The Gist

The Police Tape: Do you Feel Sorry For Larry Craig?


A lot of discussion on the show yesterday as we went through the tape. Some people thought he was innocent; others not, but still felt for the guy. Still others thought he was guilty, lying and getting what he deserved; others said he did nothing wrong but still getting what he deserved. No question that the police use coercive tactics, that Craig would have gotten off if he said nothing or pleaded not guilty and that these sting operations are grotesque. Still, do you feel sorry for Craig?

We'll be going through it again today earlier in the show and having that discussion. Should we be defending the guy in the sting, even as we lambaste him as a hypocrite?

In terms of journalism, and the Idaho-Statesmen investigation, I participated in a Newsweek debate about whether or not it was invasive of Craig's privacy. The link and discussion are a few posts below. Let me know your thoughts there.


UPDATE: This op-ed makes the case for how Larry Craig was entrapped by the police.

UPDATE II:Arianna Huffington weighs in, asking why law enforcement is focused on this in the age of terror.