Some great stories surrounding the race for president.

Young evangelical voters ditching the GOP and voting for Obama? [Seattle Times]

Saturday Night Live gives Clinton a not so subtle hint [video here]

GOP Convention organizer, Doug Goodyear, resigns after his PR firm accepted $350,000 to represent the Burmese junta in 2002. [source]

Regional campaign manager for McCain, Doug Davenport, also steps down due to ties to the DCI Group. Doug had run DCI's lobbying practice before signing on with McCain last month to run Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Kentucky and West Virginia for McCain. [source]

Obama came to Oregon again. This time he was in Corvallis, Eugene, Portland and Bend. He visited both Oregon State and U of O. Pictures here.


In "You've got to be fucking kidding me" news:

Disgraced Republican U.S. Rep Vito Fossella may be seeking re-election despite his recent drunk-driving arrest last week led to talk of an extramarital affair, and then finally Thursday, an admission of a child from that affair. This is the same self-proclaimed "family values" man who voted multiple times for the so-called "Defense of Marriage" amendment. Way to protect marriage Vito![via NY1]

Labels: another disgraced Republican, barack obama, mccain, scandal

One of the judicial nominees Bush has been threatening a recess appointment for was recently arrested for DUI wearing a little black dress, fishnet stockings and stilletto heels.

Of course Federal Judge Robert Somma has resigned. The best part? He phoned in his resignation from a vacation spot in the Caribbean.

Via Pensito Review:

Somma's Mercedes-Benz E320 sedan hit a pick-up truck from behind about 11:29 p.m. on Feb. 6, the police report said. No one was hurt.

Somma, who lives in Newbury, Mass., fumbled in his purse for his driver's license before handing it to the officer who later arrested him, the police report shows.

"He had a difficult time locating his license in his purse. He passed over it multiple times before removing it," officer Paul J. Thompson wrote in his report.

The officer offered no other details with regard to the judge's attire or accessories. Nor would representatives of the Manchester Police Department or the city solicitor's office, which worked out the negotiated plea agreement with Somma's lawyer...

But lots of other people did offer those details, of which Audrey Hepburn would have been proud.

When authorities removed him from the vehicle, they said he wore a black women's cocktail dress, fishnet stockings and high heels.

But in his mug shot, the judge appears to be wearing blue eye shadow. Way to wreck a really chic look, Robert.

And where, you might ask, was the judge going that night dressed that way?

Somma told police he had been at the Breezeway Pub where he had one gin and tonic about two hours earlier, the police report reveals. He later said he drank two gin and tonics.

The Breezeway Pub, at 14 Pearl St., bills itself as "New Hampshire's favorite gay and alternative bar," according to its web site.

The arresting officer reported Somma smelled of alcohol, slurred his speech and fell backwards against the door frame while getting out of his car.

Labels: dick of the week, federal court, republican, scandal

This is almost laughable. From the Idaho Statesman comes this piece about Craig's practically nonexistent legal options and his choice to resign, or not resign, or resign.

The likelihood that U.S. Sen. Larry Craig would resign grew today, as fellow Republicans all but abandoned their Idaho colleague, and the prospect of a timely legal defense dimmed.

Craig, who announced Saturday that he intended to resign from the U.S. Senate effective Sept. 30, backed away from that announcement this week by saying he would resign only if he wasn’t able to clear his name first.

The three-term Idaho Republican is trying to withdraw his guilty plea to disorderly conduct, a charge that stems from his June 11 arrest for lewd conduct in the men's room of the Minneapolis airport.

Craig hopes to undo that charge as well as dismiss an ongoing investigation by the Senate Ethics Committee. However, hopes of resolving the ethics complaint by Craig's self-imposed Sept. 30 deadline also dimmed. And so far, Craig's lawyers haven't filed anything in Minnesota courts in an effort to withdraw his plea.

Right now, it looks as though he will step down Sept. 30, said Craig's spokesman Dan Whiting.

"Larry Craig expects to resign, that's the most likely scenario," Whiting said. "But he's definitely leaving a door open. Itss a small very, very small door, very slightly ajar."

Posted by Zac James

Labels: larry craig, republican, scandal

MSNBC, CNN, and Fox News are reporting that Senator Larry Craig is now reconsidering his resignation. I guess this is what we call "intent."

From CNN

Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, is reconsidering his decision to resign after his arrest in a Minnesota airport sex sting and may still fight for his Senate seat, his spokesman said Tuesday evening.

"It's not such a foregone conclusion anymore, that the only thing he could do was resign," said Sidney Smith, Craig's spokesman, in Idaho's capital.

"We're still preparing as if Senator Craig will resign September 30, but the outcome of the legal case in Minnesota and the ethics investigation will have an impact on whether we're able to stay in the fight -- and stay in the Senate."

It's doubtful that there will be more news from the Senator tonight, but be ready for all hell to break loose tomorrow.

Labels: larry craig, republican, scandal

Labels: idaho, larry craig, republican, scandal

Labels: idaho, larry craig, republican, scandal

So I'm hoping this will be the last that I have to talk about this ridiculous Senator... unless he resigns (watch for that post next week) but here is a cartoon that was too good to pass up.

Thanks to JustOut for the link.

Labels: anti gay, idaho, larry craig, republican, scandal

Just a quick note about Republican Sen. Larry Craig. The media keeps reporting that he has 3 children and 9 grandchildren. I think it is important to make it clear that they aren't actually his biological children, but children by marriage.

That's all for now 'kids'.

Labels: evangelical, idaho, republican, scandal

Labels: federal, idaho, republican, scandal

UPDATE: The Smoking Gun has posted the police report from the plain-clothes officer who nabbed Craig at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Idaho Republican Senator Larry Craig was arrested in June at a Minnesota airport for "lewd conduct" in a men's public restroom. On Aug. 8, he pleaded guilty to "misdemeanor disorderly conduct. He "paid more than $500 in fines and fees, and a 10-day jail sentence was stayed. He also was given one year of probation." The arresting officer's report explains:

My experience has shown that individuals engaging in lewd conduct use their bags to block the view from the front of their stall. From my seated position, I could observe the shoes and ankles of Craig seated to the left of me. [...]

At 1216 hours, Craig tapped his right foot. I recognized this as a signal used by persons wishing to engage in lewd conduct. Craig tapped his toes several times and moves his foot closer to my foot. I moved my foot up and down slowly. While this was occurring, the male in the stall to my right was still present. I could hear several unknown persons in the restroom that appeared to use the restroom for its intended use. The presence of others did not seem to deter Craig as he moved his right foot so that it touched the side of my left foot which was within my stall area.

A BIG SURPRISE
Senator Craig supported the Federal Marriage Amendment, voting for cloture on the amendment in both 2004 and 2006. He voted against cloture on a bill in 2002, which would have extended the federal definition hate crimes to cover sexual orientation.

Guess who won't be running for reelection? I hate love to say it but... another one bites the dust.

Hat tip to Think Progress.

Labels: federal, idaho, republican, scandal