The Craig Story Takes A Seinfeld Twist
(CBS)
When Senator Larry Craig came out to face the public, the press and the music yesterday in Idaho, he declared "I'm not gay and have never been gay." He even went off his prepared statement to repeat the assertion. The second time he made it, here's how it went.
In his written statement, Craig said this:
"I should not have kept this arrest to myself, and should have told my family and friends about it. I wasn’t eager to share this failure, but I should have done so anyway."
But when Craig spoke the words, he said this (emphasis added):
"I should not have kept this arrest to myself, and should have told my family and friends about it. I wasn't eager to share this failure, but I should have done so anyway because I'm not gay."
Senator Craig, flanked by his wife of 24 years, seemed to be less embarrassed by the idea that he was caught in a public bathroom allegedly making lewd advances, and more embarrassed by the idea that anyone would think he's actually… gay. It's almost as if he wouldn't have been upset if only he'd been accused of making lewd advances toward a woman. That might make him a lech and a cheat but definitely not gay.
Not that there's anything wrong with it, as the old Seinfeld episode used to say.
Allegations that Craig is a homosexual have followed him for at least 25 years. In 1982, CBS News broke stories on the Congressional page sex scandal. In the first story, an unidentified page said he'd been propositioned by male members of Congress. Though the story didn't implicate then-Representative Craig, nor any member of Congress by name, Craig immediately issued angry denials of any involvement… the only member to do so.
Six months after the unfortunate page stories and Craig's response, he got engaged. Today he's married, has three grown children and nine grandkids.
Why has he appeared so horrified for so many years that someone might think he's attracted to men? Part of the answer lies in his constituency. He's been elected to five House terms and three Senate terms by loyal voters in the conservative state of Idaho. His public life and stance is the antithesis of gay. He has often voted against gay rights, and last year supported a state constitutional amendment banning gay marriage in Idaho.
All of that made Craig a prime target of gay activists who are bent on "outing" politicians they say are "in the closet" but (say the activists) cast hypocritical votes that fight their own private feelings. Craig has been on their hit list since the Foley scandal last year, if not before.
Gay or not, coming from a state like Idaho, and with a voting record like his, Craig knows that he can be harmed politically by even a hint that he's not a he-man.
Not that there's anything wrong with it.
http://www.hearthasreasons.com/craig.incident.report.pdf
Either way, methinks he should go on home and contemplate his navel for awhile. Maybe once he''s out of public office, he can enjoy life by simply being himself. Methinks himself is gay.
Who would you rather be: a famous football player who was only trying to help his friends in a little kennel enterprise of a gay senator who was trying to have a little fun in a public restroom?
To paraphrase FOX: I ask; you decide.
"I should not have kept this arrest to myself, and should have told my family and friends about it. I wasn''t eager to share this failure, but I should have done so anyway because I''m not gay."
Come on people, you have to understand the basics here:
If you%u2019re a de-evolved, knuckle-crawler male from red-meat territory such as Idaho you can not be GAY because GAY means being soft and weak like a woman. If you are weak like a woman you will not be allowed to form coalitions with your fellow male hunters. If you can not join the other knuckle-crawlers on the hunt for resources to bring back to the clan, you will be excluded and pushed to the other circle of the clan.
That is why men protest too much about not being GAY because it involves exclusion from male coalitions where the good old boy network roams freely to hunt, cheat, lie, and steal from others %u2013 or invade countries to keep their oil off the market to benefit their extraction buddies.
William in Colorado
First: Yes, both men are supposed to be role models and both men broke the law. However, while Senator Craig''s charge was lewd conduct, he plead guilty. Vick on the other hand, did his best to get out of it instead of taking responsibility for his actions AND his offense was inhumane and resulted in the pain, suffering, and death of many dogs. If he wanted to "help his friends" as you say, why didn''t he just buy them each a CDO with all of his millions?
You''re crazy if you equate the two people/offenses/results.
And as for Craig, since this is really about him, I don''t care if he is gay. He did something wrong, admitted to it, and is taking responsibility. Everyone has lapses in judgement- I don''t think that should negate his entire career. Don''t forget he was ELECTED, not appointed. If Idaho elects him again, so be it and if the Republicans loose that seat, good for my party.