Wednesday, October 08, 2003

Good article by John Leo

Leo writes on the Conservative embarassments of the last week and a half. First he comments on the Schwarzenegger groping stories. "A lot of Republicans think that the Los Angeles Times' report on Arnold Schwarzenegger's groping problem was an unfair last-minute surprise. It wasn't. The Times article left five days for Arnold and his allies to respond and explain. Stories about Arnold feeling up and talking grossly to random women have been circulating for years. What was the Times supposed to do, sit on the evidence it had that the tales were true?"

Then commenting on Rush Limbaugh's drug problem (he also tackles the ESPN story), he states, "The first question is whether the left's famously sensitive concern for people who are hooked on drugs will emerge as strongly for a conservative talk-show host as it does for Hollywood drug users. The addict's brain is "hijacked by drugs," Bill Moyers once said on "Meet the Press," adding that "relapse is normal." If addictions are purely medical problems (in this case, presumably Limbaugh's response to the pain of his approaching deafness) look for Moyers and the entire cultural left to defend him. (Look, maybe, but don't expect.)" The problem with this formulation is that Rush has constantly and consistantly criticized drug users as junkies undeserving of our pity. I think if Rush talks honestly about addiction than he might get some sympathy.

If, however, he simply stonewalls the issue, than very little sympathy will be forthcoming.

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