Famous DUI Cases - The latest DUI arrest

The media is fooled when the characterize field tests as "sobriety tests." All the NHTSA standardized field tests are calibrated or validated to show is a given probability that the persons blood alcohol content will be a .08 or higher. The probability ranges from about 77% to about 93% depending on which study you believe.

The media also talks about Brethalyzer tests. I'm not aware of any state that still uses the Breathalyzer. The most common machines in use are the Datamaster, the Intoxilyzer the the Drager.

And lastly, why do we care if a Clinton campaing worker got a DUI? Is that news? Does it affect the issues? The only thing that a DUI arrest proves is that the person was arrested, and that happens thousands of times each day in the country. If Clinton was campaigning on an anti-DUI platform as son many of our local Arizona politicians do, then I could see the irony, but she is not.

If George Bush and Dick Cheney both had DUI convictions and were still elected twice, then surely Clinton's campaign workers arrest is a non event. Or is it? We'll see how long it lasts. (As an aside, I realize that we too are commenting on it, but this is, after all, a DUI blog).

Quoted from http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/politics/2004122677_campdig13.html:

Politics | Senior aide to Clinton charged with DUI | Seattle Times Newspaper

Masella said Blumenthal told him he got lost after leaving a restaurant in Manchester, about 20 miles away, to return to his hotel.

Smelling alcohol, officers administered a field-sobriety test, which Blumenthal failed, they said. He declined to take a Breathalyzer test.

Blumenthal spent about four hours at a police station before being bailed out Monday, Masella said. Blumenthal will be arraigned this month.

A Clinton campaign spokeswoman had no comment.