Larry Craig Resigns

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JWT

New member
Sounds like Spectors comments got Craigs ear and now he's waffling in his retirement decision. He should listen to his initial instincts and stay with the decision to leave office the end of September.

The Republican party and the state of Idaho don't need a spectacle of the senator trying to regain his job and credibility - it's not likey to happen that he can reclaim his innocence given his guilty plea.
 
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Manedwolf

Moderator
It's time for him to go. It doesn't matter now.

He either lied, or was stupid, or both.

All he can do now by staying is hurt the Republican party's chances in the 2008 elections. No matter if he's guilty or innocent, Larry Craig's name, in the family-values-voting electorate, is now irrevocably synonymous with the recoil-inducing "anonymous homosexual sex in stinky restrooms" scene, and that image is never going to go away.

Correction: Craig is beyond stupid. He just hired Michael Vick's lawyer, guaranteeing a media circus that will hurt Republicans. ***?!
 
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Redworm

Moderator
All he can do now by staying is hurt the Republican party's chances in the 2008 elections.
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Maybe that's the plan. :p Revenge is a dish best served cold, after all.


edit: um, maybe I'm not seeing it but where did he hire vick's lawyer? :confused: that would be outstandingly stupid
 
G

Glenn E. Meyer

New member
It that worse then Senator I Went to a Hooker for the family values crowd?

Or

President I Had no Idea What I was doing when I invaded Iraq?

Craig is just blip on the screen for the next election.
 
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JuanCarlos

New member
Maybe that's the plan. Revenge is a dish best served cold, after all.
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This was my first thought as well. More likely it's an attempt to further back up his claims that he isn't gay; leaving now would be read as some as an admission of guilt. But any way you slice it, having him still in office 6 or 8 months for now means that this might have at least some effect on elections outside of Idaho.

So what to we think? Is there any chance whatsoever he'll actually pick up the Republican nomination to try and retain his seat? Or will the party run somebody else?

1. He claims he was railroaded and not guilty. Thus, he should be supported as a victim of a harsh judicial system. He plead guilty as he was scared. We know that plenty of folks do just that.
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It's not like he confessed under heavy interrogation. He plead guilty weeks later after failing to even consult an attorney. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that "I was afraid the press would hear about it" is not grounds to overturn a guilty plea.
 
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Redworm

Moderator
It's not like he confessed under heavy interrogation. He plead guilty weeks later after failing to even consult an attorney. I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that "I was afraid the press would hear about it" is not grounds to overturn a guilty plea.
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A man that doesn't have respect for or understanding of the legal system shouldn't be in public office. As I said before, either he lied the first time or he's lying now. Either way when you change your story that's called a lie and shouldn't be tolerated.
 
Z

ZeroJunk

New member
It's interesting that on a lot of threads the posters are having coronaries over government power and conspiracy,yet they seem perfectly happy to accept an unknown police officers account.
There is nothing in the recording that would convict anybody.
There are plenty of married homosexuals.If he is,his wife knew,whether she would admit it or not.And she had come to terms with it.I doubt the kids knew.
In the end what purpose was served.
I will just feel so much better with the govern ment making us safe from gays.
This may have actually been a conspiracy.I doubt the officer is a Republican.
 
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JuanCarlos

New member
It's interesting that on a lot of threads the posters are having coronaries over government power and conspiracy,yet they seem perfectly happy to accept an unknown police officers account.
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Along with past allegations, and a guilty plea. Yeah.

There is nothing in the recording that would convict anybody.
There are plenty of married homosexuals.If he is,his wife knew,whether she would admit it or not.And she had come to terms with it.I doubt the kids knew.
In the end what purpose was served.
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No, the kids probably didn't. And they're probably the only real "victims" in this matter.

I will just feel so much better with the govern ment making us safe from gays.
This may have actually been a conspiracy.I doubt the officer is a Republican.
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See, and I've heard it pitched as a Republican conspiracy against the gays that just happened to backfire. Personally I'd say it's not a particularly partisan issue; both parties (and most of us in general) would probably say that cutting down on the number of people having sex in well-lit and (relatively) heavily trafficked public bathrooms is a good thing, regardless of the orientation of the sex in question.

I'd say I've been one of the most vocal proponents of gay rights around here, and even I don't see anything wrong with the officer's actions or the sting/investigation (however you want to pitch it) in general. I want to be able to use the bathroom, or send my (theoretical) kids in to use the bathroom, without two people making it a couple stalls down. Two guys, two girls, or one of each...I don't care. Get a motel room.
 
W

Wildalaska

Moderator
It's interesting that on a lot of threads the posters are having coronaries over government power and conspiracy,yet they seem perfectly happy to accept an unknown police officers account.
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Sworn I may add


WildandimnotaconspiritacistAlaska TM
 
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ZeroJunk

New member
I'd say I've been one of the most vocal proponents of gay rights around here, and even I don't see anything wrong with the officer's actions or the sting/investigation (however you want to pitch it) in general. I want to be able to use the bathroom, or send my (theoretical) kids in to use the bathroom, without two people making it a couple stalls down. Two guys, two girls, or one of each...I don't care. Get a motel room
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I agree with this 100%.But,when an undercover officer acts as a prostitute there is an offer of money for services.Little wiggle room in that.

This foot patting,legs spread wider than they should have been,left hand hanging down mumbo jumbo just doesn't seem like career ending evidence to me.

BTW,I don't have much doubt that that was what he was there for.But,our legal system really doesn't work that way.
 
A

Al Norris

Moderator Emeritus
I haven't voiced this, but I believe that given the particular circumstances, if Craig had hired a good criminal defense attorney, this would have never made it to court. Hence, it never would have made it to the papers. And Craig can afford a good attorney.

But... He did none of this. He had two months to figure out a way to keep it out of the papers and he failed a basic test of credibility.

AAR, in Idaho, where it will count, he has lost any chance of re-election.
 
W

Waitone

New member
Craig evidently lawyered up right after it went public. He has evidently talked to lawyers who speak constitutional issues. Specter is merely confirmation that his legal (I didn't say political) position is not that weak.

Another factor to be considered is congressional pension benefits. By quiting he may be leaving cash on the table. Fight it out and finish the term and he's got a fatter wallet.

That said, he's still toast politically. He may be able to finish his term but his constituents will not be well served since his republican cohorts will publicly have to shun him.

Meanwhile republicans scramble.
 
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Manedwolf

Moderator
Interestingly, he may be hoist by his own petard here. If he succeeds in getting the guilty plea reversed, the state may choose to bring forward the more serious charge of "interfering with privacy" (peeping tom), a stronger misdemeanor... he did peek into the officer's stall.
 
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