# In your opinion, is it ok for the POTUS to get drunk? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 23, 2014, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413 "2014-11-23T17:51:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/81 "2014-11-27T07:33:43Z")
> [@OneCentStamp](#): > > Not sure if serious. :dubious: 😃 😃 Mayors of Toronto are only allowed to get drunk in a crack induced stupor. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/82 "2014-11-27T18:20:23Z")
I have no problem with people of any profession getting a little scriffy when they’re not on duty. Unfortunately for the President, his shift is ‘4 years on, nothing off’. When your job description involves potentially being called upon at literally any moment to deal with matters of national (or multi-national) importance, you can’t afford to be ‘indisposed’. Come 12:01 PM on January 20th, he can get as shit-faced as he wants, though. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/83 "2014-11-27T19:41:43Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#): > > I have no problem with people of any profession getting a little scriffy when they’re not on duty. Unfortunately for the President, his shift is ‘4 years on, nothing off’. When your job description involves potentially being called upon at literally any moment to deal with matters of national (or multi-national) importance, you can’t afford to be ‘indisposed’. > > Come 12:01 PM on January 20th, he can get as shit-faced as he wants, though. He’s the president, he can do what he wants. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/84 "2014-11-28T01:44:00Z")
There’s this radical idea in the US that normal healthy people don’t actually need to get shit-faced. Ever. It’s not a necessary food group, all jokes aside. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/85 "2014-11-28T11:49:57Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > Heh, sorry about that **JT** Allow me to direct that post towards **Anaamika** : I think perhaps you misread. Anaamika specified getting drunk, not just drinking, as being the thing that might indicate a problem. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/86 "2014-11-28T12:14:22Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > There’s this radical idea in the US that normal healthy people don’t actually need to get shit-faced. Ever. It’s not a necessary food group, all jokes aside. There are many, many things I do not “need” that I believe contribute to my life being more full and happy. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/87 "2014-11-28T15:14:04Z")
> [@Hector\_St\_Clare](#): > > He’s the president, he can do what he wants. Not sure about that. He is supposed to be somewhat answerable to the people. (The ones with money tend to get better answers.) ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/88 "2014-11-28T18:12:56Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Not sure about that. He is supposed to be somewhat answerable to the people. (The ones with money tend to get better answers.) As you point out, answerability is kind of a joke. Anyway, if Americans don’t like the president’s drinking habits, they can vote for a different one next time around. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/89 "2014-11-28T20:18:52Z")
> [@Disposable Hero](#): > > It did happen to Yeltsin, though granted he was apparently drunk most of the time. And unlikely as it is, given the potential scale of the problems perhaps he, or potentially she, can stay off the sauce for a while, its not that big a sacrifice. > > But then I can take or leave alcohol so if someone told me I had to stay sober for the next eight years it wouldn’t particularly bother me. I was about to say something along these lines. Boris Yeltsin was three sheets to the wind most of the time and nothing dire happened. Apart from him croaking. ---
**Author:** ![susanlinda823](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@susanlinda823](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susanlinda823)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/90 "2014-11-28T20:41:55Z")
He already makes decisions like a drunk. Maybe he is plastered all the time. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/91 "2014-11-29T14:17:38Z")
It kind of bothered me when Obama would be showing drinking alcohol but wouldn’t smoke MJ in states where it is legal. Both were legal but he wouldn’t be seen smoking. Then again Robitussin is legal too and I’m sure Obama wouldn’t be seen guzzling a bottle of that. I wonder who the drunkest president was ---
**Author:** ![MrsTime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@MrsTime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrsTime)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/92 "2014-11-29T17:53:19Z")
No, not ever while he is in the highest office in the land…his judgement would be clouded if drunk and what if a decision for instance about nukes had to be made immediately? After he leaves office if he wants he can get drunk every day of the week and it wouldn’t matter. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/93 "2014-11-29T23:32:55Z")
In my opinion it’s not “okay” for anyone to get drunk. It’s a dumb, potentially dangerous enough thing to do when you aren’t the guy with his finger on the button. ---
**Author:** ![MrsTime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@MrsTime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrsTime)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2014, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/94 "2014-11-29T23:41:31Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > In my opinion it’s not “okay” for anyone to get drunk. It’s a dumb, potentially dangerous enough thing to do when you aren’t the guy with his finger on the button. Yes but if you get drunk your finger is not on any important button. ---
**Author:** ![btthegreat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f4b2a3/32.png) [@btthegreat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/btthegreat)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/95 "2014-11-30T00:11:24Z")
I got no problem with it, as long as he has staff around to keep him from dialing Putin and pranking him. ---
**Author:** ![Hector\_St\_Clare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5ac83/32.png) [@Hector\_St\_Clare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hector_St_Clare)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2014, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413/96 "2014-11-30T20:42:00Z")
I like this custom (for politicians) that Herodotus attributes to the ancient Persian leaders: “Moreover, it is their custom to deliberate about the gravest matters when they are drunk; and what they approve in their deliberations is proposed to them the next day, when they are sober, by the master of the house where they deliberate; and if, being sober, they still approve it, they act on it, but if not, they drop it. And if they have deliberated about a matter when sober, they decide upon it when they are drunk. (Histories, book 1, chapter 133)” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-your-opinion-is-it-ok-for-the-potus-to-get-drunk/705413.md?page=4)