McCain surrogate raises Obama's past drug use

[Fuzz]

A prominent surrogate for John McCain on Thursday raised Barack Obama's admitted cocaine use as a teenager and said the Illinois senator should speak candidly about it to the American people.

Speaking to Dennis Miller, a comedian and conservative radio talk show host, former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating said Obama should be more forthright about his background and what he called his "very extreme" record.

"He ought to admit, ‘You know, I've got to be honest with you. I was a guy of the street. I was way to the left. I used cocaine. I voted liberally, but I'm back at the center,'" Keating, a co-chair of McCain’s campaign, said Obama should tell voters. "I mean, I understand the big picture of America. But he hasn't done that."

An aide to John McCain said Keating was not directed by the campaign to make the comments.

"We didn’t ask him to do it,” the aide said. “He didn’t clear it with us, but obviously he’s read Senator Obama’s books.”

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/10/09/mccain-surrogate-raises-obamas-past-drug-use/

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. McCain should be paying more attention to the drugs that it's

going to take to keep him going for the next 4 years.

[snappyturtle]

2. Like anybody gave a damn about bush's cocaine use. They can

sit on it.

[garlicmilkshake]

3. I and my family have known Frank and the Keatings for 50 years. They're all pricks.

Frank Keating is one of the biggest fucking crooks in Oklahoma...along with Jim Inhofe.
:puke:

[lotus007vr]

4. Cindy McClain drug addiction

McClain is a total shit face for going there... He totally lacks the character for our president. Also his own wife was in the same boat, yet we don't talk about that.

[ikojo]

5. Yet in 2004 the Democrats were told Bush's past

drug use was off limits. Aren't double standards great?!!

[jimshoes]

6. Like W was forthcoming with

his snowy past.

[kayakjohnny]

7. Does he REALLY want a Keating speaking for him right now?

In any capacity? Any Keating?

[Rage for Order]

8. I think the US, for the most part, has gotten past this BS

15-20 years ago, any mention of past drug use, no matter how far back in one's past, was a political death blow. Recently it seems that people have become more rational on the subject, realizing that the fact that someone tried drugs in their late teens and early twenties, i.e. 20, 30, or 40 years ago, doesn't necessarily make them a bad person or unfit to hold office.

It's about the only thing I commend georgie boy for...when asked about possible drug use in his past (was it the 2000 or 2004 campaign?), he didn't answer one way or the other, and when pressed on the issue he didn't give in. Eventually the question went away and the press addressed issues that actually mattered. I think that may have been a turning point in all the "he did drugs 30 years ago!" bullshit in politics. Of course, we still got stuck with the douchebag, but at least the issue of past drug use got marginalized in politics.