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As reported in a previous Patriot Missive post, Barack Obama used to smoke a little weed (and maybe snort a few lines) as a teenager. Whoop-de-friggin’-do. Haven’t we all?
Since Obama has talked openly about this since the publication of his 1995 biography, “Dreams From My Father”, I don’t know why any rival politician would even bother lifting a finger over the matter.
On the campaign trail on Saturday, GOP White House hopeful Mitt Romney said Obama’s earlier comments set a bad example for young people.
“I agree with the sentiment that nobody’s perfect and most of us, if not all of us, in our youthful years have engaged in various indiscretions we wouldn’t want to have paraded in the front of a newspaper,” the former Massachusetts governor said in New Hampshire. “On the other hand if we’re running for president, I think it’s important for us not to go into details about the weaknesses and our own failings as young people for the concern that we open kids thinking that it’s ok for them.”
Pay special attention to that last line from Romney. Any thoughts?
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November 25th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Most teenagers nowadays know that most politicians have something in their background that they would prefer to hide from the public, although Mitt Romney probably has much less than any others. Having worked in a high school, I think teenagers have more respect for those politicians that come out and say, "I did it. I shouldn't have, but here is what I learned from it." Youthful indiscretions are to be somewhat expected.
Of course the people who don't think you should own up to those mistakes are often the ones who don't talk about any of these issues with their kids at all. (And as a result, don't admit that their kids may very well be doing the things that they don't want to talk about.) I am a firm believer in talking about alcohol, drugs, etc with your kids from a young age. Of course all of the talking I did as J & H were growing up have helped to form their attitudes about alcohol and drugs, but so did family history. Still, I think the lesson J learned his first weekend at college when he accompanied a friend on an ambulance to the emergency room reinforced our conversations at a crucial time. That was enough to keep him firm in his choice to abstain for now and be sensible about things when he reaches 21.
So I think that the new breed of politician should own up to those youthful indiscretions. It would be refreshing to see an honest politician for a change.
November 25th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Most teenagers nowadays know that most politicians have something in their background that they would prefer to hide from the public, although Mitt Romney probably has much less than any others. Having worked in a high school, I think teenagers have more respect for those politicians that come out and say, "I did it. I shouldn't have, but here is what I learned from it." Youthful indiscretions are to be somewhat expected.
Of course the people who don't think you should own up to those mistakes are often the ones who don't talk about any of these issues with their kids at all. (And as a result, don't admit that their kids may very well be doing the things that they don't want to talk about.) I am a firm believer in talking about alcohol, drugs, etc with your kids from a young age. Of course all of the talking I did as J & H were growing up have helped to form their attitudes about alcohol and drugs, but so did family history. Still, I think the lesson J learned his first weekend at college when he accompanied a friend on an ambulance to the emergency room reinforced our conversations at a crucial time. That was enough to keep him firm in his choice to abstain for now and be sensible about things when he reaches 21.
So I think that the new breed of politician should own up to those youthful indiscretions. It would be refreshing to see an honest politician for a change.
November 25th, 2007 at 8:21 pm
Most teenagers nowadays know that most politicians have something in their background that they would prefer to hide from the public, although Mitt Romney probably has much less than any others. Having worked in a high school, I think teenagers have more respect for those politicians that come out and say, “I did it. I shouldn’t have, but here is what I learned from it.” Youthful indiscretions are to be somewhat expected.
Of course the people who don’t think you should own up to those mistakes are often the ones who don’t talk about any of these issues with their kids at all. (And as a result, don’t admit that their kids may very well be doing the things that they don’t want to talk about.) I am a firm believer in talking about alcohol, drugs, etc with your kids from a young age. Of course all of the talking I did as J & H were growing up have helped to form their attitudes about alcohol and drugs, but so did family history. Still, I think the lesson J learned his first weekend at college when he accompanied a friend on an ambulance to the emergency room reinforced our conversations at a crucial time. That was enough to keep him firm in his choice to abstain for now and be sensible about things when he reaches 21.
So I think that the new breed of politician should own up to those youthful indiscretions. It would be refreshing to see an honest politician for a change.
November 26th, 2007 at 4:27 am
Exactly! I think we as a society are tired of the politicians playing the "holier than thou" game. We can understand and accept that no one is perfect and when someone does admit to faults, it actually places them higher in many of our books.
And yes, good examples for children of what to do and what not to do don't really come from politicians. They come from parents and friends and (as with J) a solid foundation of morals and decision making.
I don't think Mitt's rationale is progressive enough for a 21st century America.
November 26th, 2007 at 6:27 am
Exactly! I think we as a society are tired of the politicians playing the “holier than thou” game. We can understand and accept that no one is perfect and when someone does admit to faults, it actually places them higher in many of our books.
And yes, good examples for children of what to do and what not to do don’t really come from politicians. They come from parents and friends and (as with J) a solid foundation of morals and decision making.
I don’t think Mitt’s rationale is progressive enough for a 21st century America.