by Michael Tackett
Imagine Larry LaRocco's surprise. One night last week, he goes to bed thinking he's probably on his way to another losing political campaign in his home state of Idaho, where being a Democrat can be a lonely pursuit.
The next morning, he wakes up to the screaming banner headline in the state's largest newspaper saying that his opponent, a conservative stalwart who has been winning elections in Idaho for 30 years, had pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct for tawdry behavior in a men's restroom at a Minnesota airport.
Yes, even for a Democrat in Idaho, some days it really is worth getting up in the morning.
See the column from the Tribune:
FINE POINT: A look at the week in Washington
A reason to smile for Idaho Dems
by Michael Tackett
Shortly after news of Sen. Larry Craig's guilty plea jolted Washington out of its August stupor, LaRocco started receiving a new infusion of money and support. He rose to No. 2 nationwide -- just behind John Edwards -- in the rankings by the Democratic candidate Web site ActBlue.com, which tracks fundraising and Internet support.
Then the popular liberal site DailyKos.com asked for him to blog. So did HuffingtonPost.com.
Suddenly, in a state where George W. Bush won nearly 70 percent of the vote in 2004, Democrats had reason to smile.
LaRocco's time in Idaho politics goes back to when at least one Democrat, Sen. Frank Church, was among the nation's most prominent politicians.
LaRocco worked for Church for years, then decided in 1982 to run for a House seat, against Larry Craig. Craig crushed him. But LaRocco was hardly finished in electoral politics.
After Craig had moved on to the Senate, LaRocco won the House seat in 1990 and 1992. He then lost in 1994, another casualty of the Republican landslide, to Helen Chenoweth.
He has watched as Idaho has become increasingly Republican. In 2006, LaRocco lost a race for lieutenant governor, winning less than 40 percent of the vote.
So as he contemplated running against the incumbent Craig, LaRocco knew the hill would be steep. National Democratic Party leaders are loath to pump money into such a decidedly red state, particularly when trying to unseat an incumbent.
But LaRocco also knew that there had been questions surrounding Craig's personal behavior at least since his race against him 1982. And he knew that the state's biggest newspaper was conducting an exhaustive investigation. What's more, he knew that people in Idaho were opposed to the war in Iraq and had shown signs of tiring of Craig. Democrats also had recently picked up six seats in the state Legislature.
"My big challenge was to beat down the conventional wisdom that Idaho was a red state and don't even bother," LaRocco said. "My analysis was that Bush was going to drive people into the independent camp. And in 2006, independents were taking a peek at Democrats. The only thing that we lacked were resources."
Until last week, he was still lacking in resources, having raised only about $100,000. Then came the stunner that Craig had pleaded guilty. Republicans moved even more quickly than Democrats, it seemed, to call for Craig's resignation. "He went under the bus real fast," LaRocco said.
"I said to myself, 'This could be an open seat.'" LaRocco said. "I just knew that he was in deep trouble, that the story would have legs.
"Everybody knew the [Idaho] Statesman had been digging on this. ... You can't turn on the TV for more than 3 minutes without seeing a mug shot."
Craig has denied wrongdoing, saying he regretted pleading guilty, arguing that he was hounded unfairly by the state's leading newspaper. Few, even in his own party, seemed to buy his story.
Washington is a city where it's OK to be hated. It's OK to be feared. But it is not a place where you can survive as the butt of a joke.
Craig has given new meaning to bathroom humor and the apparently novel use of a "wide stance" defense.
His stall tactics in a Minnesota airport public restroom have made Craig easy fodder for the late-night comics and YouTube impresarios. Even British TV weighed in with a spoof.
Craig's news conference was bad enough. Then the release of the audio of his police interrogation fed the news cycle for another day.
"In today's 24-hour media cycle, bloggers and so forth, it's a whole different world," LaRocco said. "It's like obscenity, you know it when you see it. When you are over the line in terms of ridcule and being the butt of jokes, it's time to hang it up."
