Jonah Goldberg illustrates how far we've come on issues of morality and ethics.

Hypocrisy is often a bad thing, but not always. Certainly saying the right thing while privately doing the wrong thing is still better than both saying and doing the wrong thing. Surely we would think less of a thief who tells his children it's OK to steal than one who, wanting a better life for his kids, tells them to follow the straight and narrow. Surely gluttons shouldn't encourage overeating.

So let's get this straight: Rush Limbaugh was right when he told people addiction is bad and so is buying drugs illegally. He was wrong when he got addicted and started buying illegal drugs. His mistake was the drugs, not the hypocrisy.

To argue that every conservative must be perfect before he or she can offer an opinion is to say that conservatives can never offer their opinions. No conservative I know said conservatives are perfect.

I rather suspect that every liberal who advocates increased taxes is like Al Gore taking advantage of every conceivable dodge to minimize their taxes. Does this mean that they're hypocrites or that increased taxes are unwise? Maybe they are, but not for that reason. Just so, the idea that Rush Limbaugh's statements against drug addiction are unwise or fatuous because of his failings are equally inane.