US Sen. Larry Craig Flunks Politics 101

When it's crisis management time, politicians are schooled to avoid the dreaded "second-day" story syndrome.

In other words, don't make a bad situation worse.

Don't raise more questions or make fresh disclosures about something that provoked a difficult or embarrassing story - - grist, in other words, for follow-up reporting.

Which is exactly what gay rights' basher US Sen. Larry Craig, (R-ID), has done in the wake of his arrest for misbehaving in a Minnesota men's room.

After you are caught, and plead guilty, you might drop out of sight, or retreat into counseling, ask for some private time to sort things our, with a plan to address your constituents at a later time - - anything to appear thoughtful, hopefully authentically thoughtful, when serious thought and reflection are needed.

What you don't do if you are a national lawmaker is proclaim your innocence after pleading guilty, then kick yourself some more in print for going to court without an attorney - - all of which was reported by The Washington Post after Craig's arrest was first disclosed by Roll Call, a Capitol Hill insiders' newsletter.

You just end up looking stupid.

UPDATE: Here comes Day 3,4,5 stories, ad infinitum. And play the Blame the Media card?

He'll have to resign, and fast. The GOP leadership, seeing '08 shaping up as a post-W massacre, will demand it.




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