Foley acquaintances question alcoholism

[ProSense]

Foley acquaintances question alcoholism

By BRIAN SKOLOFF, Associated Press Writer 52 minutes ago

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - When disgraced former Rep. Mark Foley (news, bio, voting record) announced he was entering rehab for treatment of alcoholism and "other behavioral problems," some of those who have known him for years were shocked and suspicious.

Some friends and acquaintances said they rarely saw him drink.

A former colleague, Rep. Peter King (news, bio, voting record), R-N.Y., said on Fox News Channel: "I don't buy this at all. I think this is a phony defense. The fact is, I think he's responsible for what he did here and I think it's a gimmick."

Foley abruptly resigned from Congress after being accused of sending lurid Internet messages to teenage boys who served as pages on Capitol Hill. The FBI and Florida law enforcement officials are investigating whether the Florida Republican violated any laws.

Snip...

Some longtime acquaintances said they cannot reconcile Foley's public and private lives, including the lurid communications and the claimed drinking problem.

"I have never seen Mark inebriated in public," said Robin Bernstein, who has known Foley for 25 years. "I mean, he was a social drinker like most of us at cocktail parties with a glass of wine, but Mark was always ... the consummate gentleman."

more...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061003/ap_on_go_co/foley_alcoholism_2

Foley: "I drink" (Wink! Wink!). "I was molested" (GOP tested).

Foley, you're up shit creek you freak, and will take a few top Repigs with you!

[YDogg]

1. It's all a facade to protect Hastert and the other fuckers from facing ...

... more immediate criticism. A day or two gained while everyone looks the other way is a day or two Hastert and his disgusting ilk can try to drum up another "defense" for their inaction.

[texasleo]

2. when Foley said he liked getting shitfaced, he meant something else

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[ejbr]

12. LMAO!!

OH MY GAWD!! You mean he was a fan of "Scat"man Cruthers? :9 Well, he may not have been an alcoholic before this mess, I'm sure he is now!

[BuyingThyme]

3. He and Bob Ney used to suck 'em down in a secret candy house in the sky.

[onenote]

4. when this doesn't work, will they try the abucted by aliens defense?

Or the Sybill -- multiple personalities disorder defense....

[yojon]

5. No no he was abused by his priest

he's not an alcoholic. He meant to check himself in for abused by priest rehab - not alcohol rehab. Silly mistake.

[Old and In the Way]

6. Yeah, that's the ticket! (done in my best Jon Lovitz imitation)

Good one! What a joke that presser was. Idiots...they just kept this i the public eye for at least another 3-4 days.

:rofl:

[cui bono]

7. by going into rehab he gets to avoid the press n/t

[Ready4Change]

9. Exactly.

He'll only appear outside the gates to announce reasons he isn't to blame.

It was the catholic priests of my youth.

It was those sinfully aluring page boys with their come hither eyes.

Clinton did it, so I'm not so bad.

yadayadayada

[MazeRat7]

8. As is the case with many alcoholics....

More times than not, alcoholics hide their drinking in order to maintain their public facade. Likewise, more times than not, long time friends and family are completely surprised by the revelation that someone "they have known for years" has such a secret.

MZr7

[TrogL]

10. Many alcoholics fo not appear to be drunk

Some just keep themselves comfortably numb.

[Michael G.]

11. Alcohol is No Excuse

I don't care how many drinks a person has, it doesn't excuse the actions of Mr. Foley. Even when drinking, the average person knows right from wrong. If Mr. Foley is that much of a heavy drinker that he doesn't remember what he wrote while drinking, then he ought to give up politics completely and devote himself to AA meetings. If Mr. Foley drank that much, I'm surprised that he could stand up and give a speech in public without slurring his words, much less engage in any other activity. As usual, Mr. Foley wants to "pass the buck" like all the rest of the "do nothing" Republicans. An easy way out. Except in this case, Mr. Foley committed an act far worse than alcoholism.

I think Mr. Foley needs a far different form of counseling, to get over the denial of his true problem.

[newyawker99]

16. Hi Michael G.!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[connecticut yankee]

13. Sounds like the "Mel Gibson Defense"

The Alcohol made me do it. I never would have done it if I were sober.

[SpeedwayDemocrat]

14. So he was drunk during house votes?

The e-conversation on orgasms he had during the vote - that was caused by alcohol?
If alcohol's the reason, then that begs the question: was he drunk during the business day, when votes were being taken, and if so, how could anyone sitting next to him not notice a.) the smell of alcohol on him or 2.) his hard-on while conducting his little "Mastergate" e-drama???
The alcohol is a B.S. excuse, people! Otherwise, it calls into question every vote he's taken from the house floor!

[grizmaster]

15. that caught Foley's lawyer by surprise

You could tell that news broke after they planned his statement. So the drunk excuse was blown out of the water on impact. The lawyer said he was never drunk during Congressional session, and said he was drunk every time he did the email/IM bit. Both statements can't stand. One or the other, or both are lies.

[TrogL]

18. Vodka does not smell

and other smells (eg. beer) can be masked by heavy-duty cologne or aftershave.

Been there, done that.

[Taxloss]

17. Alcoholism and secrecy go together like bread and butter.

He could well have been an alcoholic and kept it concealed so carefully that he seemed a regular drinker, perhaps even abstemious. In recovery I met men and women who went to great pains to conceal their drinking even in social contexts where heavy drinking would not have been out of place. For instance, at a boozy party they would make a show of drinking mineral water, but endlessly head to the toilets to swig neat vodka from a flask. I used to leave social occasions early, after a couple of drinks, in a great show of limiting myself and having an early night so that I could be certain of making it to the shops in time to stock up booze for a long night of solitary drinking.

This doesn't mean that Foley is or is not an alcoholic, but it is to say that this sort of report is not inconsistent with alcoholism.