A fictional North Carolina senator will be playing the part of U.S. Sen. Larry Craig in a play about the bathroom sex scandal that led to the end of Craig's political career.

The Washington Post's Sleuth blog reports that the work-in-progress play called "Wide Stance," is being written by North Carolinian Tim Kirkman, who wrote and directed the a 1998 documentary about Jesse Helms called Dear Jesse.

Craig is not a character in the play. That part will be played by a fictional senator from North Carolina, Kirkman told the Sleuth. 

Kirkman said the play will focus more on the personal lives of the characters than on what happened in the airport men's room when Craig was caught tapping his foot, which the arresting undercover police officer in the next stall recognized as a signal soliciting sex.

"I broke it apart, started thinking how many lives" were affected by it, including that of the undercover cop," Kirkman said.

Hat tip: Ryan Teague Beckwith 

* Don Vaughan, Paul Gibson, Melvin "Skip" Alston also mentioned as possible replacements for state Sen. Kay Hagan in legislature. (Capital Beat)

* N.C. Association of Realtors and N.C. Home Builders Association are spending at least $441,000 to finance 15 local groups fighting transfer taxes. (Char-O)

* U.S. Sen. Richard Burr has gone through a six-week crash course on veterans' issues since taking over committee spot from Sen. Larry Craig. (Politico)

* U.S. Rep. Sue Myrick and three other former Charlotte mayors urge voters not to overturn half-cent sales tax for public transit. (Char-O)

It's official: Sen. Larry Craig's setback is Sen. Richard Burr's gain.

Burr was tapped today to temporarily become the top Republican — technically called the "ranking member" — on the Senate Committee for Veterans' Affairs, a post previously held by Craig, Barb Barrett reports.

Craig was stripped of his committee roles after pleading guilty this summer in a well-reported incident in a Minneapolis airport men’s room. Craig has pledged to resign if he cannot reverse his guilty plea.

After a secret ballot, Republicans decided today to put Burr in the top GOP seat for Veterans' Affairs. Other, more senior Republicans were passed over because they already hold party leadership roles in other committees.

Said Burr in a statement, "I appreciate the confidence my Senate colleagues have expressed in me today."

Sen. Larry Craig's woes could help Sen. Richard Burr.

It's looking more likely the Idaho Republican will indeed step down in the wake of his guilty plea over the Minnesota bathroom incident. If he does, that could mean a bump in rank for Burr, a Winston-Salem Republican, Barb Barrett reports.

Burr is next in line to become the ranking member — the top Republican — on the Senate Committee for Veterans Affairs. Burr's office had no comment on the possible ascension.

Update: Burr may not necessarily get a boost. More after the jump.

   Comments (0)

Bill Graham called for Sen. Larry Craig to resign.

In an e-mail press statement, the candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination called for the Idaho Republican to step down because of a misdemeanor conviction of soliciting sex in an airport men's room.

"Through his actions, Sen. Craig has shown that he cannot lead this country by example," Graham said in the statement.

It was sent for immediate release at 12:26 p.m. today — three and a half hours after this item on CNN's political blog first reported that a GOP source claimed Craig will resign soon.