QotD (Barney Frank)

[drwex]

Our own Cos submitted this one, which had me laughing out loud. (http://quotationofthedaylist.blogspot.com/)
Q: You've long argued for the decriminalization of marijuana. Do you smoke weed?

A: No.

Q: Why not?

A: Why do you ask a question, then act surprised when I give an answer? Do you think I lie to people?

Q: I thought you might explain why you support decriminalizing it but don't smoke it.

A: Do you think I've ever had an abortion? I don't play poker on the Internet, either.

- Barney Frank, from an interview with the retiring Massachusetts Congressman.

Comments

[tigira.livejournal.com]

I love it!

[badseed1980.livejournal.com]

OMG, you mean people should have the right to do even those things that we can't or don't want to do, if they don't hurt anyone else? What a concept! :)

[hammercock.livejournal.com]

The deuce you say!

[taura-g.livejournal.com]

There are many reasons why I love Barney Frank and this is one of them.

[dcltdw]

Brilliant. :)

[c1.livejournal.com]

I think Frank is being a bit of a dolt. "Why don't you smoke weed" is a perfectly legitimate follow-up question in this case. It's not necessarily indicating disbelief or a suspicion of lying.
I think it's funny when he does legitimately back an interviewer into a corner, but in this case, I think he needed to have a nice tall glass of chill the heck out.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

well, true.

It's helpful, though, to make the point that you can be in favor of decriminalization without being interested in using it. So he kept that particular concept on track, even though there's a whole lot of different reasons not to smoke weed.

[stevie-stever.livejournal.com]

Not so much. The quote is Frank's roundabout way of saying "I don't do it for me."

[c1.livejournal.com]

Even for a career politician, that's a pretty silly way to try to make your point. How many ways can that be taken out of context?
I think vvalkyri is on the more correct track WRT being in favour of something that you don't yourself participate in, but being clear about your position. Frank is a pretty capable wordsmith. He could and should have done much better than left his argument so hazy.

[stevie-stever.livejournal.com]

On the contrary, I think Frank is a good example of a politician who learned to keep both his ideology(ies) and personal life as far away from discrete description as possible because of his experience being outed while in office. He was merely the first of his kind to survive and continue to function as a representative.

[cos]

I think it loses something in the transcription from voice to text.

[vvalkyri.livejournal.com]

love.