Is the Hillary Campaign's claim that Obama will be attacked on past drug use legit or sleazy?

[jefferson_dem]

Poll question: Is the Hillary Campaign's claim that Obama will be attacked on past drug use legit or sleazy?

For background -- http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3826848&mesg_id=3826848

[cboy4]

1. It's irrelevant. That's all. n/t

[gateley]

4. I disagree. It's irrelevant to US, it wouldn't be irrelevant to a large number of

RWers. I voted "sleazy", because I really don't think a Dem candidate should bring to light potential R fighting points. What if Obama gets the nom and people don't vote for him because of his "drug use"? I hope this dies a quick death and that there is no media flurry as a result of it.

[cboy4]

8. I should have been more clear. I think any prior drug use

is irrelevant, and therefore should not be questioned by another Dem.

Yes, the RWers will go apeshit over this, even though their guy is an alcoholic and a cokehead.

[sandnsea]

17. Oh god they already voted for Bush - TWICE

Get real, this is not an issue and it's just so low. She is also going to lose the entire black vote over it, so there goes SC too. This is what I've been saying about the Clintons all along, they will go to any lengths to skewer a Dem, so where the hell have they been against the Republicans.

[babylonsister]

19. I think it's sleazy because he's admitted it and it's not like he tried to

hide anything. Since they apparently can't find anything else 'wrong' with him, they have to revert back to this.

[gateley]

24. And "throw it out there" and hope the media picks up on it... Disappointing. nt

[Pirate Smile]

26. They are insinuating that he was a dealer.

Politico's headline is "Shaheen: Did Obama sell drugs?" which is truly disgusting but they did it because Sheehan, Clinton's NH Co-Chair said it. I hope this backfires on her big time. Lord knows she deserves it now.

[babylonsister]

30. Wow, that's news to me, and even worse. I too hope

it bites her in the heiny. What happened to elevating their campaign? Guess not...

[emilyg]

27. Bush admitted to past drinking and it's still an issue on DU.

[babylonsister]

28. I think that's because many people think he's lying about having stopped.

Me, I'm not convinced either way. He may have damaged his brain, because something is definitely not right with the guy.

[CyberPieHole]

52. If Obama were to get the nod, the repugs will bring this up and it WILL be an issue...

like it or not, most Americans care about such things. Besides, it's not as if repugs haven't thought about this issue along with a plethora of other issues that would make Obama un-electable come '08.

[LSparkle]

2. It's the equivalent of a whisper campaign or a push poll

But it won't affect Obama's campaign, IMHO.

[mod mom]

3. Personal growth from past mistakes is an important characteristic of a leader.

This is petty and show signs of a campaign(HRC) getting desperate.

I much prefer honesty about past mistakes than lies (as in * having records disappear or Bill Clinton's pathetic "I did not inhale".).

[Perky]

5. Wait for whispers in SC about a white lovechild

Clinton=Atwater

[groovedaddy]

6. What about the gay relationship between Obama & McCain in SC? n/t

[wyldwolf]

14. I know for a fact Obama fathered a black baby... maybe two.

[RDANGELO]

7. It was definately intended for a negative affect on Obama.

[SaveElmer]

9. Let's see...

Someone connected to Obama's campaign says something people think is sleazy...and it is that persons fault...not Obama's...

Someone on Clinton's campaign says something you don't like...and it's Hillary's fault...

And while I wouldn't think it was a really relevant thing to bring up...his point is accurate...as we saw in 1992...

[David Dunham]

12. Obama's prior support for banning handguns is a huge problem for him.

The Republicans will nail him on it.

[jenmito]

29. Not if Rudy's their nominee.

[Mojorabbit]

33. SaveElmer

truly this is beneath contempt. To insinuate he dealt drugs. I cannot comprehend what they are thinking to do this. I can give a pass to a lot of things that are done during campaigns but this is beyond the pale.

[Occam Bandage]

10. Sleazy. The equivalent of Fox News saying, "Some say..."

[JDPriestly]

11. It is legitimate, but then think of all the things Hillary will be attacked for.

The issues Hillary can be attacked on are more numerous than the issues Obama can be attacked on.

