Sen. Larry Craig and Double Standards

Idaho's Sen. Larry Craig is a Republican. That's the problem.

He pleaded guilty on charges of lewd conduct in a men's restroom at the airport in Minneapolis.

Read more.

Whenever a Republican is involved in something like this, the Left gets giddy.

It's as if ALL Republicans, especially conservative Republicans, are expected to be saints. If a Republican official falls short, Leftists are the first to cast stones.

I'm in no way condoning Craig's behavior.

But let's be fair.

There are perverts to the Left and perverts to the Right.

Rather than condemning Craig, shouldn't the Left invite Craig to join its ranks, ask him to get under its Big Tent where such indiscretions are celebrated or at least readily forgiven?

Complicating matters in Craig's case was his association with Mitt Romney's campaign.

Already Craig has stepped down from a prominent role with Mitt Romney's presidential campaign. He had been one of Romney's top Senate supporters, serving as a Senate liaison for the campaign since February.

"He did not want to be a distraction and we accept his decision," said Matt Rhoades, a Romney campaign spokesman.

This bugs me:

A political science professor in Idaho said Craig's political future was in jeopardy. And a spokesman for the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, Hannah August, said Craig's guilty plea "has given Americans another reason not to vote Republican" next year.

The married Craig, 62, has faced rumors about his sexuality since the 1980s, but allegations that he has engaged in gay sex have never been substantiated. Craig has denied the assertions, which he calls ridiculous.

The arrest changes that dynamic, said Jasper LiCalzi, a political science professor at Albertson College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho. He cited the House page scandal that drove Florida Rep. Mark Foley from office.

"There's a chance that he'll resign over this," LiCalzi said. "With the pressure on the Republican Party, he could be pressured to resign. If they think this is going to be something that's the same as Mark Foley — the sort of 'drip, drip, drip, there's more information that's going to come out' — they may try to push him out."

A scandal that involves a Republican is framed as a career breaker.

When Democrats behave in a lewd and lascivious manner, the libs circle the wagons and cite their rights to privacy.

Case in point: Former President Bill Clinton.

He finally admits to "being serviced" by Monica Lewinsky, after months of denials. Without the DNA evidence, Clinton would have continued to lie. Maybe the brilliant Hillary would still be claiming to be in the dark on that one.

Does the name Juanita Broaddrick ring a bell?

There have been so many other Dems embroiled in scandal. So many are met with endless excuses and abundant compassion.

Barney Frank's romp with male hooker Steve Gobie and the prostitution ring that he ran out of Frank's apartment was forgiven.

Speaking of prostitution, I'd still like to know more about Bill Broydrick and his D.C. Madame connection. More info please.

Then there's Gerry Studds. He was hailed as courageous for having a homosexual relationship with a 17-year-old page! He became a role model!

The double standard is frustrating.

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Read Charles Krauthammer's "Sex Scandals and Double Standards."