WaterClosetGate Update: Republicans Eating Their Own

Jump to Comments

A collection of CNN snippets over the evolution of the Larry Craig WaterClosetGate scandal reveals a state of confusion as Republicans struggle with the desire to eat one another alive. He should resign! He should fight! He’s a disgrace! He’s been framed! Craig is bad but Vitter is worse! No, Craig is worse than Vitter! And up is down, and down is up, and the carousel goes round and round…

‘Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Friday called Craig’s conduct “unforgivable” and acknowledged that many in his caucus believe Craig should resign.’

‘Sen. John McCain, a GOP presidential candidate, has called Craig’s case “disgraceful.” Another Republican senator, Norm Coleman of Minnesota, has said Craig pleaded guilty to “a crime involving conduct unbecoming a senator.”‘

‘The White House also has voiced its displeasure over the scandal.’

‘In his first comments about the situation, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid strongly suggested Republican leaders judged the Idaho senator, who was arrested in a homosexual sex sting, more harshly than Sen. David Vitter, R-Louisiana, whose phone number was recently linked to a heterosexual prostitution service.’

‘”Everyone can see what they did with Vitter and what they did with Craig and draw their own conclusion,” Reid told CNN when asked if GOP leaders had employed a “double standard.”‘

‘But Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell disputed that notion, telling reporters there is a “substantial difference” between the Vitter matter which took place before Vitter was in the Senate and the Craig matter in which, “the legal case was, in effect, over. And the only question was what was the attitude going to be of the Senate with regard to the admission that had been made.”‘

‘On Tuesday, Specter, senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, suggested Craig’s GOP colleagues who pressured him last week to resign should re-examine the facts surrounding his arrest June 11.’

‘”The more people take a look at the situation, there may well be second thoughts,” said Specter, a former prosecutor. If Craig had not pleaded guilty in August to a reduced charge and instead demanded a trial, “I believe he would have been exonerated,” Specter said.’

The longer this drama plays out, the more likely the Republican self-immolation will flare beyond control, leaving nothing but the ashes of former power and a trail of one-liners for professional comedians.

7 Comments

Filed under Critter Comfort - Hilarious Stuff, News - Politics, Society - Hypocrisy

Tags: gorn by any other name @ TPZoo