Craig's "wide stance" excuse finds its way into the lexicon - Ranks right up there with macaca now

[NNN0LHI]

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420AP_ID_Wide_Stance.html

By REBECCA BOONE
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

BOISE, Idaho -- In the list of famous excuses ever given for questionable behavior, "I have a wide stance" must fall somewhere between the schoolchild's favorite, "the dog ate my homework," and President Bill Clinton's, "I didn't inhale."

But Sen. Larry Craig's contention - made to a Minneapolis airport policeman just after his arrest during a restroom sex sting - has permeated the public consciousness, showing up as more than just the punch line to late-night talk show jokes.

The Web site Urban Dictionary now defines "wide stance" as a euphemism for a closeted homosexual. David Kurtz of the blog, "Talking Points Memo," proclaimed Craig's wide stance claim "The Best Legal Defense of 2007." And Beau Jarvis, a wine enthusiast who blogs about wine, travel and food at Basic Juice, has proposed "cleansing" the phrase by using it to describe a well-balanced wine.

Craig uttered the now-famous phrase after an undercover policeman arrested him on June 11, according to police reports. Sgt. Dave Karsnia claimed Craig entered a neighboring stall after peering at him through a crack in the door, then slid his foot underneath the stall divider, tapping it several times before moving it so it touched the officer's foot. Then, Karsnia said, Craig waved his hand underneath the divider. Karsnia said he recognized those gestures as a coded invitation for gay sex.

But during questioning, the senator said he simply has a wide stance when using the restroom and that the officer must have seen him reaching to pick up a piece of paper on the floor, according to the police report. Craig pleaded guilty in August to disorderly conduct, but unsuccessfully tried to withdraw his plea after news of the incident became public. Though he initially said he intended to resign, Craig now says he intends to serve out his term.