Conservative blogs not defending Craig

Posted: Tuesday, August 28, 2007 11:33 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Congress, Republicans

From NBC's Mark Murray
A quick scan of some of the more prominent conservative blogs shows that these bloggers aren't defending Idaho Sen. Larry Craig (R), after Roll Call reported yesterday that Craig was arrested in June for lewd behavior in a men's bathroom. In fact, there are plenty of calls for his resignation.

Hugh Hewitt: "I realize that I did not say this about Senator Vitter, but Craig's behavior is so reckless and repulsive that an immediate exit is required."

Erick Erickson at Red State: "I can only say he must resign. Then I must say I told you so. If we do not clean our own house, the voters will do it for us."

National Review Online's Jonah Goldberg: "I don't know what Larry Craig's been doing in men's rooms. And it sure sounds like I don't wanna know either. But, whatever the facts turn out to be, I just love his office's initial statement (calling it a 'he said/he said misunderstanding')."

Patrick Ruffini: "All that seems clear right now is that Senator Larry Craig will not be invited back for another six years in Washington, be that through resignation ..., retirement, or defeat at the ballot box next November (or in the primary).

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Comments

Only a homophobe like you Dave can come up with idiotic rationalization like that.

juan,ft lauderdale,fl (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:06 PM)

Oh, nice aside there, Dave. A straight dude doesn't go cruisin' the men's room for sex. He knows it and I know it. Your point has zero relevance here.

He got busted and now he's trying to weasel out of it. How many lies has he spewed about who he is? Certainly more than just a few. What about his wife... wonder what she has to say about all this?

He is a hypocrite and a LIAR! THAT is his 'crime'. Being gay isn't the 'crime' here.

M. Boley (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:08 PM)

I pray the Democrat Party wins every seat in both houses. We will then tax and spend the country into the ground. We will eliminate the military, open the borders and finally, we will all convert to Islam or be killed.

You go Dems. You all could care less about this country, in lieu of having Socialist Party Controls.

We will soon be the Roman Empire, pillaged and burned.
Sad part is no one in Government gives a rat's butt about America. So, I guess we will get what we deserve!

Gregg Martin (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:08 PM)

As a liberal, I will defend the right of the gentleman from Idaho to exercise his right to exercise his sexual preference. What I will not defend is his right to exercise said prefernces while denying other gay people their rights as well. I also will not defend the senator's choice to upend his own marriage with his dishonest acts.

C D THOMPSON. BALTIMORE, MD. (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:11 PM)

K Nuanced, here we go.......

Craig: he said/he said....

Clinton: Stain on the blue dress was his DNA

Thank you

jerry/corpus christi texas (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:14 PM)

jerry go to the airport bathroom and hang around and you can take his side and wait for evidence,how come the republicans are so pro police until they get arrested then lets wait for a trial,he pleaded guilty now he would like to change his plea thats different from lets wait for a trial.There isnt going to be a trial he pleaded guilty duh,They will defend and pardon till they ensnare a democrat then heads will role maybe they should spend more time telling republicans to act right and stop trying to run the democratic party.

Kenn"clean your own house "O (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:15 PM)

Jerry

We are all supposedly innocent until proven guilty - the moment Mr Craig PLEADED guilty he is guilty by law.
I know it is a bit difficult for you but try and think a bit before writing stuff.

U2 (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:16 PM)

WELL WHAT DO YOU THINK,THE GOP IS TRYING TO GET THE MORAL LOYAL. LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE SHOWING THEIR TRUE COLORS

GARY, HUNTIGTON WV (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:18 PM)

If you notice republicans defend marriage by creating so many of them,if they realy wanted to make marriage stronger they would have made divorce illegal but that would look double faced being against gay marriages but for divorce,makes ya go hmmmmmmmm

kenn"WHATS worse for marriage "O (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:19 PM)

Brava ! Senorita Senadora was just practicing her new FLAMENCO steps in that toilet stall, and using her newly learned flamenco hand movements...the policeman got it all wrong. The dance was just misunderstood by this midwestern undercover yokel who doesn't recognize a good wide stance spanish flamenco show when he sees one in the toilet stall next door. If La Larry shucks her political career over this brouhaha, a new career doing flamenco shows in the toilet will be a big international hit. OLE ! (Does the police report mention the brand of flamenco shoes La Larry wore?)

Jay Hein Miami Beach, FL (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:21 PM)

RH Oregon - As a fellow Oregonian I'm sure you recall the former Republican Multnomah County commissioner who wanted to save all homosexuals from themselves by 'finding Christ'. He was the commissioner, you'll recall, who was arrested at the Greyhond bus terminal for soliciting an undercover cop. Those who scream the loudest are usualy the biggest hypocrites. Glass houses are shattering all over Wahsington, D.C.

