Matt Lauer's Larry Craig Interview: Exclusive and Excruciating

Oh gosh, Matt Lauer's interview with Senator Larry Craig and his wife Suzanne last night was uncomfortable to watch. Now I get what Lauer meant yesterday, how it must have felt to quiz Craig on the litany — the long, long litany — of gay-themed allegations (cruising, pickups, trysts) from throughout his political career and even from before, all while his wife was sitting there. Lauer did a good and deft job on this, and the Craigs candidly addressed it all head on, but the end result was the feeling of "no smoke without fire" and wow was there a lot of smoke. Not that there's anything wrong with that! The saddest part is how, if it's true (and if they're just rumors, well, there sure are a lot of them, from a lot of different sources), this guy has felt the overwhelming need to hide it and rail against it for his whole life. Here is a representative clip:

"I have a medical discharge based on my feet." Oh, Senator Craig, those feet.

Update: I'm going to have to disagree with Tom Shales, who criticized Lauer for being "anything but hard-hitting or confrontational." To my mind, that was precisely the right approach: Sympathetic, respectful, but persistent, putting each episode to Craig for his response, which created an overall effect of so many dominoes leading to that inevitable and sad moment in that airport bathroom. What Shales doesn't get is that Craig's had MONTHS of hard-hitting and confrontational — the cable shows, the late-night punchlines — the last thing that would have drawn him out would have been an antagonistic interviewer. When Lauer cited "cruising" and followed it with "whatever that means," Suzanne Craig laughed — breaking the tension of an uncomfortable moment and keeping it as comfortable, really, as it was ever gonna be. This interview didn't need to be hard-hitting; as I mention above, just the litany of episodes and innuendos, presented to Craig again and again, had a far more quietly damning effect.

(Hat tip to TVNewser, and thanks — I sort of love disagreeing with Tom Shales.)

Related:
Larry Craig To Matt Lauer: "You Know I Don't Just Walk Away From A Fight" (Except When I'm Quietly Pleading Guilty And Hoping It Will All Go Away) [ETP]

Comments

[cardtosser]

Disorderly conduct. What a terrible thing.

BTW what is disorderly conduct? Going up a down staircase? Talking too loud on a cell phone? Wearing stripes AND patterns at the same time? Trying to make friends in a restroom?

If the people of Idaho aren't asking for a recall, why should I care if he serves in the Senate or not?

[snaggster]

"BTW what is disorderly conduct?"

Giving blow jobs to strangers in public toilets.

[RegularFolk]

he did not get caught doing that so keep your lies to yourself.

[gallstones]

As per usual, all I get is a blank white space--no video for me. I have no problem seeing video at crooks and liars or daily kos.

[postedby]

So let's recap what Larry Craig has done:

1) Something embarassing,
2) but not illegal.
3) Probably lying about it (see 1),
4) but so what.
5) Bringing dishonor to the institution.
6) Being overly-reamed by the press, or
7) undeserved criticism?

Gee, sounds EXACTLY like Bill Clinton's blow jobs in the White House!

[SlimChance]

Like most wingnuts, you just don't get it. Craig has spent his political career as a member of a political party that demonizes gays and denys them the same rights that everyone else enjoys, while at the same time practicing behavior which he condemns. That's hypocrisy. In Clinton's case, while the infidelity was wrong, at least he didn't spend a career promoting legislation that would criminalize adultery. Get it now? Anyway, Clinton's not even in office anymore. You guys just can't get over him, can you?

[ylpatriot]

They cant get over Clinton because the have nothing better to use as a deflector????


Cry babies that they are !!!!!!!!

[consrevil]

Exactly. I have never heard President come out against blowjobs. I know I sure wouldn't.

Creig, on the other hand only prefers same sex blowjobs but still wants to lie about it.

[snaggster]

"Gee, sounds EXACTLY like Bill Clinton's blow jobs in the White House!"

Sure does and it's exactly the same people that want to get rid of Not Gay Larry. The Republicans! The rest of us want to be rid of GOP cretins whether they do anything "embarassing" or not.

[BWonka]

No it doesn't - but nothing will ever get you to let go of blaming everything on Clinton.

Gee - guess you just don't know how to quit him - how gay!!

[amanda85]

"Gee, sounds EXACTLY like Bill Clinton's blow jobs in the White House!"

So, when do impeachment proceedings for Larry Craig begin? Oh, you mean, not exactly exactly...

[oldgringo]

The Craig thing is bad enough, but wait until his "buddy", Gov of Idaho, "Butch" Otter sends to D.C. to replace "Ol' Wide Stance" or until someone blows the whistle on "Wild Bill" (aka:"Silly Sali") Sali, the newly installed junior Rep for Id-1, who just happens to make George W. Bush look like a Rhodes Scholar and a Nobel Prise Winner Combined!

[workingboy]

does anyone remember rev. ted?? where is he? why isn't he praying with the craig family? wonder if his wife, along with mrs. craig, mrs. vitters, mrs. mc greevey get tested for std's?

[bigdaddyvike]

I believe just-a-massage ted just got turned down for some non-profit foundation he was trying to establish. Probably some organization to further the "curing" of homosexuals. And... "like Bill Clinton's blow jobs in the White House"- consensual sex between adults is one thing... dirty bathroom sex with strangers takes it to a whole new level. Adultery vs. depravity- I'll side with the adulterer any time.

[BWonka]

I gave up half way through the interview - it became obvious this sad, unhappy little man was never going to be able to admit to anyone, least of all himself, that he IS gay. That all the 'rumors' are true. That he has lied all these years.