And now, for the moment anyway, it's the Idaho Democrat who will be taken seriously.
Michael Tackett is chief of the Tribune Washington Bureau.
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Comments
Hope may spring eternal, but when given the choice between Larry Grant and Bill Sali, guess who the taters chose?
It's sad.
Posted by: C.Morris | September 2, 2007 7:18 PM
All Swamp Rats,
Funny story;
Mrs. Mo and I went downtown to the big city today to eat at a street food fair, look at some art, go to the rose garden and latte' at some overpriced street coffee emporium.
A good time was had by all, but when wifey wanted to go into a high priced clothiers I was drafted to hold on to her remaining coffee drink and sit on the shaded bench out front. The ladies, by the way, were looking fine!!
Well(!), I sat there trying to get 'Knock Three Times' out of my head by substituting 'I am the God of Hell Fire' by Aurthur Brown.
As I was drifting away on my hellish dream experience I then realized; I WAS TAPPING MY FOOT!
There was a bike rack just to my left and there was a young man looking at me with a look of horror in his eyes! As our eyes met I could read his mind! 'This late middle aged man wants some action!'
I immediately froze my foot in mid-tap and slowly lowered it to the safe, sane concrete. I gave the Morris signal to wifey that it was time to bug out, hoping she didn't mistake it for the 'kick this guy in the nads from behind' signal!
The experience makes me sympathize, just a little, with Larry.
Posted by: C.Morris | September 2, 2007 7:36 PM
Michael Tackett writes, "And now, for the moment anyway, it's the Idaho Democrat who will be taken seriously." Just who, other than Michael Tackett, is taking this political hack seriously?
Posted by: Tyler | September 2, 2007 7:58 PM
Here's an interesting story on "Idaho's Original Same-Sex Scandal":
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/02/opinion/02randal.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
BTW, while Idaho and Utah are the reddest states in the union, their capital cities, Boise and Salt Lake City, could be described as moderate or even moderately-liberal.
Posted by: dt | September 2, 2007 8:48 PM
CM,
Are you sure weren't humming "Its Raining Men" or some Cher tunes? :)
Posted by: Terry | September 2, 2007 10:11 PM
Those wacky wingnuts in Idaho will still keep on voting for the phony "family values" Republicans out there, they're to stupid to know any better:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ci5tN7h8E8
Posted by: Tyrone | September 2, 2007 10:12 PM
C.Morris:
That was hilarious.
Kudos!
Posted by: John W. | September 2, 2007 10:18 PM
Loco LaRocca still has not chance of winning, fortunately!
Posted by: John D | September 2, 2007 10:25 PM
Michael Tackett writes, "And now, for the moment anyway, it's the Idaho Democrat who will be taken seriously." Just who, other than Michael Tackett, is taking this political hack seriously?
Posted by: Tyler | September 2, 2007 7:58 PM
Bruce,
Do you really believe that you are fooling people and changing the perception of the demoralized and defeated Republican Party freepers by constantly posting under different post names? because you're not.
Posted by: John E | September 2, 2007 11:25 PM
"Several prominent Republicans are calling on Sen. Larry Craig to resign. And a couple are asking for his phone number." --David Letterman
"What is it with all these gay Republican sex scandals? ... Remember the old days when a politician would just put his hand in your pockets to get your money." --Jay Leno
"This whole thing has to be very frustrating for the Republican Party. All these gay sex scandals and they still can't get any support from Hollywood." --Jay Leno
"The arresting officer said their eyes met through the crack in the bathroom stall door, which is ironic because that's how I met my wife." --Jay Leno
"Sen. Craig gave a press conference today where he said, I'm not gay, I've never been way. Then he apologized to his wife, Liza Minnelli." --Jay Leno
"Sen. Craig said he made a mistake by pleading guilty. And I was thinking, maybe that was your second mistake." --David Letterman
"The way I look at it, anyone who spends more than two minutes in an airport men's room is guilty of something." --David Letterman
"Needless to say, Senator Craig is also anti-gay marriage and gays in the military, which I think, shows he doesn't let his personal needs interfere with his work." --Jimmy Kimmel
Posted by: John E | September 3, 2007 12:04 AM
The Nascar Part is coming apart at the seams.
