I wasn't going to comment on the whole Larry-Craig-pulls-a-George-Michael thing that was reported yesterday afternoon, because I found it pretty silly. I think it is unfortunate that Craig attempted "to make the whole thing go away" rather than fight the charges. Pleading guilty to tapping one's foot does seem a bit, well, odd. As someone who has spent an inordinate amount of time in public restrooms - in airports, bus terminals, rest areas, truckstops, shopping malls, you name it, I've been there - I had absolutely no idea that tapping one's foot on the floor meant one was interested in "lewd behavior". I always thought it meant a really good tune was going through someone's head. Ah, well, live and learn. . .
What I find fascinating is that now the story has become public (it occurred early in the summer, back in June), the Republicans are tossing Craig aside. All one need do is scan these Think Progress stories - here, here (this one has the unfortunate title, in light of the events in question, "Brownback on Craig"; I'm not sure I'm hungry anymore . . .), and here - to see that for Republicans, being a closeted gay man is far worse than, say, insider trading (former Senate Majority leader Bill Frist) or destroying the reputation of a young woman who was sexually harassed (Arlen Specter and Orrin Hatch during the Clarence Thomas/Anita Hill debacle), or supporting a war/occupation the country no longer sees as in its national interest (all Republicans except Chuck Hagel, and of course everyone's favorite "inderpendent" Joe Lieberman). If one breaks actual laws, that's horrid. If one is, in the words of that wonderful country-western song, "looking for love in all the wrong places", especially love from someone of the same gender, then, apparently, one is as heinously wrong as can be.
For the record, I do believe that compassion and sympathy for Sen. Craig are far more appropriate than the current feeding frenzy. At least Sen. Craig knows who his friends are, and who they are not.
UPDATE: For a more thorough rundown of right-wing hypocrisy and ludicrous behavior, see this post by Glenn Greenwald. How could I have forgotten David "Senator Call Girl" Vitter so soon?
Virtual Tin Cup
