Are you a fan of the War on Drugs? Sure, who isn’t? And over the years, there’s been no bigger drug warrior than Vice President Joe Biden. As a senator, he championed laws against shipping drug paraphernalia though the mail, going to raves, and using marijuana for medical reasons. He helped create the Office of National Drug Control Policy. He even coined the term “drug czar.” So if you or someone you know has been affected by America’s draconian approach to drug enforcement, or if you just get a kick out of your tax money being thrown at one failed drug-prevention effort after another, you can thank your old buddy Joe.
Which makes it particularly interesting that his daughter Ashley might have been caught on video snorting cocaine.
Last Saturday the New York Post reported:
A “friend” of Vice President Joseph Biden’s daughter, Ashley, is attempting to hawk a videotape that he claims shows her snorting cocaine at a house party this month in Delaware…
The video, which the shooter initially hoped to sell for $2 million before scaling back his price to $400,000, shows a 20-something woman with light skin and long brown hair taking a red straw from her mouth, bending over a desk, inserting the straw into her nostril and snorting lines of white powder…
The woman appears to resemble Ashley Biden, 27, a social worker for a Delaware child-welfare agency and a visible presence during her father’s campaign for the White House.
Is it her? So far nobody’s talking, but Radar Online says:
The man who allegedly ’set-up’ Vice President Joe Biden’s daughter in a cocaine scandal could be facing several years behind bars.
As RadarOnline.com was first to report, Ashley Biden was apparently tricked by a “friend” trying to profit from selling the tape to various media outlets.
We revealed Tuesday morning that the man bought the cocaine and a hidden camera before bringing it to a party attended by the unsuspecting target of his setup.
Legal expert Stan Goldman told RadarOnline.com: “Look, this is very serious business even the government cannot conduct this kind of activity although federal agents can possess drugs without violating the law. He could be charged with possession of illegal drugs, distributing them and also trying to profit from their sale. I’m not surprised that that the lawyer ‘brokering the deal’ ditched the guy because he could not be seen to be benefiting from the ‘fruits of the crime.’”
All of which, if true, would seem to indicate that it really is her on the tape, and she really was snorting cocaine of her own free will.
Seems kind of weird that there hasn’t been a lot of media play about this. It’s a bit reminiscent of the three-week media blackout of the Rielle Hunter story last year, isn’t it? Now, what in the world could the two stories have in common?
Anyway. So, you think it’s unfair to criticize Joe Biden for the actions of his daughter. And you could be right. But did you say the same thing about Bristol Palin? Her pregnancy was supposed to prove something bad about her mom’s advocacy of abstinence education. (Even though Sarah Palin also advocates teaching birth control, which somehow always gets left out of such arguments.) Her private, personal decisions have been strewn all over the media landscape. She’s been torn apart everywhere from Good Morning America to Saturday Night Live. And what she did isn’t even illegal.
If Bristol Palin’s actions reflect badly on her mom, why don’t Ashley Biden’s actions reflect badly on her dad?
Oh, and let’s not forget another acquaintance of Joe’s who was known to snort a line or two in his time. You now know him as Mr. President.
Update: According to the Delaware News Journal, they’ve been talking about this on The View, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, and The Howard Stern Show. So, all the names people trust. (Seems like another reminder of the Rielle Hunter debacle, where the first NBC newscaster to mention it was Jay Leno.) You know, if my name was being falsely bandied about for half a week, I probably would have issued a denial by now. But maybe that’s just me.
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I think she’s been treated differently because there’s a difference between a 27 year-old woman who lives on her own doing a dumbs**t thing, and a 17 year-old that’s living under their mother’s roof and supposedly under her mother’s watchful care. There’s a 10 year age-gap, and entirely different circumstances. Bristol unfortunately helped her mom fit the unfortunate stereotype of the rural backwoods type of person. Ashley Biden will probably help fill the “spoiled rich kid” stereotype.
I don’t think Bristol’s pregnancy happened as the result of abstinance-only education, but because clearly the girl was never taught how to say “no” nor how to stand up under pressure. Poor kid always looked uncomfortable when paraded during campaign events or in her interview with Van Susteran where I wondered…How much of this did she WANT to partake in?
Besides, campaign season’s over, and Biden’s secure in his office as VP. I’m sure the you-know-what will hit the fan soon enough, but everything is blown up 10x bigger when one is on the campaign trail.
So presumably you think Ashley’s drug use is due to a similar lack of parental concern. Or doesn’t that count anymore, after they leave the nest?
Sorry: Alleged drug use.
I think this is as equally relevant as Bristol’s pregnancy. Palin supports the anti-choice approach and she was associated (even if wrongly so) with abstinance-only sex educatuion in the far-right/fundamentalist fashion; it would seem her policies fail in her own home.
Biden has heavily promoted the war on drugs; it would seem his policies fail in his own home.