[Connie_Corleone]

13. It's sleazy because they're using it as a guise to bring it up.

[Adelante]

15. It's just plain nasty

If Obama hadn't already written about it and talked about it himself, if it were a deep dark secret, if he lied about it - that's something different. But he did publish his own youthful indiscretions, he has talked openly about it, and has not lied to anyone. Which leaves this as one more cheap trick of the politics of personal destruction that we've spent more than a decade decrying on the Clintons' behalf. Last week we had the "Muslim" emails from Clinton's Iowa volunteer coordinators. Then we had Andrew Young telling people Obama was educated at a madrassa, and for some God only knows reason, that Obama was "Chinese." Now we have this guy "uncovering" Obama's early drug use as if the Republicans don't already know about it and it presents some kind of threat to the very fabric of democracy.

Puke.

[BootinUp]

35. Andrew Young

did not say Obama was Chinese. He said he was raised in a Chinese family. ;)

[Adelante]

65. Fair enough, I don't remember that particular detail of a most bizarre endorsement

Andrew Young did tell the AA audience, after presenting a long litany of crimes against MLK, kidnapping, beatings, murder, and so forth, if we let that boy Obama run for president, he will end up like MLK, dead as a doornail. It's up to the black community to protect Obama from a lynching by voting against him in the primary. VOTE FOR HILLARY.

To that effect. :)

[proudmoddemo]

48. Agreed--It's a Pathetic Campaign

Just totally pathetic. The worst campaign since Brock ran against Gore Sr. in 1970...

[TeamJordan23]

16. What is Hillary's drug use? nm

[Forkboy]

49. Power.

[BootinUp]

18. Little Dreamer

Little Dreamer Lyrics
Artist(Band):Van Halen

SShha!
They may talk about you cold when you were
Headed for the skies
But you were young and bold, and baby
Didn't that change with a wink-a your eye

Now no one's talking 'bout those crazy days gone by
No one talks about the times you cried

(Oooh-oooh) Little dreamer
(Oooh-oooh) Little dreamer

And then they went and they voted you
Least likely to succeed
I had to tell them baby you were armed with all you'd need

Seems no one's talking 'bout those crazy days gone past
Weren't they amazed when you were bearded last?

(Oooh-oooh) You are the little dreamer
(Oooh-oooh) You were, the little dreamer. Yeah-yeah!

(Guitar Solo)

Yeah, they talk about you cold when you were
Headed for the skies
But you were young and bold, and baby
Didn't that change with a wink o' your eye

Seems no one's talkin' 'bout the crazy days gone past
Weren't they amazed when you were bearded last?

(Oooh-oooh) You are the little dreamer
(Oooh-oooh) Little dreamer, yeah. Oh-oh
(Oooh-oooh) Yeah. Little dreamer
(Oooh-oooh) Little dreamer

[Forkboy]

20. It sucks, like most of what they do. Ugliest campaign since Kerry Healey's so far.

[Bullet1987]

21. It's sleazy as hell...

[David Dunham]

22. But it's the truth. Obama's VERY vulnerable to Repub attacks.

[sandnsea]

32. We'll see the real character of DUers, that's the truth n/t

[jenmito]

34. For admitting, years ago, that he experimented with drugs in high school? Bush was doing much worse

'til he was FORTY!

[geek tragedy]

23. Sleazy attack from a sleazy candidate. n/t

[bunnies]

25. So sleazy. It'd be like the Obama camp being "concerned"

that repubs could attack Hillary because she might be seen as weak for staying with a cheating husband.

[jefferson_dem]

38. That's exactly what it is - - - Like a freeper-type "concern" post here on DU.

n/t

[bunnies]

43. Bingo. You hit the nail square on the head.

Im blown away that camp Clinton would resort to such bottom-feeder tactics. What... do they think we're all so stupid that we won't see what their real motive is?! Geezus!

I've never been a fan of Hillary. Ive made no secret of that fact. But *this* is just way over the line. Wayyyyy over the line.

