William J. Bennett has been one of the most influential men in America for the last 30 years. Few citizens, if any, have had such influence on the culture, politics, ethics, and education of our nation. Yet, as a gambler, he bet it all.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1943, as a boy he moved with his parents to Washington D.C. A devout Catholic, Bill attended Gonzaga High School and graduated with a B.A. Degree in Philosophy from Williams College. He went on to earn a PhD in Political Philosophy from the University of Texas and a Law Degree from Harvard.
Bennett's conservative character values were the object of a practical joke played on him by his buddies while he was attending the University of Texas. His friends arranged a blind date for Mr. Straight, with counterculture rocker Janis Joplin. Years later, People magazine called it "one of the least likely blind dates of all time."
In 1976, Bennett became the Executive Director of the Humanities Center, a private research facility in North Carolina. In this position his strong, well articulated conservative values first attracted attention. It was good timing; the country was moving right.
The Democrats lost their bid to re-elect President Jimmie Carter to a second term. In what was called a "Republican Revolution", the country embraced conservatism. The new President, Ronald Reagan, appointed William Bennett to head the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1981. Four years later, Reagan promoted him to Secretary of Education.
As Secretary of Education, William Bennett promoted new changes and philosophies that have become fundamental principals for conservatives and the Republican Party. He spearheaded the demand to test teacher competency, hold educators accountable for students' learning, permit parental choice of schools, and a commitment to the philosophy that "No child will be left behind".
By the end of Reagan's second term, Bill Bennett was a national figure. He was among the most articulate spokesmen and defenders of conservative issues. The next President, George H. Bush, gave Bennett a new mission - he would head the "War on Drugs". The Senate confirmed his appointment in a 97 to 2 vote.
During his tenure as America's Drug Czar, Bill Bennett went beyond political conservative issues to become the country's leading moralist. Dr. Do- Right has authored more than a dozen books including The Book of Virtues and The Children's Book of Virtues, both were best sellers.
For the last several years William Bennett has served as host to "Morning in America", a conservative talk show. Among the top shows in the country, Bennett is heard weekdays in 135 cities by more than 2 million listeners! He was named "Best Communicator of 2002" on the issues of "pride, patriotism, faith, and moral conviction".
According to Bill Bennett, the right path is the conservative, moral direction. But to follow that path, he emphasizes throughout his books and speaking engagements, requires self-discipline and self-restraint.
Then, in May, 2003, Newsweek Magazine and the Washington Monthly exposed America's "Moral Compass". Based on more than 40 pages of casino documents, Bennett was shown to have lost over $8 million dollars in ten years playing high limit slot and video poker machines in Atlantic City and Las Vegas.
Suddenly, the Emperor of Virtue had no clothes. The man who created the get-tough on drug users policy was shown to have his own demon addiction - gambling. A "preferred customer" Bennett didn't need cash. He had a quarter-million credit line at several casinos and often played for two or three days at a visit.
Bill liked to sequester himself in the exclusive high limit slot area and play the $500 machines usually between midnight and 6am when there were few witnesses. A leader in the effort to impeach President Clinton for his lack of self-control, Bennett lost $340,000 in one day at Caesar's Boardwalk Regency in Atlantic City. During one two-month period, Bennett wired more than $1.4 million to casinos to cover his losses. Just three weeks before his gambling problem was made public, he lost more than $500,000 at the Bellagio in Las Vegas.
All evidence and experts to the contrary, William Bennett says, "Over ten years, I'd say I've come out pretty close to even." He also insists he has no gambling problem. "I play fairly high stakes. I adhere to the law. I don't play the 'milk money'. I don't put my family at risk, and I don't owe anything", he says.
Although the Manof- Virtue considered it "just relaxation", public shock and dismay over what many saw as high limit hypocrisy, Bennett was forced to publicly renounce his hobby.
After first pointing out that he'd done nothing illegal, Bennett admitted, "I have done too much gambling, and this is not an example I wish to set. Therefore, my gambling days are over." Don't bet on it.
Bennett considers himself a good poker player. He was part of a regular low limit game that included Chief Justice Rehnquist, Supreme Court Judge Antonin Scalia, and attorney Robert Bork. Recently asked by a reporter whether he would run for President in 2008, Bennett replied that he might enter the World Series of Poker instead.
