Larry Craig's Children Speak Out (Say He Was 'a Victim of Circumstance')

[sabra]

Source: ABC News

<snip>

"Good Morning America" spoke exclusively with Craig's two children, who are standing by the Republican senator.

"He was a victim of circumstance, in the wrong place at the wrong time," said Michael Craig of his father's arrest.

Michael Craig and his sister, Shea Howell, decided to speak out about the scandal, but not before making sure that they had all the answers necessary to confidently defend their father.

...

"No legalities, no technicalities. … We wanted to know exactly what happened," Craig said.

The senator's children have concluded that anyone else in a similar situation would have simply said "excuse me" after bumping their foot into someone and moved on. But their father bumped into an undercover police officer, who they say was looking for a different interpretation of his actions.


Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3555208

[lonestarnot]

1. Well aren't we fucking all...

no :sarcasm:

[TwilightGardener]

2. Oh, these poor kids. Dad's gay, kids!

[hlthe2b]

8. They are awfully old to be in such denial...

The eldest son is 38 after all. All three were adopted after he married their mother-- shortly after the 1982 page scandal broke in which he alone felt compelled to publicly deny involvement.

Ahh, denial... Well, I'm sorry they are being dragged along, but...

[panader0]

12. Adopted, that makes sense..........

[TwilightGardener]

16. A 38-year-old should be wise to the ways of the world, for God's sake--

it might be hard to believe at first if they didn't already know the rumors, but why not wait a while to let things sink in before going public with a denial? Larry's making gullible asses out of his family members--he really should stop jerking them around like this.

[meegbear]

3. Just a victim of coycomstance!

*nyuk* *nyuk* *nyuk* *nyuk* *nyuk* *nyuk* *nyuk*

[Tesla]

5. Pickin up the wrong gay hooker at the wrong time!

Call a duck a duck.

[mac56]

7. Wise guy, huh?!

How many fingers?!

Boy, THAT takes on a whole meaning, don't it?!

[underpants]

4. "...exactly what happened" was that he plead guilty

Is there some part of that that wasn't clear?

[TechBear_Seattle]

6. What's the name of that river in Egypt? n/t

[shain from kane]

11. It's a long damn river. Apparently, it flows through Idaho, too. n/t

[LynneSin]

9. Yes, daddy is inflicted with the condition of Wideous Stancitis

:eyes:

[TwilightGardener]

14. LOL!

[splat]

10. They're his wife's kids

He married a staffer with three kids when he was 38, a few months after his name surfaced in connection with having sex with pages.

[liberal N proud]

13. The circumstance was that he happened to hit on an undercover police officer

Gesh, these people are special.

[LibDemAlways]

22. When you take a second to think about it, their assertion is

just laughable. Craig just happened to be in a stall next to an undercover cop. Then he just happened to move his foot in such a way that it was interpreted as a sexual come-on. Then he compounded the problem by swiping his hand under the stall.

Those "children" are either stupid or don't mind coming across that way.

[0007]

26. Who picks up a piece of toilet paper off the floor other than the janitor?

Those children are as stupid as Larry (Wide Stance) Craig.

[Morning Dew]

30. don't forget the peeking

at the officer through the stall door crack before entering the adjacent stall and blocking the door with his bag.





Poor guy, what a misunderstanding. :sarcasm:

[shain from kane]

39. Happened to wander into an area of the airport, away from his gate, where this activity was

notoriously present.

I understood that he would have had to pass several closer facilities to arrive at that particular restroom.

[EV_Ares]

15. LOL, it is not funny but "really now". I find this unbelievable that they

do not just accept the facts and move on with their lives. There is no way to talk this thing out other than what it was.

First of all, his history indicates he was capable of such a move.

Secondly, I am sure most of us have been in a restroom stall a number of times in our lives. How many times did you tap your foot to the guy in the next stall and reach underneath towards him?

Then, there were the allegations never really pursued or proven.

Talk all they want, he would be better off just accepting himself for who he really is and get on with his life. It would be easier having some sympathy and respect for him if he would.

[global1]

18. What Happens In Cases Like This - Did Sen. Craig Go To His Kids......

and say something to the effect - if you want to live in the style you have become accustom to - you need to go on national TV and defend me?