[jenmito]

31. It's sleazy but typical of a slipping candidate's campaign. n/t

[NoPasaran]

36. A bit of both, I think

[readmoreoften]

37. How about: who gives a shit about these two anymore... /nt

[karynnj]

39. If it is legitimate, it's legitimate to bring up all the old Clinton stuff

That may be HRC's definition of the "fun beginning", but may lead to an extended period of avoiding tv for me and likely others. So, he took drugs in high school, the Clintons weren't angelic all their lives either.

[BootinUp]

40. The Shaheen's

seem to be the go to folks when the going gets nasty, lol.

But yes it is legitimate folks. The Repukes will attack on this and many other aspects of Obamas past.

[Bitwit1234]

41. It's just bullshit promoted by the Obama American Idol Group.

[Madam Mossfern]

42. It's the old

"When did you stop beating your wife" ploy.
I'd like to know if Bill didn't inhale, just where did that smoke go?

[Forkboy]

45. Time for a new trick there Pony.

[sampsonblk]

44. Legit - Its going to come up in the GE if we don't talk about it now-nt

[Yukari Yakumo]

46. Legit, yes.

Worthwhile, no.

Revelations of past drug use didn't hurt Billy's or Chimpy's campaigns in the past. Why would it hurt Obama's?

[applegrove]

47. Republicans will open up any can of worms against any Democratic nominee. So of course

Obama's youthfull drug use will become an issue if he is the nominee.

[Perry Logan]

50. So the Obama people think the Repugs would not use this? IQ alert!

[jefferson_dem]

51. Everyone expects the Repugs would. Now we know one Democrat who actually has.

Shame on her.

[HeraldSquare212]

53. We know they'll attack

and now we're seeing that her campaigns skills in parrying and attacking are very, very weak.

[BootinUp]

54. I picked a song to explain.

post 18

[zulchzulu]

55. It's the equivalent of a narc trying to bust someone who already admitted to doing drugs

Barack Obama admitted he took drugs in his books, ferchrissakes!

The complete classlessness of the Clinton campaign to pull this crap out is so obviously that they are like a boxer flailing at air losing balance.

[Catchawave]

56. This will help Obama, so I guess it's legit....

GWB won because drug, alcohol abuse and a chickenhawk made him look "normal" to middle Amerika, as in "yeah, I did drugs and booze, dodged VN War, so I feel his pain". What are the Clinton's thinking :shrug:

[Nimrod2005]

57. Sleazy as fucking hell!

[ozone_man]

58. It will backfire on Clinton.

More desperate attacks show what Clinton is made out of. It's not hard to see through and anyone with an ounce of integrity will be able to see her lack of character.

[KansDem]

59. If he was under 40, then the rule of "youthful indiscretion" comes into play.

The Y.I. rule established by George W. Bush himself should be enough to make this argument a moot point.

[Evergreen Emerald]

60. You guys are amazing. Anything Obama has done is off limits

but Clinton's winks are dissected and attacked ad naseum on this site.

Drug use and law violations of a candidate are perfectly acceptable topics to discuss.

Seriously, can you imagine if Clinton admitted to doing drugs? DU would explode in a burst of attacks.

Why can it not be discussed? I think it is a mistake to dismiss it so quickly. Should someone who makes such poor choices be president?

[Forkboy]

62. It's not the topic as much as the underhanded way they bring it up, doing the Repubs work for them.

It's the campaign equivalent of a "concern" post here.

[Cha]

61. Of course, It's Sleazy..

Isn't that why they're denying having anything to do with it?

[fujiyama]

63. Sleazy but I'm glad

they brought it up. Personally I find it irrelevant, but it was bound to come up sometime or the other. The good thing is, this proves the Hillary camp to be desperate and it gives Obama a chance to show us how he'll handle this and many more nasty attacks from RWers.

[jefferson_dem]

64. Well, I'm not glad they brought it up but it does reveal their desperation.

More evidence of a campaign all amess.

[jefferson_dem]

66. Kick...

for perspective.

[faithfulcitizen]

67. both.