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October 16, 2007
:: Liar. Liar. Liar.
Yeah, Larry Craig. He is still a senator, but I don't really feel like giving him the respect of including the title. Above I posted the audio tape from the interrogation, because if you haven't listened to it you really, really should. Right before Craig is read his rights, he says something extremely incriminating: "You solicited me." Mr. Craig, if you supposedly know nothing about this bathroom sex solicitation stuff, how would you know that? The audio tape is riddled with fumbles including his account of the foot touching/bumping. Early in the interrogation he admits bumping/touching the officer, and then later says he didn't. Huh?
I watched his Matt Lauer interview tonight, and all I can say is, "What the hell were you thinking?" It was clear from the start that Craig's own miniature spin machine was behind the "exclusive". It was very staged and highly edited...so much that the frequent and quick-cut camera angle changes (even audio cuts) were enough to make me blink a couple times. In addition, they omitted a ton of the interrogation tape.
All the spin-doctoring and editing genius in the world could not help Craig cover his guilt, however. Let me go over some very basic observations that more than enough prove that this guy is (1) a liar, (2), a creep, and (3) very, very interested in using his position in the senate to try and wriggle out of a guilty plea.
First, the lies. Lauer asked Craig very basically if he would tell his side of the story. It began with Craig's bathroom behavior. All of it was very, very odd. Nothing here was coincidental as Craig alleges. Let's examine the facts:
- Instead of standing back and waiting for the typcial "territorial" cough, or from a distance looking for feet in a stall (typical behavior for men and women alike looking for a vacant stall), Craig admits looking into stalls from eye level through the cracks between the stall walls and doors.
- Upon entering the stall, Craig, claiming having a "wide stance" when taking down his pants, makes foot contact with the undercover police officer. In order to do so, his foot had to cross under the divider between the stalls. How wide of a stance do you have Larry? (Note: It really is unclear from the interview whether or not Craig even took his pants down.)
- Regarding the hand gesture/signal, Craig claims he was picking up a piece of toilet paper off the floor that might have ended up stuck on his shoe. What is more embarrassing -- walking out of a restroom with TP stuck to your shoe, or being caught soliciting sex in an airport restroom? Regardless, you can't mistaken fingers grasping a piece of TP for the palm-open and up-facing gesture that signals you want the gay sex. (Note: Who the hell removes a rouge piece of TP with their hands anyway...YUCK!)
- Overall behavior: Most notably during the interview with Lauer (and on the interrogation tape with police), Craig is often heard saying the phase most indicative of a liar - "I don't recall." How many politicians have you heard say that when they are under questioning. It is a real sneaky thing to say, quite frankly. It isn't "Maybe", and it isn't, "Yes" or "No"...it is in a totally different realm. You can't recall, therefore, you couldn't possibly decide yes, no, or maybe. What a crock! PANTS ON FIRE!!!!
Ok, now let's look at the creep factor. First, what about this guy's wife for crying out loud? He gets arrested, detained for questioning at the airport, and then still makes the flight to D.C. Subsequently, he doesn't breath a word of the incident to anyone...not even his poor wife...for TWO MONTHS. WTF? Then, he hook-line-and-sinkers her into buying into the sham story. And why not...he has been playing this game for the better part of two decades, ever since the senate page sex scandal of the 80's, in which he was definitely a playa'.
What really creeps me out is the fact that he did exactly what any other sex solicitor would do at the MSP terminal...he had the protocol. It was blatant to the police officer(s). The correct restroom. The shoe/foot movement. The hand gesture. The touching of the foot. Not coincidence...it was practiced. It was learned. The most creepy part of this whole thing is how real sounding all the protocol is. Why? Because unless you are into that stuff, you would have never thought it up. I work at MSP. I never, evah, would have guessed that that creepy stuff happens at the airport...at that restroom...in that manner. Final creepy (and most indicting) action of Craig's...when the cop flashes the card under the stall that says "POLICE" and orders him to get out, Craig says in a growly, almost mean voice, "NO!" (Watch the video of the interview, you hear it in his voice...creepy!)
Finally, the worst and most disgusting thing about the whole mess for me is the blatant abuse of the office of US Senator. When asked for identification by the police, Craig whipped out his senate ID card and said flippantly, "Whaddya think of that?!" I can tell you exactly what Sgt. Karsnia probably thought was, "Nice. This creep is going to try and pull rank, like he is somehow above the law?" Outstanding move, Mr. Craig.
Posted by pierre at October 16, 2007 8:51 PM