Why Do Conservatives So Quickly Abandon Their Own?

Cathryn Crawford

[Cathryn Crawford]

Isn't it true that a lot of the bashing of Bill Bennett is simply due to the fact that conservatives naturally rejoice in the misfortunes of their own? The ability of the conservative movement to abandon their own people when they are even slightly attacked by the liberal/media establishment is absolutely astounding.

Why are conservatives so quick to judge their own? Are we afraid? Are we so afraid of being tainted by a scandal that we will so easily turn away at the first sight of blood?

This is a serious and long-term issue among conservatives that deserves to be adressed.

[Cathryn Crawford]

Morality police is right. If Bennett is wrong, then Wolfowitz yelling, "F*ck you" at Al Franken was wrong. Both are legal, but neither one is in very good taste.

Of course, if I had the chance to yell f*ck you at Al Franken, I'd do it too.

[rdb3]

Let's discuss this - in a civil way. It's a serious issue.

I agree, and it should be discussed in a serious way because it is a "serious issue."

But be careful here. The one thing that conservatives fail to do is engage in self-criticism. Attempts to do so by our own lead to being ostracized by those on whose side you truly belong. "Anything goes" mentality is deadly, but so is being "static" from a political standpoint.

And today was a good day...

[BJungNan]

Inquiring minds and Dan Quayle would like to know. They have no strength of their convictions. Now, make one correction: when you say "conservatives" you really mean Republicans in Congress.

[Cathryn Crawford]

No. That's not the issue. Conservatives hold OTHER people to a higher standard, then bitch and moan if they themselves get caught...it's as one person already said. It's about image.

I'm a conservative, and I can look at this from the inside out and see that it's a serious problem.

[Senator Pardek]

Booze is legal.

If he drank a fifth every morning, and still went to work, would it be OK?

[Cathryn Crawford]

We abandon our own without even knowing the whole story. Can't you see that? Do you know Bill Bennett has a gambling problem? How do you know? Have you talked to him? Or have you read some mindless news story or heard it bantered about on television? What's your source?

I'm trying to say that if anything, we should at least get the facts before we leave him lying in the dust. But we don't even wait for that. No, he's out, now, before we even know what's truly happened.

[Cathryn Crawford]

He'd be drunk. There's a difference. That is a physical malady, whereas this is something that he reportedly did a "couple times a year".

[Cathryn Crawford]

Mostly...yes.

[jlogajan]

I'm not a Christian, but here is a link about gambling and the Bible from a certain Christian perspective:

Gambling

To the extent that a lot of conservatives hail from the Christian background and to the extent they agree with the above position in regards to gambling and the Bible, Mr. Bennet is to be expected to take some flak.

[UnBlinkingEye]

What qualifies you and I to stand here and say he was wrong to do what he did?

Not a damn thing.

Except virtue.

[Cathryn Crawford]

Take a look at this, why doncha? And don't give me any of your elitist crap, okay? ;-)

[billbears]

We abandon our own without even knowing the whole story.

The whole story? What? It dropped out of his pocket while he was walking through the casino and he wasn't really gambling? I'll give you that receipts have only shown 1.4 mil but that's still enough

Can't you see that?

No

Do you know Bill Bennett has a gambling problem? How do you know?

I think anybody that spends 8 million dollars in a casino has a problem and I don't care how much money they have. I hold politicians to the same standard I hold myself. If they get close, that's good enough. I'm not perfect and neither are they. But adultery and gambling is not close by any stretch.

Have you talked to him? Or have you read some mindless news story or heard it bantered about on television?

Of course, I'm sure Mr. Bennett's going to making loads of public statements on this one. So we have to go on news reports. What? Since FOX isn't covering it, it's not a 'real' story yet?

[InvisibleChurch]

it's as one person already said. It's about image.

it looks like you've your answer then

[Cathryn Crawford]

What virtue? Self-righteousness is a sin, too, and we don't even know the whole story.

[Senator Pardek]

...That is a physical malady...

No - it would be a moral one.

[Bedford Forrest]

Let's discuss this - in a civil way. It's a serious issue.

OK. Tubby Bill is a self-promoting, statist RINO suffering from a chronic case of malignant narcissism. He is a professional horse holder and derivative personality. He lives in a Micawberesque hell where his only solace comes from being raped at the slots in Vegas. As the grizzly bear said to the hunter [after his third clean miss] "You're not in this for the hunting, are you, boy?" Any questions, Ms. CC?

[Texas Eagle]

Well, I'm not worried about it. I've never understood the appeal of sitting on a stool all day throwing away quarter after quarter but that's just me. Bill Bennett is a big boy. He can take care of himself.

Is the left-wing wackos in the media going to search high and low for a "leading Conservative" to say something negative about Bennett? Shitchya. I wouldn't expect anything else.

I remember Bennett's response to a question about whether or not he would ever run for public office. He said no and made reference to skeletons in his closet. Maybe this is what he was talking about. But if he did run for office, I couldn't vote for him fast enough.

[rdb3]

Except virtue.

Mote... Beam...

Does that ring a bell?

And today was a good day...

[Cathryn Crawford]

So you believe everything you hear? Obviously so, since you admitted that receipts have only shown 1.4 million but you're still bantering around the eight million dollar figure.

I'm actually not debating the truthfullness of the story - just the "virtue" of the people so willing to abandon yet ANOTHER conservative at the first whiff of ANY scandal.

[RLK]

Your supposed question contains a pressuposition. It is really an assertion of that presupposition, not a question. If you are serious rather than being a disruptor, document the pressuposition in detail.