Friday, May 5, 2006

Patrick Kennedy: Disorientation Runs in the Family

It took a while, but Patrick Kennedy finally issued a more complete statement explaining his car accident in the wee small hours of Thursday morning.

My guess is the lengthier release was delayed because he solicited the help of Teddy and had to wait until his father's extended Happy Hour ended.

From the Rhode Island FOX News affiliate
WPRI:


Congressman Kennedy releases statement regarding early morning accident

"Last Tuesday, the Attending Physician of the United States Congress treated me for Gastroenteritis. The Attending Physician prescribed Phenergan, an anti-nausea medication, which in addition to treating Gastroenteritis, I now know can cause drowsiness and sedation.


Good Lord.

Here's a warning one would expect to get when taking
Phenergan (promethazine):

• Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Promethazine may cause dizziness or drowsiness. If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, avoid these activities.

Are we to believe that he didn't know the medication could cause drowsiness? Didn't the doctor tell him?

Where did Kennedy get the prescriptions filled? Doesn't his pharmacy use warning labels or provide a print-out detailing side effects and possible drug interactions?

I don't buy it. Kennedy's feigned ignorance raises suspicions. If he really is as clueless as he claims to be, he needs to be under 24-hour supervision.


Following the last series of votes on Wednesday evening, I returned to my home on Capitol Hill and took the prescribed amount of Phenergan and Ambien, which was also prescribed by the Attending Physician some time ago and I occasionally take to fall asleep. Some time around 2:45am, I drove the few blocks to the Capitol Complex believing I needed to vote. Apparently, I was disoriented from the medication. At that time, I was involved in a one-car incident in which my car hit the security barrier at the corner of 1st and C St, SE. At no time before the incident did I consume any alcohol.

Obviously, he knows that Ambien causes "drowsiness and sedation." IT'S A SLEEPING PILL -- a sleeping pill that doesn't work very well for Kennedy.

He may have built up a tolerance for it. Ambien plus another medication that causes drowsiness should have knocked him out.

Again, if Kennedy's story is true, his physician and/or the pharmacist were derelict in their duties to inform him of a possible adverse reaction.

At the time of the accident, I was instructed to park my car and was driven home by the United States Capitol Police. At no time did I ask for any special consideration, I simply complied with what the officers asked me to do.

According to a letter by Officer Greg Baird, acting chairman of the USCP FOP, the officers at the scene were not allowed to perform basic field sobriety tests on Kennedy. Sergeants told the Patrol Division Units "to leave the scene and that they were taking over."

Would the police have done the same for any other driver that appeared to be intoxicated?

No way. The fact is Kennedy got special consideration, whether he asked for it or not.

(I bet Peg Lautenschlager is wondering why she didn't get such treatment.)

Sobriety tests should have been conducted immediately. Without question, there should be an investigation as to why Kennedy was driven home by the police instead of being tested for drunkenness.

Moreover, why didn't Kennedy preemptively issue a statement explaining the incident? Wouldn't you think he'd want to get out a press release ahead of the story?

It would appear that he was assured that the whole episode would not become public.

Kennedy concludes:

I have the utmost respect for the United States Capitol Police and the job they do to keep Members of Congress and the Capitol Complex safe. I have contacted the Chief of Capitol Police and offered to meet with police representatives at their earliest convenience as I intend to cooperate fully with any investigation they choose to undertake."

Of course, he ends with the mandatory "I respect the police and will cooperate" paragraph. Don't they all?

It doesn't matter what the reasons for his erractic driving were -- alcohol, drugs, both, whatever.

What matters is that Kennedy was driving while severely impaired. He posed a serious threat to others and himself. That is undeniable.

Kennedy is not a victim. He is responsible for his actions. If medication was the problem, that makes him no less responsible for driving in his disoriented condition.

Rather than making excuses, he should take responsibility for his behavior and what could have been deadly consequences.

