That story about Bill Bennett's little gambling problem sure has tongues wagging, doesn't it? I'm particularly fond of Michael Kinsley's piece, as well as Calpundit's survey of conservative pundit responses.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned much is Bennett's other well-known addiction, tobacco. Doonesbury pilloried then-Drug Czar William Bennett for his smoking habit back in 1989. Anyone want to bet that if this were some other high-profile person, Bill Bennett the Professional Moralizer would piously opine that one form of moral laxity inevitably leads to other, more pernicious forms, which is why we must always be vigilant about holding the line on what is considered acceptable behavior?
Posted by Charles Kuffner on May 05, 2003 to Scandalized! | TrackBackThe thing is, Bill Bennett didn't do anything he considers to be morally wrong. Sure, fundamentalist Protestants have a big problem with gambling, but that ire has never carried over into Catholicism, and Bennett is Catholic. And I see no reason to believe that Bennett is immoral or unvirtuous for smoking.
This is just another example of 'gotcha' politics, and it's just as baseless as countless other examples.
Posted by: Owen Courrèges on May 5, 2003 10:28 PM