CNN

WE SUPPORT HILLARY '08

She's the only one who can "roll up her sleeves and clean up the mess" left by the GOP — NOT dreamer boy!!

Or vote Biden or Richardson b/c God save our country if the newbie gets elected = who isn't even wise enough to realize what he DOESN'T KNOW yet; let alone play pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey in the Oval Office! He chould have waited until 2012 or 2016. He's only 47, but he's such a baby that he's demanding to be King now Sadly the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Senator Obama is certainly NOT!!!! AND Oprah should stick with her own life and hawking her Book Club (which she can't even get right all the time either).

JUST SAY NO – TO OBAMA IN 2008

Posted By Beth & Jeff Chicago, IL HILLARY IN 2008 : December 19, 2007 7:18 am

Its incredible how many Neocons make such a big deal about Obama's teenage dabbling in drugs.

Posted By Jeff, The Republic of Illiois : December 13, 2007 4:36 pm

I have been posting here for a period of time and I know the players pretty well, the HUGE majority of anti-Obama postings here are Clintonista's.

I was one of the MANY Conservatives that applauded him just like I did when Bush admitted his dalliances in his past.

If you want to vent, aim it towards the sheep who salute and support the Clinton's even though they lie over and over again, but then they have the gall to speak ill of someone speaking the truth.

Another unsuccessful attempt at mudslinging by the Hill camp. When it comes to this, she doe s 'throw like a girl.'

This shows the depth the clintons will go to win. In true clinton form ,,,make up some story then say the republicans will use it, when they in-fact just did. Please dems !! see thru this for what it is. stop fooling yourselves that hillary will be any better once she is president

Of course his drug use is an issue. If the democrats think it is not an issue that is a real problem.

An apology for what? Speaking the truth?

Gee CNN, three articles on the SAME THING. If I didn't know better I would think you are trying to influence the voters against Obama.

Problem is....Bush partied on cocaine and alcohol to the point of getting a felony conviction.

Bill Clinton, who would never tell a lie, didn't inhale.

Of course, there are many others who are not honest enough to even mention anything until they are forced to...they operate like Larry Craig.

Give Obama a break for being honest and no different than our last two presidents. In other words, CNN, stop playing into the Clinton campaign.

There are some truly nasty, hateful people who add comments to these blogs! Fascist Republicans? Cokehead president? Rotten Republicans? Sneaky and greedy...and not using Clinton x2 in that reference? It is truly no wonder why we have such angry, crazy people walking into malls, chuches, and schools shooting the places up! If you posters are a sampling of the American psyche in 2007, God help us because we are truly on a path to destruction from within! Common decency and an ability to share opinions without resorting immediately to angry despicable name-calling has disappeared from this country. You make me sad that my husband is on his third tour of Iraq and has spent 20 years defending your right to call me a fascist. You make me sad for America.

Honesty folks, that's what it's called! And that's Obama! Something we never had with Bill 'I didn't inhale' Clinton or the ever partying alcoholic, drug using, liar George W.
And who are these all-mighty people claiming if you screw up once, you're not qualified to be president. At least he has the knowledge of what drugs actually can do to you. I'm sure most of Congress are alcoholics but since that is legal, then it's ok.
Alcohol should be illegal and pot legalized, it'd be a better world and alot less accidents on the highways!!!

The Republicans are too corrupt, sneaky, and greedy to simply give Obama a fair General Election campaign. People will be real surprised if Obamama does get nominated to only get thrown to these professional dirt diggers, and finally loose the general election. We really need to have someone nominated who knows how to work our cracked system, with them, for our behalf, instead of allowing them to run circles around an unexperienced president, for their own greedy behalf....at least until it can be patched up. Having Bill at Hillary's side could really make a difference to not allow that to happen, or we could vote for the president of chance (more like hope)and watch him get thrown to the wolves! Do you really think our government officials are going to hand over all of a president's agenda on a silver platter? You need to be Greek to the Greeks and Roman to the Romans, until the systems gets overhauled! I'd love it if Edwards got the nomination, but I'd rather see Hillary get it and win the general, than see Obama win the nomination and loose to the general to have another rotten Republican destroy America some more! Better safe than sorry folks!

