Did Obama Inhale?

[babylonsister]

Honesty is so refreshing!

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/25/did-obama-inhale/#more-3088

Did Obama Inhale?

By Jeff Zeleny
Barack Obama

AUDUBON, Iowa – In early caucus and primary states, voters play one very important role in the presidential race long before they cast their ballots: They ask questions.

At the first stop of a four-city tour through western Iowa yesterday, Senator Barack Obama invited his audiences to ask whatever was on their minds, saying: “These questions have not been prescreened or predetermined. Give it your best shot.”

He was, of course, making a not-so-veiled reference to the hubbub that engulfed Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign, which acknowledged planting questions in at least two Iowa audiences earlier this year.

So from Council Bluffs to Dunlap, Harlan to Audubon, Mr. Obama took questions on a variety of topics. According to our ears, health care, immigration, the budget deficit and teacher’s salaries were among the most-asked inquiries of the day.

snip//

But not all of the few hundred people who gathered here on a Saturday night were finished. A man asked about legalization of marijuana. (Mr. Obama is opposed. “I’m concerned about how folks will grow their own and say it’s for medicinal purposes. That’s kind of a slippery slope there,” he said. Changing his voice and laughing, he added: “I was feeling a little intense, so I needed a joint.”)

And that, finally, opened the door to one of the final questions of the day, which was reminiscent of the famous line asked of Bill Clinton in the 1992 campaign: “Did you inhale?”

“I did. It’s not something I’m proud of. It was a mistake as a young man. But I never understood that line,” Mr. Obama said, pausing to recall Mr. Clinton’s insistence that he didn’t inhale. “The point was to inhale. That was the point.”

[Catch22Dem]

1. I'm confused about part of that answer. Help me out

If the question was about legalizing pot, why would Obama be concerned about people growing their own and claiming it's for medical use? If it's legalized, who cares?

I thought his "that was the point" line was pretty funny though. I just wish we could get a candidate (Kerry) who was unapologetic about their own use. I don't think I ever heard Kerry say he regretted it or he was sorry. I wish Obama would stop doing that.

[panader0]

2. Legalize it! It may be the only thing that'll pay our war bills.

[mtnsnake]

3. What choice does he have, other than to get it out in the open before the general election

I think Obama is one of the most honest politicians around. Having said that, he is not doing this in the name of honesty. He's doing this to ward off someone else doing it TO him, come general election time if he's the nominee.

[cherokeeprogressive]

16. Did he volunteer that info when battling for his Senate seat? n/t

[AtomicKitten]

18. No, he wrote it in his autobiography 12 years ago.

Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance is the autobiography of United States Senator Barack Obama. It was published in 1995 after Obama was elected the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review, but before his political career began. The book was re-released in 2004 following Senator Obama's widely admired keynote address at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. The 2004 edition includes a new introduction by Senator Obama and a copy of his DNC keynote address.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreams_from_My_Father

[mtnsnake]

21. I'm not sure. Regardless, I think it's a good political move for him to speak about it now

Afterall, it's pretty much common knowledge because he talked about it in his first book which he wrote long before he was probably considering any run for the White House. So he might as well bring it up again, just so Republicans can't "hit" him with it when he's running for President if he gets the nod. Obama is doing the smart thing. He's showing he's honest about himself, and he's being politcally savvy. He's nipping any future swiftboating on this in the bud, hopefully.

[dsc]

4. Funny but I understood perfectly what Clinton said

He tried to inhale but his asthma caused him to be unable to do so. It wasn't that hard then, nor is it that hard now.

[MaineDem]

5. I can't imagine there are too many people "of a certain age" who haven't tried something

There will be hypocrites who deny it and legitimately some who probably just said no but I can't think of any of my friends who could honestly say they NEVER smoked dope at least once. I was in college from 1969-1973 so there was ample opportunity.

[glowing]

6. I'm more concerned if you were doing line upon line of coke like

our addle brained current asshat.. His mind is gone.

