RE: Candidates drug use?

[rateyes]

I know that Obama was criticized for his admission of having used drugs years ago.

My question: Has anyone asked either Hillary Clinton or John Edwards if they have ever used drugs...or have either made an admission or denial of drug use?

I'm voting for Edwards, but in the interest of fairness, if Obama is going to be criticized for this, then those criticizing have the responsibility to make sure their candidate gives an answer to that question, IMO.

[ColbertWatcher]

1. I'm all for it n/t

[ElizabethDC]

2. A few weeks ago, Hillary was asked if she had ever used cocaine or marijuana

she said no. I think it was during a press conference - I don't recall seeing video of it, just the quote in an article.

[Dogmudgeon]

3. I think it's a non-issue

Obama copped to it and explained that it was a mistake.

Big deal -- for any of them.

There are bigger issues to debate rather than this Coke-v-Pepsi stuff.

--p!

[Alexander]

4. Edwards admitted to having smoked marijuana in 2003.

As for Hillary Clinton, nobody knows.

[AntiFascist]

7. What about drug trafficking? n/t

[Alexander]

8. No candidate would ever admit to drug trafficking.

Even if they did it.

[AntiFascist]

14. Of course, especially if it led to the addiction of scores of Americans n/t

[fenriswolf]

5. I would love

to do shrooms with edwards, we'd prob have a really good conversation about life

but i think hill is more of a coke girl, not really into ampetamines or uppers so I would prob pass.

obama i think is off the hard drugs but i'm sure i could takeout a bottle of JD and challenge him to a drinking contest (probably not fair considering how skinny he is)

*joke* *joke* *joke*

[marylanddem]

6. Amen!

[marylanddem]

9. But I'd bet you wouldn't do LSD with any of them...

(actually this was intended for "fensriswolf" who made the nice rundown of which candidates he/she might prefer to share which drugs with)

[fenriswolf]

12. why not?

actually i would love to drop acid with kucinich.

[marylanddem]

16. Well, I guess I was thinking it might be a bit scarey to deal

with those heavy political personna masks - but Kucinich might indeed be fun...

[fenriswolf]

20. the only person i think that would be scary would be hill

I mean i'm not talking about frying my eyeballs out, im talking nice mellow trip. probably get great convos with kucinich, edwards and obama (would love to hear some stories about how he grew up) but i think hill might scare me.

[TomInTib]

10. Actually, I would much rather have a President who has done drugs.

Rather than some straight-laced, coddled, better-than-thou type.

I am well past 50 years old, and I do not have one friend who has not done drugs in the past/present (except for my DU sweetie, who shall remain un-named).

[fenriswolf]

11. actually i would love for a president to admit to

dropping acid or shrooms, not all the time but a couple of times.

I firmly believe they expand your way of thinking.

[TomInTib]

19. That's a good point, fenriswolf.

Or at least an attempt to expand one's mind.

Rather than a lifetime of practicing tunnel-vision.

[rateyes]

13. I don't give a shit about their drug use, either...

I just don't think a candidate should get away with criticizing another candidate for it, and then not answering whether or not he/she is guilty of similar behavior.

[TomInTib]

15. I agree.

To criticize or infer that someone has done anything illegal or unethical and then refuse to be open about one's past practices is just bullshit.

Even BC's "I didn't inhale" was bullshit, and I told him that face-to-face in Seattle one day.

[fenriswolf]

22. heh seriously who is not gonna inhale?

[marylanddem]

18. Baby boomer here, too, and I agree.

[onenote]

17. Obama is the one who first brought up his drug use as a teen/college student

Acting as if there is some double standard here is ridiculous. Obama wrote about it in his book. He has mentioned in speeches for quite some time, dating back to before he announced that he was running. My only recollection of the press asking him about it was an interview on 60 minutes where he was given (and ably took) the opportunity to put his teen/college age drug use in context.

Under the circumstances, it makes no more sense to ask the other candidates about their use or non-use of drugs because we know about Obama's past than it would to be ask Michelle Obama (or Elizabeth Edwards) if she thinks her husband ever fooled around on her because we know that HRC's husband did.

[ShaneGR]

21. My question is, who cares?

If you rounded up every American who had used drugs in their lifetime, and stood them across all the Americans who hadn't, well, that "have you ever done drugs" question would never be asked again. Ever.