Clinton co-chair raises Barack Obama drug use

For the second time in less than a month a Clinton campaign official has warned of unsavory information in the background of their chief opponent, Barack Obama.

Billy Shaheen, co-chair of Hillary Clinton's campaign in New Hampshire, suggested to a Washington Post reporter that Republicans would "jump on" Obama's open admission in his book, "Dreams from My Father," 11 years ago that he used cocaine and marijuana during high school and college.

"There are so many openings for Republican dirty tricks. It's hard to overcome," Shaheen said. Of course, by bringing up the subject and pre-emptively blaming Republicans, Shaheen can try to appear as if he's looking out for the party's chances in a general election and not really threatening use of those admissions by his own candidate and fellow Democrat.

An Obama spokesman said the Clintons were "recycling old news" and that Obama had "talked about the lessons he's learned from these mistakes with young people all across the country."

Back in mid-November columnist Robert Novak wrote that two unidentified senior Clinton campaign officials told him the New York senator had scandalous information on Obama but was not going to use it for the moment. The report created quite a weekend stir then because the Clinton machine has a reputation for playing such political hardball.

At that time Obama himself issued a statement warning against such tactics and said they would not deter his efforts to combat old-style Washington politics. The Clinton campaign denied any knowledge of the threats.

Today, Clinton spokesman Phil Singer said "the (Shaheen) comments were not authorized or condoned by the campaign in any way." Late today Shaheen agreed and said he regretted making them. Recently, two Clinton staffers in Iowa were dismissed when word emerged they were forwarding e-mails raising questions about Obama being a Muslim.

Are these mounting signs of desperation in the Clinton camp as it witnesses its once-substantial poll leads -- and alleged inevitability -- wane? The latest political pushing also came on a day when a new CNN/WMUR poll showed a statistical dead-heat in New Hampshire with Clinton, who once held a large lead, at 31% and Obama at 30%.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[jim sparks]

A nice ploy, call something into question because "the enemy" will do it eventually. Then, say that you didn't really mean anything bad by it. Of course, the Clinton camp says it is "non authorized".

One must remind Ms. Clinton's campaign staff that mud flies in both directions, and Ms. Clinton and her husband will become targets - but only because the Republicans will do it eventually.

[CheeseNews]

So puffing and snorting illegal drugs is not a good way to become the President of United States? Do you know how many drug users are going to use illegal drugs when they get his news?

[tatjana]

I am so sick of this popularity contest which is called the primaries. It does not matter anymore who would be the better president - what matters is who is cleaner, which is also another term for lack of personality. The party is also not anymore interested in offering a good candidate - but a candidate people will vote for. Its really not weird the USA has come this far.

[An Angeleno]

What is amazing is that after all of the mistakes and scandals the Republicans have made, the Democratic Party candidates seem as sketchy and as vunerable as ever. Are Hillary and Barak really that best the Dems have to offer?

I have voted Republican in all recent elections, but am truly fed up with my party. Unfortunately for Barak, I am not ready to vote for a basehead, nor will I vote for the completely unpalatable Hillary. I would vote for Al Gore. Why? Because he is the only one with his priorities straight: climate change. We need a leader who can get world leaders behind this issue. His party needs to convince him to run... for all of us.

[anna]

Obama supporters can argue all they want, but I am yet to hear about a president who was a pothead and who snorted cocainie not out of curiosity but out of compulsion. on top of it he almost talkes infront of kids as if its not a big deal and its OK. I dont care republicans attacking him, I am now concerned if he would have right judgements of whats allowable in public discourse infront of young kids. for some reason, his core values seem to be lacking. I will have to put him second now and promote Edwards.

[Glass Houses]

Typical Clinton. Get some hack to send up a trial balloon and when it comes crashing down, let the guy burn and get him to apologize. The old cliche holds. "People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones".

Obama's been honest about his youthful mistakes and millions of us respect him for us. If Bill Clinton's such an economic genius then why did he spend good money for "weed" and not inhale. Close, but no cigar!

