Anonymous Airport Sex...Who Knew?
Larry Craig is in a spot of trouble. The Senator from Idaho pled guilty last month to disorderly conduct for using some kind of secret code in the bathroom to request sex from the person in the stall next to him, who turned out to be a police officer running a sting operation from the toilet there. I have lots of questions about this.

1) Is this anonymous sex in the airport bathroom thing really a common occurrence? Not that I expect any of you to know, but this is the first I've heard of it. I've read about such, er, traditions at truck stops and in public parks, but the airport? Don't people in airports have, you know, places to go?

2) I understand that people having sex in the public restroom is problematic and, I guess, unacceptable. But is this really the airport security concern that needs attention these days? I kind of hoped that all available security personnel were on the lookout for more serious threats. I mean, investigate complaints and all, but set up a sting?

3) Will that cop be eligible for medical leave for any complications he develops from, I suppose, sitting on the toilet all day waiting on Republicans to come by and give him the signal?

4) Will Craig really be in political trouble over this? you would think this might offend the sensibilities of Western conservatives. But at the same time, Senator David Vitter (R-LA) seems to be unscathed despite his sudden notoriety as a regular brothel and escort client with a diaper fetish. if that doesn't ruin your electoral chances in the South, I don't know what will, anywhere. We're a long way from the days when you could get impeached for lying about (legal) oral sex. Remember those days?

5) From the reports, Craig sounds like he is a pro at this game. Can't it only be a matter of time before someone comes along and Haggards him? Tells the story of how he and Craig completed this exercise at some earlier time?

6) Is he just freaking nuts? I know that the powerful can get reckless and feel invincible. But this is really really dumb. As far as being dumb goes, this is not even in the ballpark of a discrete affair. This is going out in public and requesting anonymous sex, knowing full well that if it becomes public it will tarnish your reputation forever. How do you get to be a Senator with that little self-preserving restraint?

7) Can you read this without laughing out loud?

8) Would you plead guilty to such charges if you didn't do anything and just wanted to avoid the public scrutiny of fighting them?

9) As TPM poster David Kurtz notes, how much should we really care?