Pubdate: Thu, 26 Aug 1999 Source: Rocky Mountain News (CO) Copyright: 1999 Denver Publishing Co. Contact: 400 W. Colfax, Denver, CO 80204 Website: http://www.denver-rmn.com/ Author: Gene Amole ADMIT TO YOUTHFUL EXPERIMENTATION, LET RACE GO ON Ennui. How is it Cole Porter put it in the refrain from I Get A Kick out of You? Oh yes, I remember: "Some get a kick from cocaine. I'm sure that if I took one sniff That would bore me terrific'ly too ... '' But apparently the Republicans still get a kick out of George W. Bush. Opinion polls indicate 80 percent of them don't give a hoot if he snorted the nose candy before he was 28. In evading the question yet another time the other day, Bush took it upon himself to lecture his fellow baby boomers to raise their children drug-free. Since 78 million boomers admit using some recreational drugs, it would seem that they will be telling their kids to do as they say but not as they did. But parents have been facing this contradiction since the beginning of time. Role-modeling certainly ain't for sissies. But in Bush's case, his advice may be a touch hypocritical. Still, something good may come from all this. Now that other Republican candidates are coming out of the closet to admit youthful indiscretions with drugs, we may be on the threshold of a new attitude about drug abuse. Some Republicans are speaking openly of decriminalizing some drugs. If Bush did use cocaine, that makes him a felon. And if he is elected president, should he pardon the tens of thousands of other cocaine felons from prison? Is what's good for the goose also good for the gander? It is my opinion that the problem is not so much about cocaine as it is about the addictive personality. It is obvious that most people who have "experimented" with cocaine do not become addicted to it. I have an old friend who was addicted to cocaine and booze. Finally, after years of drug abuse, he went cold turkey on both, and he is now drug- and booze-free. It was a struggle, but to his great credit, he made it. He told me it was much more difficult to give up booze than it was to end his cocaine habit. We are all addictive one way or another. President Clinton was obviously addicted to sex, or maybe just to ejaculation. I was once addicted to tobacco and booze. I kicked them both, but found quitting smoking tougher than quitting booze. This is not to say that I don't miss them. I would love to have a martini right now, right here. But I know that one would not be enough and that there would be two and then three and then oblivion. My addiction now is less self-destructive. I just can't get enough Dove dark-chocolate vanilla ice cream bars. And so I think Bush would be well advised to own up to a little cocaine experimentation in his youth. The Republicans would go ahead and nominate him anyhow. Paraphrasing again from Cole Porter: ''My story is much too sad to be told, But practically (ev'ryone) leaves me totally cold. The only exception I know in the case Where I'm out on a quiet spree Fighting vainly the old ennui And I turn and suddenly see (George's) fabulous face." - --- MAP posted-by: manemez j lovitto