Senator Larry
Craig has apologized to the residents of Idaho and now
waits -- along with officials of both U.S. political
parties -- to see if voters are in any mood to
forgive and forget the scandal tied to his arrest in a
men's bathroom.
Idaho Republicans
possess a fiercely independent streak, characterized by
a healthy dose of libertarian values and distrust of the
U.S. federal government and the media. They generally
hold deep religious beliefs and conservative social
values.
''It all makes it
hard sometimes to predict exactly how Idahoans would
vote or how Idaho politicians will act on certain issues,''
said James Weatherby, a professor emeritus at Boise
State University who knew Craig when they were
students at the University of Idaho.
Craig, 62, a
third-term senator up for re-election next year, defended
himself Tuesday against a police report alleging he
attempted to engage in a homosexual encounter with an
undercover officer.
Flanked by his
wife, Suzanne, Craig stated three times that he was not
gay. He cast his arrest for lewd conduct as unfounded and
his subsequent guilty plea to disorderly conduct as an
error in judgment spurred by frustration with the
state's biggest newspaper prying into his past.
The Idaho
Statesman published a lengthy story on Tuesday, a day after
the June 11 arrest was first reported, detailing
allegations of homosexual behavior by Craig. The
senator denied the allegations and contended the paper
was engaged in a witch hunt. In a statement, the newspaper
said its story spoke for itself.
''While I was not
involved in any inappropriate conduct at the
Minneapolis airport or anywhere else, I chose to plead
guilty to a lesser charge in hopes of making it go
away,'' Craig said. ''It's clear, though, that through
my actions I have brought a cloud over Idaho. For that, I
ask the people of Idaho for their forgiveness.''
The Idaho
Republican Party took a wait-and-see stance, while Democrats
were not commenting. The Republicans' biggest names reminded
voters of Craig's tenure in the Senate and his
powerful seat on the Appropriations Committee.
''I would
encourage all Idahoans to avoid rushing to judgment and
making brash statements about a man who has dedicated
his life to public service,'' the Republican Party's
state chairman, Kirk Sullivan, said in a statement.
Ignoring that
plea, some social and religious conservatives and
right-wing radio talk show hosts called for Craig's
resignation. And political analysts said Craig would
have trouble convincing state voters that his 27-year
political career was worth sparing.
''I think what
makes it very difficult is the guilty plea,'' said Randy
Stapilus, a former political editor at the Idaho Statesman
who has a political blog. ''That is something a lot of
people will have a tough time getting around.''
In Idaho, with
its 1.4 million people, politicians know many supporters
by name. The state also likes its Republicans, who control
the statehouse and Congress. U.S. President George W.
Bush received 68 percent of the state's votes in 2004.
More than 166,000
residents are Roman Catholic and more than 385,000
Mormon.
Republican
leaders in the Senate called for an Ethics Committee review
of the case.
''This is a
serious matter,'' they said in a written statement issued in
Washington over the names of Sen. Mitch McConnell of
Kentucky, the party leader, and several others.
Two Republicans
seeking the party's presidential nomination did not mince
words. Mitt Romney, in whose campaign Craig was playing a
prominent role until he quit amid the scandal, told
CNBC: ''He's disappointed the American people.'' On
Jay Leno's ''The Tonight Show,'' Sen. John McCain
said, ''It's disgraceful.''
Reports state
that police Sgt. Dave Karsnia was investigating allegations
of sexual conduct in Minneapolis airport restrooms when he
went into a stall. The complaint against Craig alleged
that he employed ''a signal often used by persons
communicating a desire to engage in sexual conduct.''
Craig was
arrested, read his rights, fingerprinted and photographed
for a mug shot released by police showing him in coat
and tie. He signed a guilty plea on Aug. 1 and paid
US$575 in fines and fees, and was placed on
unsupervised probation for a year. (Todd Dvorak, AP)
