Bill Bennett: Gambling Hit Pieces Won't Silence Me

NewsMax.com | 7/31/03 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[kattracks]

Conservative ethicist Bill Bennett emerged from a self imposed two month silence on Tuesday to announce that he wasn't going to let inaccurate stories about his gambling habits planted by "people who were trying to take me out" drive him from public life.

"I'm back and I will be more outspoken than ever," Bennett told nationally syndicated radio host Sean Hannity, after accepting full responsibility for the betting brouhaha.

"What I did that was wrong was that in the last few years I started to play big money, really big money. Maybe not too much in terms of what I was making, but too much in terms of who I am. And I was not being a good example."

The leading conservative spokesman revealed that his habit had become an issue at home, telling Hannity, "It got excessive. Mrs. Bennett got on me. She was right. And this story hit and it was all out there for everyone to see."

Bennett said he was faced with the choice of either changing his behavior or changing his standards. "So, in this case, the excessive gambling is over," he pledged.

He noted, however, that there was an agenda driving the gambling story that went beyond legitimate journalism, observing, "Some of these people were trying to take me out, saying, 'You're gone, man, you're out of public life.' And I don't not accept that."

He complained also that whoever leaked his gambling records to the Newsweek and the Washington Monthly had violated his privacy.

"[My gambling] wasn't a secret. But you do not expect your financial records, whether it's at a bank, a casino or anyplace, to be displayed all over the place."

The former Bush administration drug czar added, "Las Vegas has an ad out on TV and the radio, saying, 'What happens here, stays here.' Well, not in my case. That was really a rotten thing to do."

A spokesman for Caesar's Boardwalk in Atlantic City - one of the casinos named by Newsweek and the Washington Monthly - told NewsMax in May that they take every precaution to preserve the privacy of high rollers, and that the release of Bennett's records was the subject of an internal investigation.

The two publications that hyped the gambling scandal said they were relying on "40 pages of internal casino documents." But the target of the twin hit pieces said they got more than a few factual details wrong.

"A lot of what they put out was inaccurate - about losing $8 million and all that. There's no way that happened."

Bennett said the sources of the illicitly obtained records "released information to reporters that was wrong about totals, about wins and losses. It was really an attempt to do me in."

He stressed that he wasn't swearing off all wagering, telling Hannity, "Since there will be people doing the micrometer on me, I just want to be clear. I do want to be able to bet the [Buffalo] Bills in the Super Bowl."

When Hannity closed the interview by praising Bennett for taking responsibility for the imbroglio, the ethicist quipped, "You can bet on it."

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Media Bias

[mdmathis6]

"Bennett was not "trapped" into indulging in Vanity. He invested a great deal of time and energy into his sinning and will need an even greater investment to get out." (you wrote)




You are sure his real vice(a in sueezed by or trapped) is vannity? If that were the case, he could not have admitted publically that even his wife found his gambling "an issue" .

There is nothing more humbling to a man's vanity than when he is forced to admit in public that his wife was right and he was wrong!

As for time...who will quantify it...it will take the time it takes for him to put it all behind him

[Bluntpoint]

He simply never saw it as personal problem and never saw it as a potential chink in his armor regarding the epousal of public virtue

The only reason he may be filing suit against the casinos because it was an affront to his standards of privacy?

Even you don't believe that.

He wanted this kept private for a very good reason.

[Redleg Duke]

Tell you what, you stay in your pen and I'll stay in mine and keep your big, sanctimonious, self-righteous mouth shut!

I am much more willing to listen to a man who has the courage to admit he was wrong than a self-righteous twit like you.

I rather doubt if you ever listened to him, or anybody for that matter. I wouldn't be surprised to see you back-talking God for making the avocado pit too large!

[Bluntpoint]

I rather doubt if you ever listened to him

No, I think eccl1212 doubted that Bill listened to himself.

[palmer]

But what did he win? I don't see that written any where. He must have done well enough that he was considered a good customer and had a credit line with the casino's.

I think he was considered a good customer because he had plenty of money which he was willing and able to lose all or most of it. Winning is not a requirement and can be a detriment.

[mdmathis6]

So you weren't kidding when you equate Bennett's gambling with a neighbor molesting Smithee's kids kids?

[Helms]

The way I'm looking at it is that Bennet positioned himself in what he thought would be the "Moral Economy" and is getting whacked appropriately:

"Part of the weakness of the political left has been its failure to provide a coherent moral approach to the economy. Indeed, it has been the ‘New Right’ that has hijacked the debate and propelled a vision of a moral economy, consisting of consumers, entrepreneurs, the family, voluntary self-help organisations, minimal state expenditure and low taxes, more commodification and privatisation.."

http://uk.geocities.com/balihar_sanghera/cmeapproachestocultureandeconomy.html

[Redleg Duke]

Oh, don't waste your time trying to debate with these self-righteous snobs. They are entirely too "pure" for the rest of us common folks. They remind me of the asshole in the front pew in Christ's Parable about the Pharisee and the Publican.

