Saturday, July 29, 2006

Our Senators are playing drinking games??????

I saw this on the Drudge Report. I have not always found the Drudge Report to be the most reliable source. We will see how this pans out.

I am not a drinker, so perhaps this is why I find this story to be so repulsive.

HILLARY CLINTON, MCCAIN HELD VODKA-DRINKING CONTEST
Fri Jul 28 2006 19:19:50 ET

On a congressional trip to Estonia, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton astonished her traveling companions by suggesting the group do what one does in the Baltics: hold a vodka-drinking contest!

Delighted, the leader of the overseas delegation, Sen. John McCain, quickly agreed, the NEW YORK TIMES is planning to report on Saturday.

The after-dinner game went so well -- memories are a bit hazy on who drank how much. McCain later told people how unexpectedly fun he found Hillary to be.

TIMES reporter Anne Kornblut has filed a story on the curious relationship between Hillary and John McCain, newsrooms sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT.

"One of the guys," is the way McCain describes her.

NYT editors plan a front page placement of Kornblut's report.

Clinton and McCain have developed an amiable relationship.

They worked together, both on the Senate Armed Services Committee and on the issue of global warming. But as the 2008 presidential campaign begins to take shape, with McCain and Clinton at the top of the polls for their parties' nominations, they are increasingly doing things that underscore their differences.


The problem I have with this is for two reasons in particular.

First, wasn't this trip actually for official United States business? Is it really appropriate for two high profile Senators to be playing drinking games when they have been sent overseas to represent the United States?

The second problem I have will this is- How old are these two Senators? Really, drinking games are what people do in college. Have they not yet grown out of the drinking games?


3 comments:

jeff said...

They are also human beings. They dont give up the right to be silly and do fun things just because they hold elective office. We've had Presidents who were famous for their drinking and gambling and what-not while in and out of office. To harp on such trivia is silly. As long as it was done after official business was over or adjourned and no incidents of other improper behavior were connected with it, I say let it pass and let's deal with real issues.

K. Carpenter said...

Trivial? Perhaps to you, this may be trivial.

One of the benefits of having a blog is the fact that I am able to vocalize my thoughts on an issue that some may believe to be trivial but I do not believe is trivial.

Yes, presidents, senators, congressmen and elected leaders from all levels of government have done stupid things. This was another one of those stupid moments.

This was not an illegal act, it was an immature and stupid act. When it comes to our elected leaders, we expect better than immature and stupid.

jeff said...

Kathy,

We celebrate, and I celebrate, the fact that we have a President who has the common touch. One who is and acts like an everyday person just like Ronald Reagan did during his time in office.

Senators and other elected persons are human not gods or role models necessarily. Cut them a break and discuss real issues.

Quoting Michael Douglas in the film, THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT, "These are serious times which demands serious people."

Especially in an election year, it is time to talk to issue and less to trivial matters.