Kennedy resigns ... but so what?

[privateeye]

Some famous alcoholics over the years

What ever you think of them personally noone can doubt their achievements

1. Winston Churchill was renowned for it and his daughter Sarah was confirmed as alcoholic in her own biography
2. Henry Kissinger Noble Peace Prize winnner admitted it
   The presenter on an American television chat show asked world-renowned diplomat Henry Kissinger what was the most valuable export the US had given to the world. "Alcoholics Anonymous," came his reply.
3. Ted Kennedy
4. George Bush
5. Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin - 2nd man on the moon (they said they would give him endless supply of moonshine)

There are no doubt many more but as seen in the UK acknowledging it publicly is suicide

[OwlHoot]

What ever you think of them personally noone can doubt their achievements

1. Winston Churchill was renowned for it and his daughter Sarah was confirmed as alcoholic in her own biography
2. Henry Kissinger Noble Peace Prize winnner admitted it
   The presenter on an American television chat show asked world-renowned diplomat Henry Kissinger what was the most valuable export the US had given to the world. "Alcoholics Anonymous," came his reply.
3. Ted Kennedy
4. George Bush
5. Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin - 2nd man on the moon (they said they would give him endless supply of moonshine)

There are no doubt many more but as seen in the UK acknowledging it publicly is suicide

By modern standards, practically every politician was a gout-ridden alcoholic in the eighteenth century, when Britain's economy and world influence was expanding as never before - William Pitt Jr was on two bottles of port a day (having been prescribed a bottle a day at the age of 14, on account of growing pains in his joints).

[wendigo100]

If half of the Liberal MPs would not work under him any more, it is probably right for him to resign - regardless of whether he is an alcoholic or not. It isn't our call.

Remember, they have had him as leader for nearly five years, and know twenty times as much as we do about him.

Suppose he'd done things like leap amorously on Margaret Becket in an drunken stupor in the Commons bar - I'm not saying he did by the way - would you want a boss like that in the most public job of all?

[Lucifer Box]

I think those LibDem MPs have shown themselves to be hypocrites though. After all, they were quite happy to keep quiet about it and carry on until the day before the Daily Express was going to spash the story (last Thursday I think). In other words, they were okay with it as long as Joe Public didn't know.

From Kennedy's point of view, I think the real issue is not that he is over fond of the pop, but that he lied about it. Then again, we see from the government all the time that telling porkies is no hindrance to holding even the highest office in the land.

[Fungus]

From Kennedy's point of view, I think the real issue is not that he is over fond of the pop, but that he lied about it. Then again, we see from the government all the time that telling porkies is no hindrance to holding even the highest office in the land.

I suspect that most alcoholics lie to themselves, and not just others.

Wasn't Alastair Campbell once an alcoholic? If not 100%, he had alcohol problems and is now tea-total.

Not only was Churchill a sot, but Roosevelt was also fond of a tipple or two and more than once had to be carried to his bedroom by aides.

The ones to be really frightened of are the tea-totallers:

Adolf Hitler
Osama bin-Laden
Tony Benn

Hitler was the real fruit cake. He did not smoke or drink, and he was a vegan. (He did not want to harm animals?) According to one source, "a typical meal consisted of zwieback toast, mushrooms, yogurt, honey, laxatives and capsules derived from Bulgarian peasants feces." Tasty.

Fungus

[DodgyAgent]

Shows how little you know and how judgemental you are about something you know nothing about - which the same can be said about most of society on this issue. Alcoholism runs in my family - it is genetic and has been proven scientifically to be a fact. Becoming an Alcoholic is not self-induced but knowing you are and not doing anything about it is a different story. You will probably find that some of the most powerful and respected people in the world are recoverring acloholics - they just have not made it public due to the social stigma attached and you have justified why they should remain secret about it.

Try reading http://www.qis.net/~truth/t_h_i_q_.htm as an example then maybe do a google on THIQ and you will find that lots of medical research concludes that becoming an alcoholic is not self-induced but a genetic fact.

Will I be kicked off this board because alcoholism runs in my family now?

Yes I have heard this, and yes like children born with aids it is likely that alcoholic women who have babies will be bringing alcoholic babies into the world. I dont think this applies to Charles Kennedy who like most alcoholics, whatever you say drink through choice. We can all play "alcoholics in the family so dont challenge me" cards, but no one is forced to drink whatever their genetic make up.
Your argument applies equally to paedophiles who mostly themselves are victims of abuse.

A politician with aids, a politician with a child suffering from cerebral palsy, a politician who is gay, Black, Female are all acceptable, as would be a reformed alcoholic. A druggie, a paedo or an alcoholic no. These people who choose to tell us how to live our lives should lead by example.

[Churchill]

These people who choose to tell us how to live our lives should lead by example.

Now you're 'avin a feckin' laugh!

Should is the operative word!

[AlfredJPruffock]

I suspect that most alcoholics lie to themselves, and not just others.

Wasn't Alastair Campbell once an alcoholic? If not 100%, he had alcohol problems and is now tea-total.

Not only was Churchill a sot, but Roosevelt was also fond of a tipple or two and more than once had to be carried to his bedroom by aides.

The ones to be really frightened of are the tea-totallers:

Adolf Hitler
Osama bin-Laden
Tony Benn

Hitler was the real fruit cake. He did not smoke or drink, and he was a vegan. (He did not want to harm animals?) According to one source, "a typical meal consisted of zwieback toast, mushrooms, yogurt, honey, laxatives and capsules derived from Bulgarian peasants feces." Tasty.

Fungus

But Hitler was an amphetamine addict whose doctor later tried to wean him
off by prescibing cocaine, that might explain why he was nocturnal and spent many a a long night poring over maps of Europe, also at the end his bizzare requests for the deployment of imaginary panzer divisions.