Let’s face it. George Bush is losing supporters right and left. A whole bunch of Republicans lost in the elections in 2006, and several Republicans still in Congress, such as Lugar, Warner and Specter, are critical of Bush policies. The troops are getting thin. Heck, after Gonzo quit in order to have more time to go and spy on his family, it turns out that the next two highest ranking guys in the DOJ had also quit, leaving poor Paul Clement to hold down the fort. But I digress. This is about Larry Craig, who recently pled guilty to lewd and lascivious conduct in Minnesota. Yes, it may be getting to be cliche, but we’ve got another Republican sex criminal on our hands.

I’m sure you all know that Larry Craig is a Senator and that he’s always courted the family values crowd, who have in turn supported anti-gay legislation. I’m not the researcher who uncovered anything like that. I suppose I’d turn to Mike Rogers at Blogactive to seek the dirty details. And surprise, surprise! Mike’s been talking about Larry Craig’s secret life for a long time now. (There’s a few links listed here.) No, it is not a surprise that Larry Craig got caught in lewd and lascivious behavior in a men’s room. It was a matter of when and where.

Now, I’m wondering whether Mr. Craig, the fine Senator from Idaho, will have his sentence, a mere $500 fine, commuted. You see, as reported in Roll Call, Mr. Craig’s defense was the same as that of Scooter Libby. When questioned by airport police about an incident that happened only moments before, many of Mr. Craig’s answers were “I don’t recall.” (What, was he so busy in that stall that he doesn’t remember anything? Do we want Senators doing that kind of “business?”) Will Craig get a commutation like Scooter did?

Scooter Libby was important to Bush. He protected Bush from the evil CIA agents and their husbands from exposing Bush Administration incompetence, as well as Bush Administration manipulation of intelligence. So Scooter got his sentence commuted. Remember, his main defense was that he “couldn’t recall.” Senator Craig is one of the few consistent Bush supporters left in the Senate and this is a time when Mr. Bush clearly needs support. So, what, will Bush commute the sentence of a $500 fine? And remember, Mr. Craig is having problems with his recollections just like Scooter did. (We’ll address Gonzo’s memory at another time.)

OK, maybe Bush doesn’t need to commute Larry Craig’s sentence for lewd and lascivious playing around in an airport restroom stall. (Surely the NRA may wish for Mr. Bush to do so, since Craig sits on their Board — Man but these Republicans and right-wing organizations are incestuous! Oops, that would be Guiliani, wouldn’t it?)

I’m thinking, though Larry Craig probably doesn’t need his sentence commuted, and that such commutation might not help Mr. Bush much, Bush has been getting in the habit of commuting sentences and conferring immunity. Libby was only the first. You know if Gonzo gets charged he’ll get his sentence commuted, and if the trial looks to loom after the Bush Administration ends? What the heck! Immunity! Just like the Pope gets! Immunity!

Of course, there is a deeper issue at work here. We’ve got a whole bunch of Republicans over the last few years caught in furtive homosexual sex. I’ve got no problems with homosexuals, mind you, but I really feel for those who feel they must hide their urges, must dally with male prostitutes, proposition White House pages, or do the *wink, wink, nudge, nudge* thing in public restrooms. These men need help. Perhaps Mr. Bush can put together some kind of insurance or something so that all of these Republican sex offenders can get the help they need to come out of the closet and become productive members of society again.

(Perhaps the use of the word “member” in an article about Larry Craig was over the top. For that I apologize. To set the record straight, I have no knowledge of the productivity of Larry Craig’s member in that restroom in the Minnesota airport.)

Oh, a final note. Larry Craig pled guilty to lewd and lascivious behavior, and that behavior stayed quiet for a few days, according to reports. I’m guessing Mr. Craig wanted it that way, and was counting on nobody finding out what happened on June 11, or about his guilty plea on August 8. But now that they have found out, and all the media is all over it, Mr. Craig is giving out his regrets. . . . that he never sought out advice of counsel. From CNN:

Craig denied any inappropriate conduct in a prepared statement, and said he now regrets his guilty plea.

“At the time of this incident, I complained to the police that they were misconstruing my actions. I was not involved in any inappropriate conduct,” he said. “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.”

Think. Here’s a guy who helps make the laws and he evidently forgot that he’s entitled to the advice of counsel when accused of a crime. His grasp of his own rights as spelled out in the consitution are nearly as good as Gonzo’s. Hold that thought. Stop just a moment. Think here. Craig doesn’t recall quite often. He’s got nearly as good a handle on constitutional rights as does Alberto Gonzales. Hmmm.

I think we’ve found our next Attorney General, folks!