Ultimately, I don’t think either kid made all that horrific of a mistake — things happen in life and nobody is perfect — nor do I believe the actions of either in any way mean their parents are bad parents or bad people. …but it does seem like both would realities speak volumes against each politio’s stance on these particular issues.
Of course, I disagree with both of them on these particlar issues, so maybe I’m biased. lol Either way, both stories make me chuckle. GOTCHA! ~teehee
I think the only reason why this hasn’t gotten the same kind of coverage is wholly due to ignorance. The general public, I don’t think, is aware of the extent that Biden supports the war on drugs. I didn’t, until you pointed it out (although I’ve read coverage about this and jokes on the Biden before now – but not to the same extent as with the Palins). If Biden had been currently receiving major media coverage that repeatedly mentioned his stance on drugs – and the lobbyist/groups he catered to because of this stance, I think you’d see this getting a lot more play.
Plus, SNL has been in reruns since the story broke, I’m pretty sure – so we might get a sketch out of them yet!
Lol that poor idiot! Trying to make money off exploiting a friend, only to find he’s about to get his a@#$ kicked for peddling illegal drugs. Seriously I hope he goes to jail. What a scummy thing to do.
Bristol Palin wasn’t off limits because she was 17 years old, Simon. She’s supposed to be the very reflection of her mother’s virtue. Now, once she’s out of mom’s house, Bristol will be able do anything she wants — and I’m so sure that the liberal press and the kool aid kidz will leave her alone, aren’t you?
The question of whether parents bear responsibility for the actions of their children is an interesting one. I haven’t weighed in on the parenting skills of Joe Biden or Sarah Palin, but if you look at other parents of high-profile **** ups that we’ve blogged about — Michael Lohan and Lynne Spears come to mind — people find a certain amount of satisfaction in tracing irresponsible behavior back to the source.
I like how everyone is attacking the analogy to Palin, not the simple fact that this IS blatant hypocrisy. Why? Because he supports draconian measures for a (generally) victimless crime. If he actually believed his own bullshit he would demand she be arrested right now. I don’t wanna hear ‘video isn’t enough evidence’ either! Phelps was seriously being considered for arrest based on a single photo of him with a bong.
So, the Palin analogy doesn’t seem apt? Screw it then. How about Bush’s daughters and their ‘out of control drinking problems’? Hell, the only time I heard them brought up by anyone over 8 years was in a backhanded way to call Bush a bad parent. That was f-ing ALCOHOL!! This is COCAINE. But we haven’t seen this splashed all over the web yet have we?
As Simon points out – why is one ignored and the other trumpeted? Especially considering the one everyone is ignoring is a much more serious offense.
Some offspring of powerful people make genuine mistakes and are subject to human frailty. Others do wrong because they believe they are untouchable, thanks to Mommy’s or Daddy’s station in life. But the spotlight of fame is so harsh it’s a wonder any kids of really famous people (or kids who are themselves famous) make it to adulthood in one piece.
Gone are the days when children of political figures were off limits. Nothing’s sacred anymore.
So it’s Sarah Palin’s fault for being falsely associated with it, and for not enforcing it on her daughter. I guess I don’t understand how that’s supposed to work.
You’re making some kind of joke, presumably. Or maybe I got kidnapped and woke up on Bizarro World.
In case anyone missed it, my comment at 9:51 was intended to be dripping with sarcasm.
I’m complete agreement with Simon (and Scott), and I love this item.
Whew! When it comes to the Palins, it’s hard to tell. People twist themselves into all kinds of knots to try to make an accusation.
Oh, and a quick thought – is being busted for drugs going to be the new curse of all the children of Democratic VPs? We’re 2 for 2 in the last 20 years since Gore’s kid got nailed with pot in his Prius (which should be a crime in itself).
“You’re making some kind of joke, presumably. Or maybe I got kidnapped and woke up on Bizarro World.”
Yes, yes I was joking! But Bizarro is what the world has come to, when there’s not a huge uproar that a 17-year old’s very common mistake is not off limits. Bristol Palin’s not off limits in Botworld because she Palin’s daughter — so in their perverted minds she’s FAIR GAME!
I think we’re scraping the underside of the proverbial theater seat for the last bits of gum on reasons Sarah is to blame for her daughter’s pregnancy. Never taught to say no, Ani?! Where is that your place to assume? And maybe you should get your facts straight before you start making assumptions about people — Bristol set that interview with Greta up on her own. In fact, she only told her parents about it a few days before it happened.
Uh hum! Since hearing about this story I’ve blamed no one but Ashley given that it was her stupid mistake to make. My only thought about Joe in all of it was that I knew the same people who blamed Sarah wouldn’t blame him as well. If you’re going to take that kind of stance, isn’t it worse that someone who should have, I dunno, matured by 27 did something like a foolish teenager? I will agree that the campaign being over is probably part of why it’s not blowing up, but definitely not all of it.
Haha, LiVo, I am glad you pointed it out… I thought you were serious and I was gonna get uppity all over again.
