"Never give a sucker an even break!"

This is the title and famous line from a Hollywood movie production of 1943 starring W.C. Fields. We've all heard it before ..... I suppose a literal translation might be, "If they're stupid enough to believe it, they deserve what they get!"

Guess I may be a sucker then, but I still believe there's something to be said about seeing evidence of a crime. In the case of Michael Vick, digging up dozens of dog bodies on his property, having all your co-defendants roll over on you and say that you were the "main man," and having your own Daddy tell the Press that "this was always Michael's 'thing'"....Well, that sort of provided as much evidence as I needed!

In the case of Senator Larry Craig, and whether he was arrested wrongfully in a Minneapolis-St. Paul airport mens room, for "toe-tapping" a homosexual overture to an adjacent stallmate - truthfully - I can't even begin to get my mind around this in oh so many ways! But on the surface, I would like to see some more evidence.

The "hew and cry" issuing last night and this morning from Republicans, (as well as from Democrats and the media), would indicate to me that there might easily have been a "gut feeling" of Sen. Craig's (ahem!) "proclivities" around the halls of Congress for some time. However, having a gut feeling that someone's gay is one thing; arresting someone for a suspected "toe-tapped sexual gesture" are two pretty different things - don't ja think? (I mean, I may have inadvertently been toe-tapping the score to "Guys & Dolls" all these years in public restrooms, just because I was so damn uncomfortable having to use one!!!) And where did the arresting policeman get his PH.D. in "homosexual foot gesturing?"

Admittedly - The good Senator didn't do himself any favors by trying to use his Congressional business card as a "get out of jail free pass" - or by pleading guilty to a lesser charge "so it would go away!" What innocent married man is going to plead guilty to an inappropriate sexual arrest at any level? Not any man that I know of that wants to live through the night with their heterosexual wife! And that goes double in my house! The words "arrested "- "sexual" - "and me" better never be used together in the same sentence!

So Senator Craig may well have to resign over this incident. (I read that there are now "other incidents" from the Senator's past that the media is scurrying around like rats in a corn-crib to serve up to us during this evenings broadcasts.) So, who knows, Senator Craig might be history - "PDQ" as the old saying goes.

Two things strike me odd/funny about this.......

• First: the Democrats are supposed to be the party that is the most liberal & tolerant of gay rights, yet they are the first group to condemn Sen. Craig for purported homosexual activity and call for his resignation. However, when Barney Frank's "boy-toy" ran an escort service out of Frank's Washington condo, Frank wasn't condemned! In fact, Frank's congressional slap-on-the-wrists has elevated him in the eyes of Liberals. It's funny that Dems wouldn't support another potentially gay Congressional Representative?

• Second: why are Republicans always so quick to "throw-over" fellow conservatives simply based upon accusation,(i.e.- Senator Craig, Alberto Gonzalez), while Dems never "throw-over" Dems? Democrats become "cause cé·lè·bre" & "media darlings" once they're accused of anything! Teddy Kennedy, Alcee Hastings, William Jefferson, Barney Frank, President Clinton ... all Liberal Icons!

Such a strange political system we have!