<p>“Possession” can be a felony (though in many states it depends upon the amount.) But use? Which state?</p>
<p>“The cocaine stuff about GWB was rumored and never admitted by GWB, as I recall. Here we have Obama admitting he committed a felony.”</p>
<p>So… are you really outraged? Will you lose sleep? Are you going to make a citizen’s arrest? </p>
<p>As I said pretty much a nonissue unless of course you see attacking it as the only way to defeat him. Then I guess anything’s game except real issues.</p>
<p>P2n: GWB’s not-quite-denial was very careful “the meaning of ‘is’” level phrasing, which wouldn’t fool even the least inquisitive. But I understand that he’s never been subject to the same ceaseless hounding as the right would apply to a prominent Democrat.</p>
<p>I like Michael Steele. A debate between Obama and Michael–now that would be interesting.</p>
<p>Steele seems like he’d be good.</p>
<p>As to Obama, we don’t have the facts, do we? Possession is unlawful as far as I know, (not ‘use’ as I wrote earlier - my error). I assume he was not held down and had powder stuffed up his nose w/o his consent? 21USC would address federal penalties; but they typically apply to trafficking. Probably a state offense. The quick look I gave to possible state statutes showed ‘felony’ at the lowest levels of possession.</p>
<p>All this goes to suitability. I suspect the SOL has passed.</p>
<p>But there is no evidence, nor any admission, that he was in possession. Use is not a felony anywhere as far as I know; depending on municipality, it is not even a misdemeanor.</p>
<p>I work in the field - and there is no court in the land that will entertain evidence of use as proof of possession. (That one went out about 30 years ago.)</p>
<p>What will happen is that his opposition, should he run, will dig up whatever facts they can and just rake him over the coals with it. He’s not going to be prosecuted.</p>
<p>Obama wouldnt and shouldnt be prosecuted for his coke use, but when it comes to Bush its not fair to assume that he used coke because of some accusations in a very very anti-bush book and in a few other places. There is no real evidence to indicate he used coke whereas Obama admitted to it</p>
<p>Well… aside from the legal stuff, I don’t think there are would be that many repercussions. Or there shouldn’t be. Most adults have engaged in illegal behavior of some sort, isn’t it part of growing up?</p>
<p>it is, but coke is a bit diff from weed and alcohol, i dont think it will hurt him significantly other than maybe have people cast doubts on his character because coke is a serious thing</p>
<p>If it came down to Obama against a republican I think the Dems would vote for Obama regardless of the cocaine, Reps will vote for the republican and spout about Obama’s coke use, and it’d be up to that nebulous ‘independent’ group to make the decision (assuming no majority of dems or reps). At the regional level, there have been cases of candidates (I believe Dems) being re-elected to office despite current coke abuse (ex: Marion Berry) so some people apparently don’t care at all about it. I dont think this would go down at the national level though.</p>
<p>If I had choices within my party of a former coke user versus some who haven’t used strong (or any) illegal drugs, it’d make a difference to me and I’d vote for the non-coke user. There are penty of people who have never used coke. If the strongest candidates within my party were coke users, I’d try to think about how I could help straighten the party up to get more viable, law-abiding, non-drug using candidates.</p>
<p>“because coke is a serious thing”</p>
<p>Actually it was a pepsi.</p>
<p>And no, back in the day it was not a serious thing. It’s only become that way for those who suffer guilt for growing up and experimenting with alot of things. All of which they don’t want their children to do and cannot admit they did some things of their own. Thus the outrage of the outrage. We of that age are all as pure as the fresh winter snow found near a smelter.</p>
<p>Youthful coke use versus hot, steamy adultery sex in a publicly owned mansion while your wife and kid still lived there? Or abandoning not one, but two wives in succession when they became sick and taking up with new sexpots before even divorcing them?</p>
<p>You’ve got to be kidding. For the Party of Appeasment and Family Values, a candidate who used coke in his youth would be a distinct step up.</p>
<p>Stay the course.</p>
<p>So now we’ve moved from okaying pot for our kids because “we did it” to okaying cocaine for our kids because “we did it”? (Btw, I did neither). “Youthful coke?” What’s next–only former drug users can be elected to office because they’re the only ones who are not hypocrites? We’ve sunk so low as to use Marion Berry as a standard as to who can get elected? Good thing Obama didn’t like the drug pusher (heroin), or maybe not. Maybe his star would shine even brighter if he had dabbled in a little heroin. :eek: (Yes, I know about the GWB allegations–just that, allegations.)</p>
<p>The facts are not all in. Obama may be the cleanest drug user in a long time or this may represent an outing of uncomfortable material early to dull the discussion of it - before the other shoe falls.</p>
<p>I’m content to let the chips fall where they may. Spread truth like butter on warm bread. Justice and honor may actually result.</p>
<p>Justice can come only from the sweet jelly of perspective!</p>
<p>We seem to be a very forgiving nation when it comes to youthful indiscretions. I can’t think really think of any signficant election where something done in back in college has ever swayed the outcome. </p>
<p>Which is a good thing, becuase going forward we’re going to get baby boomers and subsequent generations as our Presidents. It’s going to be increasingly difficult to find candidates who didn’t experiment or weren’t recereational users for a short amount of time when they were young.</p>
<p>Bush was very masterful at admitting that he done some things he wasn’t proud of, although admitted only to alcohol problems. But it’s not really that hard to imagine him getting into other things when he was young, if only for a short time. And if he did, so what? Millions of other people have been there.</p>
<p>I think people have enough of a perspective to differentiate those situations from one where the candidate is a chronic user (no pun intended) his or her entire adult like (Berry nothwithstanding),</p>
<p>I don’t see this hurting Obama at all. So let’s focus on the important things, like whether he has ever had sex outside marriage.</p>
<p>Mere possession of cocaine is a felony in all states - however Obama admitted use - so he’s already reached that threshold</p>
<p>“Spread truth like butter on warm bread”; “Justice can only come from the sweet jelly of perspective” – breakfast time, is it? :)</p>
<p>Maybe I should run for president…</p>
<p>I never did any drugs (except the prescription variety), I’m not much of a drinker, I’ve been married to my college sweetheart for 18 years, never cheated on him, go to church every Sunday. But I am also a Democrat, so they would certainly find some way to slime me.</p>
<p>No one seems to care, however, that he is a staunch supporter of partial birth abortion. </p>
<p>636</p>