Today’s post begins with a fractal called Mambo Magnifico It seemed appropriate since I’ll be commenting on the exploits of Senator Larry Craig of Idaho and David Vitter the senior Senator from Louisiana. Both men have recently found themselves mixed up in sex scandals and I think it’s interesting to see how their respective situations were handled by the Republican Party.
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I don’t know why it took me so long to write anything about the “plight” of Idaho Senator Larry Craig. Mainly I think it’s because I really don’t respect the man: I don’t agree with his politics (he's about as far Right Wing as you can get without being a Nazi) but I found it laughable that a man who was so notoriously against any Gay Rights legislation gets busted for soliciting sex in a men’s restroom at the Minneapolis Airport. I don’t know if he really is gay (but he wouldn‘t be the first self-loathing homosexual who campaigned against gay rights) or if he is a sexual addict needing a quick “fix”. Hey, who knows? Maybe the poor guy was just the victim of a staggering series of unfortunate events. (No, I don’t remotely believe that--but I suppose almost anything is possible.)
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Larry’s story takes a turn for the truly bizarre though when one gets a few extra details: FIRST the incident happened in June but didn’t gain national attention until August. SECOND: Craig pleaded guilty to a reduced charge and paid his fine but never bothered to tell anyone what happened until the story broke. (Maybe it's just me but I think he should have at least metnioned it to his wife.) Once the story broke Craig’s Republican colleagues couldn’t distance themselves from the man fast enough and all but drummed him out of the party. Craig then announced he would step down from his Senator Seat by September 30. He later changed his mind (even though he was getting little support from his fellow Republicans) and decided to go back to court to “retract” his guilty plea. (Not surprisingly a judge told him “NO‘.) Still, Larry plans to appeal claiming he was “coerced" into making the plea and he didn't fully understand what he was agreeing to. (Mind you, this is a man who has been making laws on the national level for over 30 years--and he doesn't understand the legal process??? That's a good one.)
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The funny thing is that should Craig manage to convince a judge to set aside his plea he’ll probably win his case. (“Entrapment” cases seldom stick--especially against the rich and/or famous.) Still, most of his friends in the Republican Party don’t want anything to do with him. They, like every other reasonable individual, just wish he’d go away quietly. Only time will tell.
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But then we have the case of Senator David Vitter: his name showed up in the address book of a notorious Washing DC Madam Debra Jean Palfry and he admitted using her services. Even though prostitution is illegal (whether you provide the service or simply use it.) Vitter (another super moral Republican champion of "Family Values") was not charged. Other than a little public embarrassment the Senior Senator from Louisiana walked away free and clear without even a censure from the Senate Ethics Committee.
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Now--could someone please explain to me how this makes sense? Larry Craig was convicted of a misdemeanor and he looses everything. David Vitter admits to something that could be a crime (but at the very least is in extreme bad taste) but walks away with nary a slap on the wrist. Personally, I think it has a lot to do with the nature of the accusations: when Bill Clinton was President is infidelity was a national crisis but David Vitter’s infidelity is simply a case of “boys will be boys.” Larry Craig has the bad taste to be convicted of something involving another man and most Republicans refuse to accept anything “gay” in any form.
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Is either situation right? In my opinion the answer is an easy and obvious NO. Larry Craig should have been intelligent enough to realize that his actions would have consequences--and said consequences aren’t always good. It’s time he start respecting the law and take his medicine like a big boy. David Vitter needs to be punished as well. He needs to be held accountable by his fellow Republicans. Frankly, I think it’s both funny and sad that Republicans paint themselves as the “moral” and “family values” party but their leadership seems to be above such things. And I think it’s particularly sad that Republicans as a whole don’t hold their leadership accountable.
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I don’t know why it took me so long to write anything about the “plight” of Idaho Senator Larry Craig. Mainly I think it’s because I really don’t respect the man: I don’t agree with his politics (he's about as far Right Wing as you can get without being a Nazi) but I found it laughable that a man who was so notoriously against any Gay Rights legislation gets busted for soliciting sex in a men’s restroom at the Minneapolis Airport. I don’t know if he really is gay (but he wouldn‘t be the first self-loathing homosexual who campaigned against gay rights) or if he is a sexual addict needing a quick “fix”. Hey, who knows? Maybe the poor guy was just the victim of a staggering series of unfortunate events. (No, I don’t remotely believe that--but I suppose almost anything is possible.)
-
Larry’s story takes a turn for the truly bizarre though when one gets a few extra details: FIRST the incident happened in June but didn’t gain national attention until August. SECOND: Craig pleaded guilty to a reduced charge and paid his fine but never bothered to tell anyone what happened until the story broke. (Maybe it's just me but I think he should have at least metnioned it to his wife.) Once the story broke Craig’s Republican colleagues couldn’t distance themselves from the man fast enough and all but drummed him out of the party. Craig then announced he would step down from his Senator Seat by September 30. He later changed his mind (even though he was getting little support from his fellow Republicans) and decided to go back to court to “retract” his guilty plea. (Not surprisingly a judge told him “NO‘.) Still, Larry plans to appeal claiming he was “coerced" into making the plea and he didn't fully understand what he was agreeing to. (Mind you, this is a man who has been making laws on the national level for over 30 years--and he doesn't understand the legal process??? That's a good one.)
-
The funny thing is that should Craig manage to convince a judge to set aside his plea he’ll probably win his case. (“Entrapment” cases seldom stick--especially against the rich and/or famous.) Still, most of his friends in the Republican Party don’t want anything to do with him. They, like every other reasonable individual, just wish he’d go away quietly. Only time will tell.
-
But then we have the case of Senator David Vitter: his name showed up in the address book of a notorious Washing DC Madam Debra Jean Palfry and he admitted using her services. Even though prostitution is illegal (whether you provide the service or simply use it.) Vitter (another super moral Republican champion of "Family Values") was not charged. Other than a little public embarrassment the Senior Senator from Louisiana walked away free and clear without even a censure from the Senate Ethics Committee.
-
Now--could someone please explain to me how this makes sense? Larry Craig was convicted of a misdemeanor and he looses everything. David Vitter admits to something that could be a crime (but at the very least is in extreme bad taste) but walks away with nary a slap on the wrist. Personally, I think it has a lot to do with the nature of the accusations: when Bill Clinton was President is infidelity was a national crisis but David Vitter’s infidelity is simply a case of “boys will be boys.” Larry Craig has the bad taste to be convicted of something involving another man and most Republicans refuse to accept anything “gay” in any form.
-
Is either situation right? In my opinion the answer is an easy and obvious NO. Larry Craig should have been intelligent enough to realize that his actions would have consequences--and said consequences aren’t always good. It’s time he start respecting the law and take his medicine like a big boy. David Vitter needs to be punished as well. He needs to be held accountable by his fellow Republicans. Frankly, I think it’s both funny and sad that Republicans paint themselves as the “moral” and “family values” party but their leadership seems to be above such things. And I think it’s particularly sad that Republicans as a whole don’t hold their leadership accountable.
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