Humiliation For A Resignation

The Nation: GOP Leaders, With An Eye On 2008, Hope To Force Larry Craig Out Of The Senate

(The Nation)  This column was written by John Nichols.

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Idaho Senate Larry Craig is fast becoming the inconvenient truth of Capitol Hill. The senator who first said he would resign after pleading guilty to charges related to an alleged bathroom-sex solicitation and then said he was going to try and beat the rap and stay now seems to be intent upon remaining in the Senate indefinitely.

This creates a big political problem for Senate Republican leaders. Already facing the prospect of losing more than a half dozen seats -- in Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Minnesota, Virginia, Colorado and Alaska -- in a 2008 election cycle that is shaping up as their nightmare scenario, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and his compatriots are terrified that Craig will extend his stay for months.

Craig's refusal to relinquish his grip on the Idaho seat creates trouble in that state, as it prevents Republican Governor Butch Otter from filling the vacancy with a Republican who would be set up to claim the seat in 2008. The longer the delay, the harder it is for Idaho Republicans -- a notoriously contentious lot -- to get their affairs in order and secure a seat that ought not be vulnerable.

But Idaho is not McConnell's biggest concern. He and his aides are more worried that the sordid stories associated with Craig, as well as his continued presence in the GOP caucus, will further erode enthusiasm among evangelical Christians and social conservatives for the party's candidates. The fear a scenario similar to the one that played out when Florida Congressman Mark Foley's page-boy scandal highlighted hypocrisy in the GOP ranks shortly before the 2006 election.

The threat faced by McConnell -- himself up for reelection in 2008 -- is real. And so to is the threat they are now preparing to direct at Craig. According to the Washington Post, McConnell is "threatening to notch up the public humiliation" in order to force the Idaho senator to quickly quit. What does that mean? Republican strategists quietly acknowledge that McConnell is talking about ginning up an open-to-the-media ethics committee inquiry with full public hearings designed to examine the many allegations regarding Craig's sexuality and sex life.

It's a sleazy scenario, especially in a Senate that has traditionally kept such matters cloaked. But if it is openness that McConnell wants, perhaps the Senate Democratic majority should give it to him. The Craig inquiry could come right after the public hearings regarding the sexuality and sex life of Senator David Vitter, the Louisiana Republican and McConnell confidante whose penchant for patronizing prostitutes -- an illegal act that some Republican stalwarts might even consider immoral -- has been much in the news of late.

If Larry Craig's bawdiness in bathrooms is worthy of an ethics investigation then, surely, an turn-the-TV-cameras-on inquiry regarding David Vitter's frequenting of a house in New Orleans will help to usher in Mitch McConnell's new era of openness.

[tburzio]

What can the Democrats say? He can''t be in office because he''s GAY? Like that''s supposed to get amywhere?

[rushlimpdrug]

The bigger humiliation is actually Vitter.
He skrewed as many ho''s as he could while raising lovely daughters and married.
He strategically finds that God forgave him and so everything is cool.
He''s back in without having to check himself and family for diseases while he shakes voters hands and kisses little babies.
Lovely.

[bill1fj]

The senate will do nothing with senator craig.
He knows to much about to many.
A few senators will talk a lot, but the rest will just duck their heads.

[clestes-2009]

tburzio,

you are missing the point. No one really cares about his being gay one way or the other. It is his subsequent behavior (I didn''t mean to plead guilty, I made a mistake!! Please take my guilty plea back) and the whole idea of his trying to hide his embarressing behavior in the first place is the problem.

reps are having a lot of scandels over ethics violations and getting caught with their pants down in embarressing situations.

Craigs behavior in the first place, his waffling over responsibility in the second, and his bullheadedness about thinking about himself first and what is good for his party third.

They don''t need this clown along with everything else.

[sparks224]

The senate will do nothing with senator craig.
He knows to much about to many.
A few senators will talk a lot, but the rest will just duck their heads.

Posted by bill1fj


I think your right. The press will be instructed to quit talking about it. They will obey as they always do, and the story will die.

