He's back! Larry Craig returns to the Senate

For a toe tapping good time, how can you beat Larry?

Next year's Republican National Convention delegates going through the Minneapolis airport should have GOP 'ol time.

See what happens to you if you oppose the gay lifestyle?
I haven't studied his entire record but most of his policy positions are shared by a majority of voters every time they are on the ballot. I still won't miss him though. Its that walk the walk thing.

Long, distinguished political career? You're half right; it was long. But the man was, and continues to be, a political hack!

whatnow,

Courageous politicians challenge the status quo.

Ike did it when he ordered the integration of the military.

LBJ did it when he backed the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

It's good to see Larry standing up to those GOP bullies who'd have him quit just because he played a little footsie with a cop in an airport bathroom. C'mon, can you name any Republicans who haven't done that? (Are you sure?) At least Larry wasn't caught inviting a gay prostitute named Jeff to the White House, for cryin' out loud.

As conservative religious guys like Larry always say (when they get caught), "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone". Fortunately, they usually say that in the capitol building where loose stones are in short supply for their holier-than-thou colleagues.

I read that the ACLU has filed a friend of the court brief arguing that the police snare used to catch Craig was too broad. Something about solicting sex is protected free speech when in done in private. Performing sex in public is a crime. The ACLU argues that Craig and other innocents could be caught in this overly broad police action in the airport restroom. My understanding is that Craig did not actually perform a sex act in a public restroom, yet he did solicit for sex in the public restroom. There are some older cases where lawyers argued that a restroom stall can be considered a private area. However, Craig pleaded guilty to another charge about disorderly conduct. Either way public vs. private restrooms, and then performing sexual acts vs. merely soliciting for sexual gratification, is not really behaviour expected from a U.S. Senator. I assume that GOP operatives don't want to see more of Craig in the news. Obviously, Craig is figthing for his reputation, yet he did plead guilty to a misdemeanor. The Senate has punished Craig by removing him for committees. Possibly this story is a modern day version of Brokeback Mountain. Craig is from Idaho, has a family, and a secret. Save the sheep out on the plains of Idaho!

If he gets his confession thrown out and he goes on trial for the bigger offense he could be found guilty.

Maybe he'll get "Public Service"... I know, he could clean up loose paper in public restrooms.

I know larry done wrong but I just can't quit 'em

Craig said he'd pleaded guilty in order to make the whole thing go away due to a local newspaper hounding him. He didn't want them to find out about the charge because they were investigating previous behavior of his that allegedly showed Craig was gay.

My thoughts on those who are so homophobic, like too many Republicans and the religious right, are best expressed by Shakespeare in Hamlet; "The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

Doug, you mentioned two presidents who were principled more than courageous.
Special rights are contrary to Rep. principles regardless of status quo.
Hate crimes and same sex marriage are just bad law.

"He's Back! Larry Craig Returns To The Senate"

I wonder if Larry Craig and David Vitter walked into the Senate chambers together arm in arm?

The Repug goons would probably give them a standing ovation.

The story that keeps on giving.

To think he spent his whole career bashing the ACLU, also.

http://www.idahostatesman.com/eyepiece/story/161405.html

BREAKING NEWS:

Larry Craig supports Republican Willard Romney for President:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2b1N74bQUE

Senatorial Newswire, Washington D.C.

Senate leaders announced today that Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) will head the newly-formed Sanitation and Salutation committee. Formed in the wake of recent events in a Minnesota airport public restroom which lead to Craig's guilty plea to disorderly conduct charges, the committee is described as an "outreach" program by Senate spokesperson Inna Stall.

"Mr. Craig has shown a tremendous ability to reach out to people, even in places deemed unreceptive to our message, and we want to harness that talent to get the word out that the Senate is hard at work for the American people," said Ms. Stalls.

This is Sen. Craig's first leadership position since being stripped of his leadership roles shortly after his arrest and conviction were revealed, and perhaps it shows that Republican outrage over his acts have softened somewhat.

An unidentified source said that Sen. Craig would be "sent on assignment" in the coming days.

Police stings like this one are designed--ironically, both deviously and generously--to rely on flimsy, ambiguous evidence that no prosecutor who values his W-L record (and they all do) would go forward with. In a sting like this, only the naiive and unlawyered guilty cave in; but they are generously allowed to and cop a plea to a lesser, nonsexual, mildly offensive charge that they can (usually) plausibly claim was nothing, allowing them to save face. The cops here don't necessarily want to ruin reputations, they want to curb the public familiarity of strangers passing like cruise ships in the night.

Craig can't claim to be innocent of the charge he was convicted of, but he can still claim to be innocent of the original charge (the press had this aspect all wrong, reporting that he can't claim to be innocent at all). Although the evidence used to coerce a plea would never in a million years get a conviction after a trial (unless the defendant was an obvious deviant or Black), the cops know damn well nobody who was there for sex is going to risk a trial, where even if they win, the evidence (more than with a plea agreement) is all in the public record.

Regarding Mitch McConnell's avoidance of Larry Craig in the Senate chambers...Mitch McConnell always has such a dour look on his face, as if he has constant gas. We need a new minority leader in the Republican Party, one with a little more pizazz. Bring back Trent Lott as minority leader!!

It's not the charges OR the crime (tho' I find public displays of affection (or stronger) to be quite distasteful - leave that for the 14 year olds). It's that Craig was a leader in anti-gay legislation. The hypocrisy is just sitting there like a dead steaming skunk on the road, waiting for someone to come along and make stew. It seems as if these closeted republicrites think they can make their orientation go away by passing laws against themselves. I've believed for some time that people are becoming republican candidates because they think it'll get them elected, not because they believe in the principles of Lincoln's party. I believe it more and more each day.

Craig is a waist of space and has been since he took office. Let me see? Hmmm? I suppose all the GAY rights activists are going to jump on this one as another wonderful way of getting attention to their terrible plight over the media. "We have accepted your twisted sexual ideas"!!! Let's leave it at that & get him out of office since he is useless anyway.

Alternate caption:
Excuse Me...I need to use the men's room.

I guess comments regarding Senator Craig, Congressman Frank and a brothel are appropriate for the Swamp since they have been censored twice.

Third time must be a charm:

Congressman Frank must be happy, he has a new customer for his brothel

The Craig family must be hiding under a rock by now.