Thompson inadvertently exposes the truth

"Republican presidential candidate Fred D. Thompson said yesterday that he wishes [Philip J. Martin,] one of his key fundraisers had told him earlier about past drug trafficking and bookmaking arrests because, even though they occurred more than two decades ago, 'nothing is ever over and done with and forgotten about in this business'... 'I know him to be a good man. I know him to be a man who has rehabilitated himself and has led a productive life,' Thompson" told Fox 'News'."

WaPo article

For those who don't know the story, Martin pleaded guilty to selling 11 pounds of marijuana in 1979, received probation, and then in 1983 was charged with violating probation and with multiple counts of felony bookmaking, cocaine trafficking and conspiracy. He pleaded no contest to the cocaine-trafficking and conspiracy charges, which stemmed from a plan to sell $30,000 worth of the drug, and was continued on probation. This guy clearly had a fairly large-scale drug dealing business. But he had the good fortune to get caught at a time when there were no mandatory minimum sentences.

At first I didn't know what to make of this article. Thompson's statements smelled of typical Republican dissembling as he tried to distance himself from the drugs by claiming ignorance - but on the other hand, he chose not to distance himself from the man. In fact, he defended him:

Thompson was also asked about the matter on "Meet the Press." He told moderator Tim Russert that his friend has "paid his debt to society and turned himself around and become a good, productive, successful citizen."

That said, he added: "I'm going to have to take a look at it. I'm going to have to talk to Phil and make sure I understand the nature of the situation and figure out what the right thing is. I'm not going to throw my friend under the bus for something he did 25 years ago if he's okay now. On the other hand, I'm running for president; I've got, you know, to do the right thing."

From a tough-on-crime Republican, this is of course ludicrous, and it's hypocrisy of the highest order. But what if it's the truth? What if Mr. Martin really did pay his debt to society (for 11 pounds of marijuana, a probation violation, and cocaine trafficking) through a few years of probation? What if he really did rehabilitate himself?

Perhaps, if that's the case, mandatory minimum sentences are unwarranted. Perhaps jailing people on nonviolent drug charges is actually counterproductive. Perhaps the best opportunity for rehabilitation of drug offenders is not prison at all. And if one can recover through probation from selling 11 pounds of marijuana and become a fundraiser for a major Presidential campaign, perhaps one can recover from smoking a few ounces of it too.

Fred Thompson, scumball though he may be, made the right choice by not throwing his friend under the bus. He spoke the truth about drug policy today, even if he did try to cover his arse by pretending not to know about his friend's history. And if we force him to own those words and admit the implications of what he said, we have the opportunity to forever change the national dialogue regarding the drug war. If Fred Thompson the tough-guy Republican thinks big-time drug dealers can be rehabilitated through probation, then our candidates of liberalism and compassion can take that same stand regarding medical marijuana patients and small-time stoners. Right?