WHITE HOUSE DRUGS

Revelations from the Clinton White House had started to lose shock value until the recent announcements regarding drug use by a number of administration staff members.

As Congress continued to sort through the mystery of FBI files that were inappropriately gathered by a White House minion, an oversight committee was startled -- as was much of the American public -- to learn that the Secret Service at one point denied passes to several Clinton aides because they either had used or were using drugs such as cocaine and hallucinogens.

But you know what? The aides got their passes anyway after someone higher up in the White House hierarchy said to go ahead, even though the Secret Service had indisputable information that raised serious questions.

On the one hand, it is a sign of outright arrogance that anyone in the White House would choose to ignore something like hard drug use in deciding who will get in and who will be shut out.

On the other hand, it was a sign of moral deficiency that current, high-ranking White House staff members would now choose to defend the decision to overrule the Secret Service on the passes. Even President Clinton's own press secretary, Mike McCurry, flippantly responded to reporters' questions by casually announcing that he had tried marijuana once upon a time. His message: Hadn't everybody?

The answer to McCurry is simple: No. While casual experimentation with drugs was once a lifestyle choice by far too many Americans, it is regarded in most quarters as dangerous and grounds for serious consideration when taken in the context of employment or high security risk.

As the lax values system in the Clinton White House continues to be exposed, Americans can only wonder what new and distressing information will erupt next at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Perhaps voters will want to consider new occupants come November.