Stating that the Republicans will use or exploit (Obama's drug admission from his younger days) against him are absolutely true. Republicans are already trying to interfere with the Democratic primary in hopes Obama will win, so they will have an easier target in the general election. They use dirty tricks and do not allow truth to stand in the way of anything. Haven't Democrats learned anything from the past two elections?

Its incredible how many Neocons make such a big deal about Obama's teenage dabbling in drugs.

In fact, many of them go for the typical neocon strategy and outright lie (heavy cocaine abuser??), when their hero, their pride and joy, George Walker (I use the middle name since so many of them are obsessed with Obama's middle name), is a well-documented former (and possibly present) alcohol and cocaine abuser.

Why are Neocons and Clinton supporters so ardently afraid of the truth? My only guess is that they hate the USA.

If Hillary Clinton or Mike Huckabee or any of the other front runners had admitted to past use of Cocaine, they would have been questioned whether they are fit to run the nation. Why should Obama be any different? It speaks to the character of the candidate. I am certainly not judging, but it is not out of line to be asking the questions.

He was of college age. Maybe you all should be more concerned about what drugs YOUR KIDS are doing...

You people are the biggest idiots on the planet if you think the Republican candidates have never...inhaled...snorted...whatever! At least he is HONEST enough to admit what he did & GREW UP! Have YOU?

of course his opponents are going to use the admission to his disadvantage. the more heat he take over this issue now,, the better off his campaign will be when push comes to shove. he should thank Bill Shaheen and hope more follow suit. im an Obama fan,, but have not yet made up my mind who i will be supporting (not even close). i admire his openness on this subject. maybe it was because he had no choice. hard to say. either way, i wish others would follow his lead. my greatest disdain for the inner workings of washington is the hypocrisy. taking positions i don't stand for is fine by me,, as long as you back them up and stay true to your positions. don't get on your high horse to tell me one thing and then do the complete opposite behind my back. that boils my blood.

And, buy the way, I just love it when the anti-Clinton, anti-[D], anti-enlightenment Texans chime in on these discussions. Knowing they were the initial turd-burglars to vote our current chimp-in-charge into higher office puts them in a very special place on the national "intelligence" map. Let's just all of us, except for those in Texas, put down our votes, and let the Texans choose how to run this country next Nov. Should be interesting......oh wait, we already know how that would work out for America.

Mrs. Clinton did the right thing by apologizing to Sen. Obama.

If she learns how to admit mistakes and apologize more, she might win.

Cindy

its sad when you think taking the cake is infedelity but putting us into an accidental war that we have no plan of getting out of is NOT....

SOMEBODY APOLOGIZING IN POLITICS?

NEVER!!!!

Mike, Houston, TX

there is no left-wing. there is only a right-wing on that conspiracy plane and thats why its crashing to the ground!

As far as I can tell, the majority of people who post stuff here based their support on Obama due to his Hope politics. What truely does Obama half to offer? While Hillary has been living in Bill's shadow, she has been learning and attempting to better the world. Being a state senator does really measure up. Hillary had far more influence as first lady of both a state and the nation at influencing and affecting issues such as childern, women, and even health care, which at least she tired to do something. I also love that CNN and you bloggers post such limited messages, when ironically the other news sites show different and multipe polls and ideas. I get more verifiable news from the demon news )FOX( then I do from CNN.

Oh and we're the haters?
Obama people do you listen to yourselves? I once wanted Obama for VP really badly, but now I think he can just suck it to be frank.

You make me sad as a person.

Clinton 08, TRUE EXPERIENCE AND CARE FOR FELLOW WOMAN, MAN, AND CHILD NOT MATTER WHAT!!!!!

The Republicans ran one ad against Harold Ford in Tennessee, the next day he lost 10 points in the campaign and lost the senate race.
This will be Obama's problem in the end.

will Hillary Clinton also apologize for being a liar? she has engaged in very serious fraud and most people don't know it.

HILLARY SUPPORTS, WATCH THIS VIDEO AND SEE IF YOU STILL SUPPORT HER:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=xq8aopATYyw&feature=related

Hillary is done. She's the victim of that vast Left-Wing Conspiracy.

