Frankly, I don’t really care that much about the “recent” events involving Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho) and whatever tap dance he did in a Minneapolis bathroom to pick up the band member from the Village People — er, undercover cop.

That said, can the conservative media stop whining about the “double standard” that exists for conduct of Republican lawmakers as opposed to the morally-deprived Democrats?

For the last two (and I’m guessing it’s going to be three) days, John Ziegler, Sean Hannity, et. al. have spent their talk radio time asserting that if Craig was a liberal Democrat, the media attention and accusations of hypocrisy wouldn’t now be surrounding him.

Hannity even began rehashing the past sins of prominent Democrats — you know the golden oldies, Ted Kenney, Barney Frank, Gerry Stubbs, Bill Clinton — correctly pointing out that they received a “slap on the wrist” and didn’t have to leave office.

UPDATE Jason Lewis, filling in for Rush, started Thursday’s show with the exact story line.

OK. So what?! Look, Republicans who falter are going to get more heat — deal with it. It’s not some zany media conspiracy or liberal bias or double standard. It’s a higher standard.

That comes with claiming to be the party that lives according to such standards. In fact, most conservative commentators are saying Craig should resign (some qualify it with, “If he broke the law” and other such nonsense). What’s more, Craig’s fellow GOP senators are already on the verge of throwing him under the bus.

Such a double standard doesn’t bother me at all. In fact, I get a certain sense of pride watching Republican leaders turn on corrupt GOP lawmakers while Democrats put their sexual deviants in places of prominence. And for that matter, let the media enforce that higher standard, too.

If conservative commentators were smart, they would use this against the Democrats. Start dubbing commercials with corrupt politicians side-by-side. Put Duke Cunningham on the right side of the screen and William Jefferson on the left — show the Dukestir in jail while Mr. $90,000-in-the-freezer still sits in Congress.

Show Barney Frank gaveling the Financial Services Committee to order while Larry Craig looks for the door.

Show Bob Livingston leaving the speakership while Bill Clinton continues to be vastly popular among Democrats.

Then end it with a montage of other Democratic leaders vowing support for their corrupt colleagues. Then voice over: “Republicans really do empty the swamp, while Democrats wallow in it” or something like that (perhaps I’ll start playing with Final Cut Pro).

But it’s easier to whine and rehash the same old arguments — like lazy journalists following the standard template; conservative commentators have one they follow.

Besides, conservative talk-radio claiming a media double standard exists is as trite as when they rant against “mainstream media” and it’s liberal bias (as if they weren’t with part of the mainstream with their 10s of millions of listeners). It’s a tune sung so many times you can tap your foot to it without hearing the melody — just don’t tap that foot in an airport bathroom.