Barack Obama "I inhaled frequently" "That was the point"

from Chris Matthews' show. thanks to rosspruden for the link!
garmachisays...

Just as the video cuts off... "the thing people can't stand is the lie..."

It's so true. I've probably "experimented" with marijuana about as many times as I've "experimented" with beer. I firmly believe that there are absolutely, positively drugs that should be illegal because they are either highly addictive or dangerous to the user and/or bystanders. And you know what? Marijuana isn't one of them. Kudos to Obama for having the courage to openly admit to doing something that's (a) illegal yet (b) *not* inherently wrong. Not necessarily sufficient to get my vote, but still, bravo on the balls to keep it real.

BicycleRepairMansays...

I think alot of politicians just gets this wrong, all the time, if you are open about it, there is no problem, the problem is when their try to present the image of a person with no faults whatsoever, and when it blows up in their face, they do their best to deny, lie and avoid.. Stupid. by then, its too late, You are gonna be smeared and mistrusted. Admit EVERYTHING upfront and go "take it or leave it." So much smarter.

BicycleRepairMansays...

^ aye. top 10 cojones, among politicians, imho.

my personal top 5? hmm.

probably Paul, Kucinich, Pat Leahy, Russ Feingold, and Obama.


Mike Gravel <-- released the Pentagon Papers, pissed of Nixon badly, now that, ladies and gentlemen, is cojones

rbarsays...

These types of discussion are so much fun to see, watching from the Netherlands. Like watching polygoon news from the sixties. I am glad the denials are at least over. Now to the next step...

my15minutessays...

>> ^BicycleRepairMan:
Mike Gravel <-- released the Pentagon Papers, pissed of Nixon badly, now that, ladies and gentlemen, is cojones

heh. if you had pointed that out, up until 3 days ago, i'd have pointed out that my sift bio opened with the sentence:
"That's the day The Pentagon Papers were published."

my date of birth.
so yeah, i'm very aware and grateful, for Mike's vital work in getting it on the record. and dealing with Alaska's other Senator, Intertubez Stevens himself.
my only beef with Mike, is that (imho) he seemed to run this campaign, on a platform of...
uhh. everyone else on this stage sucks. that's why i preferred Kucinich and Obama this time. their positivity.

dystopianfuturetodaysays...

BRM, responsible drug use isn't a fault. Notice that the only guy in the video not to have tried drugs (Lieberman) is by far the biggest basket case of the party since Zell Miller.

On the contrary, I think we should be more suspicious of the person who hasn't tried drugs, as it not only indicates subservience to authority, but also shows a lack of curiosity, open-mindedness and other forward thinking qualities found in great minds.

Tofumarsays...

"On the contrary, I think we should be more suspicious of the person who hasn't tried drugs, as it not only indicates subservience to authority, but also shows a lack of curiosity, open-mindedness and other forward thinking qualities found in great minds."

Wow. There's a non sequitur for you. You can't assume the subserviance or closed-mindedness of someone who hasn't tried drugs any more than you can assume an anarchistic streak or curiosity of the intellect of someone who has. It's a staggering display of illogic to imply you can.

my15minutessays...

>> ^Tofumar:
"Wow. There's a non sequitur for you.


no, not really. dft replied directly to what BRM was discussing: responsible drug use.

if he had suddenly replied, by stating the wingspan of an albatross, that would've been a non sequitur.

HadouKen24says...

Wow. There's a non sequitur for you. You can't assume the subserviance or closed-mindedness of someone who hasn't tried drugs any more than you can assume an anarchistic streak or curiosity of the intellect of someone who has. It's a staggering display of illogic to imply you can.

Strictly speaking, it's not a non sequitur. It's an argument using premises derived from inductive reasoning, if we're going to be perfectly precise.

To be honest, though, I do find it to be more true than not that people who have never used drugs are closed minded and/or overly accepting of authority. Conversely, most of those I know who do drugs have a much more curious and open nature, and have healthy skepticism of authority. In addition, while I wouldn't necessarily say that the community of cannabis users is more intelligent on average, I would say that highly intelligent people (in my experience) are more likely to try pot than the average person, and more likely to take it up as an occasional pastime.

BicycleRepairMansays...

BRM, responsible drug use isn't a fault.

Well, it did occur to me to point that out, my point wasnt the drugs per se, my point is anything that the politics/media/general public or whatever considers to be "bad" behavior or "unsuitable for a President" or whatever, and whatever you think of pot, it is actually illegal, and unless the president insist on legalization and even encourage civil disobedience on the matter,(They all should) he/she is a hypocrite, and that, while not exactly illegal, is something I consider a fault.

rottenseedsays...

many people vote for a president they'd like to drink a beer with. I vote for a president I'd like to do lines of coke off of strippers' titties with.

