HIDDEN DEMOCRATIC MISCREANTS

Al Gore III has been in and out of trouble since at least 1996, when
he was suspended from an elite prep school for smoking marijuana in
the cafeteria.

In 2000 ... he was cited for driving 97 miles an hour in a 55 zone.
Gore plea-bargained his reckless driving charge down to speeding and
paid a $125 fine.

Two years later, he was arrested for driving under the influence and
four other offenses. He was fined $500 for DUI and ordered into
counseling. The other charges were dropped.

In December, when Gore was stopped for driving without headlights, an
officer smelled and found marijuana in his car. Under terms of this
plea bargain, charges will be dropped if he stays out of trouble for a
year and gets counseling.

A court official denied that Gore was given special treatment, saying
that is standard procedure. If so, procedure should change. ...

There has been little media coverage of young Gore's indiscretions.
Likewise, the mainstream U.S. media pretty much ignored pictures of
Chelsea Clinton's drunken stupor outside a London night club.

Yet, there was extensive, front-page coverage of alcohol-related
incidents involving President Bush's girls and the drug problems of
Gov. Jeb Bush's daughter. What standard of objectivity requires
protecting the privacy of prominent Democratic politicians' children
but not those of Republicans?

When miscreants are "protected" from the consequences, they feel less
urgency to act responsibly.

When that happens, everyone loses - Democrats and Republicans
alike.

The Florida Times-Union, Jacksonville.