Obama's teenage drug use in the news

Is the Clinton campaign getting desperate?

Political circles were abuzz yesterday when Bill Shaheen, who chair's the New Hampshire campaign of Sen. Hillary Clinton, suggested that Sen. Barack Obama's admission of using cocaine and marijuana as a teenager will be fodder for Republicans if he wins.

Talk about a damn idiot.

The real deal is that this is a way to toss some mud out, and then quickly retract.

And that's what happened.

The Clinton campaign immediately said that he was not speaking for the campaign and Shaheen has apologized, but he got what he wanted: the chatter about Obama's drug use.

Today, Clinton personally apologized to Obama prior to the Des Moines Register debate.

Question of the Day: Will Obama's admission of drugs as a teenager be used against him if he wins the Democratic nomination?

UPDATE, 5:33 pm EST: Sheehan resigns from the Clinton campaign.

Comments

[rikyrah]

Nope. Shrub Bush was a drunk and dopehead for 20 years...didn't stop him.

[nic]

This is the second time in the last couple month that pundits have forced this "issue" to the top of the national news agendas.
We still don't care...
It's a non-issue. Obama's candid admission of his youthful indiscretions is nothing more than another example of his honesty AND integrity.
And like the last commenter said...after sending a cokehead to the White House, Americans have no business holding past drug use against a Presidential candidate.

[rikyrah]

Mr. Martin,

What the hell good is Clinton's apology, if her right hand man, Penn, brings it up AGAIN on Hardball, the 4pm CST hour?

Doesn't sound like her apology is worth SPIT.

[RealB.G.]

Don't believe the hype. Robert Novack set the stage. Two volunteers resigned for forwarding the fake Muslim e-mails and now this drug story. It wasn't enough to repeat what he said in his book they have to extend the swift boating to dealing. Notice they all resigned. She didn't fire anyone. A real leader would have fired people like Oprah did with her school abuse case. Hillary responds passively. She is not fit to lead.

[Patrick]

In the beginning I had some difficulty choosing between Obama and Hillary; one as a black man and, two, due to my fondness for Bill Clinton. And then that subtle racial remark stumbled through Hillary’s mouth after that first or second debate, when Obama said that he would meet with some world leaders, who have been thorns in the flesh of this country. She described Obama’s plans as “naïve and irresponsible”. Obama is a United States Senator and a fellow democrat; she could have been more diplomatic in her language. If Biden or Dodd had come up with that idea I don’t thing Hillary would have used such language. Now, as a black man with lots of ideas, who has gone on many a job interview or has tried to get promotion in companies, excuses have been made time and time again as to why I was not qualified or why my idea was not right. So, when Hillary made that remark, it struck a chord with me.
Same thing with the drug situation, they are now trying to get white America to think of this young man in the ‘hood selling and smoking drugs; just the same way Senator Bob Corker used racist commercials that featured white women and Congressman Harold Ford having fun, to create fear in the minds of people of Tennessee. Throughout the campaign both men were neck and neck. Bob Corker narrowly beat Harold Ford for the Senatorial race last year.

[Patrick]

Moses killed, Peter lied when he betrayed Christ, Saul turned Paul murdered Christians, Abraham Lied, Jacob was a Deceiver, King David an adulterer and murderer, Solomon an idol worshiper, Barack Obama smoked pot and used drugs. Hillary Clinton – Perfect

It is amazing that people who want to be leaders like Mitt and Hillary didn't understand Obama's point about drug use. If they didn't get this simple point now how can they understand more complicated issues as a president. Again, as Obama said, this time it is about the right judgment.

[Mercedes]

Of course, the Republicans will run away with the story of Obama’s past and no doubt will paint him as Mr. Hussein, the Al Queda operative and cocain-snorker from hell,etc.
However, Obama shouldn’t expect his past not to be scrutinized over and over again because he is articulate, good-looking, and (clean?).
If Obama can’t take the heat like the other candidates, then he shouldn’t be in the race.
This race is not for crybabies!!!

[spider]

I would like to know the last time he did it.

Does anyone remember that Bush's (I didn't vote for him) drinking was an issue. And I would think illegal drugs is a worse issue.