Rudy on Obama’s drug use: Hey, nobody’s perfect
posted at 10:30 pm on November 20, 2007 by Allahpundit
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What else could he say? His own imperfections loom sufficiently large over his candidacy that he’s had to acknowledge them in both TV ads thus far. Click the image to watch and be sure to follow the text down to the end, where you’ll find Mitt’s reaction. I always thought the GOP made too much of Clinton’s sexual shenanigans in terms of setting a bad example for kids; maybe it was just me, but interest in the president’s personal life wasn’t among my childhood preoccupations. Mitt’s got a fair cop here, though, especially with America’s therapist ready to swoop in and turn the campaign into a parable of adversity, healing, and redemption. The more he had to overcome to get where he is, we’ll be told, the more impressive it makes him. By the time she’s done, his youthful drug use will be a point in his favor. Hence the difference between this and l’affaire cigar.
Rudy’s and Mitt’s reactions typify their personas, don’t they? Mitt as dad — well meaning, morally upright, but stodgy and hard to relate to — and Rudy as the cool uncle who’s down with “the kids” until one of them steps out of line, whereupon he’s apt to pull a knife or hit him with a bottle or something. Click the image to watch.
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I wouldn’t vote for Obama, but i’d smoke a bowl with him.
JayHaw Phrenzie on November 20, 2007 at 10:35 PM
People at Fox News blog. I hadn’t seen the blog section on the site before.
terryannonline on November 20, 2007 at 10:36 PM
I want to add one more thing: Looking at the video of Obama talking about his past drug use I just find it odd that he would talked about unsolicited. I have no problem with him talking about it but that wasn’t the topic of conversation really when you see it.
terryannonline on November 20, 2007 at 10:46 PM
None of them are perfect. They never are. The big question on my mind – in the vein of the Clintonesque – did he inhale? It was an important point for Billy Jeff to bring us, so…did he?
thedecider on November 20, 2007 at 10:54 PM
Huh? Where does this come from?
I am torn about this. I understand Mitt’s point, and I certainly think its a very bad idea to glorify drugs to kids, but I saw it more as a cautionary tale. Since he clearly has done these things he can’t claim he didn’t inhale, or make up other lies. Should this disqualify someone from the Presidency?
Oprah is really annoying, but the redemption theme is a good one, and George Bush is an example of that. Ideally we are all like Mitt and never stray from the straight and narrow path in the first place, but how realistic is that?
It would be interesting to interview kids who heard this and ask them whether they would be more or less likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol after hearing Obama.
Buy Danish on November 20, 2007 at 11:05 PM
AP posts so many shots at Rudy, I rarely even comment anymore, but I thought that was a strange one too.
Perhaps AP had a cruel uncle and is projecting a little bit?
JayHaw Phrenzie on November 20, 2007 at 11:15 PM
I think he was just trying to be funny but it didn’t work.
terryannonline on November 20, 2007 at 11:17 PM
Just wait till the “but I didn’t inhale” excuse.
Bong em if ya got em!
Kini on November 20, 2007 at 11:23 PM
HAHA
I needed that, thanks Allahpundit.
Theworldisnotenough on November 20, 2007 at 11:34 PM
As much as this is true, it’s because the kid “stepping out of line” has raped his grandmother. & who who could blame any cool uncle for such a reaction.
thuja on November 20, 2007 at 11:34 PM
But what’s Obama’s excuse for being a liberal?
SouthernGent on November 20, 2007 at 11:43 PM
Obama is a couple of years younger than me but I remember in the 70’s the studies showed that 65% of high school seniors had at least experimented with drugs. Some of us conducted longer experiments than others ;)
For those of you young uns whose parents are in the 45-55 year age group ask them sometime. You might be surprised what mom and pop did back in the day.
Bradky on November 20, 2007 at 11:53 PM
Yeah, but not too many of the kids snorting coke and smoking pot in high school got into Harvard. Oh, wait…he’s “black”. Never mind.
Jaibones on November 21, 2007 at 12:08 AM
Someone once told me — someone on the regional admissions committee for Harvard, that is — that they receive applications from more kids with straight A’s throughout high school every single year than they have available slots for freshman.
Common sense would seem to dictate that they should then rely more heavily on test scores for admissions, but instead they use racial and gender quotas. Odd, that.
