Larry Craig's Resignation: Live Thread

By Jeralyn, Section Other Politics
Posted on Sat Sep 01, 2007 at 10:57:59 AM EST
Tags: Larry Craig (all tags)

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Update: Transcript is here while Crooks and Liars has the video.

Update: 12:30 pm. He's walking to the podium, his wife and family are with him. The Governor is present too.

First and foremost, let me thank my family for being with me (family claps loudly.) For any public official to be standing with Larry Craig at this point in time is a humbling experience.

He's grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Idaho. He's proud of his record and accomplishments. He chose to serve because he loves Idaho.

To Idahoans, his staff and family: I apologize for what I have caused. I'm deeply sorry. I have little control over what people choose to believe.

To pursue my legal options as I continue to serve Idaho would be too distracting. There are many challenges facing Idaho now and the people deserve someone who can devote 100%.

With sadness and deep regret I will resign Sept. 30th. (Big cheers.) He hopes to allow a smooth and orderly transition of his staff.

I apologize for being unable to serve out a term to which I have been elected.

He and his wife are humbled by the tremendous outpouring of support he's received from everyone (lists different groups of people.)

More...

It's over. Apparently, the Governor was there as a sign of support for Craig, not to name his replacement. The cheers are being interpreted as mostly coming from his supporters who were trying to drown out the few jeers of protesters.

Original Thread

At 12:30 pm ET, Sen. Larry Craig will announce his resignation. I suspect it will be a short speech, about as unrevealing as that of Alberto Gonzales. I'll be live-blogging and if you're online, I hope you'll add your thoughts in the comments.

More and more I am appalled by both the Republican reaction to Mr. Craig's predicament and the media sensationalism of it. Gay-bashing is at the heart of it. It's just another sign that Republican homophobes in Congress wield way too much power.

That the Craig story became so big it knocked Alberto Gonzales' resignation, the Iraq War and the FISA rewrite off the news is astonishing. Craig is so unimportant by comparison. Yet the media treated it like its latest missing white girl story, 24/7 front and center for days.

What we can take from this is that sex and guilt sell in America while corruption and abuse of power does not. That's not just the media's fault, it goes by ratings. So long as that is what Americans will tune in to watch, that's what they will feed us.

So Larry Craig is off to become a footnote in history, driven from office by rabid Republicans who refuse to accept that one of their own can be bi-sexual or gay. That's pathetic.

I'll be back soon to live-blog the speech.

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Larry Craig's Resignation: Live Thread | 8 comments (8 topical)

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What Craig, Sean Hannity (none / 0) (#1)
by jondee on Sat Sep 01, 2007 at 11:36:40 AM EST

( and his spokesperson here), Ralph Reed and the Elders of Mormon do behind closed, locked, blocked, public rest room doors, is, of course, entirely their business. Seen in this context though, the advice from some of those on the Right for the Left to buy "prayer rugs" ( available in cornflower blue and fushia from Gannon & Rove Outfitters), makes more sense than it did before.

If you delete "public," I agree w/your (none / 0) (#2)
by oculus on Sat Sep 01, 2007 at 02:05:05 PM EST

first sentence. As to the rest of the comment, huh?

[ Parent ]

ocukus - It is easy to understand.... (none / 0) (#3)
by jimakaPPJ on Sat Sep 01, 2007 at 03:32:26 PM EST

What Jondee is doing is again claiming that Christians (Ralph Reed), Mormons and radical Moslems are the moral equals of each other. I say this because I am one who has reminded him that if the radical Moslems are allowed to impose their beliefs on him, he would need to purchase a prayer rug to keep them for happily beheading him for any disrespect they felt he had exhibited to their "religion" and the various things they believe in.

I know it sounds nutty, but there it is.

[ Parent ]

: Only Jim aka: God (5.00 / 0) (#8)
by jondee on Wed Sep 05, 2007 at 12:46:37 PM EST

seems to always have a firm grasp on who is the exact "moral equivalence" of who.
Yet he dosnt believe morality transcends nationality. Go figure.

[ Parent ]
: the topic here (none / 0) (#4)
by Jeralyn on Sat Sep 01, 2007 at 04:58:29 PM EST

is Sen. Larry Craig. Please don't hijack the thread. Further comments along this vein will be deleted. There's an open thread today, please discuss other topics there.

[ Parent ]

Personally (none / 0) (#5)
by Nowonmai on Sat Sep 01, 2007 at 05:25:45 PM EST

I could care less who or what any particular adult wants to spend his/her private time with, as it's none of my damned business. But I do feel this was so blown out of proportion.

Foot tapping? Won't be listening to my mp3 player in a public area again.

Lifting toes of foot? Praying I don't get a foot cramp again!

Leave my bag/suitcase outside the stall from now on, even if it gets stolen every time.

While I do agree that hypocrisy and homophobia run rampant in the GOP, there are more important things to be focusing on than Craig and his hypocritical verbal gay bashing after pleading guilty. Too bad the media loves sensationalism rather than news.

My husband is grumpy today (none / 0) (#6)
by Militarytracy on Sat Sep 01, 2007 at 08:07:20 PM EST

he has been working twelve and thirteen hour days this whole past week. He is teaching his regular schedule but he has also volunteered upon request other hours working with a private firm that is responsible for designing new battle techniques and strategies. I suppose it is the "war" mode he has been playing at this past week but he wanted to know the news and I filled him on this. He then wanted to know why every Republican congressperson felt they had to leave office if they get in some sort of gay scandal. If the Republican party stops supporting you and requests you leave then you need to change party affiliation to someone who doesn't care if you have gay tendencies, like maybe the Democrats ;) All's fair in love and war ;)

: Imagine that Craig a Democrat. (5.00 / 1) (#7)
by JSN on Sat Sep 01, 2007 at 11:00:28 PM EST

It will be interesting to see the editorial cartoons if that happens.

[ Parent ]