about gay sex. I wanna go try it right now! See you in my local airport.
Gaydar at 1:58PM on Aug 28th 2007
5. I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT A HOMOSEXUALS M-O IN A REST ROOM, BESIDES HAVENT WE ALL BEEN INDOCTRANATED BY THE LEFT TO BE TOLERANT OF THESE FOLKS AND THEIR SEXUALLITY? WHAT I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS HILLARY CLINTONS "CHINESE" DONATIONS TO HER POLITICAL CAMP FROM A "SMALL HOUSE NEAR THE SAN FRANCISCO AIRPORT." COVER THE REAL ISSUES...THE ONES THAT PUT OUR COUNTRY AND ITS CITIZENS IN DANGER INSTEAD OF THIS SMOKESCREEN CRAP...
Mary at 2:08PM on Aug 28th 2007
6. Oh please. this isn't about being intolerant or "look! someone's having gay sex!" its about the republican history of being so intolerant, so anti-gay, saying it flouts "family values" and then look... all these sex scandals... all these GAY sex-scandals. If they're going to be naughty and gay, then they should lose the anti-gay and pro-"family values" schtick. That's what this is about.
Mark at 10:03PM on Aug 28th 2007
7. Again, a hypocritical act by a member of congress. What? A member of the "moral side" of the aisle acting "immorally"? What a shock.
Me at 3:29PM on Aug 28th 2007
8. Wait, so dems hate gays... if they're not dems?
BirdmanJones at 2:40PM on Aug 28th 2007
9. Corporate America must love these republicans because they don't have to financially back them all they have to do is threaten to 'out' them. Extortion works, I guess that explains why we are not out of Iraq, war profiteering has their corporate sponsors and there must be many more republicans with secrets to hide.
DaleF at 2:45PM on Aug 28th 2007
10. Klink! Klink! - two cents worth.
Klink! O.K., three cents.
Cenk: you're on the money! Don't people know that hypocrisy is "in" these days? As a gay may researching a book about the Religious Right, the hypocrisy exhibited in the last month only shows that Republicans (and televangelists - read about Bynum being strangled by her preacher husband) are getting caught at it more than usual.
And as for reporting it - keep it up! People need to laugh at hypocrits. Remember, as Mark Twain said (I'm paraprasing here): "Nothing can stand against the weapon of laughter."
Yes, we're in the midst of a culture war. The big problem for the Right is that while they're waging the war...we've got the culture.
Daniel Vojir at 2:54PM on Aug 28th 2007
11. So Mary # 5 - It is OK with you that a 62 year old Republican Senator solicits sex from another man in a restroom. Just wanted to make sure what you are saying. What this has to do with Hillary Clinton's "Chinese donations" is beyond me....
Keep up the good work, Cenk! The hypocrisy of the right on this issue is laughable. Condemn gays on the one hand, then go do what you want. Their "family values" grandstanding was always a joke, these incidents you point out just prove it...
David S. at 3:08PM on Aug 28th 2007
12. I've tapped my foot plenty of times in bathrooms, whether public restrooms or the bathroom at home. It's because I'm a type A personality. And I've never propositioned for gay sex.
If it isn't tapping a foot, it's jingling change or car keys in my pockets (my wife forced my best man had to hold my keys and my change during our wedding), drumming a desk, table, or armrest of a chair with my fingers, or repeatedly clicking pen.
Honestly, isn't it possible that Sen. Craig was just killing time while taking care of a matter of a personal nature? Considering how tight seating is in commercial aircraft, maybe his foot was still asleep, and he was trying to get the blood flowing again.
Kent at 3:25PM on Aug 28th 2007
13. Kent -- if he was just killing time, why plead guilty?
Me at 3:39PM on Aug 28th 2007
14. Having sex with a man in a bathroom doesn't make him gay. It makes him an adulterer. When is America going to wake up and realize that divorce is the biggest threat to family values, not what two consenting adults do within the privacy of their own home? Divorce screws up more kids in this country than anything, yet find me someone who will put this ahead of giving gay people the right to marry on any family values list.
chance at 12:27AM on Aug 29th 2007
15. Every time they catch one of these Republicons the right wing idiots always have an excuse. Dear Right Wing Republicons. We Dems are not attcking gay people. We are attacking Right Wing Bible Thumping Hypocrites who like men. Seems to be lots of them in the Republicon Party.
Larry at 3:49PM on Aug 28th 2007