Jaibones on November 21, 2007 at 12:11 AM
Come on Jaibones you were there in the seventies. There had to be at least a couple of whites who snuck through the admissions process…
Seriously, I am sure you knew a few really smart dopers who just had the ability to get high and still do well in school. Not the norm to be sure but it happens.
Bradky on November 21, 2007 at 12:12 AM
I’ll respect Obama for talking about his drug use as long as he doesn’t pull that “didn’t inhale” BS. It’s a damn shame that Obama is so
liberalprogressive. He speaks very well and is obviously very bright. He would steal a lot of votes if he was anywhere near the center. As it is, with him tracking left of the glacier, he’ll get squashed big time.I’ve always figured Rudy as a baseball bat kind of guy myself.
Buzzy on November 21, 2007 at 12:15 AM
LOL now you know why he wears dresses – good hiding place for the bat! (kidding)
Bradky on November 21, 2007 at 12:17 AM
Ah, he’s on crack.
- The Cat
MirCat on November 21, 2007 at 12:20 AM
I don’t get it. AP always comes across to me as in Rudy’s camp. . . New Yorker and all. How does saying he’s like a ‘cool uncle’ mean it is a shot at Rudy? I appreciate his tempering of his (assumed) pro-Rudy personal opinion out of respect for readers like myself.
I don’t care what a person did in his personal life as much as it defines character. Clinton’s character was defined when he said ‘I smoked but didn’t inhale’. That showed me early that he was an Eddie Haskall type liar. I would have respected him if he had said, yes I smoked it and experimented. . . it is legal in many countries around the world and was legal in America until the 30’s. But I am clean now.
My problem with Rudy doesn’t have to do with whether or not he’s perfect. It has to do with his positions on the issues that are identical to Democrat positions. I wouldn’t typically vote for a Democrat either.
ThackerAgency on November 21, 2007 at 12:23 AM
I think AP posts shots at all the candidates on pretty equal levels. It is only when “my” candidate is the one in the hot seat that it seems he has it out for one individual.
Bradky on November 21, 2007 at 12:29 AM
Jaibones on November 21, 2007 at 12:08 AM
I know quite a few Harvard alums who smoked pot while in High School. Not black either. Of course these are kids who went to really rigorous prep schools so they were well prepared for Harvard.
That’s not to say that Obama may not have benefited from affirmative action, although he didn’t exactly come from the Hood.
Buy Danish on November 21, 2007 at 12:34 AM
If I were to pick a character from “That Seventies Show” that probably most resembles Jaibones I’d go with Red.
Bradky on November 21, 2007 at 12:38 AM
Quotas are illegal. Regardless even if Obama did benefit from affirmative action he’d be the poster boy for it. It’s supposed to put minorities in positions where they have a chance to succeed. He’s done that and then some.
Anyway yeah I know a few kids who did pretty heavy drugs (including coke) and then attended ivy league schools, although those were typically the kids who lived in wealthy little towns where there was nothing better to do.
crr6 on November 21, 2007 at 12:38 AM
Rudy is great. He is so the anti-Hillary.
RobCon on November 21, 2007 at 12:40 AM
Yeah, Rudy gets my vote in the general, but not in the SC primary. In fact, if Hill and Babam are close I might vote in that primary instead. Whearever I can make the most difference.
sunny on November 21, 2007 at 12:44 AM
What a great clip. Rudy is a very likeable guy.
Mojave Mark on November 21, 2007 at 12:47 AM
Don’t bogart that joint, my friend.
km on November 21, 2007 at 12:59 AM
This is Rudy trying to do damage control. When you compare his history to Mitt’s, a body wonders just what kind of chaos the guy has going on in his life that ruins three marriages. So, when you have lemons you make lemonade. The problem is that Mitt pointed out that those aren’t lemons. They’re turds.
csdeven on November 21, 2007 at 1:19 AM
that can be answered in one word: Shrinkage!
Bradky on November 21, 2007 at 1:22 AM
Rudy is real straight talk. I can dig it.
Halley on November 21, 2007 at 1:44 AM
It’s an interesting conundrum. On the one hand, Mitt’s right: you shouldn’t encourage this kind of behavior. On the other hand, the message of redemption is a good one too.
So it’s tricky.