I thought my comment was so ridiculous that no one would take it seriously. The world has turned upside down since last August, though. Come to think of it, it was right about the time of the Dimocratic Convention.
I didn’t like the coverage of Bristol Palin, and I don’t like this.
Hey, like our president says, I inherited this issue…
I agree with Scott F, if Phelps could be investigated and threatened with being arrested shouldn’t Ashley?
“Are you a fan of the War on Drugs?”
Is this a trick question?
And also, how dumb do you have to be to make a video of yourself snorting cocaine? (I’m assuming she knew she was being filmed, if she didn’t, she’s still a dumb ass).
It’d because Biden is a commie and most journalists are commies. This isn’t rocket science.
All fault aside – perception is reality.
Which is why a site like this is so much fun – when perception is shattered the reality is often amusing.
*****
No wonder Ashley is so thin!
I think the article said she was on hidden camera, which her scumbag friend set up to frame her and earn money.
Pics or GTFO
I don’t think either Biden or Palin should be hurt by their childrens’ adult choices.
Ashley Biden has at least 2 fewer excuses than Bristol Palin: Marion Barry and Michael Phelps. I can’t think of any pre-Palin unwed pregnancies with national political implications (John Edwards/Rielle Hunter allegations broke after Bristol Palin’s pregnancy was public).
Ashley Biden doesn’t have that excuse. Every DC insider remembers the Mayor for Life smoking crack on tape, then claiming “Bitch set me up.” And anybody with a pulse knows about Phelps.
“which her scumbag friend set up to frame her and earn money.”
Be careful what words you choose to use – to ‘frame’ someone implies they didn’t do the crime. This MIGHT be considered entrapment (if a cop had done it), but she still committed the crime she’s being accused of, which is snorting cocaine.
They’re saying the friend brought the cocaine and had a hidden camera with the intent of getting video of her snorting coke. Alright, but did he put a gun to her head and force her? Did she look like she wasn’t enjoying it? Did she even hesitate, giving the impression she doesn’t do it on a regular basis? Nope.
Yeah, the friend isn’t being a very good friend, but trying to act like that makes it all just go away is bull. Again, remember Phelps – did anyone give a who took that picture or why?
I think this is just a common case of child rebellion. Obviously, what she did was illegal, (and pretty dumb-if your father is the freaking vice president than your probably going to be under a microscope for a few years) but children having been doing the opposite of what their parents promote since the beginning of time. Could this be a indicator of Biden as a failed parent? Probably, but that is pretty much a given if you plan on perusing a path in politics. I really don’t think this should reflect on Biden since he’s never been implicated in it himself(just as I thought the same thing with Bristol and her mother). Besides, if I want to take some shots at him, there is a whole other hypocritical armory that could be used at any time.
So let’s stop pointing fingers at the parents and instead blame the real cause of anyone doing drugs now or tricking their “friends” into doing them on camera. This is obviously the fault of the recession.
you know what else i thought was stupid? (this has to do with joe biden, not his daughter so sorry.. kinda off topic here) joe bought a german shepherd puppy from a breeder a few months ago. i love shepherds and the puppy was adorable, but i just thought it was odd that biden bought from a breeder and didn’t want to adopt. especially since obama said he will adopt a dog for his girls. this happened months ago yeah, but just thought i’d share.
I agree with Scott F.’s original post. Personally, this “war on drugs”, to me, is a monumental waste of time, effort, and lives. Not only did Michael Phelps nearly get nabbed on photographic evidence of something that is a misdemeanor in most states depending on the amount you have, but it’s become popular to screw with people’s lives when they get caught out like this, legally and professionally. Why not Biden’s little cokehead?
Hypocrisy, pure and simple. Biden’s daughter has led a life of privilege and she has probably been using her position as senator’s daughter to do all kinds of things others get nailed for. I read she had some scrapes with marijuana in college. The whole thing is PROOF of the MEDIA DOUBLE STANDARD.
From one side, if Bristol is old enough for her sexual life to be discussed in MSM with her name explicitly mentioned, then he should have right to make her own decisions about it. From the other side, as a crime pregnance seems to be worse than drugs.
Simon… to answer your question, the alleged drug use was more of a result of a grown person making a massive mistake than parental influence at that age. Bottom line: she should have known better, and she’s old enough to know what the consequences would be if someone with *her* status is caught with so much as a toenail over the line.
I hope she is made an example of, and chances are she’ll lose her job- she knew what was at risk and did it anyways. Considering her father’s been a senator all her life, and knowing full well what happens when people connected to Presidents/VP’s get caught… she was asking for trouble when she did it. I think the difference between her video and the Phelps photos are that the Phelps photos are clear and let’s face it… Phelps has a distinct look, so it was easy to say “That’s him, take some action”. I can find a dozen girls at the local mall who look like Ashley Biden. Doesn’t mean she didn’t do it, just means the video wasn’t clear enough for authorities to take action.
