Charles Kennedy 'RESPECT'

[4blue1pink]

Not a lib dem supporter but i like him and respect him for this.

Poor Chuck

I don't agree that an alcoholic is a good choice for someone to run the country.

Would you let him look after your child? If not then why would you let him make important decisions for everyone's children and everything else for that matter?

He needs to prove he has beaten alcoholism for longer than two months to be a fit leader for a political party.

Well as I keep saying, Winston Churchill managed it.

And let's face it, the Lib Dems aren't going to be running the country. That may happen in our lifetime (although looking even less likely now that David Cameron is leader of the Tories, but stranger things have happened) but I don't think CK will be in the driving seat if it ever does.

Your question about whether I'd let him look after my child made me think of his poor wife. What a horrific thing for her.

A little concerned that he "believes the issue is resolved" having not had a "drink for two months". I think it takes more than two months without a drink to be "resolved"!! And I agree about his wife and child. Surely being well, and there, for them is his priority? Surely he should be putting his efforts into getting better, not running the libdems?

I think he has to say the issue is resolved, otherwise he's asking the Lib Dems to let him take it "one day at a time".

Which even in these liberal times, is stretching it a bit.

I agree it's unlikely he'll ever be PM. However he still has a lot of influence and power being the leader of a large political party. He needs to get his own house in order before he starts telling other people how to run theirs.

Either drinking affects your ability/reason/judgment or it doesn't. If it does then we don't want someone who's medically addicted to it running (or helping to run) the country.

If it doesn't affect those things then lets have a few drinks now and then go and drive cars to the school this afternoon to collect our darlings.

Oh Anorak most of the people who run or help to run the country are medically addicted to it.

In fact, masses of people who run or help to run business, universities, schools, etc. are alcoholics or very close to alcoholism.

I'm not advocating it as a way of life, just saying it's a fact.

Denial and problem minimisation often go hand in hand with alcoholism. I think the fact that he is STILL trying to brazen in out suggests he has a long way to go before he faces up to the scale of the problem.
Of course his position is untenable. tbh I think this has been covered up for far too long.

I am a lifelong Lib Dem and have suspected for some time CK had a drink problem - as Pruni says, it's been hinted at in Private Eye and HIGNFY for years.
I am sorry he has felt forced into admitting it, I hope he can beat it, and I have a completely open mind about whether or not it bars him from hypothetically running the country in the future. As JT has kindly pointed out, quite a lot of our politicians have character traits or even personality disorders that make them unfit to govern in some people's eyes
I do hope any leadership challengers will be similarly open about their own lifestyles, as they circle CK looking for their latest chance at the top job. And as I really respect Mark Oaten I hope he is not lying his head off when he says he will be supporting CK all the way.
I caught a glimpse of Celeb BB last night - my money is on Faria becoming the next Mrs Gorgeous George!

Oh pmsl - well she does go for older men doesn't she...

I agree with caligula...Infact half the people i know in high powered jobs have what i would term a drink problem.

If missing one parliamentary debate and stumbling over some figures 'The morning after his son was born' is the worst of it then i think he is doing a fine job.

'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone' I am not a religious person and none of us is perfect - he is better off where he is - at least he will have a driver!!!

I don't see why the fact that there are lots of alcoholics out there makes it ok. If I have to choose between an MP who's an alcoholic and one who isn't I'll choose the one who isn't. I wouldn't say 'Oh it doesn't really matter, the other bloke's probably an alkie as well.'

I want someone who can at least try and think.

When people talk like this I suspect they've never known an alcoholic and don't really understand the difference between drinkers and alcoholics.

After mulling this over all day, I can't believe that one can describe his decision to hold a leadership contest as an overtly political act to retain power. I don't think that those closest to him (and thus those also tipped to succeed - Ming Campbell et al ) would not have known about his problems for a long, long time - the issue was getting him to accept and get to grips with the issue. And if they are willing to stand along side him and support him in such a contest then it's not because they are naive or blind to the issues that his problems create for him. If they think it's ok in the full knowledge of however long then I think the party should support him for as long as he is willing to do the job. I can't imagine it's been easy coming to terms with this as a problem and losing your job on the back of it would be another blow (would this happen in other walks of life given he appears to be functioning?). Do we think that there aren't others in Westminster not also struggling with hidden illnesses?

And in terms of other functioning alcoholics I do believe that doctors are second only to publicans in professions with the highest rate of alcoholism. I know plenty of doctors who drink to absolutely shocking levels but given that it doesn't appear to affect their essential functioning at work it's not an issue...has CK's drinking affected his ability to perform either as an MP or as party leader? It may not be ideal but it's not like it's without precedent.

adly anorak i was 'brought up' by one and am usually descrbed as having very little patience with drinkers!

Um, hallo Anorak, my father was an alcoholic, my sister is an alcoholic, my brother is well on the way to being an alcoholic and one of my best friends was an alcoholic for about five years. Oh and my xp was one as well. Not to mention a large circle of relatives, friends and acquaintances some of whom are on nodding terms with alcoholism.

I know quite a bit about alcohlism having lived with it all my life.

'sadly'

I don't believe that Simon Hughes is ready to support CK one second though Hannahsaunt. I really don't trust him. Ming yes, although this has to be approaching last chance saloon for him. SH is devious even by politicians' standards IMO.

I've never liked Simon Hughes since his behaviour in the Peter Tatchell Bermondsey campaign

I think the consensus from mps is that it has affected his ability to do the job. My understanding is that the letter of no confidence signed by his shadow cabinet was prompted bacuse they were sick of covering for his under performance. I think they hoped he would go quietly and with a bit of dignity.

IMO CK should have asked for a vote of confidence from his mps. He wouldn't do this though because he would have lost it.

In that case caligula I am finding it hard to understand why you seem to think it won't affect his performance as leader of a major political party.

You must obviously be aware that alcoholics frequently forget periods hours in length, say and do things they wouldn't if they were sober, talk complete crap, waste other peoples' time, pass out at inappropriate times of day, make judgments based on whether they can have a drink or not, etc, etc, etc.

I feel these things are not minor flaws I can overlook in someone with so much power and influence over millions of others.

precisamente Caligula. That stank IMO. I remember that very well. And I have no reason to endorse Mr Tatchell's tactics in general.

I don't think it won't affect his performance Anorak. But I also don't think he's very important. He's the leader of the Lib Dems, not the head of the World Bank.

And I also think he's finished anyway. I don't think he'll survive this.

Well I agree with you that he won't survive this. However leader of the LibDems may not be a government position, but it's not filling the shelves at Asda either.