HARRISBURG — Sen. Arlen Specter continued to defend Idaho Sen. Larry Craig on Friday, saying his Republican colleague's guilty plea in a restroom sex sting did not involve "moral turpitude."

Specter first suggested on Sunday that Craig should seek to vindicate himself. Craig pleaded guilty in August to disorderly conduct following the sting operation in a men's bathroom at the Minneapolis airport, but said this week he hoped to withdraw the plea.

"Disorderly conduct does not involve moral turpitude, does not really bear on fitness to serve in the United States Senate," Specter said during a news conference on an unrelated topic in Harrisburg.

Specter, a former Philadelphia prosecutor, said an audiotaped police interrogation of Craig that was released last week was "very vague," and he did not believe Craig was seeking out sexual activity.

"I accept what Sen. Craig has said, that he was not undertaking any lewd or lascivious act, and I think it's very important to give him a chance to state his case," Specter said.

Specter added that he believes Craig has considerable support "in the Republican cloakroom," but declined to elaborate.

On Thursday, Craig's chief spokesman said his boss had dropped virtually all notions of trying to finish his third term, which ends in early 2009. The spokesman, Dan Whiting, said the senator was focused on trying to clear his name and to help Idaho prepare for a replacement.

Whiting said Craig might try to complete his term if his conviction is promptly overturned and Senate GOP leaders agree to restore the committee leadership positions they took from him this week — scenarios he said were unlikely.