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Barack Obama’s Drug Use

Obama’s coming clean.

Earlier this week in New Hampshire Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama spoke candidly about his past experimentation with drugs and alcohol in high school, and on Saturday—after a question on medicinal marijuana—Obama was prodded a bit further and asked whether or not he had ever inhaled.

“I did,” the senator from Illinois said to light applause. “It’s not something I’m proud of. It was a mistake as a young man.”

The question was a reference to a line made famous by former President Bill Clinton who, while admitting to trying marijuana, said he did not inhale.

“I never understood that line,” Obama continued. “The point was to inhale. That was the point.”

Regardless of what you think about his drug use, how do you think it affects his campaign?

Posted by Owen at 1451 hrs
Politics + Politics - General

1. I don’t think it impacts him much. Obama admitted to using cocaine in his autobiography already. Heck, Joe Lieberman was the only Democratic candidate in 2004 to claim that he hadn’t used marijuana, but he fared poorly in every single primary.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 25, 2007 at 1512 hrs
   
   
   

2. I don’t see this as having a negative effect, in the long run.

   In the short term though, It will be a HUGE issue that we will not hear the end of for about the next week or 2.

   Hell I’m more surprised when they come out and say they DIDN’T use drugs.

   Posted by Michael J. Cheaney on November 25, 2007 at 1524 hrs
   
   
   

3. At this point, I would think anyone under 50 or so who NEVER tried drugs is to be regarded with suspicion. Either they are lying or they have lived a very sheltered life.

   I can’t imagine that the people who are likely to vote for him (primary or general election) are people who will care much about a little youthful drug use. I think the ‘acceptable drug use’ guidelines for wannabe politicians are - do it when you’re young, don’t make it a habit, and don’t do anything injectable.

   Posted by hope on November 25, 2007 at 1532 hrs
   
   
   

4. Bush laid out the game plan on this for anyone who enjoyed a full social life.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 25, 2007 at 1548 hrs
   
   
   

5. Actually pjr, I do believe that you are mistaken. Bill Clinton “tried” but didn’t inhale remember?

   I still think hes lying but thats for another discussion.

   However as I stated before, I really don’t see this “admission” doing any long term damage to Baracks campaign.

   Posted by Michael J. Cheaney on November 25, 2007 at 1636 hrs
   
   
   

6. Mike, I was referring to the DUI for Bush.

   As far as Clinton, well I think Barrack put it pretty well.

   “I never understood that line,” Obama continued. “The point was to inhale. That was the point.”

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 25, 2007 at 1656 hrs
   
   
   

7. This doesn’t change anything in my mind.  I still think he is the best person on the left who is running.  Has anyone yet found out Senator Clinton’s big news about Senator Obama?  Is it out there and I just missed it?

   Hope,

   I’ve NEVER tried drugs and I’m neither a liar or at all sheltered.  If you’re right that is a pretty sad statement about our society.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 25, 2007 at 1900 hrs
   
   
   

8. Hello, Hello (that’s fun to say)-

   I suppose that was a bit of an overstatement. But the point is, trying drugs is so common anymore that it is unusual to come across someone who hasn’t tried something at least once.

   Posted by hope on November 25, 2007 at 2121 hrs
   
   
   

9. I don’t think it does a thing in the Democratic primary. If he’s the nominee, the GOP will try as hard as it can to make it an issue, but I seriously doubt it will have any traction with the electorate, except for people who never would have voted for him in the first place.

   Up to a point, I agree with Hope. Being 52 myself (and honestly, you could maybe even raise that age of “suspicion” to 55-60), I tend to be, if not suspicious, at least a little cautious of those who swear they’ve never even tried any pot. It was such a rite of passage in those days, seen every bit as much as a consciousness-raising experience as just getting high. Those that didn’t at least try it, at least in that day and age, seemed to be lacking the curiosity and adventurousness that were the touchstones of the late 60s and early to mid 70s.

   Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 25, 2007 at 2140 hrs
   
   
   

10. apc said

    “I tend to be, if not suspicious, at least a little cautious of those who swear they’ve never even tried any pot. It was such a rite of passage in those days, seen every bit as much as a consciousness-raising experience as just getting high. Those that didn’t at least try it, at least in that day and age, seemed to be lacking the curiosity and adventurousness that were the touchstones of the late 60s and early to mid 70s.”

    
     
    peer pressure
     
     
    peer pres·sure

    
    noun
    Definition:
    
    pressure by peer group: social pressure on somebody to adopt a type of behavior, dress, or attitude in order to be accepted as part of a group.

    By the way, not everyone in the world is a Baby Boomer

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 25, 2007 at 2215 hrs
    
    
    

11. I never said everybody was a boomer.  I also don’t extend that “caution” I mentioned to everybody, either. Mostly people around my own age. Look, I realize everybody’s situations and experiences are not the same, and I’m not condemning anyone for making the choice not to smoke dope. My own feeling is that someone who is running for president ought to be someone who is widely experienced, and for better or worse, a cultural touchstone in this country is at least having tried pot. It certainly is for most of the age cohort that these candidates are drawn from.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 26, 2007 at 0012 hrs
    
    
    

12. I just read that Mitt Romney criticized Obama for admitting to this because he thinks it gives the message to young people that it’s okay, or something like that.  But if you’re asked, and you did use pot, the alternatives are to refuse to answer, dissemble or lie.  I don’t think these are good approaches when a kid asks you this question; and we have obviously had ridiculous results when presidential candidates try to avoid answering the question. 

    I think Barack Obama is refreshing.  Everyone “knows” Clinton and Bush used drugs because neither could simply come out and say they didn’t.  So Obama admits it.  I don’t see how it could hurt his chances in any significant way.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 26, 2007 at 0609 hrs
    
    
    

13. It won’ t (and it shouldn’t) hurt him.  The man did something in his youth that he realizes was a mistake.  There is really nothing there.  It is not like he is running around saying, “Hey kids your still young you’ve got time.  Go get high.”  He said, “I tried some drugs, I was young and confused and it was a mistake.”  I really don’t even see how this is a big story.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on November 26, 2007 at 1043 hrs
    
    
    

14. My husband and I have never tried drugs.  The worst I ever did was smoke cigarettes.  I can understand being suspicious of someone who hasn’t tried, but it’s not completely unheard of.  There was plenty of opportunity for me to get into trouble with drugs at school (heck, my mom even had pot in her room and was smoking it with a friend one night when I came home unexpectedly), but I never chose to partake in it, and since I was never really invited to any parties, I rarely had the opportunity.

    As for it hurting his campaign, I doubt it.  The fact that he’s admitting it, and even saying he inhaled and that’s the point of doing it, he’s also admitting it’s the mistake of a young man.  Sorry, but young men make all sorts of mistakes long before they have any desire to be in the world of politics.  If we refused to elect anyone who had ever made a mistake, we wouldn’t have anyone left to elect.  (which maybe wouldn’t be such a bad thing in the end).

    Posted by Shana on November 26, 2007 at 1233 hrs
    
    
    

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