[kansas1946]

What can the Democrats say? He can''''t be in office because he''''s GAY? Like that''''s supposed to get amywhere?
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Posted by tburzio at 03:28 PM : Oct 04, 2007
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Actually, I don''t think the Democrats are going to say anything. It is the Republicans, if you read the article, that are wanting him out.
For him to stay in office is the Democrat''s dream. Being gay isn''t the issue for Democrats. His voting record is.

[lastdance2]

In 1984 - Craig - Was Accused of having - S*E*X* - with Under Age Pages.
Like Foley - - Another - Closed door Investigation by - The FBI

Craig would of never - Continued his Child and Homosexual Predator activities If he did not feel - He had the Protection - To continue those Endfavors

Mark Foley, Ted Haggard, Larry Craig and many - many Others
Even The FBI - Has of its own History - of Providing Youngsters for : S*E*X*

The FBI is Completely Plagued and Corrupt with - Contemptible Disgusting Acts of Nepotism and Patronization within its own Ranks - It Cannot Function as an Independent : Law Enforcement Agency

To Patronize and Fraternize - The Republican (Nazi) Party is
The Only - Job Description - of the FBI
The Only Duty of the - Justice Department

Lastdance

[donadams42]

If you look at things from Larry''s perspective, what''s he got to lose? He''s already been the laughing stock of the nation for more than a month. He''s a sociopath that doesn''t really care what anyone says or thinks of him. And there''s absolutely no way to embarrass or humiliate him more than he''s already embarrassed himself. At this point in his life, what would be the point of succumbing to pressure from the GOP? They''ve already thrown him under the bus, while at the same time they let David Vitter completely off the hook. I think Larry decided to give the GOP and everyone else a middle finger salute and move on with his laughing stock life.

[dbrian2-2009]

Stay in there and fight Senator Larry. After all it is not a crime to be gay. But it is a misdemeanor to have *** in public places. You have been a bad, bad boy.

[adian1-2009]

People like Craig have the thickest kind of epidermis you can get. Nothing will force him to resign. Not public hearings, if by any means Democrats allow it to happen, which I think they won''t. The good man has no idea of what truth, dignity or decency are. Those concepts are alien to his inner moral fabric, if he has any. The concept of equality for all, minorities included, has never been in Craig''s considerations when voting. But. . . that is what Republicans have brought unto themselves. The Senate''s Ethics Committee is not made up of Republicans only. Now they do not even have a majority in that committee. Nothing is going to happen. Republicans will have to swallow their own poisonous medicine for a while!

[jjp735i]

Regular Republican bull.....live like we tell you, not like we do. It''s okay for Republicans (Vitter) to pay hookers and not be charged, but not one else.

Republicans are the worst when it comes to telling others how they must live.

[roger3815]

Just deserts. Watching Republicans fall victim to the homophobia they fostered for years is everything they deserve. They have no one but themselves to blame. It would be funny if so many good people hadn''t been hurt by their years of anti-gay lies.

[ksjeff-2009]

With any luck at all, Craig will remain and fight, and drag the rest of the hypocrites in the GOP down with him. I want to live the rest of my days on earth with the GOP banished to a permanent minority status, and the phony christian conservatives nothing more than a tiny inconvenience, a dot on the landscape.

[blazercoach1]

Perhaps Sen. Craig is hoping for the same kind of treatment given Gerry Studs (D) back when he was applauded by his Democrat colleagues for continuing his work in Congress after openly admitting to a sexual relationship with a male page (not just text messaging!).

Or perhaps he''s hoping to be treated like Barney Frank (D) who admitted to knowing that a friend openly ran a prostitution ring out of Frank''s Capitol Hill apartment and received only the support of Democrat colleagues on the hill.

It appears hippocrisy is perhaps more HUMAN than partisan......

[blazercoach1]

The page I''m referring to in the Gerry Studs incident was, of course, a MINOR.

[dmgenet]

Wow, a disgraced Republican (there are so many to choose from) actually taking a cue from the Bush play book: put on the blinders, gathers some group-thinkers around you and hunker down into the bunker.

Hope he stays. Just one more reminder why the Republicans lost their majority and power. Power greedy dinks, most of them.

[tbweb]

A walking talking Democratic campaign Ad that writes itself!

[jacksteen1]

I look forward to the Senate Hearings where we will hear about the incidents and evidence that this Senator has been a whoring prersence at most of the well-known gaybars and outrageous parties in Washington during his entire 30+ years in that town - that Callboy services have him on record being one of their best clients.

