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by Mark Silva
Sen. John McCain said today that his longtime Republican colleague, Sen. Larry Craig of Idaho, should resign from the Senate following his guilty plea on a disorderly conduct charge from his arrest in a men's room of the Minneapolis airport.
"I believe that he pled guilty, and he had the opportunity to plead innocent,'' McCain said, "and so I think he should resign.
"My opinion is that when you plead guilty to a crime, then you shouldn't serve,'' McCain said in an interview with CNN's John King for The Situation Room. "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. "I don't try to judge people. But in this case it is clear that it was disgraceful.''
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) issued a simple statement: "Sen. Craig pled guilty to a crime involving conduct unbecoming a senator."
Senate Republican leaders have referred to the matter to the Ethics Committee.
The White House, too, has voiced "disappointment'' with Craig, who insists that he did nothing wrong and pleaded guilty under pressure.
"We're disappointed in what's going on. It's a matter for the senator and the Senate Republican leadership to address," White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said today. "We hope that it will be resolved quickly, as that would be in the best interests of the Senate and the people of Idaho.''
Craig has maintained he did "nothing wrong'' in the Minneapolis airport, where an airport officer arrested him in June after the senator entered a stall next to the officer's and then started tapping a toe and waving his hand beneath the divider between the two stalls.
Craig maintains he pleaded guilty to one charge of disorderly conduct in August hoping the case would "go away.'' He said this week in Boise, with his wife, Suzanne, standing by his side, that he had made a poor decision in that guilty plea, but was under the stress of the Idaho Statesman investigating his personal life at the time.
Craig also maintained that he is ''not gay'' and ''never have been gay.''
McCain is seeking the Republican Party's presidential nation. So is former Gov. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, who had the support of Craig in his campiagn, but spoke out about Craig's behavior this week -- calling it part of what's wrong with Washington.
McCain addressed the issue in a different venue last night, with Jay Leno on NBC's The Tonight Show. "It's great fodder. I've enjoyed your opening comments,'' McCain told Leno, "but it harms our reputation with the American people, which is also -- already badly tarnished.
" I don't know if you saw a poll lately,'' McCain said. "It showed the approval rating of Congress was at 18, I think an historic low since Gallup has been taking polls. You get down that low, you're down to paid staffers and blood relatives. You can't get much lower than that."
McCain also said, in the spirit of the show: "You know, senators, believe it or not, do not socialize much. We're gone on the weekends. Usually we only work three days a week when we're not voting ourselves a pay raise."
"So the only chance to meet people is in the men's room at the airport?" Leno asked.
"No, ... I have friends in the Senate,'' McCain said, "but they don't have the kind of club that there used to be when they would all stay in Washington and socialize on the weekends. It's just not like that anymore."
Comments
Good for McCain.
I really liked McCain in 2000. Not so much anymore. Something about watching him dry-hump Bush's leg in 2004 at a campaign rally make my stomach turn.
Posted by: nisleib | August 29, 2007 3:47 PM
Amen nisleib! Although, I lost respect for McCain when he stood next to Bush in 2000 after Rove sent out mailers in South Carolina implying that McCain had fathered an illegitimate black child.
McCain proved to me then that he was a political whore.
Posted by: Kate | August 29, 2007 4:06 PM
For the good of comedians everywhere I hope Larry stalls.
Posted by: Doug Zook | August 29, 2007 4:15 PM
Just another liberal, commie, loonie left, media biased conspiracy.
Still haven't seen anything on Limbaugh's web site about Craig. Hhhmmmm....
Posted by: RomanB | August 29, 2007 4:24 PM
It's not that he's been that bad of a politician and I really don't care what his sexuallity is. But public restrooms are not a place to go finding a "date". As for his hypocrisy on homosexualism; he's a politician.
Posted by: DCB | August 29, 2007 4:31 PM
Doug, cute little pun there!
RomanB, Limbaugh is on vacation this week, so there won't be anything on his website from him.
Now Rush's peer, the Great Sean Hannity, was highly critical of Larry Craig.
Posted by: John D | August 29, 2007 4:32 PM
Anyone running on a knuckle-dragging "morals" or "family values" campaign, I run in the opposite direction.
These pathetic sex addicts are always hiding something behind their very judgmental and public religio-prudery.
Posted by: laura | August 29, 2007 4:34 PM
John D.,
I'm sure Larry would like to hand it to Rush for sticking up for him.
Posted by: Doug Zook | August 29, 2007 4:40 PM
Who would have ever guess the Stall of America would be a greater draw than the Mall of America?
Are Republicans going to enjoy their convention there next year or what!
Posted by: Doug Zook | August 29, 2007 4:42 PM
When the Republican convention is in Minneapolis next year, you just know all them Republicans are going to visit the bathroom where the perverted Larry Craig (R-Idaho) tried to get him some. Some may even venture in to the same stall he was in.
