Earlier this year, during the height of the Democratic presidential primary, one of Hillary's top campaign officials -- Bill Shaheen -- mentioned that he was worried that in the general election, he feared that Republicans would take Barack Obama's admission of youthful drug use and accuse him of having also dealt drugs.
That little incident -- which I characterized as an example of Hillary playing "kamikaze politics" -- cost him his job, and I speculated that it would have even more repercussions.
You see, Bill is married to Jeanne Shaheen, former New Hampshire governor and failed US Senate candidate. And she's running again this year, against the guy who barely beat her in 2002 -- John E. Sununu.
And I wondered just how much support she could count on from Obama, should he win the nomination.
Well, I guess Obama's willing to overlook Bill's little stunt. (typical Democratic ploy -- throw your own dirt at a fellow Democrat, then laying the blame on Republicans, who most often had nothing to do with it; it's what Bob Beckel tried a few weeks ago, when he first pushed the "Michelle Obama - whitey tape," then blamed right-wing "crackers" for doing what he did.) He's sending his wife to campaign with Jeanne Shaheen.
I had the chance to talk to Bill Shaheen on a local radio station yesterday, and asked him about it in a two-part question -- "do you still think the Republicans will try saying that, and do you think that your having said that will hurt your wife's chances of getting any support from the Obama campaign?" He repeated his assertion, that he fully expected the Republicans to do it, and ignored the latter half.
I guess I have my answer now. But it's worth remembering that the very first person to breach the subject was Bill Shaheen, a former leader of Hillary Clinton's campaign -- and he, from the outset, couched the attack in terms of "you can expect Republicans to say this."
Because you know that the instant some fringe right-winger says it, the outrage from Democrats will be tremendous -- and far greater than any sort of wrath expressed at Bill Shaheen.
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2008 Presidential Race
Comments (12)
I guess it is true the Obam... (Below threshold)1. Posted by WildWillie | June 25, 2008 11:57 AM | Score: 0 (4 votes cast)
I guess it is true the Obama dealt drugs including use of cocaine. ww
1. Posted by WildWillie | June 25, 2008 11:57 AM |
Score: 0 (4 votes cast)
Posted on June 25, 2008 11:57
2. Posted by hyperbolist | June 25, 2008 1:19 PM | Score: -9 (11 votes cast)
Huh? Dubya didn't dabble? Who gives a shit? What decade did you grow up in, Willie? And why were you such a square?
2. Posted by hyperbolist | June 25, 2008 1:19 PM |
Score: -9 (11 votes cast)
Posted on June 25, 2008 13:19
3. Posted by WildWillie | June 25, 2008 2:19 PM | Score: 6 (8 votes cast)
Liberals know nothing of growing up Hyper. You are shooting blanks buddy. Worship at the feet of your Obamasiah. So, in your world cocaine use is good. Or do you think you can follow the point of the post? Nah! I don't think you can. ww
3. Posted by WildWillie | June 25, 2008 2:19 PM |
Score: 6 (8 votes cast)
Posted on June 25, 2008 14:19
4. Posted by epador | June 25, 2008 2:28 PM | Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Sproing!!!! Sproing!!!
WW caught HB in WW's trap.
Ouch.
4. Posted by epador | June 25, 2008 2:28 PM |
Score: 5 (5 votes cast)
Posted on June 25, 2008 14:28
5. Posted by hyperbolist | June 25, 2008 3:24 PM | Score: -4 (6 votes cast)
What the hell are you talking about? Maybe I misunderstood because of his awful grammar, but was he not implying that anyone who admits to having done cocaine is thereby a dealer of cocaine? That's just dumb.
In *my* world, lots of people do dangerous things for fun when they're young, and most don't do them anymore when they're older. The current President included, and likely any future ones too. Does that bother you?
5. Posted by hyperbolist | June 25, 2008 3:24 PM |
Score: -4 (6 votes cast)
Posted on June 25, 2008 15:24
6. Posted by WildWillie | June 25, 2008 3:45 PM | Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
Again you missed the point of the post Hyper. Read the first paragraph of the post. It is not I that is implying Obama dealing drugs. Sheesh! Liberals; Can't live with them, pass the beer nuts. ww
6. Posted by WildWillie | June 25, 2008 3:45 PM |
Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
Posted on June 25, 2008 15:45
7. Posted by hyperbolist | June 25, 2008 3:59 PM | Score: -2 (4 votes cast)
Oh for the love of...
I get it now. Okay. I'm short of sleep, cranky (5,000 pages of tables, 2,000 errors, and none of our useless programmers want to take ownership while I get to explain to a client why their data is late), and have come across as big an a-hole as this Shaheen guy. Jeez, I sure could go for some cocaine right about now--just to keep me going until the meth kicks in, anyway.
7. Posted by hyperbolist | June 25, 2008 3:59 PM |
Score: -2 (4 votes cast)
Posted on June 25, 2008 15:59
8. Posted by WildWillie | June 25, 2008 4:49 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
IF that was an apology I not only accept it, but understand. Been there done that. ww
8. Posted by WildWillie | June 25, 2008 4:49 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 25, 2008 16:49
9. Posted by No One of Consequence | June 25, 2008 5:23 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Oh, I think not
QED
(Sorry, couldn't resist....)
9. Posted by No One of Consequence | June 25, 2008 5:23 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on June 25, 2008 17:23
10. Posted by hyperbolit | June 25, 2008 5:41 PM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
It was. Sorry Willie.
10. Posted by hyperbolit | June 25, 2008 5:41 PM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on June 25, 2008 17:41
11. Posted by WildWillie | June 25, 2008 6:18 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Not a problem at all. Get some rest to fight another day. ;) ww
11. Posted by WildWillie | June 25, 2008 6:18 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 25, 2008 18:18
12. Posted by OregonMuse | June 26, 2008 9:22 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Best example of stepping on a rake I've seen in quite a while.
12. Posted by OregonMuse | June 26, 2008 9:22 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on June 26, 2008 09:22