MR

Citing unfair distraction, Craig to step down


Sen. Larry Craig yesterday announced he would resign, vowing to clear his name in a homosexual sex scandal but saying he feared becoming a distraction on Capitol Hill.

"I have little control over what people choose to believe, but clearing my name is important to me, and my family is so very important also," the Idaho Republican said in a speech laced with apologies and expressions of regret over the abrupt end of his 16-year Senate career.

"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," he said. "These are serious times of war and of conflict. Times that deserve the Senate's and the full nation's attention."

It was not clear what legal options Mr. Craig has to reverse his guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct related to soliciting homosexual sex from a plainclothes policeman in a Minnesota airport restroom.

Mr. Craig announced later yesterday that he has retained Billy Martin, a Washington lawyer who represented Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick in his dogfighting case, to pursue his legal options.

He has said his actions in the bathroom stall — where police say he put his foot against the foot of the officer in the next stall and signaled with his hand under the stall divider — were misconstrued by the officer.

Mr. Craig, 62, maintains his chief mistake was pleading guilty to an erroneous charge and has repeatedly insisted, "I am not gay."

His resignation, effective Sept. 30, helps Senate Republicans put the scandal behind them heading into the 2008 elections and helps ensure the party will retain Mr. Craig's seat from Idaho, a dependably Republican state.

Check out what people on the street think:

http://www.theonion.com/content/amvo/se ... g_arrested

I still don't understand how you can arrest someone for touching your foot in a bathroom? is that against the law?

Didn't they say he also"signaled" to the officer under the stall when he touched his foot...whatever that means.
Just what this country needs....a perv in office.

EightyRock wrote:Didn't they say he also"signaled" to the officer under the stall when he touched his foot...whatever that means.
Just what this country needs....a perv in office.

you mean another perv. in office I don't trust any of them!
I listened to his arrest tape, he denies all of it, yet the officer keeps asking him to admit it.
That airport is crazy busy, very public, of all places I seriously doubt you would want to "do it" there! My initial judgement call is he was "targeted." Just sayin....

SteveForever wrote:

EightyRock wrote:Didn't they say he also"signaled" to the officer under the stall when he touched his foot...whatever that means.
Just what this country needs....a perv in office.

you mean another perv. in office I don't trust any of them!
I listened to his arrest tape, he denies all of it, yet the officer keeps asking him to admit it.
That airport is crazy busy, very public, of all places I seriously doubt you would want to "do it" there! My initial judgement call is he was "targeted." Just sayin....

Spin spin spin...the fact that there is yet another day/week with yet another republican in a bad spot/ a real mess, is funny. The GOP is a total joke.

If he didn't do anything, he should have NEVER signed anything; dipshit.

Rockindeano wrote:

SteveForever wrote:

EightyRock wrote:Didn't they say he also"signaled" to the officer under the stall when he touched his foot...whatever that means.
Just what this country needs....a perv in office.

you mean another perv. in office I don't trust any of them!
I listened to his arrest tape, he denies all of it, yet the officer keeps asking him to admit it.
That airport is crazy busy, very public, of all places I seriously doubt you would want to "do it" there! My initial judgement call is he was "targeted." Just sayin....

Spin spin spin...the fact that there is yet another day/week with yet another republican in a bad spot/ a real mess, is funny. The GOP is a total joke.

If he didn't do anything, he should have NEVER signed anything; dipshit.

Sure seems like he is guilty but at the same time very strange this is the ONLY time anyone has accused him of this type of thing and he's old. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. oh and there are plenty of dems. on the list of bad judgement calls, plenty.

EightyRock wrote:Didn't they say he also"signaled" to the officer under the stall when he touched his foot...whatever that means.
Just what this country needs....a perv in office.

He also stood outside the stall and looked in between the doors or 2 minutes until the other guy in the other stall left. he was hunting for some summer sausage ,I have no doubt

Barney Frank was busted for running a male prostitution ring INSIDE his home and using some public funds to runt he business. He is still in office.

Craig should never have pleaded guilty to the lesser charge, but no doubt he's a perv trolling for gay sex in an airport. Can our elected officials please have some standard of decency for the love of pete!

