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Mon, 2 Oct 2006 18:04:10 -0400 |
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Dear David,
This is a very good question. I have sporadically been collecting information on cigarette smoking and tobacco-related illnesses among American political elites in the mid-twentieth century. (It's easier to find this material because smoking was then less stigmatized than drinking, and its pretty hard to hide emphysema and lung cancer.) But I don't know of any systematic prosopographical study of drinking patterns in Congress. For what it's worth, books like Caro's multi-volume LBJ bio contain many anecdotes of drinking--what you'd expect in a clubby, homosocial environment.
David T. Courtwright
Email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
________________________________
From: Alcohol and Drugs History Society on behalf of David Fahey
Sent: Mon 10/2/2006 11:15 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: alcoholism in US Congress
Recently several members of the US Congress who have resigned in
disgrace (Foley, Ney, Cunningham) appear to blame alcohol for their
downfall. There is a support group in Congress for acknowledged
alcoholics (most famous participant, Patrick Kennedy). Has there
been any research on alcoholism in the US Congress or in politics in
general, whether American or in other countries, for recent times or
historically? Politicians (and journalists) have a reputation for
heavy drinking, but I don't know whether in fact they are more likely
to be alcoholics than college professors or dentists or auto
mechanics. I define alcoholism as drinking that affects personal or
work life adversely.
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