lock ém up

Senator Larry Craig today became the first openly gay member of the Senate from Idaho. It's great when our elected officials to have the courage to stand up for their convictions.

m.o.i.: gay senator

it ain't the heat, it's the stupidty

District Attorney Arthur Branch is expected to rule as early as 11 pm (Central time) today on whether or not he will review the case of the State of Minnesota v. Larry Craig, a U.S. Senator.

Craig, who earlier plead quilty to a need to ''wash the sock" of an undercover police officer in a public restroom in the Minneapolis Airport, has now decided that perhaps he did nothing wrong. Craig, who also earlier decided not to seek counseling for his 'needs', has now decided that it's in the best interest of the country to continue to wash his dirty laundry in public lavoritories - much to the delight of Democrats, comedy-show hosts, and those wishing to deflect attention from the soon-to-be-released SURGE report card.

Branch, viewed by many as a tough but fair prosecutor, has never been known to expend sympathy for those who lack knowledge of either the spirit or the letter of the law and he is also likely to be confused by Sen. Craig's back-pedalling as outlined in 1 September statement:

I have little control over what people choose to believe, but clearly my name is important to me and my family is so very important also. Having said that, to pursue my legal options, as I continue to serve Idaho, would be an unwanted and unfair distraction of my job and for my Senate colleagues. These are serious times of war and of conflict—times that deserve the Senate's and the full nation's attention.

...

Therefore it is with sadness and deep regret that I announce that it is my intent to resign from the Senate, effective September 30. In doing so, I hope to allow a smooth and orderly transition of my loyal staff and for the person appointed to take my place at William E. Borah's desk. I have full confidence that Governor Otter will appoint a successor who will serve Idaho with distinction.

Excert (with emphasis added) from Senator Craig Announces Intent to Resign from the Senate @ http://craig.senate.gov/keyportal.cfm

camp stupidity

If your Washington world is awash with bad news then how do you go about deflecting some of that negative criticism to others? Of course, you find a fallout boy in the form of an uptight, homophobe gay Republican Senator - from Idaho! Why is it that the most ardent gay bashers alway turn out to be the most deeply closeted queers?

If Senator Craig hadn't pleaded guilty then it might be possible to believe that what he was really trying to say to the undercover policeman in the bathroom stall next to him at the Minneapolis airport was, "I would like to wash your sock", instead of what he must of said that got him arrested for pandering. It's so hard to be understood when you're talking out of both sides of your mouth.

Maybe the Senator isn't gay*, and who cares if he is, but voters in Idaho may look cautiously over their shoulder the next time they enter the voting booth.

*“I am not gay, I never have been gay,” Mr. Craig declared with his wife at his side. (Didn't Pastor Ted exclaim these same words after he was outed and wasn't his wife at his side?)