Oh, well, nice try, Larry. But please - don't open your mouth again until you can accept who and what you are. Stop pretending - you sound like a complete fool.

Had he accepted and admitted everything he might have retained some sense of self worth, and his acceptance as an openly gay man probably would have surprised him.

Instead, he wants to be Cleopatra - Queen of Denial. How sad.

[moodyring]

"'I have a medical discharge based on my feet.' Oh, Senator Craig, those feet."

I've found my quote of the day. How I'm going to enjoy sharing this w/ the rest of the office!

[Checquoline]

Those same feet that tapped danced in the bathroom stall. Does he think anyone believes him?

[Mykel]

I want to know how homophobic Republicans feel knowing that a rich, powerful and obviously latent homosexual or bisexual like Larry Craig has basically accused a poor, innocent, heterosexual cop of being a liar.

[gopSTEALSyourTAXmoney]

Very interesting question.

[Mykel]

As usual, Republicans have no comment. Perhaps if there are a few actual heterosexual men in the Republican party, they aren't answering because they are too busy acting like pack-dogs, sniffing the behinds of their latent or closeted homosexual and bisexual leaders.

Isn't that, too, however, evidence of latent homosexuality?

But I digress: if only the Democrats had enough spine to publicly accuse anti-gay Republicans of being latent homosexuals, or better yet, link latent homosexuality with warmongering.

After all, the false bravado of Neocons who never served in the military would seem---to them---to be the perfect cover for their homosexual angst.

[JessWonderin]

Not much of reach . . . the Republicon Club are used to tossing a carpet of lies to step over honorable people . . .

Sadly Cleopatra, was so twisted that he actually believes that WE believe he just walked clear across an airport to take a crap and pick up some toilet paper off the floor . . . you go girlfriend!!!!

[snaggster]

That, of course, is why the cop was so angry. Not Gay Larry tried to intimidate him with his business card and then started lying. You know the cop was thinking that this guy would try to bury him. The law & order crowd started accusing him of bullying. Cops are their heros as long as their cracking skulls on video.

[SILVANUS]

It's fun to stay at the YMCA, Larry.

[gopSTEALSyourTAXmoney]

Did this SOB really think anyone would believe anything he said? Craig is a big fat phony and just as arrogant as Bush. No wonder he's a Repugnican. He and his "wife" have sold their souls for position and status, and have hurt many people because of it. He and his missus are shallow and selfish snobs. I'm actually glad he's staying in the Senate. He will be a constant reminder of how low these slimeballs are. Craig is not despicable for being gay, which is as natural as being left handed, but for being a big fat LIAR and a hypocrit about it. He needs a great big bavarian creme pie shoved in his ugly puss.

[kiojn]

If Matt Lauer and Arianna Huffington (Pelosi puff piece) are too quesy to ask the questions that need to be asked, and then follow up with even tougher questions. That's called journalism. If you don't like it, get another job. It would be nice if the folks in the media could actually get it right sometime.

[gopSTEALSyourTAXmoney]

I think these so-called journalists are simply star-struck. They haven't the guts to ask the tough questions because they want their celebrity-in-chair to "like them, really like them". Sickening.

[dartagnan]

While I detest Craig's hypocrisy, I also feel sorry for him. How horrible it must be to go through life filled with self-loathing.

[gopSTEALSyourTAXmoney]

Feel sorry for that slime? You've got to be kidding. I have ZERO sympathy for such an integrity-free dork as Craig. Let him wallow in his lies forever. He's a pathetic prig. All that's missing is the pilgrim garb.

[dawlishgal]

It's a mistake to assume that because a normal decent person would feel guilty about, say, sliming children and combat vets, or lying in order to invade a country that did nothing to us,or advocating stripping civil rights from gays even though one cruises gay bathrooms oneself-- that the people who actually do stuff like that feel guilty. Having NO SHAME is part of being a narcissist AND of being a psychopath.

It seems pretty clear from Craig's behavior that he excludes himself from the type of people who behave the way he behaves (which frees him up to attack these very people). How do these people deal with the inevitable conficts (or what ought to be inevitable conflicts if they were normal people)?

It's relatively easy to explain...they are missing that litte brain chip that is responible for producing empathy. But, it is very hard to treat....a good reason not to get involved with narcissists or psychopaths, if they can be avoided.

FOR SURE, don't vote for any of them for any kind of important position.

[WolfLarsen]

Larry there is no fire where there is smoke if you use the proper lubricant.

[WolfLarsen]

I really thought for a moment he was going to say he had a medical discharge because of his penis. Keep the toe-tapping, tortured logic and ludicrous rhetoric up Larry, because that sucking sound you hear is the Republican party going down the drain.

[mckinley]

"that sucking sound..."? OUCH!!

[Misanthrope2]

Sounds like victory to me!

[tweeksmom]

Let your freak fag flag fly, Senator!

Senator Craig might have been a little more convincing if not for the fact that these rumors have been swirling around him for the past fifty years or so and we all know that where there's smoke, there's fire!

What was this guy thinking? He behaved exactly like a guilty person. Aren't most senators also lawyers? How could Craig have NOT realized the implications of his guilty plea? He should have known better.Nobody gets a mulligan on a guilty plea for anything and he shouldn't get one either! He must have been deluded to think this wouldn't get out eventually. As stupid as Craig is, with the deplorable lack of good judgment he's shown, he doesn't deserve to be the senator or anything...

[LeftLeanWing]

Larry Craig was never a lawyer