[Cathryn Crawford]

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

[Texas Eagle]

What are you talking about? Who's bashing Bill Bennett?

[big bad easter bunny]

He's cool with me! and I will see that 5 and raise you 10.

[Rabid Dog]

That is an excellent observation. Conservatives do tend to eat their own once controversy hits. So what if Bennett gambles as long as he isn't robbing banks, pimping, dealing drugs, etc. to support his habit.

[Cathryn Crawford]

Ping!!!!!!!!

[UnBlinkingEye]

Could it be that Mr. Bennett is a first rate hypocrite?

Preaching to others on virtue, priceless.

[Cold Heat]

It is not all consevatives. I supported trent lott.

I supported Trent because the charges were bogus, while I was critical of his leadership in the Senate.

Now I see his lauded replacement is not doing much better.

I think that many pile on because it appears that that is the thing to do these days. It appears that bashing is easier than understanding a situation.

It also appears that the morality police have a heavy hand in the republican party. They are like maggots.

[Jhoffa_]

Bennett's problem comes from the smarmy section of Conservatism. They love to tar and feather any social conservative they can. It makes them feel better about their own, pathetic existance.

However..

Someone mentioned him as a possible POTUS. In that context, I would be pretty critical of him also.

After having known people with a gambling addiction, there is no way I could vote for him till I was sure he didn't fall into that category.

Aside from that, it's his money.. Let him burn it in the fireplace if he wants to. Hell, I don't care.

[Texas Eagle]

What am I missing here? Who is bashing who? What I see so far is Conservatives being bashed by non-Conservatives.

[jlogajan]

I'm quite happy to see his defenders adopt libertarian ("victimless crime") thinking.

I agree he should be able to gamble. I wish his logic in this was consistent across all his positions on how other people behave. I mean, smoking a joint in the privacy of your own home is "victimless" as well -- a lot cheaper than his million dollar gambling debts too.

[Sir Gawain]

Why Do Conservatives So Quickly Abandon Their Own?

Simple. To gain favor with the media.

[billbears]

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?

No. It's the ability of a good conservative to hold someone of their own leanings to the same standard as he or she would hold a liberal. Granted, apparently as good Republicans we're not supposed to do that, instead throwing Trent Lott under the bus of political correctness. Mind you, I'm not saying Lott was a great leader, but Bennett did something wrong, Lott didn't

But it is interesting that some in the 'conservative' party are more than willing to step someone down for speaking un PC while give a ride to someone who had the time to spend 8 million dollars in a casino. What about these 'virtues' Bennett wrote about? Never mind family values.

'Kids, Daddy's dumped 8 mil in a casino. Now I know we could have spent that money more wisely, for your education, wise investments, and such, but Daddy has a vice'

Sorry, Bennett stepped way out of line on this one

[Senator Pardek]

It has to do with high standards.

I don't care if Bennett gambles, because it does not take food out of his family's mouth.

Nor would I care if he smoked pot on weekends, because it would not take food out of his family's mouth.

Having said that, if he claims that one activity is more acceptable than the other, I would not care if he took a round in the gut from a bookie.

[Texas Eagle]

I see some criticism but I don't see anybody "abandoning" Mr. Bennett. It disappoints me to read what Bill Bennett says about his gambling but I'm not about to "abandon" him.

Are you sure you're not over-reacting here?

[InvisibleChurch]

maybe conservatives hold conservatives to a higher standard

[Smedley]

Standards are a bitch.

[exit82]

Hi Cathryn.You ask a fair question. Why do we conservatives hold our conduct to high standards? Why do we harshly judge our own?

I guess we conservatives are people who value people's words. If you say you are something, you need to show that you are that something. We have high expectations of each other. Words and actions have meaning to us; they are not just for show. If they are just for show, the person's reputation is demeaned in our eyes.

Bennett is like Newt Gingrich--an icon for a standard, then we find out he isn't backing up what he says he is.
Newt literally slept with the enemy while married, and his actions betrayed those of us who were fighting the evil X-42 administration as much as we could. Bennett is a spokesman for morality and moral clarity--yet his gambling addiction, which he denies, clearly demeans his message, and empowers those who say there are no moral absolutes, while they mockingly deride his contradictory behavior.

There will be those that say, well, is anyone perfect? That's the wrong question. Millions of us lead law abiding lives, faithful to our spouse and family, true to our principles, and patriotic to our country. We are the unsung millions who, through hard work and whose word can be counted on, make this country the great land that it is.We are not media darlings or on TV--we just go about our lives everyday, working to improve things for our loved ones and our community.We're not perfect, nor do we claim to be.

We have no room for sleazy self promoters,two faced hypocrites, traitors to our land, and those who refuse to take a stand on life and death issues.

We tend to harshly judge those who fall because of the disappointment we feel once we realize the trust that was misplaced in them. We have a conscience.We can think for oueselves. We know the true value and cost of freedom.We think that there really are moral absolutes in life.

That's why we are not Democrats or liberals.

[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]

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

[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?