Bruce St. Helens OR (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:22 PM)

WELL WHAT DO YOU THINK,THE GOP IS TRYING TO GET THE MORAL LOYAL. LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE SHOWING THEIR TRUE COLORS

GARY, HUNTIGTON WV (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:23 PM)

Where's Goldwater when you need him? Does anyone remember Walter Jenkins, LBJ's top domestic adviser? Goldwater's campaign advisers pleaded with Barry to make it an issue in the '64 campaign as the Goldwater was badly trailing LBJ. But Goldwater never made it issue and refused to answer any questions about the subject. Goldwater commented years later:

"It was a sad time for Jenkins' wife and children, and I was not about to add to their private sorrow. Winning isn't everything. Some things, like loyalty to friends or lasting principle, are more important."

We need people like Barry Goldwater in our government today. Not just more right wing or left wing people. We need people with integrity who own a conscience. I really don't care if they are liberal or conservative.
We will undoubtedly hear from all the hypocrites who are guilty of their own sexual indiscretions telling everyone how to live their lives and I'm sick of it. Leave this man alone. It is between he and his wife.

Marc Parella, San Francisco CA (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:24 PM)

The GOP is doomed. They are imploding from within and they know it. This entire "culture of corruption" and their moral hypocracy is taking them down incrementally. GWB's failed presidency hasn't helped them either.

Buh-bye.

V Zifka (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:24 PM)

With every one of these stories about Republican sexual laxity that comes out, it becomes clearer just why they feel they have to legislate everyone else's morality: It's because they are unable to control themselves and because they can't, they don't think anyone else can either. Gay marriage must be stopped because if being gay is acceptable, they have no excuse to remain closeted. Adultery must be punished because if it is, it might act as a deterrent to THEM when THEY are tempted to stray. I once had a fundie tell me that Christians fall because Satan targets them specifically -- as if Satan and God are playing Skee-Ball at the Jersey Shore in a Kevin Smith movie and Satan gets 100 bonus points if he gets a Christian to do the nasty -- 500 bonus points if it's same-sex nasty. Frankly, I think it's more likely that the people who adhere to this particularly punitive form of Christianity do so because without it they have no brakes on their impulses whatsoever.

JJ in NJ (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:25 PM)

Gregg Martin, nice defeatist attitude there. Hey, if you do not care for the direction the majority of the American people wish to take it then YOU can leave. How's that one for ya?! You Righties have been spewing that crap for years and - oh! - now that the tables may be turned you go on and act like a sore loser!

Lemme tell ya something, this country just doesn't belong exclusively to those on the Right. However, if you extremists had it your way then that's exactly how it would be and THAT would render all the Right's pronouncements about 'freedom' to be a pile of BS.

M. Boley (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:26 PM)

God certainly has a wicked sense of humor.

He lets these hypocritical fools use his name to push their agenda of hatred and bigotry and then wham! they get caught with their pants down (or trying to get someone else's pants down). I'll bet God is laughing at all the holier-than-thou right-wingers who forgot that one of the first truths of the bible is "Ye, who are without sin should throw the first stone."

Looks like none on the right-wing hypocrites will be slinging any rocks.

Oh! The irony (and hypocrisy) of it all.

Sandra, Lexington, KY (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:27 PM)

Male on male sex in public restrooms was extensively studied by Laud Humphreys for his PhD dissertation at Washington University in 1968. His book Tearoom Trade: Impersonal Sex in Public Places published in 1970 was based on this dissertation. Some of the interesting findings of his research was that 54% of men engaged in this activity were married and living with their wives. 38% of the study group were clearly neither homosexual or bisexual. It also seems that most of these men were highly educated and successful within the community.
Now regarding Sen. Craig, he should come out of the closet and level with his constituents. His political career is over so come clean on this. Sen. Craig, the truth shall set you free!

Joe Walden, Janesville WI (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:30 PM)

Justin the unabashed republican conservative; this is just the hangover crowd from the republican Culture of Corruption. Ted Stevens et al are just the hangovers of the last wave of republican corruption. How you can support any of these dogs is beyond me. They're all stinkingly corrupt.
By the way, it's my considered opinion that all the most rabidly anti-gay politicians in the Republican party are themselves gay. That's why you've seen so many of them unmasked the last couple of years.
And the voters are tired of the hypocrisy of the Republican party, AND WILL SHOW IT IF PERMITTED TO GO TO THE POLLS!!!

Class Warrior, D.C. (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:32 PM)

Senator L. Craig must go if he has some dignity left.

Arturo Ortiz, Hickory, NC (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:32 PM)

I made a joke about listening to an ipod in a public restroom & that makes me a homophobe? Juan you need to climb down off the cross.

Dave, Tn (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:33 PM)

"Leave this man alone. It is between he and his wife."