So yes, Simon, once one is out of the nest there IS only so much a parent can do and should be held to blame for. Had Ashley Biden been 17 and caught, yes I WOULD place a good deal of the blame on the Bidens for lack of supervision. However 27… whole different ballgame (if Bristol would have been single and pregnant at 27, who would have cared or blamed her parents? They’d have said “she’s an adult” and that they did the best they could while she was growing up). People’s values can change a LOT once their out of the protective parental bubble and they begin to experiment with what else is out there, especially if their parents held firm stances on certain issues (my best friends, sister, and I were prime examples of former Catholic school girls of a conservative rural area gone bad once we went off to college, we became the opposite of what we were expected to be like and did some real dumbs**t things).
Not all of us grow up to become rightwingers like you, Simon… to those of us out there who had certain religious doctrines and rightwing idealogies shoved down our throats from a young age and grew up in an area stuck in the 1950’s ideals of “women stay at home and raise the kids” and we move off to a bigger city… all hell can break loose once we realize everything we were taught to fear and avoid isn’t that bad and start to explore and experiment. Some grow out of that and become respectable, educated people with a family (like my best friend), some get caught up in drugs and end up in rehab before they finally grow out of it and go on with their career (like my other best friend), and some of us are career-oriented yet in a state of perpetual adolescence, avoiding the whole marriage and kids bit, thinking it’s ok as long as we stay away from drugs (me LOL). Or they end up in Girls Gone Wild, like my sister and her friends did during their first spring break at college. When a young adult is on their own… especially those first few years, it can be Katy-Bar-the-Door. My friends, sister, and I can say that between the ages of 19-22 when we were first on our own were total decadence because we were finally away from our small town and our parents’ strict upbringing and we did it because the parents no longer had control over us or what we did. One would hope that a person would grow out of the dumb stuff by 27 (like we did, or like the Bush twins did), but Ashley Biden proved that isn’t always the case.
“Bristol set that interview with Greta up on her own”
Did you SEE the interview?! The girl was obviously uncomfortable and I felt bad for her because half the time she looked like she wanted to end the interview, but didn’t want to let Greta down. Who isn’t to say that Greta contacted the girl and co-erced her into making the interview, and convinced her not to tell her parents? If she’d have told/asked her parents about the interview, you know they would have asked her to not sit down for the interview or would have called Greta and called the whole thing off. Sure, Bristol’s 18 and legally an adult, but she’s also very VERY new to the national spotlight and it appears she’d rather go back to being just the daughter of a governor, and not the daughter of a big party former VP pick. She seems to be a good kid, but one who also seems too timid to stand up for herself and draw the line.
One must remember that kids of Democrats are off limits, no matter their age. Does not matter the age of Biden’s daughter, she knowingly did cocaine and got got (alledgely). You won’t see this on the news, nor will you see it investigated any further on MSM because of who it is. They will make her out to be the victim in all of this.
It amazes me that this is a non story. I guess when you dad coined the phrase drug czar you are given a “get out of jail free” card which can be used for anything at anytime. Especiallly when there are all those people who are in jail for doing/carrying less cocaine the Biden snorted.
Obama supporter here.
I did not support the storm that went down over Bristol. Bristol was a teenager still living at home, her pregnancy was her business, and there was no deception over it: Palin straight up admitted it. There were no room for rumors or insults over a teenage girl’s private life.
But.
Ashley Biden is 27. To me, those same restrictions don’t apply. If she willingly smiled at a camera and then did some cocaine, she deserves anything she gets.
Oh, and angry army wife, remember Chelsea Clinton? She was insulted for her looks quite a bit when her only crime was being an awkward teenager in the public eye. Meanwhile, I can only remember the Bush twins being caressed with the softest of compliments.
heh heh Funny thing – I remember the press spending a lot of time on Sarah Palin’s daughter’s boyfriend’s mother’s drug arrest. Do a search for “mother of Bristol Palin’s boyfriend” if you have forgotten.
If that was fair game then why isn’t the daughter of the VP? Perhaps we should run stories on her boyfriend’s mother? lol
Personally, I wouldn’t treat either case as big news, but I would like some intellectual honesty on the part of reporters. I don’t mind their bias nearly as much as their denials of said bias. We should all laugh in their faces each time they tell us they are honest brokers of the news.
One last note – if your dad is the VP of the US, perhaps you should refrain from being stupid on purpose… at least until he is out of office.
Of course, it is possible that it isn’t her in the video. Time will tell.
The “tape” is a fake.
http://www.inquisitr.com/21024/ashley-biden-cocaine-video-may-be-a-fake/
Why do the people that have seen the so call tape have two different descriptions??
c.- Your memory must be fading. Being made fun of your looks is quite different than drinking or snorting cocaine. Especially if they were true and it made her go out and get plastic surgery. And the Bush twins were under scrunity quite a bit. Remember the underage drinking thing and the partying? Their every move was recorded where as Chelsea pretty much went to college without much of a glance.