How does a guy face his wife and kids in the face of such a scandal? Obviously - he pleaded guilty and didn't tell anyone or seek a lawyer - because he didn't want anyone to know. When such a thing then blows up and everyone finds out how does one deal with this?

Craig is denying. Other patterns we've seen are: 1.) I'm a sick person and will seek help and 2.) beg for forgiveness and find Jesus.

But to involve the family. To have them paraded out - his wife and his kids - at his press conference. To make or let his kids go on national TV.

A scandal like this would ruin just about anybody - but when it happens to a Senator or Congressman - they fight it. Is it ego? or is it power? or is it money? or is it love?

[EV_Ares]

20. I think you hit on it with the denial factor. However, as you say, putting

his family out in front to testify for him, I think is just delaying the entire end result of this thing. It is as you say, ego, power, money, all of those things that he does not want to give up. Also, living his entire life as a lie and now exposed. All of this is horrendous for him and his family. I still slay there is only one way to get through the healing process and he is going to have to admit who he is and with that, there could be a loss of his most cherished and living part of his life; his family and friends. Very tragic matter.

[rocktivity]

50. Oh? there was ANOTHER men's room closer to his gate?

I didn't know THAT!

:headbang:
rocknation

[rodeodance]

17. They are young adults with kids of their own. "even if he were gay,"----this

family has a lot of thinking to do.




.......Craig speculated that such conclusions or hesitation could be the result of a reelection year. "Candidates are leery of being associated with my father," he said.

Howell and Craig, who maintain their father's heterosexuality, said that even if he were gay, they would still support him. "Gay or straight, that part doesn't matter," Craig said.

"My dad is so protective of us. He has seven grandkids between my sister and I. He knows he chose to be in politics. He knew what life that would entail but he didn't choose it for us."

[11 Bravo]

19. Yup, it was just pure bad luck that he tried to blow a cop.

[TXDemGal]

21. Sounds like the "kids" are doing

exactly what they have to stay in the will! As my friend Pat has been known to say about her obligations to her senior parents, "I do just what I have to so I can stay in the will." ;-)

[rocktivity]

51. Sounds like fun--in my family, you're punished with threats

of being put IN the will!

:headbang:
rocknation

[skypilot]

23. "...anyone else...would have simply said 'excuse me'..."

So, doesn't that beg the question as to why Craig didn't do this? Or is he just not like "anyone else"?

[TlalocW]

24. Granted I think he would have had a case if he hadn't plead guilty

As would anyone else who got caught in the same circumstances, but it's amazing just how much in denial these people are in. So many things don't add up.

1. Calling what the officer was doing, "Entrapment," sounds like a tacit admission of guilt
2. Wide stance - you cannot have a wide enough stance in a bathroom stall with your pants down around your ankles to have your feet be able to wander into neighboring stalls.
3. Picking up paper - I can't think of anyone who would pick paper off of the floor of a public bathroom.

In the end though, there are only a few other power brokers in the GOP I'd rather this happen to - after years of denying gays and lesbians equal rights and making their lives harder, I can't get too upset at his getting his just desserts.

TlalocW

[djp2]

32. Police should use cameras

I agree with possible Entrapment. With video cameras these days, there is no reason cops shouldn't keep running camera and video these encounters. The only evidence I would believe in court would be pictures.
One-on-one, I wouldn't believe the cop anymore without witnesses or pictures.

[Trajan]

41. It is unlawful to have cameras shooting images of restrooms ....

You arent actually proposing having such cameras, are you ?

[djp2]

44. In stall with undercover officer

I'm only suggesting that a handheld camera be used by undercover cop to prove his statements, I wouldn't trust him to be honest otherwise.

[rocktivity]

52. DING DING DING! Tlalocw, you're our grand prize winner!

...you cannot have a wide enough stance in a bathroom stall with your pants down around your ankles to have your feet be able to wander into neighboring stalls...

I don't recall the police report specifically mentioning that anyone's pants were down. But I have to give all due respect to Brit Hume of Fixed News for this line: "I'm six (feet) seven, and I don't have a stance that wide!"

:headbang:
rocknation

[olddad56]

25. This is a non story. Most people's kids would stand behind their dads.

(no pun intended)

[skypilot]

28. If they decided to grill their dad...

...about what happened and then haul themselves onto Good Morning America to make lame excuses for him ("wrong place", "wrong time") then it is a bit more than a non-story. It's not earth shattering but it is kinda pathetic. And I somehow doubt that they decided to do this themselves. If I got caught in a situation like Craig's I wouldn't want my children humiliating themselves (and ME)on TV by making the kind of excuses they are making.

