Jiminy! Another gay Republican(UPDATE 5:30PM: A concerned reader just informed us that you can see Craig's creepy mug shot, along with a photo of the pretty yummy decoy cop here. No fair if the cops are that cute!)
Except that I’m completely against them, I have nothing against gay Republicans: we’re all driven by the engines of hypocrisy in one form or other – and accepting yourself is a lifelong journey, incredibly difficult for some. We are everywhere, darnit. (For a great history of closeted Republicans, click here.) So I didn’t jump to posting about the Larry Craig scandal until I got a few facts, er, straight – like his heinous record of voting against equal rights (looks like, for once, Perez freaking Hilton did his homework, and there’s a solid little encapsulation here. You can look up Larry Craig’s individual Senate votes here.) Plus, I was awfully busy celebrating Alberto Gonzales's resignation. Not even this could take that away from me.
"Wide stance."
I also wanted to read the giant expose that the Idaho Statesman was hyping today. Even though Roll Call broke the story of the three-term senator from Idaho who had been arrested for cruising the bathrooms of a Minnesota airport, the Statesman had been investigating allegations of Craig’s homosexuality for months – and there are portions of a revealing interview with the Senator (and, alas, his poor wife) included, where the Senator actually keeps saying “Jiminy!” A LOT.
The allegations were first raised by self-proclaimed non-partisan gay interest blog, Blogactive (there’s a very intriguing little YouTube history of Craig’s knee-jerk reactions to his fear of being implicated in the 1982 sex-and-drugs Congressional page scandals on the site.)
First of all, I hate the fact that the Senator was basically, though apparently legally, entrapped in a restroom sting by the local police at the airport. Don’t the police have better things to do at airports? Hello, Homeland Security.
An aside: There have been many commentators and commentors on the story who’ve been aghast that gay people still have sex in restrooms – these people obviously have no idea of gay history (restrooms used to be one of the only places available for gay people to sexually congregate – we used to be illegal, you know – and rest rooms, along with parks and back alleys, are still the cruising spots of choice for closeted people who don’t want to be caught in the strobe-lit glare of most gay bars. And need I mention “Mile High Club” to you straights out there? Yes, it’s naughty and fun. Disclaimer: it’s still illegal, goddamit.)
But hey, the guy pled guilty (he even allegedly flashed his Senate badge and said “What do you think of that!”) – although now he says his guilty plea was a mistake and the officer “misconstrued” his “wide stance” at the toilet for a come-on. (Come on!!!)
I also hate that people keep comparing this case with that of Mark Foley. Cruising restrooms for anonymous sex is nowhere near on par with pressuring underage kids in your employ to do it with you. Nor was there any meth or prostitution involved, as in Ted Haggard. Plus, there is actually a difference between men who have sex with men and gay people (I mean, have you seen how this guy dresses? HORRIFYINGLY not-gay.)
This is just a sad and sorry, sorry, sorry case of another hypocritical self-loather, caught up between his soul-crushing ambitions -- Idaho? Shoot higher, lady, if you’re gonna go through this – and his to-him shameful libido. Too bad he did so much to pull the rest of us down with him. And his wife is probably wrecked. But, as they say, the truth will “out.” Now we eagerly await the upbeat resignation-rehab-Jesus follow-up mode ….
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Comments (2)
What is it about the Republican Party that is so anti gay??? I mean...it is no secret that the religious right wing of America loves to mix religion with politics and infiltrated the republican party so that Republicans could claim to be paragons of virtue, legislate morality and claim to be God's political party.
But I swear...when I saw the footage of Senator Craig on CNN claiming over and over that he was not gay, I almost thought I was watching an episode of South Park. I thought that this was the voice actor for Mr., now Miss Garrison. I was waiting to hear him follow his denial statements with something outrageous like, "the republican party is God's party & God hates fags & I cannot be gay because I am a republican".
Most Republicans have inner demons in thier closets that easily out weigh any of their self righteous complaints and ideological causes against democrats. I'm just curious what inner demons Mann Coulter works feveroushly to keep hidden in her hate mongering, self righteous, jingoisted closet. What ever it is, I'm sure that it is very angry for being locked up in a right wing extremist as ugly as Mann Coulter.
The problem with the Mann Coulters and Senator Craigs (republicans) of the world is the fact that they usually cannot find anything filthier then their own personal reflection. The only way that they can stand out and make a living is to live a lie and try to seem like something they are not. And when thats not enough...no problem, they just make up all kinds of malicious lies about democrats and others who do not adhere to their skewed views of reality. Eventually, they always come out and when they do...look out. Let the self loathing begin!
Posted by Demetri | August 29, 2007 05:25 PM
I am really really surprised sensible gay and lesbian people are not registering in DROVES to get Dr. Ron Paul elected in the primaries. Since about 10% of the population is gay, and about 20% (if that) vote in the primaries, if the REST of you registered and voted you'd be about 31% of the vote. Seems like you'd WANT a man who states he wants NO laws against gays or lesbians and wants the state OUT of the business of granting marriage certificates. No politician can do anything about CHURCHES, but they can certainly make changes that affect your LEGAL status. Further, Dr. Paul has voted that way for 20 years - even when it was VERY unpopular to do so. What, you can't vote for him because he's not gay? You should all go to http://www.RonPaul2008.com and http://factcheck.org and read his platform for yourself. YOU could be the person that changes the world to accept you. If you don't REGISTER TO VOTE AND VOTE IN THE PRIMARIES NOW, don't blame me. I DID my part.
Posted by Louis Nardozi | December 10, 2007 05:09 PM