smokin' in the boy's room

the Senator Larry Craig saga just keeps getting better.

the toe-tapping congressional sex scandal threatens to obscure any repugnican hopes of reframing the failed but ever-ongoing war on terror, September 11th flag-waving we're-at-war: no-questions-asked mandatory patriotism, and of course, the much-anticipated General Petraeus report that the General will not author. then again, maybe that's what the scandal is supposed to do.while others on the weblog circuit (no links - find them yourself) are suggesting a presidential pardon in the works, that won't happen (not now or even in January 2009, which would be way too late for Craig's critical-condition political career).

Craig wants to "clear his name" (fat chance), not be pardoned for his actions that he claims never happened.

more likely (though still a long shot, considering he plead guilty over seven weeks ago) is a Minnesota judge overturning his plea. what do you suppose the quid-pro-quo would be for that ambitious judge - a promise of an appointment to a cushy seat in some federal district court perhaps? Senator Arlen Specter - who has come as close as anybody to supporting Craig's claim of innocence and was until earlier this year the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee - may have some clout in this department, but that's probably even less likely.

perhaps Specter feels - as i do - that Craig fell victim to a dispicable and useless sting operation by over-zealous and underworked cops. don't these airport cops have water bottles to confiscate?

for far more perspective on the Senator who-is-not-gay, catch tonight's broadcast of Gay USA, seen at 11:00pm in Manhattan on channel 34 and simulcast on the web at mnn.org (click on channel 34 icon); airing nationally starting Friday on the Free Speech TV Network (schedule here) and on Dish Network channel 9415; or listen to the podcast anytime here or at the iTunes store. (full disclosure - i'm the studio director of that broadcast.)

btw - there's no dvtv live broadcast tonight because our MNN studios are being renovated (unless something dire happens, in which case you will see me actually seated(!) in a very small, bright studio). we should be back on the air with an all-new dvtv live next thursday eve, which will be posted here next friday.