Larry Craig's pathetic plea that he is not gay (and never was) might comfort homophobes, but it was a performance not worthy of a U.S. senator.
The Idaho Republican has a lot of explaining to do, and he's not doing it very well. The conservative three-term senator pleaded guilty Aug. 8 to disorderly conduct for his actions in a men's restroom at the Minneapolis airport.
An undercover officer investigating complaints of lewd bathroom behavior said Craig occupied a stall next to the officer and signaled his desire for sex, tapping his foot and gesturing with his hand beneath the stall divider. Craig was fingerprinted, photographed and sent on his way to Washington, where he has been a consistent vote against gay-rights legislation.
The married senator, 62, paid a fine after pleading guilty. But now that word of his guilty plea has gotten out, Craig professes disappointment with himself for pleading guilty in haste without the advice of counsel.
In trying to explain his behavior, Craig sought the warm embrace of others who detest gays.
"Let me be clear - I am not gay and never have been," he said. (Just to clarify that he'd also never been the subject of some sort of gay "intervention.")
His denial came too late for his Senate Republican colleagues, who reacted swiftly to the report of a possible homosexual in their midst.
Senate GOP leaders initiated an ethics investigation. Their action is merited because Craig pleaded guilty to a crime. But one wonders why serious allegations against others in their ranks have not so far generated the same prompt attention.
Sen. Ted Stevens (R., Alaska), whose home was raided by the FBI in a corruption probe, still enjoys his seat on the powerful Appropriations Committee and faces no apparent Senate scrutiny.
Sen. David Vitter (R., La.), who admitted consorting with prostitutes, also has yet to face an ethics investigation.
In the House, several veteran GOP lawmakers are retiring. In the Senate, they are self-imploding.
Craig apologized the other day for "the cloud placed over Idaho." He got it wrong. The only thing clouded is his own judgment.
