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Patrick Kennedy and Double Standards
National Review Online ^ | 5/5/06 | Mark R. Levin

Posted on 05/05/2006 2:05:21 PM PDT by wcdukenfield

Patrick Kennedy & Double Standards 05/05 04:37 PM

I don't wish anyone ill, except our nation's enemies. It's a good thing that Patrick Kennedy is going back into rehab. But I am very angry.

For nearly three years we witnessed the persecution of Rush Limbaugh, who became addicted to painkillers resulting from back and neck problems. We witnessed leaks by prosecutors who spread lies about him being involved in money laundering, drug rings, and doctor shopping. But the media happily repeated them. Some mocked him.

Rush got help. He has been clean for years. And in most cases, when someone becomes addicted to prescription drugs for the first time, the matter is eventually dropped. Most jurisdictions have set up drug courts for this very purpose. But that didn't stop the state prosecutor in Palm Beach County from spending hundreds of thousands of tax dollars pursuing Rush.

Early on, prosecutors claimed they had evidence of over ten felonies. They demanded that Rush plead guilty to some felony—any felony. He refused, always insisting on his innocence. So, they leaked more lies to the media, hoping to intimidate him. They seized his medical records. They gave his medical records to the media. The media took those records and turned them into graphics for television. Reporters and commentators were studying his prescriptions, discussing both the kinds and amount of medicine he had taken. They were beside themselves with glee. Newsweek, AP and the Palm Beach Post, Rush's local paper, were especially vicious, serving as lap-dogs for the prosecutors.

In court, Rush fought these people every step of the way—all the way to the Florida Supreme Court. He spent millions of dollars defending himself—despite the fact that he had been a first-time abuser, went to rehab, and was clean. And then last October, the lead prosecutor sauntered into court and in response to questioning told the judge—we have no evidence that Rush Limbaugh has committed any crime! None.

So, I am very angry. You will hear commentator after commentator speaking sympathetically about Patrick Kennedy and his addiction to painkillers. You will hear people say that he is addicted, he has a serious health problem, he deserves to be praised for his forthrightness today, and we should leave him alone. And many of these commentators will be the same people who were giddy in their ceaseless attacks on Rush.

I am angry at the double standard, where liberals are regularly treated one way and conservatives another. I am also glad Patrick Kennedy won't be abused as Rush was. But you can be sure that the next conservative with a problem won't be treated like Kennedy.

But there are some aspects to the Kennedy matter that require answers. If Patrick Kennedy, who is not a first offender, is addicted to painkillers, from where did he get them? And there are news reports that he had been drinking earlier at a Capitol Hill bar and alcohol was later smelled on his breath. So, why was the officer on the scene prevented by more senior police officers from performing a routine sobriety test?

I truly wish Patrick Kennedy well. But you bet I'm angry.


TOPICS: Editorial; Government; Miscellaneous; US: Rhode Island
KEYWORDS: 109th; addiction; doublestandard; kennedy; levin; limbaugh; marklevin; mediabias; patchaquiddick; patches; patrickkennedy; rush
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To: wcdukenfield; holdonnow
I believe I found Patches' source for his "Sleep-Driving" incident...

Reports of bizarre Ambien side effects begin to surface (March 15, 2006 article from KATU 2 - Portland, OR)

-snip- "There have also been complaints that people were getting up and driving while using Ambien, and then having no recollection of their actions.

Incident reports showed that people driving while using Ambien were sometimes driving down the wrong side of the road or exhibiting bizarre behavior...".

181 posted on 05/05/2006 9:30:41 PM PDT by Diver Dave
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To: onyx

A even more interesting question...is that usually there are unknown women in the cars of these idiot senators or congressmen who get pulled over at 1AM. The cops don't mention this in police reports...and I'd be curious to know if there were.


182 posted on 05/05/2006 10:40:02 PM PDT by pepsionice
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Comment #183 Removed by Moderator

To: Seaplaner


He's an accomplhished liar and for ALL his claims that he is taking "full responsibility" I must ask "how so?"

He hasn't done a damn thing but run off to the Mayo Clinic.


184 posted on 05/05/2006 11:20:21 PM PDT by onyx (They're ILLEGAL! --- tough, FACTS DON'T MATTER.)
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To: pepsionice
...is that usually there are unknown women in the cars of these idiot senators or congressmen who get pulled over at 1AM. The cops don't mention this in police reports...and I'd be curious to know if there were.

The absence of women or a woman in his life might be a whole other subject....lol.

185 posted on 05/05/2006 11:22:22 PM PDT by onyx (They're ILLEGAL! --- tough, FACTS DON'T MATTER.)
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To: StarFan; Dutchy; alisasny; BobFromNJ; BUNNY2003; Cacique; Clemenza; Coleus; cyborg; DKNY; ...
Patchaquiddick ping!

Article by The Great One: Mark Levin

186 posted on 05/05/2006 11:24:01 PM PDT by nutmeg ("We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." - Hillary Clinton 6/28/04)
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To: wcdukenfield
you can be sure that the next conservative with a problem won't be treated like Kennedy.

