Randi's call screener hung up on me, so here's my take on Bush drinking

[SammyBlue]

I am a recovering alcoholic on my fourth attempt of sobreity. This one has lasted 329 days as of today.

Bush saying he, one day, decided to give up drinking is illogical and against all alcoholic knowledge.

Alcoholism is a physically and a psychological dependency. You may not have the physical craving, but you'll always have the "I need a drink" thinking all the time. When things get hard, difficult, emotionally draining and/or impossible, that urge comes back quickly. It's an easy way to deal with yourself and your problems. That happened during my divorce (when my ex-wife abandoned me), and I spent the next 21 months drinking my life away again. Luckily, my Fraternity Brothers, my family and my sponsor (my best friend in the world) didn't turn their backs on me and got me to face everything and myself and I've been sober ever since.

Bush can't admit he has a problem. It's much like his "I can't think of anything I've done wrong or any mistakes I've made" or his lack of taking responsibility for anything. He is incapable because he is still in denial of a problem.

Is he still drinking? One would have strong circumstantial evidence to say yes: his slurring of words, his studdered speech, his lack of being able to say a complete sentence without pauses. He may be a "sober" drunk, which means he looks sober even when he's drunk (as I was), but he's most likely still drinking.

He didn't use AA or any help because that would admit he has a weakness and Texans, Presidents and Bushes don't have weaknesses. Weakness is for commoners, not aristocrats.

We make jokes about it, but alcoholism, drug addiction and chemical dependancy is a a hard thing to deal with it. A strong man would admit his problem and work to overcome it. Chimpy McFlightsuit is not a strong person. His body language, speech patterns, eye contact use and language shows a man with a huge inferiority complex with delusions of grandeur and a complete lack of conscience, empathy and persepctive. He is the worst type of alcoholic, because of his sociopathic tendancies.

This is my fourth attempt. One day at a time, but I am living one day at a time. I've admitted my problem and am open about it to everyone, even to women I date (which is why I don't usually get a second date). But Bush can't, won't or is incapable of admitting weakness.

That's my rant. I believe I am right!

[SoFlaJet]

1. the principle behind the first step

is honesty-tough one for him wouldn't you say Sam?

[0rganism]

24. You're right! He wouldn't even make it past AA step one!

The W simply cannot admit he has a problem.

[Beaverhausen]

2. I think you are right. and congrats on 329 days!

Also, isn't he considered a "dry drunk"

I myself am fortunately not "addictive" but know many who are in recovery. They all had to admit the problem and get "in the program."

[Extend a Hand]

3. I believe you're right too

and congrats on 329 days.

[ikojo]

4. If Bush is truly a fundie Christian then he may think

all he needed to do to conquer booze was pray to Jesus and ask to be healed. Many fundie Christians believe that alcoholism is caused by a demon and thus if one prays for Jesus to enter one's heart and for healing, then there is no need for AA or other such programs.

I don't think he's a fundie Christian. He uses them the way he used his connections to stay out of Viet Nam, for personal and political gain.

[hardrainfallin]

8. let's assume he is sincere about his fundie Christianity...

I've also noticed that he has toned down the GOD TALK, substantially.

I wonder if he's having pangs of guilt because he knows he's lying, lying, lying, sinning, sinning, sinning (and people are dying, dying, dying as a result), and that's why he's laying off the god talk these days. He's got a tinge of guilty conscious?

[ducque]

16. But he is NOT a Christian

Just ask a couple of questions:

"thou shalt not kill" -- why was the exception made for you? what part of "thou shalt not kill" is it that you don't fully understand?

"love thy neighbor as thyself" -- ditto

"turn the other cheek" -- ditto

"the meek will inherit the earth"

Maybe worst, in Acts, Peter very strong language says that one cannot put another person "down"; you're enjoined from any kind of prejudices (never mind "judge not...")

To say nothing of the ideal that a Christian is supposed be poor and/or live frugally.

I fail to see how this miserable excuse for a person is considered by anyone to be a Christian.

I also fail to see how any Christian, as I understand the theology, could be a politician.

But I'm not a Christian, so obviously I don't understand.

[SammyBlue]

23. Good thing I'm Jewish then. We don't believe in demons.

[hardrainfallin]

5. I agree with you (and congrats on the 329 days)...aren't there any

AA groups who could do something to try and help Mr. Bush (first and foremost by removing him from office so he can't continue to harm others with his drinking)?

Like how does one initiate an intervention?

[acmejack]

6. You were mostly right

Texas has a lot of people & you are tarring with a mighty wide brush, my friend! Most Texans are anything but "aristocrats"! Just an fyi.

[smiley]

7. I think so too

I'm a bartender and I have always thought he acted and as if he was drunk

[trekbiker]

9. I agree..

I have a more than a little experience with alcohol and I can see the signs, his face, eyes, complexion, manner of speech and the deterioration of his speaking skills over the last decade. also, all those vacations at his "ranch". you just know he's hitting the booze. He is a pathological liar as well. Getting caught on tape drinking at a reception in the early 90's after he supposedly quit cold turkey at age 40??? what BS

[Connie_Corleone]

10. I believe you're right too.

I have a family member who is a recovering alcoholic and she too mentioned the fact that Bush has never gotten help for his drinking. What Bush said about not needing to go thru AA because he didn't think he needed it just proves to me that he refuses to admit he has a problem.

