9/26/2002
Michelle Cottle of the New Republic's on-line edition admits she has something of a fixation on the Sunshine State. So here she is again talking about Noelle Bush. She focuses less on special treatment and The Hypocrisy Factor than on arguments that this "is a private matter."
Nut graph:
When the daughter of a prominent politician whose party preaches zero tolerance on drugs gets caught for using drugs repeatedly, the issue automatically assumes public import. You can feel sorry for Noelle, who is clearly very ill. You can feel sorry for Jeb, who, as Republicans go, has a not-terrible record on pursuing non-draconian drug policies. And you can argue that Noelle's run-ins with the law should be reported and discussed with the utmost sympathy and respect. But to argue that this should be "a private matter" is asking too much.
Nut graph:
When the daughter of a prominent politician whose party preaches zero tolerance on drugs gets caught for using drugs repeatedly, the issue automatically assumes public import. You can feel sorry for Noelle, who is clearly very ill. You can feel sorry for Jeb, who, as Republicans go, has a not-terrible record on pursuing non-draconian drug policies. And you can argue that Noelle's run-ins with the law should be reported and discussed with the utmost sympathy and respect. But to argue that this should be "a private matter" is asking too much.