Queen Hillary's got enough negative baggage to keep a Sky Cap busy for a year. I'd suggest she clearly talk about her platform, proposals and stop the "lawyerese", triangulating and listening to Mark Penn on polls. There's another prize. Penn's firm had Blackwater as a client.

The Democratic Party has the best chance in generations to change the direction of this country with a field of fine candidates save one. A Clinton nomination will not only put the GOP in the White House for another four years but likely give them the Congress as well. Which part of "tell the truth" didn't you get, Hillary?

[b59]

Obama tried to defuse this himself when he told high school kids about it in NH-That was Axelrod's strategy to make it a non-issue. No way can it be- All of his supporters (including most of the pundits) make it sound like he was just smoking a little pot (they also have to constantly remind everyone about Bill Clinton's "I didn't inhale" comment" (I happen to know some from the 60's-non-smokers -who couldn't inhale-so it's not that unbelievable.) We're talking blow the street word Obama used for cocaine. Hey- if his greatest international experience is from living overseas as an elementary student--and he says that counts big time- why shouldn't his use of coke as a much older person count too?

[Katrina]

Dumb move.
Hillary Clinton has proven she'll do anything to win, including shooting herself in the foot with African American voters. If anyones core values are lacking it would be Hillary (and Bill). Just during this campaign, she has shown repeatedly that she lacks good judgement, surrounds herself with people who cannot be trusted (ex. Hsu) and will stoop to the lowest level to win.
Her latest attack will not resonate in the African American community. In fact, I believe her solid base of black female support is going to dissipate very soon.

[Nii Teiko]

Come on America!! Bill Clinton said he smoked marijuana, but did not inhale, Oh and then he did not have sexual relations with that girl. Likely story!!! I will vote Obama any day if I were American. He has the guts to face up to the truth and the consequences of it. He is what America needs, an honest leader!!!

[Jeff]

So it has it come to this; a year before the election and Bill Shaheen, co-chairman of Hillary's campaign, has reached into a bucket of political hash and sop and begun gutter-fighting by brining up Obama's admission of past drug use as reason to question the varsity of the man's ability to serve. I mean - really!

This nothig short of a desperate character panic reaction I would find in those incredibly tragic "swift-boating" days of Kerry.

I expect this of a Giuliani campaign, somewhat suprised if it came from a Romney team member, but from a leading Democratic challenger?

I am a devoted (and I mean "devoted") democrat and as yet I have no idea of whom I will support in the coming election; I weigh all my liberal options. But it's time to not measure only the candidate themselves, but also those they choose to advise them, guide them. Sheehan makes her campaign sound desperate, negative and mean-spirited, and ultimately sad and perhaps even....dangerous.

I am reminded of the witness at the McCarthy hearings back in the early fifties stopped McCarthy's right in his smarmy tracks by asking McCarthy: "sir, have you no shame at last?"

That's a question that should best be asked of Shaheen

[Douglas]

The drug smear won't work for the Clinton Machine.

Why?

It's been tried and has failed for several election cycle (on both sides of the aisle and [most notably] with our current President).

Why?

It's a two-way street. And both parties - and, most often, both candidates - will have to concede youthful indiscretions of one variety or another.

So, how is it perceived?

The poll numbers seem to reflect a stark shift in voter perspectives on negative campaigning of the variety practiced by the Clinton camp. Perhaps - just perhaps - this latest foray into the dark and vacuous domain of power-at-any-price politics will signal the death knell of a tactic that quite simply no longer has a legitimate place in the process. That's because too much is at stake to allow our darker impulses to dictate the outcomes of this election cycle.

Indeed, even the "I'll not mention my opponent's ______" or "I apologize for having associated the opposition with the Dark One" technique - a dirty tactic of the Ancient Greeks - seems to be a complete flop this time around.

Thank God!