I hope a more credible newspaper picks up this story with verified sources. This man is dangerous to the country and he needs to go. We can't go through another 3 years.

[Dez]

34. AA probably wouldn't have helped him

it has only a 5% success rate.. those are really low numbers. Someday, perhaps we'll have something which helps people stay sober, more than AA has.

[LittleClarkie]

11. Why do you think she hung up on you, did she give you a reason?

How rude!

[Canuckistanian]

12. A question for the psychology buffs

Can you really have delusions of grandeur when you have an inferiority complex?

Isn't that kinda contradictory?

[SammyBlue]

20. I have a degree in Political Science and going for a Master's in Education

I believe it is possible for an uneducated mind in psychology.

Think of the small penis person: I have a small penis, so I am going to do everything I can to make people believe I have a big one (hot sports car, big house, hot girlfriend, flashy). That's a delusion of grandeur, but he his has an inferiority complex because he feels inferior to other men.

It's like a man with a mid-life crisis (inferiority complex) starting a war because he wants to spread "freedom and democracy," or "find WMDs," or "remove someone who tried to kill my daddy," or "stopping terrorists" (delusions of grandeur).

In one man's ignornant opinion, it is possible.

[neuvocat]

13. Well done on your 329 days.

My dad was an alcoholic who quit cold turkey but from what I understand, that isn't normal.

[mandyky]

14. You're right, congrats and did the screener say why

they were hanging up or what?
Rude people really bother me!

[Batgirl]

15. you could be right

I don't think Bush has the humility required to confront the real problems underlying his alcoholism. Too bad for him and for us. I wouldn't hesitate to vote for someone who'd had a substance abuse problem and had handled it through the difficult work of recovery. These are folks who've chosen to face their problems, to face their human fragility and to live a life of self awareness. Some of the best people I've met are in this group.

And good luck with your continuing recovery.

[JNelson6563]

17. Bravo to you!!

Glad you have made it through 329 days and are here among us to share your insights. May you know many, many more days, weeks, months and years safe and sober.

:hi:

[Carla in Ca]

18. Good for you, SammyBlue!

I'm proud of you. One day at a time, that's the way.

[Sequoia]

19. Good luck to you.

[stillcool]

21. Congrats to you !!

another friend of Bill's here...and i agree! The real give-away is his inability to accept ANY type of criticism. A trait i know all to well...whether he drinks or not...he's not sober...and he's not sane. I have known few active drunks with his means, and none who could keep it together at his age. And you know what they say, no longer how long you stay dry...you pick up that one drink and your right back where you left off. Should make for some interesting public appearances.

[SoFlaJet]

25. yea what's that one

about you can sober up a horse thief and all you got is a sober horse thief-BTW 6 months today for this friend of Bill and Bob-I had 4 years and am grateful to have made it back-yes the disease is progressive but I believe today that so is the recovery-hope is a great thing and the promises keep coming true.
you know,as hard as it is for us we have to pray for the "still sick and suffering inside and out of these walls" at the end of our meetings-hey it can't hurt-may even help this country.

[stillcool]

27. hey....SoFla...

that's where i got sober....recovery capital of the world....or so i've heard. Great meetings down there...i miss it alot. And those 'still sick and suffering' you're right...its a bitch seeing all those mirrors.

[SoFlaJet]

33. Easy Does It Club

on Forrest Hill and just east of Congress-great rooms.If he walked into the room I'd try to help

[stillcool]

36. that's the one....

my old home away from home....small world...sort of...

[kstewart33]

22. My two brothers are both advanced alcoholics

Booze and their inability to stop drinking, ruined their lives.

I don't believe for a minute that an alcoholic can wake up one morning and stop drinking, period. I've seen too much.

[cynatnite]

26. I had a drinking problem years ago...

I was a very different person then and the mentality I had at the time was one where I could not imagine living my life without alcohol. If I had stayed on that path, I have no doubt I would be a chronic alcoholic.

bush probably thinks 'presidents aren't drunks'. He rationalizes his drinking every step of the way, IMO.

bush will refuse to acknowledge any weakness or mistake. He is a very sick man, IMO.

[SammyBlue]

28. Blame and rationalization are all part of it.

"I'm drinking because YOU made me."

"I can control it."

"Everyone is against me."

Bush is paranoid, inferior, sociopathic, anti-social and amoral. Self-destructive I would bet too. Sad, but that's it and he's taking us down with him.

[nonconformist]

29. Congrats on your sobriety!!

And I do believe you are right.

[sandnsea]

30. "I need a drink thinking"

No, it won't be with you forever. Keep adding up those days, and one of these days you'll get through a whole one and not think of a drink at all. And then a week, and then a month, and then when you think of a drink it'll just be gratitude that you know real living is living sober.

Honest, it'll happen.

Otherwise, you're right on the money. Except Bush is more than an alcoholic, he's also a classic sociopath by the psychological definition of the word.

[Geoff R. Casavant]

31. I haven't read all the replies yet

but I have two points: first, congratulations on 329 days. Second, if you want to get a second date, then perhaps disclosing an acolhol problem on the first date is not the way to go. Honesty is great, but some revelations take time.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

32. Why do you think the screener hung up on you?

That seems rude...

[movie_girl99]

35. way to go on your 329 days of being sober n/t