[durrrty libby]

8. Obama admitted to doing cocaine just like

"our addle brained current asshat" So are you concerned that his mind is "gone"?

[glowing]

15. He did line upon line and partied his ass off well into his40's...

I don't think so... My husband's tried it.. I think he's done 3 lines ever in his life. Hates the stuff... but used it a couple of times to wake his ass up on a long drive home... This was before I met him.. I wouldn't say his mind is gone. If Obama used like that, I'd say that was ok... but if he used like Bushie, I'd say no, he doesn't need the job.. He obviously has a habit, and needs to stay out of a high-stress job...

[glowing]

7. Oh, by the way, I did smoke and I'm not ashamed that I did. Sorry,

alcohol in my family is much more dangerous---I prefered a joint.. still do, but don't do it because I am adult and realize that keeping my children around is more important than making a point... until it is legalized.. I'll abstain.

[ozone_man]

9. “The point was to inhale. That was the point.”

Bill, how come you didn't get the point? :rofl:

Another Clinton lie I think.

[Vickers]

10. Does he feel that *only* medicinal marijuana should be legalized?

:shrug:

Serious question.

[Imagevision]

11. Bill Clinton is so full of it with his; "I didn't inhale" remark, why smoke it then stoopid?!?

[Skip Intro]

12. If the rumored video of him smoking (or snorting) turns out to be real - it will end his campaign.

No matter how much he "confesses."

[MaineDem]

13. Why should it?

Seriously, we already know Little George did worse and he's been "elected" twice.

I'm not an Obama supporter but it wouldn't cost him my vote if he were the nominee.

[Skip Intro]

14. Because the repukes would make it their only campaign commerical.

Because it'd be a youtube smash.

"Do you want your kids seeing your president snorting cocaine?"

It's one thing to say it to sympathetic Democrats, it's quite another to have videos playing before the general population. He could not survive that. No candidate could.

[jefferson_dem]

17. Ah...a "rumored video"...

Nice whispering campaign there. :eyes:

[AtomicKitten]

20. You can always hope they'll find a video of Obama

... snorting coke off a dead hooker's ass.

Until then, this is simply vicious rumor-mongering, a favorite sport of some here at DU.

[Skip Intro]

22. I read that rumor here at DU, and it would seem to fit Obama wanting to "get out in front of it."

Everyone's saying it's no big deal if he smoked or snorted, everybody did it. But that doesn't hold if there is a video. Besides, I identified it as a rumor. And I'm just speculating. This is the place for that, isn't it?

[durrrty libby]

25. I never heard there was a video. News to me

[durrrty libby]

26. Maybe people should be more concerned with any disease

process that may be going on in his lungs from years of smoking cigarettes

[babylonsister]

29. Thank you for your concern. nt

[BenDavid]

27. I totally agree. In another post I wrote it was a non issue

after the press let bushit slide in 2000, but if a candidate comes forward with whatever and says he did not do this drug and there comes forth something which disproves then said candidate cannot come up with some lame ass excuse....More is out there on Obama I am afraid. Obama should call himself "silk" cause he's becoming too smooth and cocky with his answers and once his ego takes over believing he really has a chance of becoming the nominee that same ego will cause his demise.

Oh I know all you Obama folks will say, "What about Hillary". Excuse me but HRC is the most invesigated women in America, and if there was nothing the right wing could find on her from 1993 through today then there is nothing there.

Ben David

[SoxFan]

31. What about the rumored video

of Hillary Clinton sacrificing a goat to Moloch during a lesbian orgy? Will that have an effect?

[babylonsister]

33. LOL! Yes, it might!

:spray:

[Nimrod2005]

19. Yes, we all did..........nt

[durrrty libby]

24. No, "we" didn't all do it. Nice try though

[Colobo]

28. I never have, and Gobama.

[babylonsister]

30. I did, every chance I got. Those crazy kids! nt

[calteacherguy]

23. delete. nt

[killbotfactory]

32. lol

“The point was to inhale. That was the point.”