Whoever it is on the tape, Ashley Biden or otherwise, is clearly just following the Marion Barry Doctrine: Getting drugs off the street, one vial at a time.
But I probably only think that because I had “right-wing ideologies shoved down [my] throat”. Here I am, staying at home with my kids, just like in the 1950s, because I don’t know any better. So never mind.
“I think she’s been treated differently because there’s a difference between a 27 year-old woman who lives on her own doing a dumbs**t thing, and a 17 year-old that’s living under their mother’s roof and supposedly under her mother’s watchful care.”
Al Gore Jr.
And, if you don’t understand the reference then you’re simply making my point, ie., if it’s done by a Dem, or derivative thereof, it’s just no big deal… because, I believe, it’s sort of expected of them cause the msm’s been there, done that.
I hope this helps.
People are acting like Ashley Biden is the first kid of a high-ranking Democrat to ever get busted with drugs. It’s only those poor Republican kids who soak up all the blame. Y’all seem to have forgotten Al Gore III, legendary pothead, who’s been arrested twice for possession and was suspended from his posh private school when he was 13 for smoking a bowl:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19601277/
http://www.hicktownpress.com/al-gore-iii-finally-paying-the-piper/
What I really think these kids have in common is that having a parent in politics means you come second. No wonder they’re all out there drinking, smoking, snorting, and slutting it up.
I find it strange that the lawyer has not said that Ashley is innocent of the charges, merely that the person taping it is guilty of a crime. Redirection?
I didn’t think Bristol Palin’s pregnancy reflected on her mother and I don’t think Ashley Biden’s alleged drug use reflects on her father. The real hypocrite here is the media for not jumping on this story. Sarah Palin’s daughter’s boyfriend’s mother (as in, not anyone Sarah Palin chose to associate with) has drug charges brought against her and it’s a big story; Ashley Biden is taped snorting cocaine and this is the only place I’ve heard of it.
“Palin supports the anti-choice approach and she was associated (even if wrongly so) with abstinance-only sex educatuion in the far-right/fundamentalist fashion; it would seem her policies fail in her own home.”
As in, “Sarah Palin’s policies, which aren’t even her policies, clearly failed in her own home.” Yeah. Okay.
“I think this is just a common case of child rebellion. Obviously, what she did was illegal, (and pretty dumb-if your father is the freaking vice president than your probably going to be under a microscope for a few years) but children having been doing the opposite of what their parents promote since the beginning of time.”
27-year-old social workers are not children.
Sorry all I see is a kinda hot 20 something that’s rich, and does drugs.
Simon,
I think you’re jumping the gun here – Joe Biden is only being hypocritical if he says that the draconian drug laws should apply to everybody EXCEPT his daughter. If he comes on and says “She’s 27, an adult, and deserves to be treated like everybody else – lock her up” then he’s one mean son of a bitch, but not hypocritical.
Toby
Hey, if snorting blow if good enough for the President, it’s good enough for the VP’s daughter!
Cocaine: all the cool kids are doing it!*
*Disclaimer: Unless your name happens to be “Bush.” Then, if you use cocaine you are a worthless addict and the WORST PRESIDENT EVAH. Drug use by “handsome,” “smart,” bi-racial individuals who smooth-talk their way into the White House does not apply.
AAW: This isn’t related to the drug issue, but I don’t recall anyone demanding–as did Matt Damon, Michael Moore and a bunch of other TA:WP characters did with the Bush twins–that Chelsea be “sent” into combat.
Beige, you are absolutely right. Nor did they come down hard on Clinton for dodging the draft, not having sex with “that girl” or not inhaling. Strange, huh?
So if he just pretends it’s not happening, that’s okay?
And I hoped I’d made it clear that Biden isn’t the only hypocrite here.
Okay, somebody did get it.
Could be. Guess we’ll see. Or not.
I see. And her dad’s highly visible war on drugs… ehhhhhhhhh. None of this should reflect badly on him. Seems like a double standard to me, but I guess I’m just a “rightwinger” that way!
For the record, I’d hit it for the free Blow…
Just saying…
The article you linked showing that Sarah Palin supports Birth Control is from 2006. She’s also been known to flip flop on every single issue she’s ever had an opinion on to gain support from potential voters. The fact that Sarah Palin cut funds from agencies that HELP TEENAGE MOTHERS LEARN THE SKILLS THEY REQUIRE TO CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN kinda outshines anything she said in the past when she wasn’t known as the Republican Vice Presidential Candidate.
Your jab at the president is a little ludicrous (sp?) – he wrote a book where he talked about drug use during his 30’s, single, not a father, and not Senator or President of the USA – he’s also a child that was raised during the hippy era – HE’S DONE DRUGS?! WHO THE HELL HASN’T DURING THAT TIME?!
