Bennett gambling on a big comeback

NY Daily News ^ | 7/25/2003 | BILL HUTCHINSON

[sjersey]

Fallen moral crusader William Bennett claims he has won his battle with the one-armed bandit and is ready to resume his place as the public voice of family values. The author of "The Book of Virtues" - who in May admitted to losing a whopping $8 million in a decade playing high-stakes slots - will make his comeback Sunday on CNBC's "Tim Russert" show.

"I'm not down; I'm up and I'm back and nobody's going to drive me out of public life," Bennett says in the prerecorded interview with Russert.

Three months after admitting his wagering woes, he says he has learned his lesson: "You will lose at the end of the day." Bennett, 60, was tagged a hypocrite by his critics when Newsweek magazine and The Washington Monthly detailed his gambling habits.

"I way overdid it," he said. "I gambled too much, given who I am and what I do."

Still, "I'm not a hypocrite," he declared.

"I never got on the soapbox about gambling," says former President Ronald Reagan's ex-education secretary who also served as drug czar under former President George Bush.

"Did I fall short of my standards by doing too much, by engaging in this at an excessive level? Yes, but that doesn't make my arguments any less good or not."

But Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of Drug Policy Alliance, a group attempting to reform stiff drug laws, scoffed at Bennett's comeback attempt.

"There's a fundamental inconsistency in his purported morality," Nadelmann said. "I think Bill Bennett would do the country a great service by withdrawing entirely from public life."

But Roberta Combs, president of the Christian Coalition of America, welcomed Bennett back: "I think it's admirable of him that he has confronted this and put it behind him and he's moving on."

"This is a wonderful opportunity and we would applaud Dr. Bennett for discussing this issue that negatively affects millions of Americans," added Ron Reno, a gambling issues expert for Focus on the Family, a Christian outreach organization.

But Marty D. of Gamblers Anonymous said people like Bennett face a lifetime battling their habit and need a lot of support.

"I've never heard of anyone who is a true compulsive gambler stopping on their own," he said.

[oceanview]

I bet he can't make a comeback.

[NeoCaveman]

I bet he can? What kind of odds will you give me :-)

[DPB101]

I don't believe so either. It wasn't the gambling so much as how he earned his money. People paid a lot to hear him speak and to know it went to the slots doesn't sit well. It was as if he was laughing at his audience.

[oceanview]

i think he would be great as a greeter at the Borgata.

[Lexington Green]

His hypocrisy aside, he has got to be some kind of idiot to play high-limit slots. Gambling don't get no dumber than that.

[Wilhelm Tell]

The author of "The Book of Virtues" - who in May admitted to losing a whopping $8 million in a decade playing high-stakes slots

The wages of sin is debt.

[L.N. Smithee]

Fallen moral crusader William Bennett...

In the words of James Taranto, "What Liberal Media?"

[HitmanLV]

As a resident of Las Vegas, I can say there is no harm in dropping some cashola on a blackjack table for fun. If he has more money, he has more money to lose, which is fine.

Becoming enamored with high limit slots is insane - no skill, no strategy, just the stupid turn of the wheel. High limit video poker is 10x better, but even that is kind of silly.

Bennett had a problem. Let's see where he is at now.

[Wolfie]

...he says he has learned his lesson:"You will lose at the end of the day."

Heck, I would have thought being Drug Czar would have taught him that.

[Cicero]

Gambling is a habit like drug addiction or alchoholism that can become just as addictive. If Bennett gambled on that scale, it's a fair bet that he was hooked. He would be well advised listen to the advice of that fellow from Gambler's Anonymous.

For what they are worth, there have been recent scientific studies showing the same kind of brain-wave patterns and endorphin production in gamblers as in other addicts.

[habs4ever]

You think he's done all his soul searching?He'll be back at it in a jiffy and his comments show he just doesn't get it.

[sjersey]

On CNBC NOW!

[HitmanLV]

Who knows? I'm inclinded to think not, but wait and see is all I said.

[Lexington Green]

Here's a guy who advocates arresting cancer patients for using medical pot. Beware those who cry 'VIRTUE!'

[Scenic Sounds]

Bill Bennett rehab update! ;-)

[Brian S]

Must be he has a book "ready for print".

[Cathryn Crawford]

Just for kicks, I'll bring back my old tagline from those lovely days of flamewars about Bill Bennet.

For old times' sake. :-)

[oceanview]

Russert doing the story, Bennett doing the Russert show this weekend.

[Scenic Sounds]

Great! That was one of your best ones.

Those were some fun threads. ;-)