Posted by: Doug R. | August 29, 2007 4:49 PM
Who would have ever guess the Stall of America would be a greater draw than the Mall of America?
Are Republicans going to enjoy their convention there next year or what!
Posted by: Doug Zook |
Thinking about a theme song for the event, maybe adapting that old Tony Orlando tune, "Tap three times on the floor if you want me..."
Posted by: kb | August 29, 2007 4:51 PM
Doug R.,
The mother of stall fundraisers?
Posted by: Doug Zook | August 29, 2007 4:51 PM
Maybe the Dems should do to Craig like the Reps did to Clinton.If you rememberfull pages were in the news paper over this garbage.Really,who cares?????????????
Posted by: jack | August 29, 2007 4:58 PM
Craig was the first to call
for the impeachment of
President Clinton. He will
deserve eveything he gets.
President Clinton never
caused the death of anyone,
and his wife is just as
smart. Perhaps we will get
Two for one! Senator Craig
should not resign! Give
the Republicans Fits!
Posted by: Dorothy Swanson | August 29, 2007 4:58 PM
kb,
Go with it!
Posted by: Doug Zook | August 29, 2007 5:07 PM
I'm sure that Rush and Hannity and O'Reilly will all blame the media. Just like Craig did.
I enjoyed his Self-righteous indignation about how the newspaper had persecuted him “without a shred of evidence”.
How are they to blame for the guilty plea again?
Posted by: Carl L | August 29, 2007 5:08 PM
Sounds like the loudest voices for resignation are Republics.
I want him to stay around, just for the entertainment value.
Posted by: C.Morris | August 29, 2007 5:20 PM
So he regrets pleading guilty, does he? So he says he was just innocently tapping his toes when he got arrested, right? Well, if that were the case, why did he plead guilty? Why didn't he fight the charges with all his might? Sen. Craig needs to remember that a politician is always living in a goldfish bowl. He might as well just come out and admit that he is on the down low.
Posted by: Charlie Gies | August 29, 2007 5:22 PM
McCain proved to me then that he was a political whore.
Posted by: Kate | August 29, 2007 4:06 PM
Gotta say it again. Amen sister!!! The Republicans are self-destructing. Losers and liars. The party of bankrupt ideas.
Posted by: Logic Prisoner | August 29, 2007 5:27 PM
Too bad they missed Mc Cain's best line from the Leno Show.
"After the South Carolina primary i slept like a baby... I would sleep for two hours then wake up and cry... sleep two hours and cry again..."
Almost as enjoyable as hearing him call Rumsfeld the worst Sec. of Defense EVER!
Posted by: Carl L | August 29, 2007 5:27 PM
Let's not forget, Ol' Rush Limbaugh, Rushie Rush, was caught coming from the Dominican Republic with a suitcase full of Viagra and condoms. Let us not forget ol' Rush dog!
Posted by: TheTruthTheLight | August 29, 2007 5:30 PM
LOL. I'm loving this. I hope more Gay Old Perverts get exposed (hopefully not to children...) before 08. The conservatives have truly flushed all chances of future success down the toilet.
Posted by: Courtney Mullen | August 29, 2007 5:34 PM
"Conduct unbecoming a senator"? What's that mean?
There are worse things than tapping one's toe to music in the men's room. So Craig showed irrational exhuberance. What's wrong with that?
Stay and fight, Larry. Drag this out until the next election.
Posted by: Bud McFarlin | August 29, 2007 5:43 PM
Republics note;
The overwhelming majority of people calling for Larry's head are other Republics. (pun intended.)
Coming up next;
Hunnity, Hush, and Cooter tumble out of the closet.
(You just know Pat Robertson's palms are sweating.)
Posted by: C.Morris | August 29, 2007 5:53 PM
http://wonkette.com/politics/gays/idaho-values-alliance-will-have-hard-time-swallowing-larry-craig-news-293973.php
Posted by: queer as folk | August 29, 2007 5:54 PM
"Conduct unbecoming a Senator?" That has to be the funniest response to this I've seen.
The Senator was not pretending torture didn't happen, nor bombing residences, nor funding more rapes and murders. No, he was offering to do something pleasureable with a stranger.
I'd say that this was, for a pleasant change, conduct highly becoming.
I suppose staring into the stall for a couple of minutes might be less friendly, but these guys just voted to dramatically broaden federal surveillance, so I'd say this falls into pretty much that class of Conduct Becoming.
Albeit perhaps a bit more 'hands on' than was envisioned for Federal surveillance.
Posted by: paul burrell | August 29, 2007 6:13 PM
Maybe Sen Craig was afraid of all those big, stocky policemen in the bathroom.
Posted by: snitramc | August 29, 2007 6:28 PM
Craig certainly should resign, just as
Ted Kennedy did after leaving a young girl to drown in his car; as Barney Frank did after his "housemate" was discovered in
some funky activities; as Pat Leahy did after leaking confidential information on a TV program; as Senator Byrd did after his
KKK connections were revealed; as Bill Clinton did after his boinking of a teenager in the Oral Office...and so on and so forth. That said, Craig really should resign...and it's not too late for Ted Kennedy.