[soothsayer]

34. yup

[BulletproofLandshark]

27. He was only a victim of his own hypocrisy.

[MiniMe]

29. Kid: "I knew I shouldn't have gotten him an iPOD for Christmas"

:evilgrin:

This sounds like the Scooter defense. But what about his kids??

[Quantess]

31. Tom Tomorrow TOON

http://www.salon.com/comics/tomo/2007/09/03/tomo/

It's a good one!

[DemBones DemBones]

46. . . .

"Nice try." :rofl:

[Quantess]

53. This particular Tom Tomorrow TOON

RULES!!! Or is it, ROOOLZ!!!
:7

[Vinca]

33. Don't these people have enough common sense to let this event fade?

Keeping dear, old dad front and center isn't going to help him out, given the "guilty" plea and all. I wonder which tabloid offer they'll take.

[Hawaii Hiker]

35. "He was a victim of circumstance, in the wrong place at the wrong time,"

said Michael Craig of his father's arrest.

Excuse me, for a second.....

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[WilyWondr]

36. What gate did Craig's flight arrive at?

If you know his flight number you can see when/where his plane came into the airport and when/where he was scheduled to leave the airport. We already know which particular restroom he used in the airport.

This information will tell us how far he walked to use that particular restroom and how many other restrooms he walked past on his way to that particular restroom.

Seems like this would be a simple way to clear up these "it was a mistake" excuses people have been throwing around lately. :shrug:

[CONN]

48. Or where was he traveling from/to and how long...

Travelocity doesn't show flights from DC/Baltimore from/to Boise going through Minnesota...

[pnorman]

37. Fer Crissakes you guys!

They're just showing loyalty to their father! "Step-father" doesn't alter the picture in any manner. It isn't as if they're "covering" for a serial murderer. Cut them some slack, and let it pass in silence.

pnorman

[lapfog_1]

38. Hmmm...

I never said you had to offer me a second chance
(I never said you had to)
I never said I was a victim of circumstance
(I never said)
I still belong, don't get me wrong
And you can speak your mind
But not on my time

They will tell you, you can't sleep alone in a strange place
Then they'll tell you, you can't sleep with somebody else
Ah, but sooner or later you sleep in your own space
Either way it's okay, you wake up with yourself

[rocktivity]

40. Funny how their father knew the EXACT "circumstances"

under which he could solicit sex in a public bathroom!

:headbang:
rocknation

[Netbeavis]

42. No, no what he said was....

Sir cum stance.


big difference.

[mitchum]

43. But Dad thought he was certainly in the RIGHT place at the RIGHT time...

since he was looking for a bathroom assignation and all...

[truthisfreedom]

45. I read this as "Larry Craig's Children Sneak Out"

[boston bean]

47. Really!! I thought he was a victim of a wide stance, not circumstance. nt

[The Count]

49. "BUT WHAT WILL THE CHILDDREN SAY????"

[RamboLiberal]

54. Oops - Arrest warrant out for his daughter

But it turns out that there's a warrant out for her arrest according to the Ada County Sheriff's website (LINK) and the appearance rekindled the attention of Idaho authorities.

The Ada County Courthouse tells ABC News that on November 17, 2006, Howell was charged with "unlawful entry" and "malicious entry to property."

But she missed her court date on April 9 of this year. The arrest warrant was issued as a result of her failing to appear in court.

ABC News' Art Blazer reports that Howell tells him that her arrest warrant "has nothing to do with my dad's job." Upon being pressed she explained that the charges are the result of her going through a "very difficult divorce" and her re-entering her own home.

ABC News' Marcus Baram spoke with Boise Police Department spokeswoman Lynn Hightower, who confirms that the charges related to a domestic-related incident. Hightower says that Boise police officers were called shortly after midnight on June 19, 2006 to the home that Howell shared with her husband. Howell was “going into a house without permission and damaging property,” says Hightower, who adds that she was not arrested or booked but given a summons to appear in court.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2007/09/craigs-listing.html

[Occulus]

55. What? The cop didn't give him a receipt?

Okay. I'll stop now.

[Odin2005]

56. "I'm a victim of soicumstance!!!"