George H.W. Bush and his baggie of crack

President George H.W. Bush addressing the nation on Sept. 5, 1989. The president illustrated the threat of drugs by holding up a baggie of crack he said had been seized across the street from the White House. Courtesy: George Bush Presidential Library and Museum

It was the perfect political prop: drugs seized by government agents right across the street from the White House, just in time for a big presidential address. The reality was more complicated.

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