It’s one thing if President Obama is doing drugs NOW and then throwing the book at drug abusers and the like – that’s hypocrisy. It’s another when Gov. Sarah Palin says one thing and then VP candidate Sarah Palin does another – that’s hypocrisy. Joe Biden’s daugther’s alleged drug problem is HER problem, not something to smear the VP’s name with. Children are not property of their parents and will make choices that their parents have tried to raise them not to make.
Slow day in the news Simon?
No, it’s from Sept. 6, 2008. (Numbers are hard!)
Did she cut the funds, or did she just not increase the funds as much as some would have liked? People seem to get the two mixed up. As long as you’re bringing it up, I mean.
And yet if Joe Biden had had his way, Obama would have done jail time. Seems like Biden’s the one you should be getting angry with, not me. I don’t have any control over our drug laws.
Sounds like you’re taking this kind of personally.
So, if your post is true then why did everyone come down so hard on Bush when it came out he was an alcoholic YEARS before he became President. MSM still makes jokes about that one. And, isn’t OBama only in his 40’s? That would make him born in the 60’s which means he was not a teenager until the late 70’s. A tad bit late for the hippie years – more like almost the Michael Jackson years.
After checking Radar Online’s version of events, the New York Post’s version, and AOL News’ version, I have come to the following conclusion:
Umm… I don’t know?
There are a whole lot of claims that the video was faked and quite a bit of focus on how shaky the anonymous man who took it is. There’s also a single line at the bottom of most reports, stating that VP Biden has refused comment and no one can find Ashley. So, on the one hand, everybody but Biden is denying the authenticity of the tape. On the other, it sure looks like he’s gone into damage control mode.
If only the media outlets reporting the story had some kind of verifiable bias, that would link everything together! Then you could say, “Oh, I get it! The media crushes the rumors and Biden avoids the spotlight! Score one for the blue states!”
For the record, I am neither red nor blue. I am green, with a hint of anarcho-extremist.
Yet another Rielle parallel. Hey, that sorta rhymed.
“I think this is just a common case of child rebellion.”
She’s 27 yrs old! If she is indeed rebelling, her “child rebellion” is 15 yrs too late. And very cliche, I might add. A straw? Rly? Could that video be any more stereotypical and boring? Come on, be different! Pick up some new skills, make it interesting for your father (and everyone else). “Look, Daddy, no hands, no hands!”
Simon… I fail to see the double-standard. Bristol was a teenager, Ashley is an adult. Their actions, the consequences, and the lion’s share of the blame are a world apart. I’m sure it will reflect badly on Joe Biden, but most of us realize that Ashley is an adult on her own… not a child, so people will come down harder on HER than they will on her Dad for what she did, and mock how she was a poor example of her dad’s fight against drugs. It seems you have your knickers in a wad over the fact that people are holding a 27 year-old accountable for her own actions. Should your parents be held accountable if you make mistakes in your 20’s and older while living on your own?
@ Ani: Yet again you’re making assumptions! Yes, I saw it, and she did look uncomfortable — but she’s apparently not the brightest teenager out there (condom = not that hard to figure out), so setting up her own uncomfortable interview doesn’t really seem that far-fetched. And why are you so quick to always assume the worst? That Greta had to coerce her into it? There is no evidence of that anywhere (like a lot of other stuff everyone seems to sling at the Palins), other than delusions made up by liberals who need someone to hate. Trust me, I am not a Bristol fan but you’re assumptions are so far out there it’s just ridiculous from a logical standpoint.
@ darek: Actually, my parents are the same age as Obama and neither of them ever did any drugs… and they weren’t religious at all. There is no excuse for doing something as stupid as snorting/shoot up/dropping/hitting/taking/etc. illegal substances. Sorry.
@ the idea that the video is fake: it may be, I agree there are a lot of questions surrounding it. However, I’m mostly puzzled by no denial from any of the Bidens. I mean, I know you can’t answer every bit of mud slung in your direction, but one this big, if I hadn’t done it? I would at least issue a written statement saying it isn’t true.
And yes, some of us actually get that the hypocrisy in all of this is the media. They should have been in the Deciever Madness. Rumors about Britney Spears doing Lord knows what circulate faster than a fire in Malibu canyon, yet we can’t at least talk about this? Maybe if the media were talking about it, it would come to light whether it’s fake or not.
Who’s doing this, now? So far I don’t see anybody holding her accountable for anything. (But thanks for the concern about my “knickers,” whatever those are.)
Simon, from your article
“In a widely quoted 2006 survey she answered during her gubernatorial campaign, Palin said she supported abstinence-until-marriage programs. But weeks later, she proclaimed herself “pro-contraception” and said condoms ought to be discussed in schools alongside abstinence.”
Later…
“Palin spokeswoman Maria Comella said the governor stands by her 2006 statement, supporting sex education that covers both abstinence and contraception.”
You’re right! Numbers ARE hard – you know what’s harder? Understanding contradictory comments made by a right-wing nut and the defending remarks made by her supporters.
“Did she cut the funds, or did she just not increase the funds as much as some would have liked? People seem to get the two mixed up. As long as you’re bringing it up, I mean.”