Perhaps you are just not acquainted with Mr. Craig's name being mentioned in the same breath as the accused and fallen with the fiasco and the Senate pages. His name has surfaced on different ocassions but he's been able to slide back in his hole before being caught. This time he just picked the wrong man behind door no. 2.

Over MANY yrs I notice the Repubs eat their own. The Dems circle the wagons and that is why Barney & Ted ,both from Mass,and I think the guy with the $80,000 in his freezer are still around . At this point I am more interested in the Chinese trying to buy political influence with the Clintons again. Yes, Hillary returned the $$$ and Hsu turned himself in but Charlie Tree fled in Bills campaigns and Mark Rich a felon was pardoned . Follow the $$$$.

I forgot to add that Craig sounds like real creepy trash. Adios and Buana Suerte !

SteveForever wrote:
Sure seems like he is guilty but at the same time very strange this is the ONLY time anyone has accused him of this type of thing and he's old. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. oh and there are plenty of dems. on the list of bad judgement calls, plenty.

Yes there are plenty of Dems who are "bad folks" but lately, as in the last 3-8 years, the republicans have the market on bad people cornered.

Off the top of my head-

Alberto Gonzalez
Don Rumsfeld
Mark Foley
The dude from San Diego who got popped
the other dude from Roseville, CA who got popped
Harriet Meyers
Craig
Cheney
Libby
Bush
Wolfowitz
Rove


All bad bad people. I wouldn't piss on them if their guts were on fire.

Hope it was worth it. The GOP has NO chance at the White House OR Congress next year.

Rockindeano wrote:

SteveForever wrote:
Sure seems like he is guilty but at the same time very strange this is the ONLY time anyone has accused him of this type of thing and he's old. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. oh and there are plenty of dems. on the list of bad judgement calls, plenty.

Yes there are plenty of Dems who are "bad folks" but lately, as in the last 3-8 years, the republicans have the market on bad people cornered.

Off the top of my head-

Alberto Gonzalez
Don Rumsfeld
Mark Foley
The dude from San Diego who got popped
the other dude from Roseville, CA who got popped
Harriet Meyers
Craig
Cheney
Libby
Bush
Wolfowitz
Rove


All bad bad people. I wouldn't piss on them if their guts were on fire.

Hope it was worth it. The GOP has NO chance at the White House OR Congress next year.

Good,thats way I wanted it any way

Rockindeano wrote:The GOP has NO chance at the White House OR Congress next year.

The GOP will keep the WH in 2008. Americans will not elect Hillary Clinton. Period.

weatherman90 wrote:

Rockindeano wrote:The GOP has NO chance at the White House OR Congress next year.

The GOP will keep the WH in 2008. Americans will not elect Hillary Clinton. Period.

Negative. The GOP is too damaged. You will see GWB doing a lot of mopping up of messes starting pretty quick. Let's see if he brings Osama in just before the election.

Rick wrote:

weatherman90 wrote:

Rockindeano wrote:The GOP has NO chance at the White House OR Congress next year.

The GOP will keep the WH in 2008. Americans will not elect Hillary Clinton. Period.

Negative. The GOP is too damaged. You will see GWB doing a lot of mopping up of messes starting pretty quick. Let's see if he brings Osama in just before the election.

The GOP has been damaged by idiots like Foley and Craig, but it doesn't change the fact that Hillary simply cannot win enough electoral votes.

weatherman90 wrote:

Rockindeano wrote:The GOP has NO chance at the White House OR Congress next year.

The GOP will keep the WH in 2008. Americans will not elect Hillary Clinton. Period.

Want to bet me your house?

I got news for you. Hillary is your next president, get used to it. Rove, Hannity and Fox News have NO legitamacy left to smear her, try as they might.

Clinton/Edwards or Clinton/Obama is imposing.

weatherman90 wrote:

Rick wrote:

weatherman90 wrote:

Rockindeano wrote:The GOP has NO chance at the White House OR Congress next year.

The GOP will keep the WH in 2008. Americans will not elect Hillary Clinton. Period.

Negative. The GOP is too damaged. You will see GWB doing a lot of mopping up of messes starting pretty quick. Let's see if he brings Osama in just before the election.

