By: Joe Strupp The Idaho Statesman of Boise drew its busiest Web traffic ever on Tuesday after posting a lengthy story about an alleged sexual incident involving Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) and another man, as well as other alleged improper activities.
The paper, the largest circulation daily in the state, also called on Craig to resign in today's editions.
The record-setting Web traffic followed Monday's revelation by another paper that Craig had pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge stemming from a June incident in a Minnesota airport bathroom in which he allegedly solicited a police officer.
That arrest prompted the Statesman to run a lengthy investigation about Craig's alleged secret sex life in Tuesday's editions.
"It is safe to say it was three to four times the normal," Darlene Carnopis, the Statesman's online/systems editor, said about Tuesday's Web traffic. "It was record-setting page views for one day." She declined to say how many views were registered, or what the average daily count is, but said the total for Tuesday was the highest ever.
The previous record high, also undisclosed, was on Jan. 2, 2007, a day after Boise State University won college football's Fiesta Bowl. Carnopis said the most popular items on the Web site Tuesday were the main story about Craig by Dan Popkey and a transcript and audio recording of an interview with a man who claimed to have had oral sex with Craig in a Washington, D.C., train station bathroom.
Craig's arrest was revealed Monday in a story by Roll Call, a Capitol Hill daily, which reported he had been arrested in June for the Minnesota airport incident, and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor disorderly conduct on Aug. 8.
Craig has since claimed he should not have pleaded guilty, said he is not gay, and has called the Statesman's reporting "a witch hunt."
The paper, which has endorsed Craig for re-election in the past, including during his most recent campaign in 2002, published an editorial Thursday calling on him to step down.
"Sen. Larry Craig needs to resign," the editorial began. "For the good of a state he loves, a state he has served for more than a quarter century. It is difficult and unpleasant to call on Idaho?s senior senator to end a career in public service. We don?t do this casually, or unanimously. However, we cannot abide an elected official who didn?t disclose a lewd conduct arrest until the story broke 77 days later -- a lie by omission and a violation of the public trust."
The editorial later adds, "We cannot believe Craig can effectively serve Idaho, under the shadow of his guilty plea on a lesser charge of disorderly conduct. We cannot afford, as a state with but four congressional representatives, to have a senator who merely provides fodder for bloggers and late-night talk show hosts."
The paper even noted its past support of Craig, stating, "In 2002, the Statesman enthusiastically endorsed Craig?s re-election, hailing him as an influential leader who is 'hitting his stride as a senator.' His stunning misstep has now cost him his viability and his credibility. He must now step aside."
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