Shaheen steps down from Clinton campaign
By Lisa Wangsness, Globe Staff
Bill Shaheen resigned today as Hillary Clinton's campaign co-chairman in New Hampshire after Clinton apologized to Barack Obama for Shaheen saying that Obama's drug experimentation as a youth would be an issue in the general election.
"I would like to reiterate that I deeply regret my comments yesterday and say again that they were in no way authorized by Senator Clinton or the Clinton campaign....I made a mistake and in light of what happened, I have made the personal decision that I will step down as the co-chair of the Hillary for President campaign," Shaheen said in a statement released by the campaign. "This election is too important and we must all get back to electing the best qualified candidate who has the record of making change happen in this country. That candidate is Hillary Clinton."
Clinton's campaign quickly distanced itself from Shaheen's remark, made Wednesday in an interview with The Washington Post.
Shaheen, the husband of former governor Jeanne Shaheen, said Republicans would exploit Obama's experimentation with drugs in a general election, hurting his chances of getting elected.
"It'll be, 'When was the last time? Did you ever give drugs to anyone? Did you sell them to anyone?' " Shaheen said in the interview. "There are so many openings for Republican dirty tricks. It's hard to overcome."
Earlier today, Obama's campaign leaders in New Hampshire demanded that Clinton's campaign refrain from "gratuitous" character attacks.
"Such tactics have no place in New Hampshire, they have no place in this race and they do nothing to solve our problems," state Senator Martha Fuller Clark, a co-chairwoman of Obama's New Hampshire campaign, said at a press conference in Concord.
A Clinton spokeswoman said that Clinton personally apologized to Obama this morning at Reagan National Airport on their way to Iowa for the last debate before the Jan. 3 caucuses, telling the Illinois senator that personal attacks are not part of her campaign.
This is such a charade. Sheehan resigns now. Will he be punished with no nights apent in the White House? Is this the info that Novak commented on?
Conveniently, Hillary is always able to apologize after the damage is done.
What will Bill Shaheen's reward be? This has Hillary's prints all-over it. She has smeared anyone who has ever said anything negative against her or Bill Clinton. Please NH primary voters, do not vote to continue the oligarchy of Bush, Clinton, Bush and Clinton. We need change, not more of the same Washington in-fighting.
What a laugh! No one who knows Hillary will believe she wasn't behind Shaheen's remarks! That's TYPICAL of her!
What is the big deal here, anyway? Its actually a legitimate issue and question to ask. People in politics are so soft nowadays. pathetic.
Why was this a big deal? I'm an Obama supporter, but in no way did Shaheen's remarks seem out of line.
typical clinton strategy from the master herself - character assassin!
I can't believe Obama insisted that Shaheen step down. That seems like overreacting from a high horse.
Typical Clinton Camp; sounds more Nixonesque. Hmmm, maybe Hillary never stopped being a Republican!!!
A reasonable statement. Better to have this issue brought up now than wait until the Republicans bring it up later.
Remember what happened to her boyfriend from Arkansas, found with a convenient suicide not in the park. Careful America!
Larry, How could Hillary apologize before the damage is done? Unfortunately, she cannot predict the future, can you?
Obama should remind Americans that Bill Clinton also smoked grass in the past. Then let the Clintons claim that Billy boy did not inhale so the whole world can amuse themselves yet again.
PS -- Shaheen, whose wife, Jeanne, is the former New Hampshire governor and is running for the U.S. Senate next year. This should torpedoe his wife's chances.
As an African-American male, I am offended by those of you who are NOT holding Obama accountable for his irresponsible behavior and remarks. Here we have the most successful African-American male politician EVER telling us how he was lazy in school, smoked dope and snorted cocaine. I can't stand this phony and I wish you patronizing liberals would take off the blinders to this opportunist fake. Deval, Oprah and the press are letting down African-American males big-time right now. There are MUCH BETTER role models who don’t have drug pasts
As we get into the Baby Boomer generation and younger, its only logical that we are more and more likely to see candidates running who experimented with drugs. Look who is in the white house now. We have a recovering alcoholic (alcohol is a drug, don't kid yourself) and someone was allegedly arrested in 1974 for cocaine possession.
Why does the press cover only Hillary, Barack and, occasionally, John Edwards? The other democratic candidates have taken clear positions on important issues - much more so than the "front runners" have - but the press doesn't report it.
Why does the press cover only Hillary, Barack and, occasionally, John Edwards? The other democratic candidates have taken clear positions on important issues - much more so than the "front runners" have - but the press doesn't report it.
As an independent voter, I cannot believe what a short collective memory we have! Because of our unpopular war, whichever Republican wins the primary will be in desperate straits and will pull out all the stops in an effort to win. Remember what Kerry Healey's (mis)handlers did with her race-baiting campaign? That a resurrection of Willy Horton failed Kerry Healey does not for one moment mean he won't re-surface in an effort to undermine Obama. Shaheen's remarks may be distateful to Obama supporters, but not only is he correct, he is grossly understating the extent to which the Republicans will make hay of Obama's past. He is simply not electable, and I would rather have Hillary than four more years of Republican "rule".
Senator Clinton is the best candidate and most experienced in the whole pack and at the end of the day will win the nomination and will be the best candidate for the Democrats in 2008 general election.
All these armchair pundits who 'dont know nothing about nothing' will keep hating. the fact of the matter is that Clinton is the best suited to DEFEAT any Republican candidate and ther dirty tricks. Bill Clinton beat the Republicans twice in ther dirty tricks politics. Why do you think they hate the Clintons with gusto.....He beat them twice in their game and Hillary will do it again.
The problem is that the Democrats are so weak and cant fight when the game gets rough. Clinton will and thats why they hate the Clintons. So if you dont get it, step off and stop bashing Clinton with your myopic, shallow, short sighted views and minds.
Clinton stands the best chance of winning in the general election despite the crap some in the media will like to feed you. Just like they convinced AL Gore in 2000 to distance himself from Clinton, an election GORE would have won if Clinton had vigorously campaigned for him.
Senator Obama is highly talented and intelligent but needs more experience, the Republicans will smoke him in the general election if he is the democratic nominee. The Democrats needs a winner in November 2008. That Winner is Clinton. She got game. She is a Winner. Dont believe the hype of the Republicans and the false fear they spread about Hillary. They are only scared of her. Dont you get it?.
Shaheen was absolutely right. If Obama wins the primary, the Democrats will essentially be handing the election to the Republicans. Does anyone honestly think this country will elect someone who has admitted to using cocaine? Marijuana, yes. Cocaine, no. Why do you think George Bush fought so hard to keep his own cocaine use a secret in 2000?
Shahenn is a 100% correct. Do you think the Republicans play fair. Karl Rove will have Obama for lunch if he is the nominee. Shaheen should be praised and given a bigger position in the Democratic hierarchy for being a realist and a hell of a stragetist. Yet he is demonized for telling the truth. Now we know why the Republicans are kicking our butts. wake up America
This is ridiculous. Our current president was elected despite confirmed cocaine abuse and numerous drunk driving convictions, and our current vice president also has numerous drunk driving convictions on record. Not to mention the author of the famous quote, "I never inhaled". Hello???
Send your comments to masspolitics@globe.com
browse this blog
by categoryInside Boston.com