THIS WEEK'S ISSUE — Updated Every Monday!

melanie-fiona-universoul

Our foreign neighbor Canada is known for producing unforgettable musical talent like R&B singer/songwriter/actress Deborah Cox, who swore to us…

theres-just-something-about-gossip-part-1

In the world of gossip, talk ain’t cheap…

What is it about gossip that draws us in? Better yet, how many…

over-paid-reality-stars

The value system that our society maintains ceases to amaze me. In this crazy world of ours people who deal…

the-world-outside-our-borders

Sylvia Arthur sets out a few inspirational and enlightening facts to get your minds in gear to explore the big…

boy-crazy-how-to-tell-if-you%e2%80%99ve-got-it-bad

Ever since Rodney Parker chased me round the playground of P.S.139, past the teeter totter, through the sandbox, all up…

motivational-tips-that-every-young-career-woman-needs

Imagine this…

You’re headed home after a long drawn out lecture in your evening college class. Cruising down the highway in…

why-the-are-they-famous

A celebrity is a famous person.
A famous person is one who has a widespread reputation usually of a favorable nature.
A…

back-to-the-future-what-would-they-say

“No industry is black-owned. Actually, the (NBA) Player’s Association gets 49 percent of the revenue, since most players are black.…

the-colorful-canvas-files-bethann-hardison

This issue of The Colorful Canvas Files is brought to you by a living legend whose contributions have led to a significant…

are-you-a-jerk-magnet

Many of us set out to find that Mr. Right, but for some, he is always seemingly attached to some…

therapy-in-black-and-white

My shrink said the strangest thing to me in therapy once. She said she was sorry she’d monopolized so much…

november-2009-beauty-qa-home-for-the-holidays

Q: I am going back home for the holidays and want to wow my friends and family with a glamorous…

nia-long-in-progress

With Hollywood for years being a haven for the long-haired blond and brunette, it’s hard to be a sex symbol…

what-to-expect-when-dealing-with-the-racially-impaired

We’re only human and equally subject to the chronic brainwashing that inevitably instills varying degrees of bigotry. Racism, sexism, homophobia,…

times-are-hard-a-letter-to-my-girlfriend

Times are hard especially financially, however, my girlfriend does not seem to realize the whole world is undergoing something called…

change-we-still-believe-in

I remember exactly where I was that night that history was made. I was fast asleep in my bed and…

top-ten-trends-we-want-to-see-disappear

It was proven best in the fashionable documentary The September Issue, that Fall is the New Year’s of fashion. Fashion…

lights-camera-natural

I vividly remember the day I got my first relaxer. I was 7 years old, and there I sat in…

Was Obama’s answer about drug use too honest?

Tuesday Nov 27, 2007 – By Clutch

artobamanhgi.jpgBy Carol Costello WASHINGTON (CNN) — Does a good role model talk about using illegal drugs? Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama started the debate when he admitted to a high school audience in New Hampshire that he had experimented with drugs while he was in high school. “There were times when I got into drinking, experimenting with drugs. There was a stretch of time where I did not really apply myself,” Obama said. He added that when he left for college he realized he wasted a lot of time using drugs. “It’s not something I’m proud of,” Obama said. “It was a mistake as a young man.”

What a change from Bill Clinton’s 1992 admission that he had smoked marijuana a time or two and didn’t like it. “And I didn’t inhale and didn’t try it again.” “I never understood that line,” Obama said, who said he did inhale marijuana when asked by a student. “The point was to inhale. That was the point.” Clinton’s admission has become a cultural joke. Obama’s comments? If you ask Republican rival Mitt Romney, Obama’s comments were too honest.

“I think in order to leave the best possible example for our kids, we’re probably wisest not to talk about our own indiscretions in great detail,” Romney said. Romney isn’t alone in that belief. When George W. Bush was governor of Texas in 1999, he talked briefly about his use of alcohol, but refused to talk about other drugs because he feared kids might think what he did was “cool.”

Bush said at the time, “It is irrelevant what I did 20 or 30 years ago. What’s relevant is that I have learned from the mistakes that I made.” So what’s a role model to do? Should he be discreet or open about past indiscretions? According to Steve Pasierb, president of Partnership for a Drug-Free America, Obama is right on the money. Pasierb says kids are not naive; they know people in high places have experimented with drugs.

“The key is to be honest and to put it the context of saying I did this and it was a dumb choice,” Pasierb said. “Obama talked about how it wasn’t the right thing to do. When he got serious about his life, he left it behind. If he were to lie, I think most kids would know.”

Pasierb says the worst thing to do is feed kids a story they’re not likely to believe. In other words, never tell them that you tried it, but didn’t inhale. “Most kids are going to see right through that and will ask themselves, ‘How could you know if you didn’t like it if you didn’t inhale?’” Pasierb said. “Clearly not recognizing something when you did it is probably not the best course.”

Pasierb says role models and parents should not be afraid to admit they did the deed. “Really the truth works best. You owe your kids honesty,” he said. “But you don’t need to tell them every little detail. You don’t have to give them blow by blow.” Is talking about past drug use the best thing for a someone running for president? That’s a question much harder to answer.

According to a 2007 Pew Research poll, 45 percent of Americans would be less likely to support a candidate for president who had used drugs. Obama has to hope his honesty with kids translates in a good way to the adults deciding whether to vote for him.

[Source: CNN]

Related Tags:

1 Comment – Add Yours

  1. ceecee ceecee says:

    he’s won over some votes and lost some votes is what it all boils down to.

Leave a Comment

  • We moderate comments and prohibit personal attacks, threats, spam, lewd images, or the promotion of your personal website.
  • Please keep comments related to topic.
  • Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

You are commenting as a Guest. Optional: Login below.

Twitter + Facebook Users
Enter your personal information in the form or sign in with your Twitter/Facebook account.

NEWS.GOSSIP.INFO — Daily Blog

aids-created-by-the-cia-whatchu-talkin-about-bugner

Much like a celebrity recycling dumpsite, UK reality show “I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!” is rife with…

uptown-literati-x-clutch-weekly-reading-recommendation-11-20-09

A girl’s got to read, this all Clutchettes know. So, to help navigate the ever-expanding world of books, Uptown Literati…

clutch-celeb-beauty-tipshow-tos-how-to-transition-your-hair-from-relaxed-to-natural

Clutchettes – we know how important it is to be educated and informed on all things beauty. From eyelash application…

regina-kimbell-the-lady-behind-my-nappy-roots

By now most everyone has heard of the copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Filmmaker Regina Kimbell against Chris Rock/HBO, concerning…

la-liv-life-seven-bar-lounge-on-november-20th

LA: Liv Life @ Seven Bar & Lounge on Friday, November 20th from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. L.A. Clutchettes…

change-we-cant-believe-in-critical-racial-disparities-in-washington

Earlier this month, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, CREW, reported that the House Ethics Committee is currently investigating…