[Marysecretary]

He claims he did NOT lose 8 million dollars; that this was a lie. I think his Christian witness went down the tubes because of this but God is a God of second chances and he'll just have to earn people's trust. It won't be easy.

[Bluntpoint]

You know quite well the case I was making.

If a truth comes out and it is the truth, I don't first look to see if the person purveying such truth came about it legally or not.

Let the system take care of their transgressions later.

[mdmathis6]

I would file a suit, too! I would file a suit if my bank released my finacial records or the hospital released my medical records. Some-body released those records illegally with intent to do harm...if it is allowed to go unpunished it could happen to any-one!

[Bluntpoint]

I would sue or likewise see that those who released this information are punished.

That said, It does not diminish nor excuse Bennett's behavior.

[mdmathis6]

Lets hope he becomes the best former gambler ever...then he can include in his book of virtues stories regarding the effect of what even the "appearance" of evil can do to an other wise unsullied reputation!

[Marysecretary]

Great answer! Thank you.

[Afronaut]

Bill Bennett should leave town. He is in denial and that is no virtue. An Addict is always an addict. Can't become a cucumber after you’re a pickle.

I never liked this guy and I am glad the shoe dropped.

Are you not pleased when the REAL truth is exposed? Rat or Conservative? I am. Or only when a Rat is exposed? That is hypocritical, not a virtue either...

[Bluntpoint]

If it is disclosed, via a source that was under a contractual duty not to disclose, that the president of PETA enjoys a good steak once in awhile, does that mean the members of PETA should just concern themselves with the unlawful disclosure?

[palmer]

The problem is he obviously deosn't recognize what his sin was. Does anyone believe he is morally superior to Grannie spending $350 on a day in Atlantic City? Did someone hand her a towel after she washed her hands in the restroom? Even if they did she would probably at least insist on placing the "dirty" towel into the hamper herself. That may be a small example, but that is a building block of virtue.

[mdmathis6]

The problem is is that the papers these reporters were using may only be just distorted parts of Bennett's true record of gambling. He may have "broken" even as he says or he may be in denial in dealing with the full extent of his gambling expeditures and secretly dismayed with it"

Motive of the reporters is important these days as plagiarism and examples of news distortion are rocking the NY Times and other big papers. If we can't trust the main media to get the "stories right", how can we trust that what these reporters are saying is accurate.

Bennett has suffered a flesh wound...he'll recover from it. He has a strong center, or else gambling would have taken over the whole of his life. Perhaps it was about to, which is why God has allowed him to be publically embarrassed like this!

[thepizzalady]

By-the-way, I like your Tag line and am replying to you because you make perfect sense to me.

I am amazed at the comments I've read on this thread. It seems to me the theme is that there are degrees of sin and vice and that one is worse than another, and that gambling is the ultimate vice or evil. Similar to believing that calling a lie a "white lie", makes it less offensive, or less a lie. Although the punishment for different sins, vices or crimes may be different, if you've ever told a "white lie" or taken a penny from your brother or bought a lottery ticket that would make you a liar and a thief, and a gambler. WOW! Anybody here fit that profile? Does that mean anyone here cannot have an opinion or make a comment because we would be considered hypocrits?

Gambling may not be a habit you want to emulate, but the last time I looked, gambling in a casino is legal. And why would the amount make the difference? Any money lost is relative. If you make and lose millions, how is that any different than making and losing 10's of dollars or 100's of dollars? And how does this effect one's ability to recognize virtue? If you spend the rent or grocery money on lottery tickets, and your children go without dinner, that's sinful. But who among this group would accuse another of sinful immorality if someone spent a dollar or 10 on a lottery ticket? Would that person then be ostracized and banned from ever commenting on any issue?

Oh well, I've ranted enough for today.

[L.N. Smithee]

I'm sorry, but your focus on the process and technicalites of this matter and not on the underlying problem unearthed sounds Clintonesque.

Nonsense.

I have been through this with "Gotcha" game with people who are willing to stand up for traditional morals (Dr. Laura's old nude pics, specious accusations about Gary Bauer when he ran for President) and the type of people who will pillory them for not being perfect (or allegedly sinful), leaving others reluctant to face off against amoral people who proudly display their vices, and encourage the rest of us to cast away morality because sin is more fun.

I would venture to guess that many of you -- if not most of you -- didn't care for Bennett in the first place, don't like the idea of preaching morals, and are delighted to see taken down.

If you really did care for Bennett, why are you deflated by this? Did you think he was an angel? That his feet smelled like blueberry muffins? Grow up!

As I said before, people are projecting their own morals and values on Bennett. He never has said gambling was immoral, and guess what? He gambled! Is he not, to our knowledge, living up to the rest of what he preaches? Any illegitimate kids? DUIs? Domestic violence? Nanny problems? If not, is he actually a "hypocrite?" Heck no! Some of y'all have to invent deadly sins to slam him ('He's sitting down at the slots, so that's sloth!')

You don't wonder why leftist guys are so invested in trying to turn people to the right of Bennett away from him? You think the guys at Newsweek are trying to do YOU a favor?