GOP Senators Join Call For Craig To Quit

McCain And Coleman Call For Idaho Senator's Resignation In Scandal Over Bathroom Arrest

(CBS/AP)  Arizona Sen. McCain and Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota, the state where Sen. Larry Craig was arrested, became the first senators to join Rep. Peter Hoekstra, R-Mich., in urging Craig's resignation.

McCain said in a television interview that the decision was Craig's to make, "but my opinion is that when you plead guilty to a crime, you shouldn't serve. That's not a moral stand. That's not a holier-than-thou. It's just a factual situation."

"I think he should resign," McCain said.

Coleman said in a statement, "Senator Craig pled guilty to a crime involving conduct unbecoming a senator. He should resign."

The Senate's Republican Leadership released a statement saying that Craig has agreed to temporarily step down as the top Republican on the Veteran Affairs Committee, Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior, and Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests.

"This is not a decision we take lightly but we believe this is in the best interest of the Senate until this situation is resolved by the Ethics Committee," the statement read.

Craig pleaded guilty earlier this month to a charge of disorderly conduct following his arrest in a men's room at the Minneapolis airport after he allegedly tried to engage in a sexual encounter with an undercover officer. He has since recanted his guilty plea, and said on Tuesday he did nothing wrong.

Earlier, Hoekstra, R-Mich., became the first member of Congress to call for Craig's resignation.

Hoekstra said Craig "represents the Republican Party," and called for his resignation "as his conduct throughout this matter has been inappropriate for a U.S. senator."

Senate Republican leaders have called on the ethics committee to review Craig's case, and White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said Wednesday that he hoped the panel could do its work quickly.

"That would be in the best interests of the Senate and the people of Idaho," he said.

Stanzel made no expression of support for Craig. "We are disappointed in the matter. It has been referred to the Senate Ethics Committee, so they will have to deal with it," Stanzel said.

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Police Report On Bathroom Arrest of Sen. Larry Craig

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The scandal is the latest in a series involving Republicans that threaten to further tarnish the party's reputation. Polls showed that ethical lapses by Republicans played a role in allowing Democrats to win control of Congress during last year's legislative elections.

CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer said Republicans on Capitol Hill are "aghast" at the Craig incident.

"I can never recall anything as poorly handled and as ineptly handled as the way Sen. Craig has done this. Republicans are just aghast at this," Schieffer said.

"I talked to several people up on the Hill yesterday whose attitude was, 'My God, what next?' It just never seems to stop. There will be a lot of pressure on this man to not run for re-election because the Republicans feel that's the one way they could lose the seat, if he decides to run."

Signs of difficulty for Craig came from outside the Capitol as well.

Tom Fitton, president of the Judicial Watch, issued a statement calling on Craig to consider stepping down. The organization is a self-described conservative government watchdog group.

"Senator Craig admittedly engaged in illegal activity that brings serious disrepute to the public office he holds," Fitton said.

While the Idaho Values Alliance called on Tuesday for Craig's resignation, Fitton's suggestion that the senator leave office suggested tenuous support among conservatives who make up his core political supporters.

Craig, 62, a third-term senator up for re-election next year, defended himself Tuesday against a police report alleging he attempted to engage in a homosexual encounter with an undercover officer.

Flanked by his wife, Suzanne, Craig stated three times that he was not gay. He cast his arrest for lewd conduct as unfounded and his subsequent guilty plea to disorderly conduct as an error in judgment spurred by frustration with the state's biggest newspaper prying into his past.

[oakishpines]

'' ... putting women in mens armys did not turn men into gardenets, it turned women into rapists of husbands and children ... putting children into armys does not turn women and men into gardenets, it turns children into parent rapists ... if men are to treat children with respect, then men are to start acting like children ... and are to start treating two year olds like two year olds ... ''

'' ... all the front pages would have been covered in photos of local children dancing get well feed world songs rallied around the sick beds drifting the farm trails, except a terrorist warned against it ... ''

[georgebushed-2009]

Senator Widestance should never resign. His position is very clear. He is against gay rights and gay marriage, he is not against soliciting gay *** in a publlic restroom.