From the Rothenberg NON-PARTISAN Political Report:
The Craig scandal is only the latest issue to demoralize the Republican Party, and new wild cards keep springing up, such as an FBI raid on a home of Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and questions about the role that Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.) may have played in the firing of U.S. Attorney David C. Iglesias in Albuquerque. Democratic surrogates in labor-backed groups such as Americans United for Change have even been attacking Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) in Kentucky.
The Cook Report considers those three seats and the Idaho seat "likely Republican," but if the GOP is forced to spend any money defending them, it would be siphoning funds from races where the money would be badly needed. As of June 30, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee had $20.4 million on hand, while the National Republican Senatorial Committee had $5.8 million in its bank account.
"If Republicans are investing significant money in Idaho, that means they are losing at least five seats in 2008," said Nathan L. Gonzales, political editor of the nonpartisan Rothenberg Political Report. "If Idaho ends up the fire wall, they are in deep trouble."
Posted by: John E | September 3, 2007 12:25 AM
C. Morris,
That was funny! What I wouldn't have given to have seen that play out!
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 3, 2007 8:50 AM
Idaho is a strong GOP state with Larry Craig out the Lt. Gov Risch will win this strong Republican state. Jerry White, Springfield, IL
Posted by: Jerry White | September 3, 2007 9:26 AM
Jerry White,
He's going to be APPOINTED by the governor.
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 3, 2007 9:34 AM
"Doug Zook", Jerry White is correct, and you're incorrect, as usual. Jerry is referring to Risch, post appointment, winning the senate race for the next term.
Posted by: Bruce | September 3, 2007 9:47 AM
Jack Kelly's column on Craig in the Pittsburg Post Gazette has a MSM columnist expressing a view you'll never see by a Swamp columnist. An excerpt:
"[M]edia bias is not the main reason why Republicans suffer more from scandals. Democratic voters expect Democrats to steal on their behalf. Lawmakers are judged on the basis of how many goodies from the federal treasury they can shower on their constituents. The typical Democratic voter doesn't mind terribly if their senator or congressman takes something for himself along the way. (Time Magazine's story on Rep. [Alan] Mollohan's re-election was headlined, "Pork Trumps Scandal.")
The typical Republican voter wants his senator or congressman to keep his taxes low, his government honest. He is furious when GOP lawmakers stick their fingers in the cookie jar, or give lip service to values they do not practice.
Republicans must be squeaky clean to win elections because their voters will crucify them for behavior Democratic voters wink at so long as the pork keeps flowing. This is why his GOP colleagues already have stripped Sen. Craig of his committee assignments, and many have called for his resignation, while Democratic senators are comfortable having among them a man who left to drown in his automobile a young woman with whom he was having an extramarital affair."
Posted by: Bruce | September 3, 2007 11:00 AM
Again, I'll make the point: John E., why are you commenting about ANYBODY posting as someone else, when you do that time and time and time again, including posting as me???
And, please tell us why you aren't in Iraq and the whereabouts of "your son"?
Posted by: John D | September 3, 2007 12:01 PM
RNC Bruce,
Unless you're using the alias "Jerry White" how do you know what Jerry White (he's from Springfield, IL you know) is thinking (word used losely)?
C'mon RNC Bruce,
Let Jerry White from Springfild, Illinois come out and play.
Posted by: Doug Zook | September 3, 2007 12:32 PM
Hey RNC Brucie- Do you know what jerry White means by driveby media?? Is that a Rush Limp-baugh term?? Or a Springfiled Illinois thing??
And Larry Craig (R-Idaho) is a perverted hypocrite and a pathological liar. I do not care whether or not Idaho is a 'strong GOP state'. It's all about character, isn't it Brucie??
Posted by: Doug R. | September 4, 2007 11:43 AM