Senator Larry Craig

For anyone, anywhere, regardless of orientation, trying to have sex in a public bathroom is a bonehead move. For Senator Larry Craig (R) Idaho it could be a career killer. Nevada Republican Senator John Ensign has publicly called on Craig to quit. Democrats once again have ammunition to attack the party of family values, accusing Republicans of hypocrisy.

Republicans cannot duck the morals issue. If a party uses the issue of family values, it will be pilloried when one of its members acts in a way that is less than consistent with those values. Beyond that, homosexual, or any kind of sex in a bathroom is illegal. Maybe the crime ends up being about as legally ominous as a speeding ticket, but Republicans have asked their constituents to expect better of their representatives. Unfortunately too many lately have not lived up to those standards.

Is Larry Craig's career over? One of the most socially conservative delegate districts in West Virginia returned by a rather large margin a Democratic incumbent caught on tape at a homosexual sex party. Most voters knew of this tape, but voted based upon his record instead of his private life. However this is West Virginia, a different political bird than Idaho.

Republicans certainly fear that this will undermine them in 2008 just as teh Mark Foley incident did in the fall of 2006. It is more likely that people will completely forget about Craig if the GOP lets them. Either Craig himself or the voters of Idaho should decide it is time for him to leave. The rest of the party needs to let the process happen. That being said, acting in that manner in public definitely deserves condemnation. Some child could have walked in and seen that. However the party needs to issue its disapproval, then let the democratic process take over.