The GOP has been damaged by idiots like Foley and Craig, but it doesn't change the fact that Hillary simply cannot win enough electoral votes.

\

Really? I agree that electoral votes is the game, and right now I have her at 290+

weatherman90 wrote:

Rick wrote:

weatherman90 wrote:

Rockindeano wrote:The GOP has NO chance at the White House OR Congress next year.

The GOP will keep the WH in 2008. Americans will not elect Hillary Clinton. Period.

Negative. The GOP is too damaged. You will see GWB doing a lot of mopping up of messes starting pretty quick. Let's see if he brings Osama in just before the election.

The GOP has been damaged by idiots like Foley, Craig and Bush, but it doesn't change the fact that Hillary simply cannot win enough electoral votes.

I did the editing for you.

Rockindeano wrote:

weatherman90 wrote:

Rockindeano wrote:The GOP has NO chance at the White House OR Congress next year.

The GOP will keep the WH in 2008. Americans will not elect Hillary Clinton. Period.

Want to bet me your house?

I got news for you. Hillary is your next president, get used to it. Rove, Hannity and Fox News have NO legitamacy left to smear her, try as they might.

Clinton/Edwards or Clinton/Obama is imposing.

As I said above, Hillary just can't win enough electoral votes - if she faces Giuliani, NY will be a battleground state. Hillary will not gain any of the states won by the GOP in 2004, except maybe New Mexico and Iowa, but that's only a total of 12 electoral votes. OH will be another battleground state, but more focus will be on NY, and Hillary won't be able to take both.

Hillary is a polarizing figure, and she's just not electable.

California
Oregon
Washington
Hawaii
New Mexico
Illinois
Michigan
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
Massachussetts
RI
De
DC
Maine
NH
New York
Vermont
Minnesota
Wisconsin
Maryland

260 or so right there...off my memory.. then these are in play:

Ohio
Florida
Louisiana
Virginia
Colorado
Iowa
Missouri
North Carolina

Game, set, match

weatherman90 wrote:
As I said above, Hillary just can't win enough electoral votes - if she faces Giuliani, NY will be a battleground state. Hillary will not gain any of the states won by the GOP in 2004, except maybe New Mexico and Iowa, but that's only a total of 12 electoral votes. OH will be another battleground state, but more focus will be on NY, and Hillary won't be able to take both.

Hillary is a polarizing figure, and she's just not electable.

First off, learn your history. The Dems won Iowa, and I think she probably won't win Iowa. For every state lost, 2 more are in play due to the GOP fiasco...Colorado, Louisiana(Katrina), Nevada(Reid), and Virginia.

Secondly, she will trounce Guliani in NY. It won't be close. You can only say "9/11" so many times. He is toast. And if Romney(who I like btw) is the nominee, she will smoke him in Mass.....it's over.

NIG, send the 50 to my new address in Dunsmuir, CA. We will have moved there by then , or better yet, come to our wedding instead.

Craig is guilty and it's a good thing that he's stepping down. That's one area that the Repubs have over the Dems. When a Republican screws up like this, they are forced to resign. Dems often hold on to their power and/or get a cushy spot despite their bad behavior.

If you hadn't noticed, I get off on Electoral math and arguing! This shit stirs my blood. Cannot get enough of it.

And for the record, when Shrub lost the popular vote in 2000, and Hillary was in favour of abolishing the EC, I was against it...the EC gives fair and equal representation to the folks of this great country.

Rockindeano wrote:And for the record, when Shrub lost the popular vote in 2000, and Hillary was in favour of abolishing the EC, I was against it...the EC gives fair and equal representation to the folks of this great country.

I'll agree with you there.

Also, while we're at it...Constituationally, Senators are supposed to be appointed positions by the state governments. Instead they are voted in like Representatives.

Rockindeano wrote:

weatherman90 wrote:
As I said above, Hillary just can't win enough electoral votes - if she faces Giuliani, NY will be a battleground state. Hillary will not gain any of the states won by the GOP in 2004, except maybe New Mexico and Iowa, but that's only a total of 12 electoral votes. OH will be another battleground state, but more focus will be on NY, and Hillary won't be able to take both.

Hillary is a polarizing figure, and she's just not electable.