__________________________________

Here's a press release from the U.S. Capitol Police:

The United States Capitol Police are continuing to investigate a traffic accident that occurred early Thursday morning, May 4, 2006 at the intersection of 1st and C Street, SE. In addition to determining the existence of any evidence that would support traffic charges, the Department is also reviewing steps taken during the initial accident investigation to ensure compliance with existing policies and procedures.

Moral of the story:

No one is above the law.

4 comments:

Marlipern said...

The mainstream media is jumping on the story of Rep. Patrick Kennedy crashing his vehicle early Thursday morning, and the suggestion that alcohol may have been involved. Some have suggested that Rep. Kennedy got preferential treatment, since no field sobriety test was administered. And the rightwing pundits will no doubt be all over this one, pointing their crooked fingers the Congressman and calling him a “boozer” or worse.

Now, I would agree, that given the circumstances of the accident, the time of night, the swerving witnessed, the reported staggering of the Congressman; that a field sobriety test should have been performed. And if any preferential treatment was given, that was just plain wrong. No elected official deserves a blanket “get out of jail free” card.

Having said that, I have to ask the conservo-republi-fasci-nutjobs whether they really want to pick this fight? Are you SURE??? Because turnabout is fair play. I would hope that I don’t need to remind you of the recent right-wing history on alcohol/drug abuse? Just in case, let me refresh your memory…

We have a former (?) cokehead and drunkard sitting in the White House these days. His DUI history is a matter of public record, and his coke use is legendary. We have a V.P. who shot a man in the face while reportedly under the influence. In this instance, the authorities were not permitted to even interview the V.P. until 14 hours after the incident, so no sobriety test was performed. We have the biggest name in conservative talk who was just at the local police station to finalize his plea deal on drug and “doctor shopping” charges.

So if those on the right want to play-up the incident with Congressman Kennedy, I say bring it on. ‘Cause those of us on the left will continue to pummel you with the baseball bat of your own hypocrisy.

Mary said...

Give me a break, marlipern!

When George Bush was stopped for driving while impaired, did the cops drive him home? Was he granted preferential treatment?

How ridiculous to even compare the two! I'm not surprised to hear such comparisons from the anti-Bush crowd, but that makes it no less goofy.

Speaking of nutjobs, you expose yourself as a partisan hack by making the baseless charge that the President was a "cokehead" and lying about the facts of Cheney's hunting accident and completely misrepresenting the Limbaugh case.

I understand that you're desperate, but your comments work against you.

The fact is Kennedy should take responsibility for getting behind the wheel while impaired and endangering the public.

The police need to account for the preferential treatment they gave him.

Dems need to admit their hypocrisy on their "Culture of Corruption" talking point.

It keeps coming back to bite them.

The Game said...

Let's think about what would happen if the daughter of GWB was a congressman, got pulled over, was obviously drunk, and because of GWB she was taken home and nothing happened....

It would be the top story for 3 days in every paper, top story on the TV news for days as well...

Lets see the top stories this morning:

Peace deal for Darfur?- CNN


2 rebel groups refuse to sign Darfur peace plan- MSNBC

Drug Distortion?- Fox News (what a surprise, ONE lead story, on the only fair and balanced news outlet)

This is even a bigger story since the whole family has been a drunk disgrace for years. Ted drown a woman for God sake.

Lets see how this story plays...it might get mentioned today, then be gone.
Proving how the liberal media does affect politics. If this happened on the Right, they would have to deal with the issue and get knocked off track for weeks, maybe months.

Mary said...

Right again, Game.

The lib media don't want to touch this. Not only does this story show the Dems' "REPUBLICAN Culture of Corruption" line to be utterly hypocritical, but it dredges up Chappaquiddick, and rightly so.

Late last night (actually early morning, the hours when Kennedy the Younger goes to vote), I saw that the Huffington Post didn't even mention the story. There wasn't one word about it on the main page.

Compare that with Drudge. Granted, he'll highlight trouble for Dems, but he doesn't avoid Republican difficulties.

The Left would be far better off if it acknowledged the story and dealt with it in a straightforward manner.