[Robert]

This is how the Clintons get the message to their underlings without having a personal tag on it.
This message will be repeated in all the living rooms that the party faithful converge before delegation time.
"Not authorized" Baloney! This campaign staff is orchestrated down to the potty times.

[Robert Humphries]

Perhaps Mrs. Clinton's aide has forgotten that former Presiden Clinton
admitted to drug use also. I guess Obama should have claimed he
"did not inhale"

[Art in San Francisco]

The quote that was made was that “The Republicans are not going to give up without a fight … and one of the things they’re certainly going to jump on is his drug use".

You know that statement is true. If Obama can’t handle that statement coming from a Democrat, how is he going to handle it when coming from the Republicans - WHICH IT WILL!!!!!

[Elizabeth]

These type of attacks are just more examples of how Hillary really is. Not what she says America should be like, but what she will turn America into, a brutal rat race for the top.

[rob]

There is a lot more waiting to come out besides the drug thing. Shaheen mentioned that in his statement about the voters "not knowing Obama very well". Both of his parents had psychological problems, his biological father was a full blown nut case, and he had to be substantially raised by his (white) grandparents.

[Joseph]

I think a Paul vs. Obama campaign would be very focused on issues and avoid character assassinations.

Paul has never resorted to such tactics, and it would be fruitless for Obama to try it against Paul's record of integrity. Just go to Youtube and listen to Paul's radio ads. There is no name-calling or ad hominem attacks.

Paul can tap 4,000 mothers whose children he delivered as character references if Obama tried any mudslinging. Paul's rebuttal to negative campaigning could be a cohort of African American mothers he served in his career as an OB-GYN who can attest to his character.

In light of Paul's stance questioning the efficacy of the war on drugs, Paul is not likely to make a big stink out of past drug use. As a medical doctor he probably knows questions to ask that would reveal addiction damage. For example, a question addressing several points would reveal memory impairment, if any. We the People can assess mental adequacy based on debate responses alone and ignore drug history 20 years ago.

I would rather see brain scans required of all candidates to assure mental health than pester a candidate about past usage.

The campaign between these two gentlemen, itself, could go a long way to unifying the country.

Further unification would occur if the winner invites the loser into his cabinet just as Lincoln assembled his cabinet.

Obama could serve as Secretary of State in a Paul cabinet, and display his unification skills as he repairs America's damaged international relations. His service in a Paul administration would groom him as a successor to Paul in subsequent presidential elections.

In reverse, Paul could serve as Treasury Secretary in an Obama cabinet to reform the Federal Reserves's roll in our economy. His economic expertise would be just what the doctor ordered to improve the future solvency of the nation.

I just see a Paul vs Obama contest as a win-win situation for America. Our history of racial division could be behind us and our future prosperity could be improved regardless of who the victor is.

Come on, We the People, let's not allow such a golden opportunity to escape U.S.

It would be sad, so sad if we did.

[Kiku]

Thank you, Andrew for posting these and other articles that call out the dirty politics at play.

Since Obama has won, I would love to see an article that discusses the influence the internet has had on the campaign. What was said, what was the reaction on the internet, did the candidate respond and change tactics, did the votes read the internet?

I've watched this since October, and have seen a huge impact on the campaigns as Hillary tries to backpedal from underhanded tactics. I don't think she would be held to task, or that people would know what she does to the extent that they do if not for the internet.

What surprises me is that she keeps using the tactics. The worst, for me, was with Shaheen. Hillary apologized, Shaheen was fired, and Mark Penn was talking about it the very evening on the news. Her apology was a total ruse. Does she not understand that her campaign is a reflection of her character? Does she think people can be so easily deceived? Or, maybe she isn't as good at lying as Bill was, so she doesn't understand why his techniques don't work for her.

The internet has given us bigger eyes, a collective intellect, and a longer memory. It is interesting to watch the impact on the campaigns.

(Glad to be at least one of your internet choices. Thanks for reading.)