Did Barry Goldwater Smoke Pot?

[eniwetok]

A friend of mine went to University of Arizona back in the early 70s. Somehow he met Barry Goldwater and confronted him about pot. Goldwater, as the story goes, said he took a boat out beyond the 3 mile limit to try it. I don't remember what the rest of the story was.

Has anyone ever heard this story?

[BeyondGeography]

1. I don't recall

[MineralMan]

2. Not often enough to help, apparently.

[grantcart]

4. snort

[safeinOhio]

3. I heard he said he would never smoke

weed with Willie again.

[eniwetok]

5. Willie.... my friend Willie?

That was my friend's name! Willie P. brought back some fantastic window pane for Xmas break!

[GReedDiamond]

6. I recall hearing the story about William F. Buckley doing exactly the same thing...

...he sailed his boat 3 miles out of U.S. territorial waters, and smoked cannabis.

Later, at the age of 78, Buckley called for the legalization of marijuana.

Was Barry G on the boat with Bill?

Also, in 1996, Goldwater endorsed legalizing medical marijuana in Arizona.

[Warpy]

11. Yeah, that's him, couldn't remember the name to save me

He couldn't figure out what the fuss was about, thought it was mildly pleasant and that was it.

[GP6971]

7. I don't recall any rumors

that he did.

[marybourg]

8. Are you "pierpont'?

See, for comparison:

http://www.thomhartmann.com/forum/2012/07/did-barry-goldwater-ever-smoke-pot

[eniwetok]

9. ;-)

Busted! It was a temp name because my main user name was wrongly banned protesting a mod who went nuts.

I miss that forum! I actually liked debating libertarians and right wing morons. But sometimes I find many libs here just as pigheaded.

[Warpy]

10. Yes, but it wasn't Goldwater

It was a conservative newspaper columnist whose name escapes me right now. I'll update later if it dawns on me. He died some years ago but was fairly decent, just very wrong about most things.

He did pronounce the experience with pot "not a big deal" and couldn't figure out why it had been declared Public Enemy #1.

ETA: William F. Buckley.

[eniwetok]

12. doesn't mean that both couldn't have...

If boating out past three miles was to be the defense against breaking US law... then others could have used the same MO. Of course... unless they were handed the pot outside US waters... there was the crime of possession.

[Warpy]

13. Yes, but there was no such story about Goldwater while he was alive

It didn't get attributed to Goldwater until some old crock like me had a senior moment.

I remembered it was a conservative columnist.

[eniwetok]

14. I was told this story back in the early 70s

by a friend who claimed to have spoken to Goldwater at the time about pot. Since my friend dropped out of UA Tempe in 71... and returned home to New England... it had to be in the 70-71 time frame.