A private matter?

Like the Mark Foley scandal last year, the latest report of impropriety by a GOP politician is enough to make one’s skin crawl.


U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, an Idaho Republican, pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in Minnesota this month after being arrested by a plainclothes police officer investigating complaints of lewd conduct in a men's restroom at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Craig denied the police account of what occurred and said he erred in pleading guilty.

"At the time of this incident, I complained to the police that they were misconstruing my actions," he said in a statement Monday afternoon. "I was not involved in any inappropriate conduct.

"I should have had the advice of counsel in resolving this matter. In hindsight, I should not have pled guilty. I was trying to handle this matter myself quickly and expeditiously."


I am certainly not here to defend Sen. Craig or his actions. But perhaps he could have better served himself public relations-wise by conveying the following sentiments:


Now, this matter is between me, the people I love most, and our God. I must put it right, and I am prepared to do whatever it takes to do so.

Nothing is more important to me personally. But it is private, and I intend to reclaim my family life for my family. It's nobody's business but ours.


After all, that seemed to fly with Democrat supporters nine years ago when a prominent politician in their party made the same declaration.

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