Nope, she cut them. Google ‘Passage House’ and Sarah Palin.
“And yet if Joe Biden had had his way, Obama would have done jail time. Seems like Biden’s the one you should be getting angry with, not me. I don’t have any control over our drug laws.”
Where do I begin? There is quite the difference between dabbling in drugs (a misdemeanor offense where you really look at it) and profiteering from selling drugs (a felony). One who TRIES drugs is not a bad person. One who sells drugs to minors, who profits from illegal activites that have negative impacts on human beings (ie. pimps that make hookers sell themselves to raise funds for their drug habit) and the like are awful people that should be in jail. A lawyer who dabbled in some drugs, at a low point in his life, and quickly recovered from his mistake (something he fully acknowledges) is not in the same arena as the previous examples. You can’t simply hear “Drug Use – Obama” and then lump him in with a group of criminals. Joe Biden would not have done that, he would’ve made examples of the criminals, not the people that found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time at sad points in their life. The law, despite what many believe, is not free of compassion.
“Sounds like you’re taking this kind of personally.”
Not personally, but since your livelihood revolves around calling hypocrites out on their hypocrisy, then do that. Chastising a guy that grew up in the 60’s and 70’s for drug use – MINOR drug use that didn’t result in an addiction no less – is a low blow.
Apology accepted.
How are they contradictory? You can’t teach both? How is that “nutty” or “right-wing”?
Done. And done. She actually increased funding. Just not as much as some wanted. Next canard, please.
But I didn’t say anything about George W. Bush. Oh, you right-wing nuts!
So, doing drugs is no big deal, as long as you don’t get addicted. Sounds like you need to have a sit-down with Joe Biden and set him straight.
Now I understand how Ted Kennedy got away with murder… with arguments like ones making Obama’s drug use absolutely not a big deal at all on any level at any time.
“Where do I begin? There is quite the difference between dabbling in drugs (a misdemeanor offense where you really look at it) and profiteering from selling drugs (a felony).”
Um, what state do you live in where THAT law is in effect? Possession of cocaine is a felony, regardless of intent to sell or amount. Possession of pot is the only drug I know of that carries a simple misdemeanor. So Obama admitted to committing a felony when he admitted to doing cocaine – something the left incidentally beat Bush over the head with for 8 years.
“You can’t simply hear “Drug Use – Obama” and then lump him in with a group of criminals. Joe Biden would not have done that, he would’ve made examples of the criminals, not the people that found themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time at sad points in their life”
Does it hurt being that stupid? Biden wouldn’t have cared? You’re telling me that the guy who doesn’t want it to be legal for AIDS PATIENTS to smoke POT wouldn’t want the law to punish a guy for RECREATIONAL cocaine use? In fact, most of the hypocrisy present here comes from the fact that Biden has come out again and again as 100% against any drug for any reason.
There is a lot of hypocrisy in the media concerning the kids of Rep (in this case Sarah Palin) and DEM.
The kids of Sarah Palin are “outlawed” and it is political correct to attack them; the kids of DEM are not “outlawed” and it is not political correct to attack them.
Great piece, Simon. You’re right – the double standard regarding treatment of the family of Democrats vs. Republicans has been astounding.
And I also appreciate that you have your facts straight regarding Governor Palin’s position on sex education. Few “professional journalists” get this right, you’ve done a great job.
Kristine… “There is no evidence of that anywhere (like a lot of other stuff everyone seems to sling at the Palins), other than delusions made up by liberals who need someone to hate. ”
Who says I hate Bristol? I don’t, I feel bad for the girl and the fact she was basically thrust into the spotlight when she was going through what she was and the media may never fully leave her alone. It’s bad enough to have your mother be the VP pick and your family analyzed within an inch of their lives, an adding the whole deeply personal aspect of her pregnancy into it made it even worse for her. The poor kid was raked over the coals and there was NO EXCUSE to do that. Kids of BOTH parties are off limits, especially if they are Bristol’s age and younger. It’s not PC to attack Palin’s kids whatsoever… I didn’t stand for it then and I refuse to tolerate it now.
Simon….knickers are underpants. Don’t you understand [i]English[/i]?
Sorry, no autographs!
DAMN! Well… at least you learned a new word
“Yes, I saw it, and she did look uncomfortable — but she’s apparently not the brightest teenager out there (condom = not that hard to figure out), so setting up her own uncomfortable interview doesn’t really seem that far-fetched.”
News flash: Birth control can fail. Unless Bristol’s said they didn’t use birth control and I missed it, no one knows whether they used birth control or not.
Hey I am a couple of years older than Obama and I never dabbled in drug use. I guess that would make me an outcast, since everyone else did it.
