Clinton N.H. Official Warns Obama Will Be Attacked on Drug Use

blog.washingtonpost.com ^ | Dec 12, 2007 | Alec MacGillis

[MaestroLC]

DOVER, N.H. -- Billy Shaheen, the co-chairman of Hillary Clinton's campaign in New Hampshire, raised the issue of Sen. Barack Obama's past admissions of drug use in discussing the relative electability of the Democrats seeking the presidential nomination today.

*snip*

Shaheen, a lawyer and influential state power broker, mentioned as an example Obama's use of cocaine and marijuana as a young man, which Obama has been open about in his memoir and on the trail.

"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," said Shaheen, the husband of former N.H. governor Jeanne Shaheen, who is planning to run for the Senate next year. Billy Shaheen contrasted Obama's openness about his past drug use -- which Obama mentioned again at a recent campaign appearance in New Hampshire -- with the approach taken by George W. Bush in 1999 and 2000, when he ruled out questions about his behavior when he was "young and irresponsible."

Shaheen said Obama's candor on the subject would "open the door" to further questions. "It'll be, 'When was the last time? Did you ever give drugs to anyone? Did you sell them to anyone?'" Shaheen said. "There are so many openings for Republican dirty tricks. It's hard to overcome."

[MaestroLC]

The Hildebeast claws and horns starting to show....

[Holicheese]

I am sure that Hillary never inhaled either!

[Cicero]

Yes, those nasty Republicans, using Hildabeast’s spokesman to mouth these dirty accusations! Shame on them!

[KarlInOhio]

I really want neither to get a majority coming out of the primaries so they fight for eight more months through the convention.

[basil]

I have always just assumed the Hitlery did drugs while in school. I have no proof of this, of course, but that was not out of the norm for kids in college at the time she was.

So what if she did? I'm sure Obama was not the only one among his peers on drugs.

[Bahbah]

"There are so many openings for Republican dirty tricks. It's hard to overcome."

LOL. He reveals what the Clinton camp is going to do and blames it on Republicans.

[Diogenesis]

Wow. Hillary is, again, as pure as the freshly fallen snow.

[theDentist]

I don’t think anyone has ever asked Hillary about whether she used drugs... ???

[weegee]

Her own husband has used both substances if Bill and his brother’s admissions are to be believed.

[Westlander]

Token’ on a joint and rape are two entirely different matters, Ms. Hildabeast.

[SampleMan]

I thought the DNC required drug use?

Honestly, Obama should look into the camera and say, “In response to the Clintons (”s” for emphasis) attack that I used drugs, I will say unequivocally and without a slimey dodge that I inhaled.”

[PLMerite]

“I am sure that Hillary never inhaled either!”

I think the question with her is whether it smelled of tuna...

Sorry.

[Dixie Yooper]

I am sure that Hillary never inhaled either

That's about the only thing I would ever take her word on.

[slapshot]

Would love to see osamaobamalamadingdong call hillarita out on her lesbian proclivities. I love a good catfight

[Boanarges]

Obama has already stated....”he sniffed cocaine but never snorted it!”

[weegee]

Shaheen said Obama's candor on the subject would "open the door" to further questions. "It'll be, 'When was the last time? Did you ever give drugs to anyone? Did you sell them to anyone?'

No one asks Sen. Robert Byrd (D) when the last time was he used the N-word (last week, last month, last year, last century...) and no one asks him about his job as a klan recruiter (how many guys did you enlist? did any of them later get prosecuted for criminal acts as a klan member...).

[weegee]

The Clinton White House suspended background checks because their staffers weren’t going to pass.

[Beckwith]

Obama said he "experimented with drugs."

It was a 6 year experiment.

The Obama File

[untrained skeptic]

Shaheen, a lawyer and influential state power broker, mentioned as an example Obama's use of cocaine and marijuana as a young man, which Obama has been open about in his memoir and on the trail.

Does anyone expect Democrats to care? Young men (and women) often do stupid things, but grow up and learn from their mistakes.

Obama has at least shown considerable more honesty and credibility on the topic than the Clintons.

I suspect the more she brings up this subject, the more it will hurt her.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

Oh man, this is going to blow up in Hitlery’s hideous face. Or at least it should . . . who knows if Obama has the pills to hit back?