Sen. Larry Craig’s legal arguments in Minnesota don’t appear to be playing too well in Idaho. “I don’t know how many people are impressed with the ‘Statesman made me do it’ defense, and how many people are concerned about the judgment the senator used in pleading guilty to these charges,” said Jim Weatherby, political scientist emeritus at Boise State University. “With the twists and turns of this story, who knows what the late-night comedians will make of this.”

Weatherby noted, “There have been politicians who have successfully bashed the media and gained some support from it. I’m not sure in this particular case that it’s quite as effective, particularly when it’s asserted here that he feels that the story was baseless.” If so, Weatherby said, “Then what is he afraid of?

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