Damned if You Do...

Damned if you don't.

CHARLES Kennedy put his political life on the line last night, admitting to a serious drink problem and calling an election, in a gamble that could see him sacked as Liberal Democrat leader.

After weeks of damaging speculation about his position, he was forced into an unprecedented public confession after the emergence of hard evidence that he had received medical treatment for alcohol misuse.

The scale of his colleagues' unhappiness with Mr Kennedy also became clear. Some 11 members of his front-bench have signed a letter calling for him to resign, and had planned to present it to him on Monday.

The twin revelations forced the Lib Dem leader into a desperate gamble, when he admitted he had repeatedly lied about his problem.

"Over the past 18 months, I have been coming to terms with, and seeking to cope with, a drink problem," Mr Kennedy said in a statement at his party's London headquarters. "I've sought professional help, and I believe today that this issue is essentially resolved.

"People close to me know that this has been a struggle," he said, insisting he had not had a drink for the past two months.

Within hours, several senior MPs who had been seen as possible challengers praised their leader's bravery and honesty in making his statement and said they would not stand against him.

But for all its dignity, Mr Kennedy's admission exposes him to grave political risk. Until yesterday, he had always denied having a drink problem and disputed suggestions that he'd had to seek medical help as a result. Now, he has admitted lying about his condition and offered opponents several opportunities to attack his character and integrity. {...}

Welcome to the Wide, Wonderful World of Alcoholism, my devoted Cake Eater Readers.

Mr. Kennedy's problems, woeful though they may be, are the same as any other alcoholic's, but with a bigger plot twist. Most alcoholics do try to keep their problem a secret; they try to hide it from the world, but in Mr. Kennedy's case, well, he's a politician: you can't hide things from the world. As a politician, you don't receive any measure of privacy, so people who don't buy your story about not having a drink problem deliberately seek to out you to the world---a world they know won't approve of you and your problem. Then they label you a "liar" because you tried to keep your problem private---because you know the stigma your problem carries---and you think telling the truth isn't an option.

Is the word "Ouroborous" ringing a bell here, kids?

No one can win in such a situation. No one. And we're all the worse for it.

UPDATED: And he quit. Go freakin' figure.

Posted by Kathy at January 6, 2006 09:57 AM | TrackBack