Posted by: Halsted | August 29, 2007 6:30 PM
Well, I'm sure glad those Neo-Cons are finally recieving what they dish out, while were at it why not start an old-fashioned Red-Scare Witch Hunt and call back the Independent Council to do investigations as the snow-ball of finger pointing of who is gay would make great theater. Hey we impeached a president for LYING ABOUT SEX, think of how many we could have if the witch hunt began now and they (Republics New Cons) start to LIE and Deny they are gay. It was money well spent on hunting Clinton, so I'm sure it will be on the new McCarthy Hearings.
Seriously though, admit to being gay, go on with your life, maybe become a Democrat because the "Family Values" Party won't accept you and move on, instead he lies and digs his own figurative grave.
Now if the Nixon Created Republican Party finally ceases to exist it can be replaced by a trully Enocomically Conservative Republican Party and leave Religion and "Family Values" to the Church and the Family.
Posted by: Buckley | August 29, 2007 7:07 PM
Buckley,
Well said;
The 'Southern Strategy', first used by Goldwater, then perfected by Nixon, is destroying this country.
The South HAS risen again.
Posted by: C.Morris | August 29, 2007 8:20 PM
I’m afraid to speculate. Let the justice have its say. The guy he said was tired when he went to the bathroom. I think that important people in the capitol should avoid washrooms for the next few weeks, moreover they should enact a law that defines to what extend somebody should open his pants. I suggest that a sign be put in man’s room say look here do not look there!. I’m thinking if I go to any public washroom next time to look only to the ceiling. I will pray that no mirror will be hanged to the ceiling.
Posted by: amilicar | August 29, 2007 8:25 PM
It's certainly nice that the party of Mark Foley is demanding that Larry Craig resign. But what about David Vitter? He's the guy from Louisiana who is involved with the DC Madam. Is the trolling for sex in bathrooms the difference between them? Or the fact that if Vitter resigned a Democratic governor would choose his replacement?
Posted by: athena | August 29, 2007 9:20 PM
We hope this is a resignation that follows a resignation from the Senate sooner -- rather than later!
http://osi-speaks.blogspot.com/2007/08/memorable-quote-senator-larry-craig.html#links
Posted by: KYJurisDoctor | August 29, 2007 9:33 PM
John D claims that Hannity "was critical of Sen. Craig".
Just more lies being spewed by a Republic shill.
Try this:
[quote]
The resignation of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and the arrest of Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) dominated yesterday's news cycle. All three network evening news shows — ABC, CBS, and NBC — covered the stories. Both The New York Times and Washington Post put the Gonzales resignation on the front page, and covered the Craig story.
Yet both reports were largely ignored yesterday by Sean Hannity. On the top of his Fox News show last night, Hannity promised his audience a discussion on Gonzales's resignation. He began the show by playing the clip of Gonzales's press conference, adding, "The attorney general resigns. Will this quiet the administration's critics? All of that, plus the controversy over the new Katie Couric book."
Nevertheless, Hannity never actually talked about Gonzales during his entire hour-long show. (He did have time, however, for the Katie Couric book.) During one segment with Republican strategist Margaret Hoover, co-host Alan Colmes managed to get in a few questions about Gonzales. But during those two minutes of questioning, Hannity never once said the word "Gonzales," and quipped in only to say that Gonzales was "no Janet Reno."
The show also completely ignored the June arrest of Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID), which was revealed yesterday by Roll Call. Craig pleaded guilty on Aug. 8 to "misdemeanor disorderly conduct" for his "lewd" behavior in a men's public restroom at a Minnesota airport.
The show's silence contrasts with the eight segments (on 3/31, 4/3, 4/4, 4/5, 4/6, 4/7, 4/10, 4/19) it did in a one-month period in 2006 on the arrest of former congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who punched a Capitol police officer when he "mistakenly pursued her for failing to pass through a metal detector." In the March 31 segment, Hannity called her a "little self-important congresswoman."
Fox News likes to pretend it's "fair and balanced," but as Hannity proved last night, it's really opinion media with a partisan agenda.
[/quote]
source: http://thinkprogress.org/2007/08/28/hannity-craig/
Posted by: BC | August 30, 2007 11:04 AM
Let's not forget, Ol' Rush Limbaugh, Rushie Rush, was caught coming from the Dominican Republic with a suitcase full of Viagra and condoms. Let us not forget ol' Rush dog!
Posted by: TheTruthTheLight | August 29, 2007 5:30 PM
In addition to a suitcase loaded with condoms and viagra, Limp-baugh was with 6 other men when he was caught.
What a sight to behold that must have been.
Posted by: Doug R. | August 30, 2007 4:32 PM