No, Marc, you're not getting it. It is NOT just 'BETWEEN HE AND HIS WIFE' because he is a politician with legislative powers - powers that he has used to deny rights to gays.

It is an issue that matters to ALL.

M. Boley (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:33 PM)

How do you defend a hypocritic, who does exactly the opposite against what he preches publically. I'd love to see how one, especially from Right, defend a hypocritic, such as these two senators-R. Remember the two who led House in impeaching President Clinton, tryng to publcally stone Clinton but instead on their own toes (shall I mention they left the House before the whole thing were over)? By the way, we still love mayors of LA and SF because they are what they said they are, faulty human bening, and they are not hypocritics.

Hey, Right, if you get elected by saying you are saint, you'd better not have a skelton in your closet, or in you mind for that matter.

BC, San Jose, CA (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:35 PM)

Typical democRATS, hate, hate, investigate, investigate. The senator must be crazy but leave it to the democRATS, all republicans are the same. What about that congressman from NY who is still in office and likes children? Are the running him down?

Craig, Bainbridge, GA (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:36 PM)

Mr. Samer, I agree wholeheartedly with you assessment of the Craig incident. I too am embarassed for all the people of Idaho. Homosexuality, and the public display of it is wrong. True leaders don't hide in stalls. They stand up, and open the door.

Rob Sterling, Boise, Idaho (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:44 PM)

RH obviously likes dirty old men trolling in public restrooms for sex. Trying to turn it around to a liberal issue is so typical. Raspberries to you!

GAB, Austin, TX (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:44 PM)

Hannity will tell it like it is. Fox news is the best. its not left wing bias.

wayneTx (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:44 PM)

"Typical democRATS, hate, hate, investigate, investigate."

Typical Republicans, lie, lie, deny, deny.

And here's a thought: if the Republicans didn't 'lie, lie, deny, deny' then Dems wouldn't have to 'hate, hate, investigate, investigate'! LOL!

M. Boley (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:47 PM)

And it happens again and again, over and over, the pattern has been clear for years.

Chrisitian Republican America, Culture of Corruption, Royalty of Hypocrisy, you have shamed our nation and nearly brought our America to facism and ruin. With your lies and your make-up, you are nothing, thinking you are something. Your power to fool and to bully the American people into joining your sad personal affairs and disastrous social policies is shriveling under exposure to the sunlight.

Real gay and lesbian Americans have been taunted on the airwaves and beat in the streets all out of the evil you have wrought with your words and deeds, Christian Republican America. Shame on you. But this era of your dark powers is coming to an end and those you have so hurt do not shrivel in the sunlight but come out and rejoice in their equality and empowerment, with nothing to hide and everything to win--freedom from your tyranny.

The Grand and Greedy Old Party's anti-Americanism, anti-family, anti-freedom and anti-peace agenda for our nation is dying and soon shall be dead.

David M (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:47 PM)

Jay Hein in Miami Beach thanks for the hearty laugh!

juan,ft lauderdale,fl (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:50 PM)

I really love the analogy of Grand ole Perverts & Grand ole Pedophiles.There is no shame for these folks. Only American voters can vote these Hypocritical Right wing Terrorists out of office & let true Republicans rebuild their party from the ground up & come back to the voters with a different message in about 10-20 years. Wake up America!!!!!!!"DELUSIONAL THINKING BY COMMON SENSE AMERICAN'S IS OVER"

rick,ky (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:51 PM)

An unending bloodbath for oil in the Middle East, 45 million without health insurance and millions more bankrupted by Big Pharma and Big Insurance, a dollar dropping like a stone, utterly uncontrolled greed in financial services, telecommunications, etc. and yet this country remains puritanically obsessed with sex. Is there no end to the hypocricy of the religious Right?

The Senator in question should not resign. He should get some therapy, come out of the closet, be honest with himself, his family, and his constituents, and then lead the battle for total civil equality for gay people in this benighted and bigoted country.

Peter Alaimo, Phoenix, AZ (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:53 PM)

The fact that Larry Craig is gay is not the issue. His hypocrisy and voting history are.

I can understand that people hide who they are (even from themselves) due to religious and societal pressures. Too bad Mr. Craig didn’t have the courage to live his truth.

His wife and family have my sympathy for their having been lied to for so many years and to now be embarrassed by this revelation.

Craig’s political positions against gay rights is a form of self-loathing and total denial. Sad, sad, sad.

Jan Ahlin, Boise, Idaho (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 2:57 PM)

No dave I have never been on the cross and never use religion to judge others like your political party. In fact the only time I step inside a church is a funeral and wedding. I have no stigmata that would be your shrub.

juan,ft lauderdale,fl (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:00 PM)

Alleluia! Can I hear an Amen? That Republican Christianity of do as I say and not as I do is at work again. Kneeling is not just for praying Republican Congressmen anymore!

