Will Senator Larry Craig's Arrest On Sex Charges Further Hurt The GOP?

Question

The exposure of conservative TV evangelist Ted Haggard as a meth using customer of male prostitutes, and of conservative representative Mark Foley for sending sexually suggestive e mails to his young male staffers, as well as over 200 mysterious visits by male prostitute Jeff Guckert (pretending to be a journalist named Gannon) to the White House have unquestionably hurt the GOP. Many commentators think the closeted gay scandals have marked the GOP's stance of pro-family traditional morality as hypocrisy and crass political opportunitism. Many feel the scandals hurt the GOP in the 2006 elections.

Do you think the charges of political opportunism and hypocrisy are valid? Is this embarassing case another black eye for the Republican Party, that will hurt its chances in 2008?

Lastly, why does it seem that so many conservatives seem to be closeted gays? Is that a valid observation, or mere coincidence? Whats your opinion, and why?

Answer 1

No, Republicans will not aloud that

Answer 2

Sen. Craig's political career is probably over. The abuse of power, however, was not Sen. Craig's but the media's, who pick and choose whose privacy they will violate on a partisan basis.


How many times were we subjected to self-righteous harangues about how investigations into whether Clinton solicited sex from subordinates (thereby cheating on his wife) were intrusions into his "personal life?"

Where were today's guardians of moral and political rectitude back in 1969 when Democrat Ted Kennedy drove drunk and with a suspended license off a bridge with Mary Jo Kopechne left to drown inside of his car? Where were the liberal media outcries to kick Democrat Barney Frank out of the Congress when he solicited a gay prostitute who in turn set up shop in his apartment?

the point remains: Democratic sexual indiscretions are OK while Republicans' are not. It's a double standard.

Answer 3

Idaho is one of the most conservative states in the US and will almost certainly elect another Republican senator should Craig step down. The Democratic Party has also had their share of scandals starting with Bill Clinton and his many affairs and he was president. Gerry Studds, Gary Condit, and others. Scandal does not discriminate across party lines. In both parties a small minority should not hurt either party. Ted Haggard was a so-called minister and not a politician. He has never run for public office with either party. I think Republicans lost in 2006 primarily because their Democratic opponents promised to end the sinkhole that is Iraq, not because of scandal. I'm sure both parties have closeted gays and those who are having illicit affairs who will never be made public. There are hypocrites in both parties and all candidates are political opportunists regardless of party.

Answer 4

I think it should hurt them. I mean the Republicans come with this issues that have nothing to do with goverment and that they shouldnt be involved in. If Republicans would mind their own business when it comes to peoples personal lives then they wouldn't have this issues and this would not become the big deal that it is. But since they base their whole platform on moral issues and dont take care of hte other problems facing the country they are asking to be held accountable everytime an incident like this one comes to light!

Answer 5

The GOP seems to have a massive head wound for some reason. Three key members have fallen in two weeks. Yes, Republican Senator Craigs homosexual activities in the public restroom of a major airport will further taint the image of Republicanism in America.

Answer 6

As long as the rest of his party keep a stand against him they may still keep some creditability with the voters. Now if they can keep up a stand against this Iraq war they may not loose any more voters,They are also going to have to get real with the American voters about not being the Saints they try unsuccessfully to portray themselves to be. I have a friend who still believes everything a Republican will tell her no matter what. She is brain washed.Fox News brain washed.

Answer 7

How much damage the Craig scandal does to the GOP really depends on how it is handled. If he steps down and/or is recalled AND if his peers don't try to defend him (I'm assuming he is guilty based on what I have heard so far), then no, I don't think there will be any lasting damage. It would show that the GOP...AS A GROUP...does not sanction such behavior and moves to eliminate it from their ranks when it occurs.

Answer 8

"The real question for Republicans in Washington is how low can you go, because we are approaching a level of ridiculousness. You can’t make this stuff up. And the impact this is having on the grass-roots around the country is devastating."

-- GOP strategist Scott Reed, quoted in the New York Times, about Republican scandals.

Answer 9

They claim to be the party of family values. The moral party. Yes they are Hippocrates. They are very quick to point the finger at the other guy if the other guy is part of the "Other Party"......yet they are guilty of the very same behaviors. And it should make people wake up and not just blindly vote because of Party affiliation.

Answer 10

The publicity surrounding this certainly will not help the GOP in any way. Eventually it will die down, however there appears to be a theme of hypocrisy in some members of the GOP that is being exposed (no pun intended) of late.

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Answer 11

No, Republicans will vote for them just because they are Republicans, and they may pick up gay swing voters in the process.
For some reason conservatives rabidly attack liberals about everything they privately do, but don't seem to care what their own do.