But in the end, I think the best message is your own personal life. I honestly don’t see the problem with electing a squeaky clean guy. We may not “relate” as much to him, but you know what? I’ve done a LOT of idiotic things. If Mitt’s not done them, he’s had better judgment than I.
In any case, Obama messed up. I hope he’s really regretful, but somehow I doubt it. Especially if the every so often recurrent adultery rumors are true.
Vanceone on November 21, 2007 at 1:52 AM
I think some of you are missing a couple of points…
Last week it was “leaked” that Shrillary had dirt on Obama… now an unsolicited drug confesion…. I question the timing…
On Rudy? He should have just left this one alone. He had no need to get involved… yet commented. Its all part of his moral equivalency arguement… I may be flawed… I may not even be a conservative… but you should vote for me beacuse I’m not as bad as the other guy/girl…
Won’t fly this election.
Romeo13 on November 21, 2007 at 2:42 AM
Gawd. The whining, humor-challenged Rudybots are multiplying.
Splashman on November 21, 2007 at 4:18 AM
I’d trade the stupid YouTube and 10 Questions debates for the “candidates on e” debate.
“For my opening statement, I’d just like to state that I really, really love all you guys. No, seriously. I love you.”
Group hug
I’m always more comfortable voting for a candidate when I know how he or she would govern while high.
saint kansas on November 21, 2007 at 5:36 AM
whole
aengus on November 21, 2007 at 5:39 AM
Whoops, that came out a bit funky.
aengus on November 21, 2007 at 5:40 AM
I have a feeling that this is what Hillary was threatening the Obama campaign with. This is his way of defusing the bomb.
sweeper on November 21, 2007 at 8:24 AM
It is odd that Obama brought up his drug use, unsolicited, in front of kids. This was a mistake from his advisers.
Rudy and Mitt are right. Perhaps Obama’s advisers thought it would be better to get it out before it required a press conference.
However, he comes off like “it’s no big deal”. The wrong message in front of kids. Then he did no go into condemning it, or even regret – the consequences. He even seems to suggest that it’s okay not to be “serious” until your last years of college.
Now, this is an experience that many people know, but not a message most would give to kids. He just seemed out of touch with these kids, rambling.
Agrippa2k on November 21, 2007 at 8:24 AM
Whatever happened to the concept that certain things in a candidates life are private? It would be one thing if Obama or Rudy or whomever were shooting up on the campaign bus as it rolls through Iowa BUT does the public REALLY have the right to know everything? I think not and I blame Clinton for his “didn’t inhale” and “boxers” comments. He thought he was being cool for the MTV generation but he essentially opened the door for all this stupidity. Clinton should have looked that smug girl straight in the eye, wagged his finger, and asked her if his underwear choice really was the most important issue on her mind (this was before we realized how much Bill Clinton’s nether regions would be discussed in public).
highhopes on November 21, 2007 at 8:27 AM
Barry Bong, wha’ happenin’ Dawg!
Hening on November 21, 2007 at 8:45 AM
He could have brought up, that he doesn’t “Bork” people, that he hopes the left learned their lesson with Bork.
One of the most impressive minds to ever seek the Supreme Court, and when revealed that he smoked pot in college, the left went berserk.
right2bright on November 21, 2007 at 9:44 AM
It flowed quite well, and was dramatic. :)
captivated_dem on November 21, 2007 at 10:15 AM
Where do I cast my vote for most bigoted comment of the year?
12thman on November 21, 2007 at 10:35 AM
Obviously Rudy didn’t say what he said in support of Obama. He used Obama’s crackheadedness to score his own points.
He hopes that people understand and accept that everyone makes mistakes, but at the same time make a judgement call on which mistake is worse: being a crackhead (ok, COKE head… almost the same thing), or being unfaithful.
AlexB on November 21, 2007 at 10:37 AM
Not even close to the same thing.
sweeper on November 21, 2007 at 10:58 AM
Crack is crystalized version of cocaine. I understand there’s a difference, but the high is similar, and one is not too far from the other. I used “crackhead” because it’s sort of an all-encompassing word which certainly applies :D
AlexB on November 21, 2007 at 11:25 AM
“if you can’t handle imperfection, don’t vote for us”
That’s good stuff.
LtE126 on November 21, 2007 at 3:11 PM
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