Republicans' Larry Craig vs. Oliver Thomas, New Orleans' ex-councilman

How many Republicans have heard of the "down-low"? They may be getting an unparallelled lesson from a U.S. senator, another member of the conservative flock. The "down-low" is a Black American cultural reference to the not-so-rare behavior or lifestyle in which a man is intimately involved with men while 'fronting' with women to appear 'macho'. Only hours after finally getting shod of an albatross attorney general, GOPers now are confronted with their old friend, senior U.S. Senator Larry Craig of Idaho. As in "Idaho potatoes". Yet another self-aggrandising poster boy for "family values" that look and feel a lot more like cardboard. Craig was arrested for "disorderly" (or lewd? (no, not lewd - disorderly)) behavior in a men's public restroom and pled guilty. Now he says he shouldn't have pled guilty... This must be rich food for the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists' Association - NLGJA - holding its annual meeting in San Diego (nlgja.org).

Compare Craig's attitude to the down-to-earth, even gracious, public apology earlier this month (also televised) of local Louisiana politico, Oliver Thomas, who is Black. Read his statement below. Larry Craig, on the other hand, defiantly called a press conference and rather than calmly giving his version of what occurred in the airport men's restroom (snicker), Craig arrogantly and repeatedly tells press and public something most of us really did not need or want to know, and about a complete stranger at that. "I am not gay." It's reported that Craig also pulled out a card identifying himself as a member of the U.S. Senate. Was he hoping the officer would simply go away? Not. He was arrested.

So how long will Idahoans, the Republican Party and Craig's colleagues in both houses of Congress put up with this? Days? Weeks? Hours? The remainder of '07 and well into 2008? How long is this going to fester? I'm watching my watch.

Contrast Mr. Craig with Oliver Thomas of New Orleans, La. Mr. Thomas resigned from New Orleans City Council around 13 August "after pleading guilty in federal court to accepting a bribe from a City Hall vendor" (from Times-Picayune blog). Back around 2002, as a city councilmember, Thomas reportedly accepted a piddling $15-thousand dollar bribe over a city parking contract. This wrongdoing is dwarfed, smothered by a unilateral war on Iraq, the Enron scandal and the still-growing list of truly astounding scandal. Yet men like George W. Bush and Larry
Craig could care less about
humbly asking Oliver Thomas for a page from his book. Americans will do well to finally familiarise themselves with Transparency International, a global nonprofit, or "NGO" (nongovernmental organisation) that addresses public corruption.

Here's Oliver Thomas' televised admission of guilt and offer of contrition:

"First, to my family, then to my friends and colleagues and finally to all of my fellow New Orleanians, I stand before you today humbled, disappointed in myself, and seeking your forgiveness for what I'm about to say. ..."

Posted on Times-Picayune NOLA Blog, August 13, 2007 2:00PM

Oliver Thomas resigned from New Orleans City Council "after pleading guilty in federal court to accepting a bribe from a City Hall vendor". Back around 2002, as a city councilmember, Thomas reportedly accepted a $15-thousand dollar (NOT $500-thou or $5 or $50 million like many others these days) bribe from a vendor over a parking lot contract.

Oliver Thomas' resignation:

Good afternoon everyone. First, to my family, then to my friends and colleagues and finally to all of my fellow New Orleanians, I stand before you today humbled, disappointed in myself, and seeking your forgiveness for what I'm about to say.

Approximately five years ago, I accepted an inappropriate gift from a local businessman intending to influence me to gain my influence as an elected official. It was wrong. And I accept full responsibility for this action, and for using incredibly poor judgment. I acknowledge my guilt today, and I stand prepared to pay the consequences for my mistake.

To my family -- I have placed you in a very difficult position, one that you do not deserve. Please forgive me. To my friends and colleagues who I've been through so much with before Katrina, during Katrina and the rebuilding of this city. I'm sorry that I didn't live up to the faith you had placed in me and I apologize for that.

And finally, to the wonderful people of this city, people I call neighbor, people I call friend and fellow New Orleanians. I cannot begin to describe to you the disappointment and the anguish that I deal with internally day and night. You trusted me, and I placed that trust in question. You have every right to be angry and suspicious. And I am deeply sorry and I ask you for your forgiveness.

Because of this situation and because I love this city so much and they deserve better, I am immediately announcing my resignation to the City Council of New Orleans, effective immediately.

As I leave you, my greatest hope is that I will not become a distraction to the thousands of lives and to the thousands of people that are trying to recover their lives, their families and their homes. And I want nothing more than for the city of New Orleans to return to its rightful place as the jewel of the south, a better place, the most beautiful, culturally vibrant, dynamic city in the world.

And I also hope that, in time, you can judge me by the totality of my works and not by just this moment.

All of you, please know, that whatever happens to me and wherever I may be I will be praying for and working toward the rebuilindg of this city in spite of my current situation or what may befall me in the future I will continue to work for the city I love and I have made peace with my God, and I continue to love my city and all of you.
I want to thank Clarence Roby. I want to thank our friends at the U.S. Attorney's office. If not for their counsel and care, I don't know if I'd be standing here right now. So, I want all of you to know, this city needs to be a better place, this city needs to be cleaned up and I'm going to do my best to be a better person because of the mistakes that I have made.

Thank you.