Fred's Couch Moment

"The GOP is now forced to make a choice -- defend its witch hunt as conditional upon whether someone is convicted of (or pleads guilty to) a tawdry misdemeanor, or affirm that same-sex behavior -- illicit or not -- is fine as long as you don't get caught. I wouldn't want to be in that slippery position with Daddy Dobson's crowd . . . The political undercurrent here is that Mitch McConnell's threat to Craig -- an investigation that ensured additional public exposure and humiliation that forced the initial quasi-resignation -- is actually a signal to the rest of the conservative closet cases in the GOP's midst -- don't get caught in a sex-sting or we'll dump you, no matter that you loyally voted against LGBT issues. You -- and your closet -- are expendable.

"I wouldn't want to be a Log Cabinette having to shill for these folks. The knickers are now definitely in a twist as they have to deal with a defiant Craig. Has he decided to kick open a few closet doors of his friends on the Hill now that they've publicly stabbed him in the back? Let's see how many former 'outraged' GOP pols start treading lightly or fall silent."

Steven Taylor at PoliBlog questions Craig's grip on reality:

"It would seem that Craig lives in an odd world where one takes responsibility for an action (like pleading guilty for an offense or resigning) and then one turns around and rescinds the action. This is rather odd. Had he wanted to fight for his job (or his innocence) there were appropriate junctures at which to do so. To play this game is plain strange, not to mention not politically viable.

"If Craig indeed has been planning to un-resign, it simply demonstrates that the man truly does live in a self-delusional world (which was already pretty clear to begin with)."

Dick Polman invokes "SNL":

"This is probably Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell's worst nightmare, made worse because it's happening during waking hours. The last thing he wants, at this point, is to burdened any further by a 'family values' colleague who is now known, nationwide, for his practice of sliding his fingers along the underside of a neighbor's toilet stall. Thirty years ago on Saturday Night Live, John Belushi played a character called 'The Thing That Wouldn't Leave,' an unwelcome houseguest who refused to hit the road despite his host's persistent entreaties. Craig apparently wants to do the sequel."

The right can't muster much enthusiasm for Craig (who, I should note, is up for reelection next year). At Power Line, John Hinderaker says Craig copped a plea for a reason:

"I think it's true that Craig probably would not have been convicted if he had chosen to go to trial. His reputation, however, would have been ruined by the circumstances of his arrest. So Craig made a rational decision to forgo trial and plead guilty to disorderly conduct, in hopes that his misdemeanor conviction wouldn't come to light. After all, the arresting officer promised Craig that he wouldn't call the press.

"However, now that the cat is out of the bag, the calculation has changed. Now, Craig has little to lose by trying to re-open the case, seek dismissal of the charges or an acquittal at trial, and claim the result as vindication. It is, so to speak, a second bite at the apple.

"I don't blame Craig for pursuing this strategy, although it's hard to understand the basis on which he could now change his mind about his guilty plea . . . There is nothing noble or heroic about Craig's change of heart. His decision to resign was the right one, and he should resist the temptation to try to prolong the inevitable. Idaho's voters will not be as anxious to keep Craig in office as fellow senators like Arlen Specter."

Captain Ed has the day's best headline, "Craig Still Playing Footsie":