memeorandum: Senator: 'I did nothing wrong' (CNN)

9:50 PM ET, August 28, 2007

Top Items:

How Did News Outlets Miss Senator's Arrest for Nearly Three Months? — NEW YORK The revelation late Monday that Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) was arrested nearly three months ago for allegedly making sexual advances in a men's room raises the issue of how such an action could occur without the press reporting it.

Discussion: Think Progress, Political Radar, The Moderate Voice, The Democratic Daily, Minnesota Monitor and Truthdig

ABCNEWS:

Craig to Hold Press Conference: Will He Resign? — Idaho Republican Is Expected to Discuss His Guilty Plea in Public Restroom Incident — Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, is seen during a 2006 hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. Craig pleaded guilty on Aug. 8, 2007, to misdemeanor disorderly conduct …

Discussion: The Politico, CNN, Hot Air, Pam's House Blend, The Democratic Daily and AMERICAblog

Mark Murray / MSNBC:

Romney links Craig with Bill Clinton — From NBC's Mark Murray — In his interview on CNBC's Kudlow & Company (which will air later this afternoon), Mitt Romney had some sharp words for Sen. Larry Craig, who had endorsed the former Massachusetts governor's presidential campaign and was his Idaho chairman.

Discussion: The Caucus, The Raw Story, The Corner, NewsBusters.org, On Deadline, Norwegianity, TIME, Greatscat! and The Right's Field

Slate:

SLATE EDITORS SQUABBLE ABOUT THE IDAHO SENATOR'S BATHROOM ARREST. — When the news of Sen. Larry Craig's arrest and guilty plea for lewd conduct broke Monday evening, it set off a vigorous e-mail squabble among Slate editors. Some of us thought the arrest was justified, others were appalled …

Discussion: Townhall.com, D-Day, Reason Magazine and bustardblog

David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo:

WHAT DID SEN. CRAIG ACTUALLY DO? — We've had lots of back and forth discussion here internally about what conduct by Sen. Craig in that Minneapolis airport restroom was actually illegal. We've posted the arrest report, so take a look and reach your own conclusions. — Leering stares, foot tapping, a lingering presence.

Discussion: All Spin Zone, NewWest, Outside The Beltway, Macsmind, Liberal Values, The American Street, A Blog For All, Reason Magazine, The Carpetbagger Report, IntoxiNation, TPMmuckraker, The Atlantic Online, D-Day, Idaho Statesman, Balloon Juice and HorsesAss.Org

Josh Marshall / Talking Points Memo:

CRAIG'S CATCH-22 — Following up on David's post below on what Craig 'did', I have to imagine this was one of those catch-22s that Craig really had no way out of. I'm going to assume for the sake of the discussion that the gestures Craig is described as making are ones easily recognizable as soliciting sex.

Discussion: The Atlantic Online, baldilocks, Stubborn Facts and Instapundit.com

Fox News:

Senator Larry Craig: 'I am Not Gay' — WASHINGTON — Sen. Larry Craig denied Tuesday that he did anything wrong but pleaded for forgiveness from Idahoans after being arrested in June in connection with a police sting operation in lewd conduct in a men's bathroom at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Discussion: Firedoglake, Captain's Quarters, Associated Press, Flopping Aces, Daily Kos, Hot Air, Gateway Pundit and The Democratic Daily

John Amato / Crooks and Liars:

Craig's Bathroom Bust Statement: "I am Not Gay!" — Republican Sen. Larry Craig speaks...He was harassed by Idaho and caved to the pressure...What did Nixon say again? … Download (1220) | Play (1860) Download (490) | Play (754) — He denies any wrong doing...Pleading guilty was all a big misunderstanding.

Discussion: Firedoglake, TalkLeft, CNN Political Ticker, AMERICAblog, The Reaction, DownWithTyranny!, Comments From Left Field and uggabugga

Elana Schor / The Hill:

Police: Craig was 'agitated, demeaning' — Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) "appeared agitated and demeaning" during a follow-up visit to the Minneapolis airport police operations center 11 days after his arrest for lewd conduct in June, according to the arrest report.

Discussion: On Deadline, CNN Political Ticker and Wonkette

Jeff G. / protein wisdom: Former State Senator convicted of taking bribes in Tennesse Waltz sting

Matt / Think Progress:
Brownback on Craig: It's 'not good,' 'very odd.'

Discussion: The Right's Field

Paul Kane / Washington Post:
Craig Recants Misconduct Plea

Discussion: OregonLive.com

Garance / theGarance.com:
Is Solicitation a Crime in Minnesota?

Discussion: Lawyers, Guns and Money

Matt / Think Progress:
Conservatives Begin Calling For Craig To Resign Over 'Lewd Conduct' And Guilty Plea

Discussion: Crooks and Liars, Unqualified Offerings, The Next Hurrah and Classical Values

The Raw Story:

US PREPARING 'MASSIVE' MILITARY ATTACK AGAINST IRAN: STUDY — The United States has the capacity for and may be prepared to launch without warning a massive assault on Iranian uranium enrichment facilities, as well as government buildings and infrastructure, using long-range bombers and missiles, according to a new analysis.

Discussion: On Deadline, The American Street, Comments From Left Field, The Newshoggers, Democrats.com, At-Largely, Unqualified Offerings, "7.62mm Justice" ™ and Shakespeare's Sister

Matt / Think Progress:

Fear-mongering Bush warns of Iranian 'nuclear holocaust.' — In his speech about Iraq to the American Legion today, President Bush warned that allowing Iran to pursue "technology that could lead to nuclear weapons threatens to put a region already known for instability and violence under the shadow of a nuclear holocaust."

Discussion: The Carpetbagger Report, Comments From Left Field, The Sideshow and Brave New Films blog

White House:
President Bush Addresses the 89th Annual National Convention of the American Legion

Discussion: Townhall.com, Take Our Country Back and Wake up America

Olivier Knox / Agence France Presse:
US warns Iran over Iraq, nuclear program

Discussion: DownWithTyranny!

Charles Bremner / Times of London:
Sarkozy talks of bombing if Iran gets nuclear arms

Discussion: The Agonist, WorkingForChange and The Van Der Galiën Gazette

GottaLaff / Cliff Schecter:

Lieberman as next Attorney General? — That's what Marjorie Cohn is saying on The Thom Hartmann Show. The talk started a few hours ago, from what they're saying. (not that it didn't occur to any of us earlier, but it's going around now) Per Cohn: — It would stop the Senate investigations dead in their tracks.

Discussion: Booman Tribune, Comments From Left Field, No More Mister Nice Blog, Middle Earth Journal and Left in the West

CNN Political Ticker:

Castro calls Clinton-Obama ticket 'invincible' — WASHINGTON (CNN) - Add another name to the list of political observers who think a Clinton-Obama ticket would be unbeatable: Cuban leader Fidel Castro. — In an editorial in Cuba's communist party newspaper, Granma, the ailing dictator …

Discussion: granma.cu, Reuters, The Hill and Comments From Left Field

Christopher Hitchens / Slate:

WE'RE FIGHTING AT LEAST THREE OF THEM. — When people say that they want to end the war in Iraq, I always want to ask them which war they mean. There are currently at least three wars, along with several subconflicts, being fought on Iraqi soil. The first, tragically, is the battle for mastery between Sunni and Shiite.

Discussion: Outside The Beltway and Hullabaloo