Slate has published the email exchange between its editors that discusses the Larry Craig arrest for lewd conduct. For the most part, their discussion focuses on the appropriateness of laws that ban men from propositioning other men in public restrooms without actually participating in a sex act. While I agree that I think these laws are bogus, I think that this is still a legitimate news story because, as the Idaho Statesman said, Craig has participated in the turning of “social and sexual issues into fair political game.”

Regardless of whether he actually propositioned the man or not, Senator Craig has publicly led the fight against homosexuality of which these laws are just one part. So, even if the laws are bogus and Craig’s actions were not intended to be a proposition, it is still a story to see Craig hoisted by his own petard.

I think it would be interesting for a reporter to take Larry Craig at his word that he is innocent and ask him whether he would support liberalizing laws against lewd conduct since it gives the state such broad power to arrest innocent people.

Update:

Larry Craig certainly panics a lot when accused of homosexuality activity. On May 14th, when discussing the 1983 Congressional page sex scandal with the Idaho Statesman, made the following statement:

Though his staff credits Craig for a cool head in 1982, he told the Statesman on May 14 that he panicked.

“I was scared, plain and simple scared,” he said. “When you have somebody walk into your office and make that kind of allegation and tells me he’s gonna go to print — and I’m a freshman congressman and go, ‘Oh my God!’”

Fast forward 25 years to yesterday, when, during his press conference, Craig said that he pled guilty to a crime he was innocent of because he “overreacted and made a poor decision”.

I only wonder how many excruciating nights Larry Craig had to endure…