Larry Flynt (Hustler magazine) has reportedly paid out two million dollars bounty to two different individuals that are willing to go public with knowledge of this charlatan''s antics.

The Hearings will be taking place next Summer, in the heat of the Presidential campaigns!

"Yes Ma''am, Madame President Clinton!"

[jacksteen1]

I look forward to the Senate Hearings where we will hear about the incidents and evidence that this Senator has been a whoring prersence at most of the well-known gaybars and outrageous parties in Washington during his entire 30+ years in that town - that Callboy services have him on record being one of their best clients.

Larry Flynt (Hustler magazine) has reportedly paid out two million dollars bounty to two different individuals that are willing to go public with knowledge of this charlatan''s antics.

The Hearings will be taking place next Summer, in the heat of the Presidential campaigns!

"Yes Ma''am, Madame President Clinton!"

[jacksteen1]

I look forward to the Senate Hearings where we will hear about the incidents and evidence that this Senator has been a whoring prersence at most of the well-known gaybars and outrageous parties in Washington during his entire 30+ years in that town - that Callboy services have him on record being one of their best clients.

Larry Flynt (Hustler magazine) has reportedly paid out two million dollars bounty to two different individuals that are willing to go public with knowledge of this charlatan''s antics.

The Hearings will be taking place next Summer, in the heat of the Presidential campaigns!

"Yes Ma''am, Madame President Clinton!"

[jacksteen1]

I look forward to the Senate Hearings where we will hear about the incidents and evidence that this Senator has been a whoring prersence at most of the well-known gaybars and outrageous parties in Washington during his entire 30+ years in that town - that Callboy services have him on record being one of their best clients.

Larry Flynt (Hustler magazine) has reportedly paid out two million dollars bounty to two different individuals that are willing to go public with knowledge of this charlatan''s antics.

The Hearings will be taking place next Summer, in the heat of the Presidential campaigns!

"Yes Ma''am, Madame President Clinton!"

[jacksteen1]

I look forward to the Senate Hearings where we will hear about the incidents and evidence that this Senator has been a whoring prersence at most of the well-known gaybars and outrageous parties in Washington during his entire 30+ years in that town - that Callboy services have him on record being one of their best clients.

Larry Flynt (Hustler magazine) has reportedly paid out two million dollars bounty to two different individuals that are willing to go public with knowledge of this charlatan''s antics.

The Hearings will be taking place next Summer, in the heat of the Presidential campaigns!

"Yes Ma''am, Madame President Clinton!"

[jacksteen1]

I look forward to the Senate Hearings where we will hear about the incidents and evidence that this Senator has been a whoring prersence at most of the well-known gaybars and outrageous parties in Washington during his entire 30+ years in that town - that Callboy services have him on record being one of their best clients.

Larry Flynt (Hustler magazine) has reportedly paid out two million dollars bounty to two different individuals that are willing to go public with knowledge of this charlatan''s antics.

The Hearings will be taking place next Summer, in the heat of the Presidential campaigns!

"Yes Ma''am, Madame President Clinton!"

[jacksteen1]

I look forward to the Senate Hearings where we will hear about the incidents and evidence that this Senator has been a whoring prersence at most of the well-known gaybars and outrageous parties in Washington during his entire 30+ years in that town - that Callboy services have him on record being one of their best clients.

Larry Flynt (Hustler magazine) has reportedly paid out two million dollars bounty to two different individuals that are willing to go public with knowledge of this charlatan''s antics.

The Hearings will be taking place next Summer, in the heat of the Presidential campaigns!

"Yes Ma''am, Madame President Clinton!"

[jacksteen1]

I look forward to the Senate Hearings where we will hear about the incidents and evidence that this Senator has been a whoring prersence at most of the well-known gaybars and outrageous parties in Washington during his entire 30+ years in that town - that Callboy services have him on record being one of their best clients.

Larry Flynt (Hustler magazine) has reportedly paid out two million dollars bounty to two different individuals that are willing to go public with knowledge of this charlatan''s antics.

The Hearings will be taking place next Summer, in the heat of the Presidential campaigns!

"Yes Ma''am, Madame President Clinton!"