First off, learn your history. The Dems won Iowa, and I think she probably won't win Iowa. For every state lost, 2 more are in play due to the GOP fiasco...Colorado, Louisiana(Katrina), Nevada(Reid), and Virginia.

Secondly, she will trounce Guliani in NY. It won't be close. You can only say "9/11" so many times. He is toast. And if Romney(who I like btw) is the nominee, she will smoke him in Mass.....it's over.

NIG, send the 50 to my new address in Dunsmuir, CA. We will have moved there by then , or better yet, come to our wedding instead.

First, the Dems did not win Iowa in 04. Second, your list is only 257. Hillary will lose Wisconsin - that takes the total down to 247. Hillary is too liberal to attract moderates, so she will lose most of the battleground states that you say are in play.

weatherman90 wrote:

Rockindeano wrote:

weatherman90 wrote:
As I said above, Hillary just can't win enough electoral votes - if she faces Giuliani, NY will be a battleground state. Hillary will not gain any of the states won by the GOP in 2004, except maybe New Mexico and Iowa, but that's only a total of 12 electoral votes. OH will be another battleground state, but more focus will be on NY, and Hillary won't be able to take both.

Hillary is a polarizing figure, and she's just not electable.

First off, learn your history. The Dems won Iowa, and I think she probably won't win Iowa. For every state lost, 2 more are in play due to the GOP fiasco...Colorado, Louisiana(Katrina), Nevada(Reid), and Virginia.

Secondly, she will trounce Guliani in NY. It won't be close. You can only say "9/11" so many times. He is toast. And if Romney(who I like btw) is the nominee, she will smoke him in Mass.....it's over.

NIG, send the 50 to my new address in Dunsmuir, CA. We will have moved there by then , or better yet, come to our wedding instead.

First, the Dems did not win Iowa in 04. Second, your list is only 257. Hillary will lose Wisconsin - that takes the total down to 247. Hillary is too liberal to attract moderates, so she will lose most of the battleground states that you say are in play.

My bad, I was thinking 2000 with regards to Florida. Goddamned I hated Kerry....He is an ass....only a retard could lose that election. Ok, with your thinking, Iowa is a swing state, BUT, then in comes to play, NV, CO, NC, VA, LA and MO...all GOP winners in 2004, but something tells me people are so fed up, that will change.

weatherman90 wrote:

Rockindeano wrote:

weatherman90 wrote:
As I said above, Hillary just can't win enough electoral votes - if she faces Giuliani, NY will be a battleground state. Hillary will not gain any of the states won by the GOP in 2004, except maybe New Mexico and Iowa, but that's only a total of 12 electoral votes. OH will be another battleground state, but more focus will be on NY, and Hillary won't be able to take both.

Hillary is a polarizing figure, and she's just not electable.

First off, learn your history. The Dems won Iowa, and I think she probably won't win Iowa. For every state lost, 2 more are in play due to the GOP fiasco...Colorado, Louisiana(Katrina), Nevada(Reid), and Virginia.

Secondly, she will trounce Guliani in NY. It won't be close. You can only say "9/11" so many times. He is toast. And if Romney(who I like btw) is the nominee, she will smoke him in Mass.....it's over.

NIG, send the 50 to my new address in Dunsmuir, CA. We will have moved there by then , or better yet, come to our wedding instead.

First, the Dems did not win Iowa in 04. Second, your list is only 257. Hillary will lose Wisconsin - that takes the total down to 247. Hillary is too liberal to attract moderates, so she will lose most of the battleground states that you say are in play.

If Bill campaigns for his wife, THAT is a value that you cannot put a price on. I can see it now..Bill, DSpringsteen and mellencamp rockin Wisky...Wiskey goes Blue in 08. Guaranteed.

Rockindeano wrote:If Bill campaigns for his wife, THAT is a value that you cannot put a price on. I can see it now..Bill, DSpringsteen and mellencamp rockin Wisky...Wiskey goes Blue in 08. Guaranteed.

I think, at this point, that Hillary has too many negatives to win in '08. However, I am not much impressed with any of the frontrunners for the Repubs, so I am not holding out too much hope that any of them will be much better than Billary.