Poll: A Majority Of Idahoans Say Craig Should Resign
This just in: A new poll taken today by SurveyUSA shows that Senator Larry Craig's (R-ID) political standing has apparently taken a massive hit. A majority of Idaho adults, 55%, say the Senator should resign, compared to only 34% who say he should remain in office. And his approval rating is only the same percentage as those who say he should not resign, 34%, compared to 58% disapproval.
By contrast, his fellow Idaho Senator, Mike Crapo (R), enjoys a 61% approval rating, with only 26% disapproval — meaning the Republican brand is not damaged in Idaho, just the Larry Craig brand.
Of course, it's worth keeping in mind that Craig cannot be recalled. A poll cannot make him resign — only he can make that decision. So short of any hypothetical decision by the Senate to expel him, he can stay right where he is for now. But if he was thinking about running for re-election in 2008, this can't be encouraging.
The poll also tested the favorable/unfavorable/neutral ratings of potential Republican appointees to the seat: Lt. Governor Jim Risch, 26%-17%-32%; Congressman Mike Simpson, 40%-19%-25%; and former Governor Dirk Kempthorne, now serving as U.S. Secretary of the Interior, 46%-33%-17%. In addition, former Democratic Congressman Larry LaRocco, currently running for Craig's Senate seat in 2008, is at 22%-21%-33%.
Comments (22)
frankly0 wrote on August 29, 2007 12:13 AM:What I find interesting is how the Senate itself is going to deal with this.
While the Republicans in the Senate are probably going to go after his hide, what punishment can they possibly exact? The offense was a misdemeanor, and a rather questionable one at that. It's actually pretty difficult to make it into any kind of sizable offense standing by itself -- it's really only the hypocrisy that's a deep problem. What are the Republicans going to do, propose that he be punished because he is a hypocrite? Who among them will be left?
jimBOB wrote on August 29, 2007 1:54 AM:I imagine the Senate could try to expel him based on some sort of "moral turpitude" grounds; the notion that a sitting U.S. Senator would go trolling bathrooms for sex conflicts pretty strongly with the Senate's fusty notions of its own prestige and dignity, etc.
nutrio wrote on August 29, 2007 2:45 AM:
This isn't going to go away for Craig. He sort of in his political death throes by stating all sort of things in a bunch of verbal contortions. The worst part for him is that he has drawn a line stating he isn't gay. If there are other arrest reports (but no convictions) showing him cruising public restrooms anywhere, but my guess mainly in Washington DC, the Senate will expel him. The Senate Ethics Committee is going to investigate, and they probably can get his FBI file, his National Guard Service Record, etc. If he is hiding anything it will come out. He needs to think if he should fight this.
He also has to understand what has upset people so much isn't the incident, but his lack of telling his party leadership, his constituents and the Senate Ethics Committee. The Senate Republicans have already refuse to circle wagons to protect him from political flak. They would have protected him, if he told right after he was arrested.
By far Senator Craig has only himself to blame for his imbroglio. He will have to resign if there are any other thorough verified accounts of him cruising in public restrooms, if there are arrest reports, he will be expelled.
The poll at least will show Craig can't run for re-election...
elrapierwit wrote on August 29, 2007 5:34 AM:I think Senator Craig is not gay. Gay is a lifestyle identity statement. Lots of men have sex with men and do not live a gay lifestyle. That is why being gay is a choice. Afterall, individuals can engage in homosexual acts without being gay.
There are individuals who have sex with men and vehemently denounce being gay. The CDC had to change their questionairre to do you have sex with men or do you sleep with men as so many men denounce being gay who are HIV positive.
So, there is an entire category of men who sleep with men but do not live a gay lifestyle. That is how they are, which is why many people understand that being gay is a choice. Whereas gay advocates will insist the person is in denial. I think not. I think sex is something you do and these men recognize that. They choose not to make their sexual behavior an identity. They choose to be individuals who have sex with men and live life with families and marriages.
To me it sounds like Craig is not gay, he likes having sex with men. What I found peculiar is why he chooses to get BJ's in bathrooms, what is the difference between a BJ from a man or woman?. Mouths are genderless. Do you think this is a case of a man who has a wife who doesn't give BJ's and it is cheaper and less risky to get a BJ from a male in a bathroom than a female prostitute?
Bill Clinton got a BJ from a woman and Craig got a BJ from a man...is this a crime? Is it just that it was in a public bathroom and not the oval office that makes it a crime?
jimBOB wrote on August 29, 2007 6:03 AM:Afterall, individuals can engage in homosexual acts without being gay.
The percentage of the general public who would accept this as a valid distinction probably numbers in the lower single digits. If Craig was cruising for gay sex, then statements that he's "not gay" will be seen as lies by huge majorities, both of the public and, more importantly, of the membership of the Senate itself.
Is it just that it was in a public bathroom and not the oval office that makes it a crime?
Yes. Having sex in a public area is "lewd conduct" and is a chargeable crime in many places. This is true whether the sex is heterosexual or homosexual.
elrapierwit wrote on August 29, 2007 6:15 AM:The general public is so uninformed that they do not know there are droves of them that engage in anal sex with their female partners and are thus unable to make such distinction?
jimBOB wrote on August 29, 2007 6:52 AM:
Anal sex with an opposite-gender partner is not homosexual sex. What makes a sex act homo- or heterosexual is the gender of the participants, not the specific act.
gonzone wrote on August 29, 2007 8:30 AM:"I would like to thank you all for coming out today." - Craig's opening sentence
This guy is pure entertainment.
