It was just earlier this month that Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) was defending Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) from FBI tactics that Craig called “a bit Gestapo-like.” (Too bad Stevens can’t return the favor.) Here’s the full quote, as reported by The Politico:
“I think some people say, ‘Ah, but for the grace of God go I.’ Especially when you have the allegations, you have the judicial segment of our government, the executive branch, out raiding the homes of senators, that is a very frightening proposition. It is a bit Gestapo-like in its style and tactics … When the FBI was offered a key and invited into the home, they chose publicize it to make sure the media was there first, and they broke in. That is gamesmanship. That makes senators very, very angry when they attempt to cooperate when for reason they are caught in these webs and yet they are denied that for the sake of the judiciaryâs publicity. That is wrong.ââ
“Caught in these webs”?
We posted on Craig’s comments at the time, but they take on a whole new flavor now, don’t they?
[Great catch by TPM intern Will Thomas.]
Signaling a major change in negotiation strategy, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says his demands for a firm commencement date for troop withdrawals from Iraq this coming spring has become an “obstacle” and that he is willing to compromise with Republicans on the issue.
Late Update: Reid’s spokesman responds to our query about his remarks, leaving little doubt that he’s open to the possibility of funding the war this fall without withdrawal timelines. —gs
This story in this morning’s Post about Green Zone authorities putting out ‘tip sheets’ about visiting Democratic lawmakers that read like they were written by the RNC is a really big deal. It’s all par for the course for this administration, how they’ve politicized every branch of the government and every agency, eroding democratic institutions in American while they pretended to build them in Iraq. In fact, from the start the White House tried to stock the Green Zone and the US occupation authority with GOP operatives. But I thought that had changed a little. This latest incident, though, should trigger a number of forced retirements and resignations.
I’ll still stick to the point that the real news of significance for our democracy are the oppo research sheets Green Zone authorities are circulating about visiting Democratic lawmakers. But this is a pretty choice moment too …
But even such tight control could not always filter out the bizarre world inside the barricades. At one point, the three were trying to discuss the state of Iraqi security forces with Iraq’s national security adviser, Mowaffak al-Rubaie, but the large, flat-panel television set facing the official proved to be a distraction. Rubaie was watching children’s cartoons.
When Moran asked him to turn it off, Rubaie protested with a laugh and said, “But this is my favorite television show,” Moran recalled.
Porter confirmed the incident, although he tried to paint the scene in the best light, noting that at least they had electricity.
“I don’t disagree it was an odd moment, but I did take a deep breath and say, ‘Wait a minute, at least they are using the latest technology, and they are monitoring the world,’ ” Porter said. “But, yes, it was pretty annoying.”
Best technology, monitoring the world. I guess at this point we’re just living in a Waiting for Guffman movie or Best in Show.
Freed from the need to keep his silence, Karl Rove has written a piece on the Bush presidency. Verdict: Best president ever.
I believe history will provide a more clear-eyed verdict on this presidentâs leadership than the anger of current critics would suggest.
President Bush will be viewed as a far-sighted leader who confronted the key test of the 21st century.
He will be judged as a man of moral clarity who put America on wartime footing in the dangerous struggle against radical Islamic terrorism.
Tom Tancredo calls for an end to federal aid for Katrina survivors, says that it’s “time the taxpayer gravy train left the New Orleans station.” That and other political news of the day in today’s Happy Hour Roundup.
The battle to see which Republican presidential candidate can appoint people to key positions just before they are exposed in career-ending personal transgressions or criminal acts, or both, just keeps chugging along. Tonight, former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani tries to get back in the game. But after Mitt Romney’s success with Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID), it’s just hard for the others to compete.
The thin gruel Giuliani’s come back with looks like a sign of how Romney now dominates the contest.
Tonight, Barry S. Edward, organizer of Rudy’s Reagan Day Dinner fundraiser in Pinellas County, stepped down from his position after his criminal record of extorting sex and trafficking in stolen state computers was revealed.
Edwards called the 1998 arrests “old news”, but decided to step down because “I’m not relevant and I shouldn’t be the story.”
Explaining the incidents, the Miami Herald writes …
The two criminal incidents involving Edwards were unrelated, and occurred within months of each other in 1998.
According to a Florida State University arrest affidavit: Edwards was first charged after a 19-year-old FSU political science intern claimed Edwards, then an adjunct professor, plied him with beers, trolled briefly for prostitutes, watched ”heterosexual” pornography and then exhorted him to masturbate in a game.
The intern said Edwards threatened him with bad grades if he didn’t ”get into it.” He declined to press charges. Edwards said the claims were ”lies” but he didn’t ”want to revisit it.” Edwards was fired from FSU.
Shortly after his extortion arrest, state Capitol police then arrested Edwards on charges of theft, burglary and dealing with stolen property after the cops said he stole at least $10,000 worth of computer equipment from offices of the Florida Legislature.
The student later decided not to press charges and Edwards was allowed to plead ‘no contest’ in the computers case.
It’s always good to seek out the larger lesson behind a political scandal. So in this case, it seems to be, If you’re a Republican and you want to misbehave sexually, make sure it’s with a chick.
Late Update: Also, make sure you’ve got a Democratic governor.
When Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) was arrested, his first instinct was to blame the police for trying to “entrap” him. When Craig held a press conference this week to defend himself, his second instinct was to blame The Idaho Statesman for causing him undue stress.
Ezra poses a hypothetical that I’ve been pondering the past few days: what if, instead of lashing out, Craig’s crisis-management strategy had simply been based on the truth?
What would happen if Larry Craig came out as a gay man, apologized for his tortured life in the closet and the unseemly things his personal conflicts made him do, and then said that, nevertheless, he’d always been a good and dedicated senator to the people of Idaho, and he meant to retain his seat and keep fighting for the upward redistribution and failed wars (or whatever) that first turned him onto public service?
He might lose the next election, of course. But maybe he wouldn’t. And maybe he’d tap into an unexpected wellspring of libertarian attitudes and relative tolerance. Why not try?
To be sure, this approach has far more merit than, say, the wide-stance strategy, but in this case, I’m hard pressed to see how it would have helped. Indeed, absurd rationalizing probably made matters worse, but I suspect the truth would have led Craig to resign anyway.
For one thing, he pleaded guilty, which effectively sealed his fate. For another, Craig may still be in denial about his sexual orientation, and probably isn’t anywhere close to being able to come out of the closet.
Moreover, as unfortunate as this may be, homophobia is still a major problem in today’s Republican Party. Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) gets caught up in a prostitution scandal, and the party establishment says it’s “unfortunate.” Craig gets caught up in a gay-sex scandal, and the GOP leadership calls it “unforgivable.” As Josh put it, “If you’re a Republican and you want to misbehave sexually, make sure it’s with a chick.”
As for Ezra’s point that Craig could point out how reliable he’s been on “fighting for the upward redistribution and failed wars,” but that leads to Craig’s other problem: he’s from Idaho, where a conservative governor can appoint a conservative replacement to advance the same conservative agenda.
With that, I might add one small caveat to Josh’s maxim: If you’re a Republican and you want to misbehave sexually, make sure you come from a state with a Democratic governor.