No doubt about that.

187 posted on 05/05/2006 11:26:27 PM PDT by T. Buzzard Trueblood ("left unchecked, Saddam Hussein...will keep trying to develop nuclear weapons." Sen. Hillary Clinton)
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To: mombonn
I'd like to know how the "higher ups" appeared on the scene so quickly, and took control.

I would like to get a look at Pat's cellphone records to see who he called at exactly 2:46 that morning.

188 posted on 05/05/2006 11:46:52 PM PDT by Hoodat ( Silly Dems, AYBABTU.)
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To: nutmeg

"Patchaquiddick" LOL

Is that your phrase?


189 posted on 05/06/2006 5:45:09 AM PDT by evilC (Call me Krusty)
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To: wcdukenfield
Rush should be thankful for double standards:

Pill Penalty Puzzle - Should Rush Limbaugh be grateful he didn't get 25 years?

190 posted on 05/06/2006 5:48:51 AM PDT by Wolfie
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To: nutmeg


191 posted on 05/06/2006 7:38:44 AM PDT by Grampa Dave (There's a dwindling market for Marxist homosexual lunatic wet dreams posing as journalism)
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To: wcdukenfield
Comparing Rush to Kennedy as to consequence addiction is ludicrous. Rush is a radio personality while Kennedy is a member of Congress and as such is involved in decison making that literraly can have life or death impact on all of us.

Would any other profession allow or tolerate a practicing addict to continue their trade? Both Kennedies are addicts and should be barred, as should any other addicts, from their office because their fried brains are as dangerous to our nation as any terrorist.

I call for mandatory drug testing of everyone in Congress. If we feel drugs are dangerous enough to test athletes then we definitely need to test those who "hold our lives" in their hands!!

192 posted on 05/06/2006 9:04:59 AM PDT by varon (Allegiance to the constitution, always. Allegiance to a political party, never.)
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To: evilC; Grampa Dave; tgslTakoma; kristinn
"Patchaquiddick" LOL

Is that your phrase?

Nahh... I wish I could take credit for it, but I must be honest... a caller on yesterday's Howie Carr radio show coined the phrase. PERFECT name for this latest Kennedy scandal, IMHO... ;-D

193 posted on 05/06/2006 9:37:00 AM PDT by nutmeg ("We're going to take things away from you on behalf of the common good." - Hillary Clinton 6/28/04)
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To: Jackie

ha..


194 posted on 05/06/2006 10:24:08 AM PDT by AmericanMade1776
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To: mfnorman
And whatever happened to that case?

The last I'd heard a Grand Jury was impaneled and they were investigating.

195 posted on 05/06/2006 10:45:39 AM PDT by Snardius
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To: onyx
This is an old medication (phenegran).

I'll say. My father was a pharmaceutical salesman for Wyeth which made the drug. They(Wyeth) have had so many recalls of stuff I used to take as a kid(we had a garage full of pills a the time)it's scary. Really makes you wonder about the wisdom of the FDA.

Of course on the other hand this is just another story about another drunken/pill popping Kennedy who will get yet another pass courtesy of the MSM/drivebys/DNC reps. Hopefully the New Media will expose what really happened and one day Bozos like Kennedy will share a jail cell with a big illegal named Juan.

196 posted on 05/07/2006 4:14:45 AM PDT by rodguy911
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To: wcdukenfield

Patches Kennedy will emerge from rehab...again...drink and drive...again...and sooner or later, he'll kill someone. Simple as that. He's an alcoholic, whatever other problems he has...pain killers or being a manic depressive. (God knows these are not small problems.) But he can afford a chauffeur. If he wants to drink, fine, that's his choice. Just don't get behind the wheel.


197 posted on 05/07/2006 4:30:47 AM PDT by hershey
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To: SerpentDove

And the waitress at that bar who said Patches ran up quite a tab that night...nobody from the MSM or the cops wants to talk to her.


198 posted on 05/07/2006 4:35:08 AM PDT by hershey
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To: onyx
Ambien and Phenegran were his excuses. He says now that he is addicted to pain meds. Neither of the aforementioned are for prescribed for pain.

And, of course, since so many young DC residents are in prison for drug offenses, I'm sure the Feds are checking to make sure he has valid prescriptions for the Ambien and the narcotics.

They must be checking.

Mustn't they?

199 posted on 05/07/2006 4:43:52 AM PDT by Jim Noble (And you know what I'm talkin' 'bout!)
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To: DocRock

CNN last night, a reporter, Blitzer or that idiot, Joe C....commenting on Cheney's hunting accident. (Comparing it to Patches' traffic mishap.) 'Funny how the cops didn't check to see how much drinking Cheney did before shooting his pal in the face.' (I was surprised that they'd mention alcohol, considering that's the last thing Patches wants brought up. But they control the spin. Everything's in hand. Patches is an annointed victim. He just mixed up a few prescription drugs. Already in rehab! Yippeee!!!


200 posted on 05/07/2006 4:56:25 AM PDT by hershey
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