Larry Craig

The Idaho Statesman has a batch of additional items about Larry Craig and his once-private life, filling out the subject perhaps but to an unclear point.

There are five of them (and do not include the much-detailed sting encounter in the Minneapolis restroom). Two, one said to have occurred in Washington, D.C., the other in Denver, are detailed descriptions of actual sexual encounters; both of these stories appeared around the web a couple of months ago. The other three are descriptions of what the men interviewed said seemed to be propositions by Craig. Reporter Dan Popkey said that checks of such external information as was available (such as, was Craig in town at the time?) did not rule out any of the stories. But neither was there any corroboration that was conclusive.

That backchecking of details of the stories already published on the web could have some value. But the outlines of the story are pretty well set at this point: A minority will go along with Craig’s famous assertion that “I’m not gay,” and (so far as we can see) a large majority will continue to conclude that he’s been covering up a hidden life. Those outlines haven’t changed since late August, or maybe early September.

In a statement on why the Statesman continued pursuing the details, Executive Editor Vicki Gowler indicated that it was because his credibility was in doubt. Problem is, that ship sailed months ago, while the credibility of any number of other political figures in and around Idaho has gone relatively unchecked.