[greybeardvet]

The public is getting another glimpse into the reality of the Republican establishment. It is literally filled with filthy predators, both the sexual and economic varieties. Both are disgusting and deserve condemnation. Both are based on premise that the strong have the inherent right to exploit the weak. Somebody should kill those ***#ers!

[greybeardvet]

The public is getting another glimpse into the reality of the Republican establishment. It is literally filled with filthy predators, both the sexual and economic varieties. Both are disgusting and deserve condemnation.

[greybeardvet]

The public is getting another glimpse into the reality of the Republican establishment. It is literally filled with filthy predators, both the sexual and economic varieties. Both are disgusting and deserve condemnation.

[slim1h2o]

Yawn!!!!!

Just another repub. pervert getting outed.

Who''s next? Any takers? Bush, Cheney maybe?

[slim1h2o]

Yawn!!!!!

Just another repub. pervert getting outed.

Who''s next? Any takers? Bush, Cheney maybe?

[slim1h2o]

Yawn!!!!!

Just another repub. pervert getting outed.

Who''s next? Any takers? Bush, Cheney maybe?

[slim1h2o]

Yawn!!!!!

Just another repub. pervert getting outed.

Who''s next? Any takers? Bush, Cheney maybe?

[slim1h2o]

Yawn!!!!!

Just another repub. pervert getting outed.

Who''s next? Any takers?

[jowand]

Republicans shoot their wounded, Democrats make them committee chairman and give them a standing ovation. Both are a bunch of twisted freaks.

[marcodele]

"Republicans are just aghast at this," Schieffer said."

Are you kidding me? They knew they were hypocrites, why are they so ''aghast?'' Even their reaction is hypocritical. Hastert covered up for Foley for years. They''ve known since 1982 that Craig had a little problem. And they probably gave David Vitter the number of the DC Madam and told him who to ask for.

[marcodele]

"Republicans are just aghast at this," Schieffer said."

Are you kidding me? They knew they were hypocrites, why are they so ''aghast?''

[sigotratando]

I can%u2019t but help comment on something McCain is quoted to have said in this article: "but my opinion is that when you plead guilty to a crime, you shouldn''t serve. That''s not a moral stand. That''s not a holier-than-thou. It''s just a factual situation." ''Opinion'' and ''factual'' equated this way indicates the man cannot distinguish fact from opinion! It might be possible for a man to plead guilty to something and still be able to serve effectively, while ---on the other hand--- someone lacking higher-level cognitive skills would certainly have difficulty functioning at the level required of a President.

[tnichlsn]

Maybe someone should fix up all the closeted, gay, homophobic republicsans with all the closeted, gay, homophobic preachers and throw a coming out party for them... If they could meet someone nice, they wouldn''t have to work the men''s rooms, which must be few and far between in Idaho.

[tnichlsn]

Maybe someone should fix up all the closeted, gay, homophobic republicsans with all the closeted, gay, homophobic preachers and throw a coming out party for them... If they could meet someone nice, they wouldn''t have to work the men''s rooms, which must be few and far between in Idaho.

[tnichlsn]

Maybe someone should fix up all the closeted, gay, homophobic republicsans with all the closeted, gay, homophobic preachers and throw a coming out party for them... If they could meet someone nice, they wouldn''t have to work the men''s rooms, which must be few and far between in Idaho.

[tnichlsn]

Maybe someone should fix up all the closeted, gay, homophobic republicsans with all the closeted, gay, homophobic preachers and throw a coming out party for them... If they could meet someone nice, they wouldn''t have to work the men''s rooms, which must be few and far between in Idaho.

[tnichlsn]

Maybe someone should fix up all the closeted, gay, homophobic republicsans with all the closeted, gay, homophobic preachers and throw a coming out party for them... If they could meet someone nice, they wouldn''t have to work the men''s rooms, which must be few and far between in Idaho.

[tnichlsn]

Maybe someone should fix up all the closeted, gay, homophobic republicsans with all the closeted, gay, homophobic preachers and throw a coming out party for them... If they could meet someone nice, they wouldn''t have to work the men''s rooms, which must be few and far between in Idaho.