@ Tal: Somehow I have it in my mind that it has been stated that she didn’t use anything (possibly in that interview… although I think she dodged that question) but I can’t state that with any certainty. Although, if she did use one (or any birth control), doesn’t that kind of put a dent in the argument that Sarah’s abstinence stance was what caused it? And your point is fascinating, seeing as in the minds of most sex ed advocates, we can’t mention the sky-high failure rate of condoms. Hmmm…
@ Ani: The implication behind that wasn’t that you hate Bristol, but rather Sarah and/or Greta — and it wasn’t even really aimed at you, more a generalized statement. From what you’ve said, it has seemed pretty clear to me that you dislike her in the same way that I dislike Obama, but hatred is a whole other ballgame I won’t pin on you or anyone else.
Anyway, you and I agree that it was wrong that everyone wouldn’t leave her alone. However, I feel in your original post you yourself were analyzing her to within an inch of herself since you said she’s clearly not been taught to say no, which brings us back to slinging mud at Sarah and not Bristol. In that post you also said it was different because Ashley is older than Bristol, implying that Bristol should have been looked at as a reflection of her mother when Ashley isn’t for her father — which isn’t leaving them alone either. Using a child to attack a parent is almost worse than attacking the child — you think Bristol didn’t spend every moment of that campaign (and even now, as this discussion continues) feeling guilty for the spot she put her mother in?
By any standard of newsworthiness, video footage of the Vice President’s daughter “doing a little blow” at a party should be a story – especially when the Vice President and his daughter make no effort to deny it. So I think Simon’s essential point is correct, the MSM’s willingness to embargo embarrassing stories involving the children of elected officials seems to be somewhat party dependent.
For the record, though, I thought the public discussion of Bristol Palin’s pregnancy, and the way that pregnancy reflected on Sarah Palin and her husband, was appropriate and reasonable.
Is the video for real, or what? Why talk about it if you’re not gonna show it? I think we oughta reserve judgment until we SEE the damn thing. That being said, it wouldn’t be the first time Ashley Biden’s been in the news in a bad way.
http://articles.latimes.com/2002/aug/04/nation/na-briefs4.1
Discuss…
Why not?
Seriously, though, if you know where it’s available for viewing, please share with the class.
@trent bowie and trent bowie’s article
I’m not surprised. Just another spoilt rich bitch with an amplified sense of entitlement and self worth.
If someone else had tried getting in a cop’s way while running their mouth, they would have been beaten into submission or shot. But of course, Joe Biden’s little crackhead gets a special treatment. And lol@”private family matter”. Assaulting a police officer is their private family matter? I wonder what those people do for X-Mas…
Sorry, Simon. I’ve looked for that video since yesterday and I haven’t turned anything up. I’ve gone to RadarOnline, the New York Post site and various other places but I haven’t had any luck. You’d think it would have turned up somewhere by now.
The only item that shows up with the tag “Ashley Biden Cocaine Video” consists of a clip from the movie Der Untergang (Downfall). The subtitles make it into a scenario in which Daddy Biden finds out about the video. Worth a chuckle or two.
We’ve seen Marion Barry smoke crack and Michael Phelps huffing a bong. If our aspiring Kubrick doesn’t actually have a video, then perhaps he doesn’t know how to upload his masterpiece to a website. At any rate, something ain’t right, here…
Gee a video of a Democrat doing something illegal disappearing for the internet. Gee, that has not happened before.
Sidebar Question:
I wonder if Ashley and Bo ever switch their “Hello My Name Is…” stickers when dad’s not looking?
You’d also think somebody in the Biden camp would have denied it by now.
This is from Jim Geraghty:
http://campaignspot.nationalreview.com/
“Great. Bristol Palin’s former fiance, Levi Johnston is appearing on the Tyra Banks show on Monday.
Discussing Johnston’s appearance on MSNBC, Sarah Palin was described as “a strong activist for abstinence-only education.” The guest just corrected the anchor that Palin also said condoms ought to be discussed in schools alongside abstinence.
UPDATE: Jeez, MSNBC did it again, touting the segment by saying Palin was “preaching abstinence.”
In the clip they showed, Banks does an exceptional job of humiliating Levi Johnston, asking him if he practiced safe sex, “every time.” He says yes, repeatedly, and finally concedes “most of the time.”
The MSNBC anchors add that this “could be potentially damaging to Palin’s future, and she’s “going to have to address it.”
How? Why? How, precisely, does her daughter’s fiance’s comments on a daytime talk show reflect upon her?”
And This is from Tyra Banks Website which includes a video preview:
http://tyrashow.warnerbros.com/2009/04/levi_johnston.php
“For the first time, Levi Johnston, the former fiancé of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol, breaks his silence and sits down exclusively with the “Tyra Show.”
Levi talks about his relationship with Bristol, what it was like to be thrust into the spotlight at the Republican National Convention, and why his engagement with Bristol Palin ended. Levi shares intimate details about his relationship with Bristol, what he really thinks of Gov. Palin and what it’s like to be a teen father.
Find out if Sarah Palin knew Levi and Bristol were sexually active and what he has to say about practicing safe sex.