A Troubled Senator Twists in the Wind; A Stirring Plains Comeback; Hacking Away at the iPhone; Facing Up to Troubling Memories; Cover Up Your Underwear or Else
A Troubled Senator Twists in the Wind
At week's end, there was no definitive news on the fate of Sen. Larry Craig, but the sordid drama that enveloped the Idaho Republican seemed destined to end as many do in the nation's capital—with a forced and ungraceful departure from public life.
It was revealed last week that Craig had pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct in June after being arrested by police looking into sexual activity in a men's room at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Craig said he regretted the plea and had done nothing wrong, and he denied that he was gay. But his defiant stance in Boise was undercut by release of an embarrassing audio transcript of his initial interview with airport police. Republicans tried to distance themselves from Craig in a blizzard of statements; the Senate GOP leadership also removed Craig from his top committee posts and referred his case to the Ethics Committee.
A Stirring Plains Comeback
'I believe I have an unfair advantage over most of my colleagues right now. My mind works faster than my mouth does." With that quip before a raucous crowd in Sioux Falls, S.D., Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson announced he would run for re-election next year, capping a dramatic comeback from a December brain hemorrhage that threatened his life. The hemorrhage has impaired Johnson's speech, leaving it halting and slurred, and forced him to relearn how to walk. But it hasn't sapped his desire to represent South Dakota, which he said "has never been stronger." The speech was his first since the hemorrhage.
Johnson's ailment doesn't mean Republican foes will give him a pass. Johnson is a top GOP target after winning in 2002 by a scant 524 votes. While he was hospitalized, Democratic colleagues took his fundraising duties on themselves, bringing in $1.3 million for his presumed re-election bid. Experts expect Johnson's speech to improve. Like many politicians, his mouth may be working faster than his mind before he knows it.
Hacking Away at the iPhone
With a soldering gun, software, and several cases of Red Bull energy drink, George Hotz, 17, from Glen Rock, N.J., became the first to unlock the Apple iPhone, enabling it for use on wireless networks other than AT&T.
Only the most advanced techies will be able to duplicate Hotz's arduous hack, so AT&T will retain its hold on the Apple superphone for now. But random hackers say they're on the verge of releasing unlocking software—which would allow iPhone use on other networks without actually disassembling the device. Legal analysts say unlocking individual phones is probably OK, but those looking to profit may land themselves in murky legal waters.
Meanwhile, the 500 hours Hotz spent hunched over a $499 phone has paid off. After a stalled eBay effort, the Rochester Institute of Technology freshman traded the phone with a Louisville, Ky., cellphone repair shop owner for a consulting job, three 8-gigabyte iPhones, and a "sweet" Nissan 350Z. He also gets geeky notoriety for years to come.
Facing Up to Troubling Memories
Msgr. Othmar Schroeder died 19 years ago. Now, many residents of Jasper, Ind., hope his 50-year legacy in this tight-knit German-Catholic community dies too. Last week, Bishop Gerald Gettelfinger announced that Schroeder was believed to have sexually molested parish boys, and he called for the town's many remembrances of Schroeder to be removed. That would include taking down photos in the churches and renaming the local chapter of the Knights of Columbus. Gettelfinger said he knew of allegations years ago but learned of the full scope of Schroeder's wrongdoing only last month.
For many in this town of 12,000 about 40 miles northeast of Evansville, Schroeder was a beloved leader who helped found a school and a Boy Scout troop. For his victims, the many reminders and celebrations of Schroeder around town were a haunting source of both anxiety and anger. To date, no lawsuits have been filed against the diocese, and no victims have come forward publicly. Nevertheless, Gettelfinger insists the abuse occurred. Schroeder's actions aren't "ancient history" for victims, said Gettelfinger at a recent mass. "The pain they are experiencing is still very real."
Cover Up Your Underwear or Else
Is it a crackdown when you want cracks covered up? Last week, councilman Alvin O'Neal of Stratford, Conn., proposed a $250 fine for people whose baggy pants reveal underwear—or more. That idea was rejected, but similar proposals are under consideration in Atlanta and Shreveport, La. And Delcambre, La., made headlines earlier this year for penalizing saggers with a fine of up to $500 or six months in jail. The uproar has sparked a backlash among civil rights groups who say such measures infringe on freedom of expression and target minority youth, among whom the baggy-pants style is most popular. Carol Broussard, mayor of Delcambre, says the rule isn't discriminatory and protects the public from displays of indecency.
With Bret Schulte and Alison Go
This story appears in the September 10, 2007 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.