Up front, I’ll admit: I like George W. Bush, I think he’s been a good governor, and if he’s the Republican nominee, I’ll probably vote for him.
Now, what do I think of his approach to questions about cocaine use? That depends. IF he really has used cocaine (I’m not saying I believe he has, but let’s assume it’s true for argument’s sake), he might as well come clean about it now, and throw himself on the mercy of the voters. Fact is, like it or not, IF he EVER used cocaine, there is no way on Earth he can possibly hope to keep it secret. IF he used cocaine even once, SOMEBODY sold it or gave it to him, SOMEBODY saw him do it, and sooner or later, those somebodies are going to pop up on a Barbara Walters special. So, if there’s ANY truth to the rumors, he has to admit it now. To keep silent and hope it blows over would be futile and stupid (as a wise man once said, “If more than one person knows something, it is NOT a secret.”)
But… suppose for a second he has NEVER used cocaine. Is it good/smart to answer “Nope, never did it”? Not necessarily. And I say this from personal experience.
I am a rarity: i’m a 38 year old amn who has NEVER used a single illegal drug, even once. Practically all my friends did (hey, if you were in high school in NY in the 70s, pot was EVERYWHERE!). I’m a 100% clean, sober, strait-laced Christian guy. And yet… if I were offered a good programming job with a good salary, BUT the company demanded that I submit urine samples for drug testing on a random basis, I’d refuse!
Some people would say “Why refuse? If you REALLY have nothing to hide, why not just pee in a cup, and be done with it?” BECAUSE, damn it, peeing in a cup is humiliating, stupid, unnecessary and degrading. I’ve never taken drugs, and I shouldn’t have to prove it to you. If my performance on the job is bad, fire me. But I’m not going to put myself through urinalysis on your say-so. Besides, if you can check THIS part of my private life, what part of my life is off-limits"
MAYBE George W. Bush was a drug user and just doesn’t want to admit it. But MAYBE, just maybe, he’s innocent. And MAYBE, he knows that if he answers THIS intrusive question, he’s going to have to answer more and more and more intrusive questions. MAYBE he wants to tell the tabloids to take a flying you-know-what, because he KNOWS that’s far from the last personal question they’re going to ask, and he’d like to nip this in the bud.