How many bad decisions can one man make? The flow of head-scratching blunders kept up when the legislator declared that he might not resign from the Senate after all. As an interviewee on FOX News said last weekend, Craig might be “the dumbest smart man in Washington.” With this latest announcement, Craig has removed all doubt about his intelligence.
Using a scorecard to keep track, my latest tally contains seven lapses in judgment by the Senator. First, he didn’t vigorously refute the repeated allegations and insinuations by the Idaho Statesman that he is gay, imputations reaching back the better part of a year. By not quashing the suggestions forcefully and immediately, Craig left himself vulnerable to further attack. Indeed, the lingering charges were at least a contributing factor in the Senator’s decision to plead guilty in a vain attempt to hide whatever happened in that airport restroom.
Second, when confronted by the undercover officer, Senator Craig’s reaction was not the expected “what the heck are you talking about, you are out of your blooming mind, not in a thousands years, pal” refutation an innocent man would utter. Accuse me of homosexual solicitation and, badge or no badge, I’d raise a ruckus. As the Senator no doubt knows, in this society an accusation is taken by many a proof of guilt. That calls for immediate, unrelenting, and vitriolic denial. My apologies to gays everywhere, but the stakes are simply too high for a hetero man, accused of what Craig was, to do anything but scream disavowal. What Craig did – handing the officer his business card and saying “What do you think about that?” and arguing over whether feet actually touched and which of the Senator’s hands protruded into the officer’s stall – is simply too weak to communicate innocence.
Third, pleading guilty to anything communicates just one thing: guilt. Craig’s sole believable claim is that he didn’t seek advice of counsel.
Fourth, by not telling his family of the event, Craig cast more doubt on his innocence. At least his wife had the right to know what the entire family might be in for, the badgering, embarrassment, and condemnation now so richly poured out, affecting the entire clan.
Fifth, once the arrest became public knowledge, Craig was out of good options. Nevertheless, his initial excuses for attempting to hide the truth – essentially “the evil newspaper made me do it” – rang hollow and evasive. Stridently asserting he would seek to remove the guilty plea only added sulfur to a very smelly mess.
Sixth, resigning from the Senate, no matter what amount of pressure his Republican colleagues were heaping on him, again conveys only one thing: guilt. An innocent man would stay and fight.
Seventh, now Senator Craig is hinting he may not resign, ostensibly as a result of some tepid support from Senator Arlen Spector and Idaho Republicans.
At this point, with the accumulation of six boneheaded decisions under his belt, the Senator’s effort to clear his name is Quixotic at best. It’s a done deal Senator. You did it. You will be forever linked to Vitter and Foley. That’s harsh, but it’s the truth. The best thing you can do now is go away and stay away. Adieu.
Posted by Jerry Pomeroy in Politics