would you/have you supported a candidate that you think has a drinking

[mopinko]

problem? this is someone i have worked very actively for in the past, and who is a great representative, imho. lots of others hate him/her passionately. i am also personally quite fond of him/her, and the feeling is mutual. i wouldn't say we are big buddies. just always great each other warmly, hugs and all, etc.
but this person did something very out of character, rude and mean the other day. it is now public knowledge. i have been at parties with this person, seen how fast a beer disappears in his/her hand, and my first thought was- drunk.

so, i have a 2 fold question- i had planned to work hard for this person in the next cycle, still a couple years away. but i think this makes it even harder than it was going to be. would you work for them anyway?
and would you say anything to this person? my father was an alcoholic. i am not sure anyone in dad's life every confronted him with that. but i do know that people really close to you often can't. so, maybe i am in a position that is close enough but not too close. as someone who is planning to put myself out there on the line, do i deserve an answer about what happened? i know i will be asked, no doubt.

[madaboutharry]

1. No, I would not support for public office someone with

a drinking problem. And I would tell that person exactly why I was withdrawing support. I would also encourage someone to challenge that person in a primary race.

[sharp_stick]

2. I think you need a little

more info than being at parties with them and they drink. Hell, I can pound them back at a party but rarely drink other than that.

You risk a lot by questioning their drinking habits without more reason than a single incident you yourself call "out of character". I wouldn't do it without a lot more evidence.

on edit: of course, I don't know this guy and it's all IMO.

[mopinko]

9. there have been rumors about drinking

and the incident is definitely of the sort that drunk was the first thing everyone thought of.

[sharp_stick]

10. There could be something to it

and if you're close to this person you may want to broach the subject but do it carefully IMO.

I know I had a very difficult time confronting my father wrt his drinking, most of it was my hesitation and fear of unintended consequences. It wasn't until his father and brother discussed it with him that he sought the help he desperately needed.

Best of luck, I hope all goes well.

[get the red out]

Current drinking problem, no

Past and done with drinking problem, yes.

[loveable liberal]

3. Bush was a drunk. Look where it got us.

Take personality out of the equation, we dont need alcoholics in public office. That is my humble opinion.

[HopeHoops]

4. That's a difficult question - but don't let Bush cloud your judgement.

Bush has been wasted since he was 16 and I don't believe for a minute he ever quit drinking. That said, he is an arrogant fucking idiot and would have fucked up the country drunk or sober. Nothing would be different if he had been sober. We would still be fucked.

Go with your perception of the candidate's views and effectiveness. There are many functional drunks. Bush just wasn't one of them. He wouldn't have been functional sober. And frankly, there are way to many non-functional sober people in office! Personally, I would rather have a functional drunk!

[mikelgb]

5. ugh

a lifeform I am not that familiar with electronically transmitted data via an internet web-logging system that is frequented by members of a certain political group. this is all public btw. and that explains why I have to carefully redact information as to make it exceedingly difficult to offer any comment at all

[katanalori]

6. No No No!

If you care for this person (sounds like you DO)- you owe it to him to point out his drinking problem. He may hate you at first, but he really needs to hear it. YOU could be the reason he gets help. If you work for his campaign and support him, you become an enabler and another reason for him to assert that he does not have a problem. I also believe that no matter how much you agree with him politically, you will find that he cannot do a good job while intoxicated or hung over. Help him - tell him.

[Cleita]

7. Yes, as long as he admits it and is in treatment, unlike, our

last President, who claimed to be dry but showed every evidence of being soted in public. On the other hand, I know people who can drink a lot on a daily basis but they are in control and not influenced in their decisions, nor showing evidence of being drunk. So if your rep is like that I wouldn't confront him unless he crosses the line into being out of control.

[graywarrior]

8. A republican former state senator from NH just got a 3 day sentence

over a no-jail plea for this THIRD drunk driving offense. Because he resigned his term just weeks into it, they claim he "took responsibility" so they downgraded his sentence to a second offense. A third offense would have required a 30 day jail sentence. But get this...he shows up in court wearing a breathing machine tucked into a US Marine duffel bag. Granted, the guy has ephysema and other ailments including one considered to be contageous, but WTF, if this had been a regular guy, he would have spent time in jail.

Jeb Bradley (R) was voted in to take this guys spot in the state senate.

[mopinko]

11. just giving this a kick in case someone on here has been there

and done that. i don't know what to do.