Shorter Craig:
"I'm not gay, I just like to suck cocks."
shortstop wrote on August 29, 2007 9:03 AM:The percentage of the general public who would accept this as a valid distinction probably numbers in the lower single digits.
Sure, but I suspect Craig can be found in that group. Watching his statement yesterday, I was struck by how much he seemed to really believe it and feel genuine outrage when he repeatedly insisted he's not gay. He's clearly gone through the "I'm married; I have three kids; I can't be gay" thing in his own mind. Despite his creds as a Real Hetero, there's just this pesky disconnect that keeps compelling him to get it on with other men, to his everlasting sense of shame.
No one can be a Republican these days without engaging in major head-in-sand action, but Craig appears to be taking it to a new level.
oddjob wrote on August 29, 2007 10:03 AM:what is the difference between a BJ from a man or woman?. Mouths are genderless.
It isn't about the mouth. Sex is about so much more then the stimulation of the correct nerves in the genitalia.
It's about all that other stuff, largely emotional. Some people simply don't find sexual actions with the other gender particularly satisfying or fulfilling. They may achieve orgasm, but they don't find the orgasm emotionally satisfying in the way they do when the partner is of the same gender.
That's the difference.
In an ABC News report, then US House Rep. Larry Craig issues a preemptive denial regarding any involvement in a congressional sex and drug scandal...in1982
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RntWGPEjoo
Rep. Barney Frank and Bill Maher talk about Larry Craig, Barney's gaydar and gay hypocrites in the GOP
Added: October 20, 2006
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlyJmhwa1c0
Whether the Senator is gay or not (he's so gay) th e issue is that he was arrested and plead guilty to a crime.
What I find curious is that I assume he plead guilty under oath, and his sentence was predicated on his plea, which is usually stressed to be complete and without reservation. Wouldn't his public denials of his guilt be of interest to his prosecutor and his judge?
His potential gayness and behavior is only relevant considering his politics and votes, and considering his politics and his voting record, I'd say his behavior is quite newsworthy because of his hypocrisy and that should be the focus of the media, not his sexual preferences.
IloveDemsNReps wrote on August 29, 2007 11:01 AM:I feel sorry for Senator Craig. This has to be the worst thing to happen to him. I feel sorry for his family, especially his wife.
jeffgee wrote on August 29, 2007 11:10 AM:Larry's walks on the wild side-
Larry came from out on the Ida'
In the bathroom he was ev'rybody's darlin'
(With apologies to Lou Reed)
Tejano wrote on August 29, 2007 11:44 AM:
Seem to me that bashing Sen. Craig for being a hypocrite is too soft a target. Anybody who's looking for models to follow into becoming a truly great hypocrite, look no further than the US Congress. You'll find hundreds of 'em.
Craig's an idiot for pleading guilty without seeking legal counsel. Bottom line: if it's a legal matter, get a lawyer, that simple. He didn't, so he's screwed, guilty or not.
(And, no, I'm not an attorney!)
bob wrote on August 29, 2007 12:35 PM:The Dems should really go to the American people in 2008 with the argument that the Democrats are the party of normal working people and the Republicans are the party of weird hypocritical sex addicts.
That will break the remaining cultural chains that are all that bind so many people to the GOP. Most Republican voters aren't going to want to associate themselves with the Pervert Party.
(Yes, I suppose it's a bit risky if bad news comes out about any Dem politicians, although it would seemingly incentivize good behavior.)
Official A wrote on August 29, 2007 1:12 PM:I wonder: what does Ann Coulter have to say about all of this, (s)he of fag-descration fame?
Don Simms wrote on August 29, 2007 2:30 PM:Ask Ted Kennedy, being caught with a dead woman is not as bad as being caught with a live boy
Alex wrote on August 29, 2007 3:58 PM:While Sen. Craig may be a hypocrite he should not resign. He did something stupid but this is hardly a felon and elected officials are people also.
Gee he tried to get sex consensual in the bathroom and for this he should resign?
David Vitter hired prostitutes I don’t see any major people calling for his resignation.
The only reason people are asking him to resign is because it was for gay sex had he tired to get a woman they would not be. Asking him to resign is based in hating gay people.
@ Alex, since I am neither a republican nor one of his constituents, I don't care whether he resigns or not.
HOWEVER he did commit a crime, was arrested, charged and plead guilty to it.
The crime he is charged with paints him a giant hypocrite. This would fall under 'human' if he were not a politician who has consistently campaigned for family values and whose voting record is discriminatory to homosexuals.
He is not just a human. He is a human who has the power to affect the lives of millions because he writes laws. I think that that should qualify for holding him to a higher standard.
AND I've been making this point ever since his press conference and FINALLY someone's picking up on it, if he plead guilty just to 'put it behind' him, but really believed he was innocent of any crime, then he also committed perjury. http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/08/29/cnns-jeffrey-toobin-did-senator-craig-commit-perjury-in-minnesota/
So Alex, I think I've outlined a good case for people to want the senator to resign and you'll note I did not need to point out that this U.S. Senator likes to have sex in public bathrooms.
The more I read about this Craig story, the less I think he is a hypocrite.
Craig's personal sex life should not be the basis to frame as a hypocrite because he votes against gay marriage.
Craig represents a constituency in Idaho and that is the political platform he campaign on and was elected to represent...no matter what his personal views may be, he is elected to represent the state of ID and a majority of those voters opposed gay marriage.
Craig should be left alone.
whatever wrote on August 29, 2007 9:40 PM:If a gay man has occasional sex with a woman outside of his domestic partnership, does that make him straight? No. So why can't a straight man not have occasional sex with a man and not be gay? Guys like to hunt, fish, and do everything else together. Most men are gay, they just don't know it or forego the sex part...
