President Stoner...

[RevStPatrick]

I would have totally hung out with this guy in high school.
He's only a year older than me, and I tended to hang out with older kids, so it would have happened.
Makes me like the fellow just a little bit more than I already do!

http://www.buzzfeed.com/gavon/a-users-guide-to-smoking-pot-with-barack-obama

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. OK, so he was a stoner back in the day...

But with his current attitude towards pot smokers, I'd say he's become a hypocrite.

His former attitudes have not carried over into his thinking now.

It's a real shame.

[RevStPatrick]

2. That's certainly the appearance of it...

Personally, I think there is something more insidious behind it, but you never know.

[bigtree]

3. so, why would it be 'President' stoner then?

Looks like a young Obama in that photo who bears little resemblance to the President (or his pot views and policy ) today.

[SpencerShay]

19. Who cares?

President was a stoner THEN, not now. He's changed. Deal with it.

[SammyWinstonJack]

23. "Deal with it" sounds a lot like "Get over it". And he is a hypocrite on this matter. So

"Deal with" that.

[Spike89]

4. A little reality might help

I get that our drug laws (especially pot) are seriously flawed. However, it really isn't a topic that I expect Obama to come at "fairly". He is, as you have noticed, our first black president. You can throw all the other details into the mix (a fiscal meltdown, partisan deadlock, health care...) but really it boils down to race and perceptions.
Just like it took a republican to go to communist China, it will take someone you don't expect to reform pot laws. Obama can't, in my opinion, seem to be soft on the failed drug war. He couldn't really get big changes through congress anyway, but even trying, or appearing lax on pot would make it way too easy for the right to make a case that the President is a stoner, favors "his own" people, and other racial garbage.
Of course, they'll keep trying to do it anyway, but Obama simply can't afford to make it easier for their sick arguments to sway the middle/soft left. It is sad, but the truth is that race still very much affects the upcoming elections. It is possible that as a lame duck president, given a neutral or pro-reform congress, he could very well surprise everyone in a second term.
It might be hypocrisy, but it is also realistic politics.

[Uncle Joe]

6. Well it isn't as if President Obama doesn't have cover, exhibit A.

[Uncle Joe]

7. Exhibit B.

[Uncle Joe]

9. Exhibit C.

[Uncle Joe]

11. Exhibit D.

[Uncle Joe]

12. Exhibit E.

[Uncle Joe]

13. Exhibit F.

[Uncle Joe]

16. Exhibit G.

&feature=related

[SpencerShay]

20. BUT...

All those examples are WHITE, you fool. White people can talk about to legalizing pot, black people can’t!

[Uncle Joe]

21. Then President Obama can half way talk about it,

he's half white.

Although to correct your post, one of those cops I used up-thread, was and to my knowledge still is black.

[RainDog]

27. Great posts, Uncle Joe!

thanks!

I hope Michelle Alexander and LEAP can have an effect on the President to let him see the social injustice side of this issue that needs to be addressed.

[stlsaxman]

14. Hey Joe- you got that clip of the VP debate where Al Gore stands up

and says- "Everyone who's smoked pot stand up- c'mon, stand up... who's with me... er, uh... i'll sit down now." ?

[Uncle Joe]

18. No, but here is his take on how times have changed regarding public perceptions on Marijuana.

[stlsaxman]

32. thank you for this post, Joe!

Al Gore is a good man.

[WI_DEM]

8. Good points.

It's also like a lot of people here on DU expected him to be this extreme liberal. Being the first black president, I didn't expect him to shake the boat. He did that with his election. He also did pass a lot of progressive legislation which in many cases could be built on and improved.

[sadbear]

10. Agreed 100%.

Everyone must remember that current drugs laws are so harsh today because back in the 20's and 30's, drug abuse was associated with blacks and Hispanics. It's going to take a white guy, and probably a republican, to legalize anything.

[Romulox]

25. The President can reschedule marijuana by executive order. Most Americans support this.

So the excuses fall flat.

[kentuck]

5. The rumor is that ...

he and a couple of his stoner friends held a young kid down and cut off all his hair...

Oh never mind!...that was the other guy!

[Romulox]

26. If it doesn't matter what the President did in High School, why should it matter what Mittens did?

[craigmatic]

15. Was he ever uncool?

[whistler162]

17. let see... young men of certain complexions

can't wear hoodie's because then you must be a gangsta.

can't wear sunglasses because then you must be a stoner.

[ellisonz]

35. "tea shades"

[KG]

22. he's finally starting to get on the right side of history on gay rights,

time to do so regarding weed also.

[Romulox]

24. It's too bad he wasn't caught and arrested under the same policies he advocates today--it might have

turned him around, and allowed him to make something of himself.

[originalpckelly]

28. Yeah, I know.

[WillyT]

29. Oh Yeah... I Had A Similar Group Of Friends In High-School And College...

And ya know what ???

So did most of the people serving in government today!!!

[stlsaxman]

33. beautiful pictures.

thank you!

[WillyT]

34. You Are Quite Welcome !!!

[RainDog]

30. He was like a whole lot of other Americans

and I'm very glad he didn't get arrested.

[maggiesfarmer]

31. Romney would've pinned him down and cut that hair!

[ellisonz]

36. And felt no remorse...

It's

[sevento47orpi]

37. Back in the 70's I was told that if I smoked weed I could never be President

Guess I was lied too!

In the day I would have made Jeff Spicoli look like Mitt.

OK so I can't be President cuz I like to smoke weed so I did the next best thing, joined the military and get to play with nuclear weapons, which is what I did! Little factoid back in the day over 50% of the people who had the ability to launch and the technical knowledge about nuclear weapons smoked weed on a daily baisis.