...ok, I don't vote, but it's only because I'm usually busy doing lines of coke off of strippers' titties.

xxovercastxxsays...

>> ^dystopianfuturetoday:
On the contrary, I think we should be more suspicious of the person who hasn't tried drugs, as it not only indicates subservience to authority, but also shows a lack of curiosity, open-mindedness and other forward thinking qualities found in great minds.


I don't think that's a fair assessment at all. I've never tried any illegal drug. I've also never tried tobacco and I don't drink alcohol. It's got nothing to do with authority; I just don't see why I should poison myself to have fun. I want to keep my mind as sharp as possible for as long as I can, and I don't need to encourage any health problems in addition to what I've already got and what I'm predisposed to.

cobaltsays...

I've never tried any illicit drugs and I'm a theoretical physicist. You don't get more open minded than that TBH. Try figuring out the fundamental principles of the universe by just thinking about numbers if you've got a closed mind

On the one hand I've met a lot of people who had their live ruined by pot, and on the other I know just as many people who it hasn't affected (except to drain their pockets). On balance I try to avoid substances that can permanently alter my brain chemistry.

rottenseedsays...

^you don't have your "life ruined by pot", rather, your life could be ruined by society's intolerance towards it. Or by your own inabilities to handle reality, thus you turn to the herb to escape. Also, as a physicist, you should probably be sensitive to causality. Which came first? The poor planning pothead or the weed that has been used by beneficial members of groups/societies since prehistory.

oh about permanently altering your brain chemistry, i'm sure it's more of a physical change than a chemical one. From what I know it only triggers chemicals that already exist and stimulate receptors. Once it's out of your brain, it goes back to normal.

MINKsays...

>> ^cobalt:
I've never tried any illicit drugs and I'm a theoretical physicist. You don't get more open minded than that TBH.


err... more open minded would be: a theoretical physicist who HAS smoked pot. Or at least you could delve beneath the "lives ruined by pot" stuff and realise it's not that simple.

I wonder how much of the music you like was written by people on drugs, for example. It's a common comeback, i know, but it's not worthless.

Theoretical physics probably changed your brain too. It's called learning.

When i was at school, pot was for the thinkers, alcohol was for the ... erm... nonthinkers. And solvent abuse was for the poor and desperate. It was not a random distribution.

toastsays...

It just shows... If you have taken drugs, it doesn't mean that you have no future... it seems you can even run for president and be praised for having done drugs. But what about those who have taken/been involved with drugs and given a criminal record because it is illegal. If Obama had been caught and thown into jail a few times... do you think he'll be able to run as such a successful candidate??
Hmm but it seems he is not going to try legalising weed or drugs in office.

bamdrewsays...

There was a NYTimes article last week where the authors interviewed numerous (like 20) associates from the days of his drug use who unanimously agree that he basically just smoked socially, and think if anything the couple of sentences about it in his book gives the impression it was worse than they remember.

choggiesays...

Asking a presidential candidate about past drug use, another meaningless diversion of the media similar to most of the commentary, editorializing, debates, etc. Shadow over substance?? Ask yourselves the next time y'all get all gushy when you hear this multi-ethnic Santa Claus speak so eloquently and confidently, w/o a stutter, about absolutely nothing, stringing neologisms, jargon, and idomatic sentences together with machined precision, exuding self-confidence with a determined, intent expression...."WHAT THE FUCK DOES HE ACTUALLY MEAN???!!"

The man is a goddamn tool......We have only one choice of candidate to choose from at this point-they are all the same, and it's up to y'all cult-of-personality monkeys to chose which brand clabbered, haggard, or maverick. They will all answer to the same folks in charge....

10148says...

" When i was at school, pot was for the thinkers, alcohol was for the ... erm... nonthinkers. And solvent abuse was for the poor and desperate. It was not a random distribution."

HAHA Mink
ALL SOOOOO TRUE

siftbotsays...

This published video has been declared non-functional; embed code must be fixed within 2 days or it will be sent to the dead pool - declared dead by jwray.

my15minutessays...

>> ^jwray:
> I'm all for letting unpleasant truths come out.


I'm even more in favor of letting pleasant-yet-still-needlessly-stigmatized
truths come out.

> That's kind of the point.

absolutely. otherwise we're just feeding eachother the same comforting lies,
and getting nowhere.

> btw, dead

umm, nope! *notdead & never was.
youtube was probably just giving you the spin cycle.

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