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."

[theDentist]

That’s for sure. All reporters have been told they must submit questions in writing ahead of time, and if anyone strays off the approved questions, the interview is ended.

[DejaJude]

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

Why would the Republicans bother since the Democrats are doing it for them?

[RayChuang88]

I think Senator Clinton better be REALLY careful talking about illicit drug use during the 1960's because if you've read Michael Medved's autobiography, Medved knew the current Senator fairly well back then and he could probably say that she may have actually tried illicit drugs herself (Yale University back then had a explosion of illicit drug use).

[river rat]

I think the public will be far more interested in where Hillary has had HER nose......and tongue.....

[Yaelle]

I seriously hope that in the general, we (Repubs) do NOT go against anyone on drug experimentation. Just fuhgeddaboudit. Who cares?

[BlueNgold]

I love the fact that they make an outright attack and, being the Clinton slime that they are, blame it on Republicans who have yet to mention the issue.

[Tallguy]

OK. Explain this to me like I’m a 5-year old. Since when is illegal drug use an issue WITHIN the Democrat Party? Sheesh! Don’t think she’s going to score points with this approach.

She needs to prove that Obama is a lousy landlord who thows children into the snow, or forecloses on mortgages to elderly retirees in Arkansas (Whitewater). Democrats can understand that. Philadering & drug use? That just won’t work.

The more Hillary strains to hurt Obama the more she looks Nixonian (pardon the reference) to the Democrat electorate. Even if she knocks Obama down a peg or 2 in the polls, those voters won’t go to her side. Probably they’ll go to Edwards.

[Tenniel2]

Not to mention "There is no evidence of that" -- the excuse that epitomizes the Clinton Crime Family's utter contempt for both ethics and the law.

Hanging's too good for them.

[taxesareforever]

Gotta love this. The guy tromps on Obama by using questions that he says that the Republicans would raise. So he’s not trashing Obama, he’s just recycling.

[libstripper]

This kind of smear attack on the first viable black candidate for president is not going to do the Witch any good with blacks.

[LibLieSlayer]

The top two dims running... a crack head and a crack whore.

LLS

[Centurion2000]

“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.”

That would actually score a lot of points for him.

[Fred]

'Obama, surrender to the dark side'



Surprise, surprise, surprise.

[gondramB]

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

Gosh, whoever would bring up a thing like that?
{insert telegraphing your punches joke here}

[Miss Didi]

RUSH: Now, here's the dirty little secret, folks. Now, I want you Democrats to listen to this, because whether you will admit it to yourselves or not after you hear me say it, you know it's true. "Bill Clinton to Aid Hillary's Campaign." He has been working on Hillary's campaign. I think he's one of the reasons it's in trouble! All of this conventional wisdom that people are voting for because they really want him, this is just Drive-By Media pap, folks. It is the Drive-By Media that's enamored with this couple. A majority of the American people are not, and never have been. Bill Clinton has been working on this campaign, and what's happened to it since he started? It's imploding. He hasn't helped; he never helps. You couldn't save Gray Davis.

The guy has a track record. He went out and he endorsed a Democrat candidate for governor of Hawaii, and a Republican won: Linda Lingle, a female. I have explained this many times before. He is not a big vote-getter. He never has been, not on the national scene. He couldn't win majorities in his own presidential races, and he wouldn't have been president the first time if it weren't for Ross Perot. He couldn't save Gray Davis. He and she, both Clintons, lost Congress in 1994! This is always a complete myth, that the Clintons are a juggernaut, that the country loves them; the country can't wait to have them back, and that Bill Clinton can ride in at the last moment and save the day. When he rides in, he ends up hurting the people that he's trying to help. Look, she's a loser. She had to move to one of the bluest of blue states to win office in the United States Senate. She knew she had no chance in Arkansas, and that's a marginal state for Democrats. They've known her for years there. So the idea that Bill or Hillary Clinton are these popular politicians who win huge elections has always been a myth. It has always been a lie. When I saw this headline today: "Bill Clinton to Aid Hillary's Campaign," I asked: what's he been doing? He's been on this campaign. He's been public, and he's been making statements, and some of them have been impolitic. Some of them have been stupid, some of them he's continued his tradition for lying. He has already been involved in this campaign, and you can see what happened to it from the moment he got involved.



Trouble Time in Clinton City

[rocksblues]

I love it BJC lied and said he never inhaled. BHO told the truth and HRC thinks this will destroy his candidacy.

Memo to self stock up on Orville Reddenbacker.

[supremedoctrine]

This headline “kind of” suggests that it would be Hillary’s campaign that would make an issue of it, then you read on and you see the claim that it’s the REPUBLICANS
who are going to do it, THEN you think about it for second and you see the Hillary campaign has ALREADY done it. And served the altruistic and selfless purpose of thwarting the Republican’s efforts to damage a (black) Dem candidate. There are no depths they won’t sink to.

[RoseofTexas]

Holy SMOKES! Run for the hills OSAMA!...oops, pardon me, OBAMA and watch your back!

[Cobra64]

(thinking..."Just one more hit, before I run for Presdent."

[stevem]

First of all, I doubt seriously Hussein will get the nomination. I think even Democrats realize someone with Hussein as a middle name will have difficulty getting elected.

Otherwise, drug use is a resume enhancement for the Democrat ticket.

Seriously, folks, if the Republicans don't pick a conservative with real credentials, we all need to practice saying, Madam President.

If the Republicans pick someone with conservative credentials, he will overwhelm hillary like a tsunami.