Robert K. Poropatich, Pittsburgh, PA (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:04 PM)

The Irony is the gay jokes coming from the lefties.

Bruce, NV (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:07 PM)

Shame on Larry Craig for being a hypocrite. It seems like the Republicans can't get enough gay sex scandals. I feel bad for Craig's wife who has to put up with this man's lies and lust.

Luis, Washington, D.C. (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:12 PM)

Sing along with me to the tune of Queen's (how appropriate) song, Another One Bites the Dust; A hypocrite bites the dust, a hypocrite bites the dust, huh, huh, a hypocrite bites the dust!

Richard (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:13 PM)

Hey Wayne in Texas ..Fox News is the radical right wing bias ....wake up dude .. stop drinking so much Lone Star Beer ....

Ricardo in California (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:14 PM)

RH Oregon:
'Surely the Liberals will come to his defense????
....Stand up for the little man...

RH, how do you know he's 'little' ?

Sierra, San Francisco (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:22 PM)

Guess the "moral" party is in serious need of self-reflection. And major house-cleaning. But then again, a naive Party faithful bought the lies to begin with, so I'm sure they'll buy the lies again. They'll vote in politicians with the same "values," just with new faces because so many utterly gullible Americans vote with their emotions instead of their minds. Idiots.

Roberta, Seattle WA (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:23 PM)

The true meaning of a hypocrite. I think all Republicans are closetted and just need to come out!!! The party itself is divided like this: gays pretending to be straight or horny old men on some madam's list. No wonder the conservative agenda is all about less government in peoples affairs...who has time to run the government when YOU are having affairs.

Lisa M. Bloom, San Diego, CA. (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:30 PM)

Typical democRATS, hate, hate, investigate, investigate.

Turn the clock back 10 years. Who was hating and investigating then? Hint: it was not the Democrats.

Carrie, Eastern Iowa (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:30 PM)

As a liberal I would love to rub my hands together and snicker at another Republican scandal. However the person who said liberals should be defending Senator Craig are correct. If we jump on the "gotcha" bandwagon then we are no better than those with whom we disagree. Senator Craig's sexual preference and/or sexual behavior is his business the government should stay out of the sex lives of consenting adults. As long as a child was not involved then this entire episode was entrapment and should never have taken place. The Republicans overall do enough wrong without us making a big deal out of this incident.

Robbie Wilson, Roland, OK (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:35 PM)

Jerry wants to SEE the evidence before he makes a judgement. Jerry! Shame on you!

Susan,Miami (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:40 PM)

"Surely the Liberals will come to his defense?" - RH Oregon

NO, we won't. This (unashamed) liberal Democrat does NOT defend closted, Republican, HYPOCRITES. Craig may burn in a Hell of HIS own making, and I'm ROTF LMAO.

Visit Craig's website at
http://craig.senate.gov/email/ if you would like to send a message.

KenBJs (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:42 PM)

No need to go after the GOP- they're imploding on their own, ala the domino effect. The question that needs answering is "Who's next". To coin an old adage: "The emperor has no clothes" and all is laid bare (bet THAT gets Mr Craig in a frenzy).

Pugsley Malone (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:43 PM)

You know what's the shame, it's that this overwhelming Repbulican State will still keep voting for these guys!! I refer also to Representative Sali who comes up with the weirdest comments and ideas!!
Lord (if there is one) Help Us!!

SG, Boise, Idaho (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:45 PM)

I feel sorry for Senator Craig. Sorry that he had to remain in the closet and could not be true to himself and who he really is. So many homosexuals have had to come out of the closet and face the world. A task not made easy by the conservative right wing moral majority. When as a society are we going to wake up and realize tolerence and acceptance of all of God's people is going to bring us closer to the world that Christ must have deemed possible to achieve? I feel sorry for Senator Craig the man, but not as a politician. For as a politician his hypocracy is inexcusable.

We would not be prone to these kind of "scandals" if we left issues of sexual orientation, fidelity and marriage to the individual to decide what is morally right or wrong for them.

There are so much greater issues that we must confront in out society than to be dwelling on each others sex lives. His bathroom conduct is not acceptable behavior but when men are forced to stay in the closet these types of things are going to happen.

Being true to one's sexual orientation should not be a matter of politics, left or right. The sooner gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual persons can live their lives openly and with out repercussions and with the same rights and privilidges everyone else has sooner we heal our moral wounds and move on. Yes, I feel sorry for Senator Craig, but sorrier for our country that this has to be an issue.

Fred, Woodbury, MN (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:46 PM)

Ha...finally...what we all knew.....he is such a pious hypocrite. I can't help but wonder what his "rent a wife" and her two boys must be feeling right now.

Marilynn Hall, Lewiston, Id. (Sent Tuesday, August 28, 2007 3:49 PM)

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