"I just think people are feeling a little worried about the polls," Obama told CNN’s Ted Barrett before a Senate vote on Capitol Hill.

Hillary was a lady, Obama a jerk. He could say something nicer than this arrogant comment.. the polls mean nothing yet Mr. Obama! Stadium acclamations do not always translate in votes.

RD, I don't consider you a fellow Democrat if you truly have a problem with Barack's middle name. Quit being a Xenophobe!

Obama '08

Obama is a loser, who is going to mess things up for the Dems. Republicans know this and would love to run against him. HE WILL LOSE.

My vote is for Hillary!

To. Monte Brown
I see you are a Hillary supporter as a registered democrat Republicans hope Hillary wins the nominee She is a sure loss to the democrats. We may or may not like her Ideas but she can not win the White house. Some hard nose democrat's will vote republican before they vote for Hillary. When she decided to run for senate she moved to NY from Arkansas why? Because she would not have got elected in her home state. She has not even been able define her stand on important issues. She has changed her mind so much on the War in Iraq no one knows her intentions. Only good idea she has stood on is health care the the US goverment cannot afford without raising taxes so we will still have to pay for it. Republicans won't even have to fight to win against Hillary their are too many Democrat's against her, and if you thinks she is honest step out of the clouds and check her record their is more controversy on Bill and Hillary than any other polical figure in the US. Better do a reality check she does not stand a chance.

dmw,

Get your facts straight. You obviously did not read Obama's book. In the book he made a passing reference to cocaine. To paraphrase, the book says that he had a period where he smoked marijuana with his friends and they would "do a little coke when we could afford it".

In any event, which is more relevant in a run for President:

1. A candidate admitting to recreational drug use as teenager and characterizing it as a mistake, OR

2. A candidate voting in favor of a war in Iraq and the refusing to admit it was a mistake?

If you want a President who will be a good role model for children, vote for the one who upholds the virtue of accountability.

At least our guys, for the most part, do their dirt before they get elected.

Posted By Kevin, Norfolk

Hey Kevin,

Did you forget the head honcho Billy ??? He took the CAKE ...

No one gets through forty, or even thirty or twenty, years of life without making some big mistakes. Whether it be drugs, alcohol, women, or just plain inability to make anything of themselves, none of us are perfect. What's important is that we learn from these mistakes and pass the wisdom we glean from then on to others in the HOPE that they might avoid making similar ones. Obama has done that, and that's just one of many reasons he gets my vote.

Chris Myers

criminal because he smoked marijuana before??? i supposed youve never done it? its amzing because ciggarettes kill alot more people then marijuana and alcohol has killed more people then ciggarettes, but you would consider someone a criminal for smoking pot? id rather have a rational president then a politically correct president any day. AAAAND we werent wrong about bush. we were right! 100% right and if anybody cant admit that today then they just dont WANT to admit they were wrong. but it has nothing to do with you it has to do with a horrible president that has almost crippled this country with corruption and disregard for the constitutional process and democracy itself!!!!im not going to compare bush and obama because they both did drugs, like that evens it out!!! obama is a man that is fit to lead, bush is a man that is fit to fail!!!!! and he did!!!!

It seems like past drug use shouldn't even be a factor after eight years of President Bush. Obama already has a better resume than W; the first forty years aren't a gaping hole full of smoke, booze and coke.

Monte Brown, NY (and all of those who agree), YOU are the knucklehead(s) regarding this issue. The country does not need someone who can "BEAT THE REPUBLICANS," rather someone who can unite the country.

Further, it is terribly dangerous to wish for the Clintons (emphasis on plural) back into the White House. Last time I checked, Bill can't run for president. You shouldn't base your vote on wanting to get Bill back in the White House.

And as far as any reason not to elect HRC outside distrust, disagreeing with her politics, seeing her as the most devisive of candidates, or any other political or moral reason, I am reminded of a comment I read on a CNN Blog a few days ago. If HRC wins the General Election, we will become a monarchy. Since going back to 1980, we would either have a Bush or a Clinton as either VP or Pres. That would make a minimum of 32 years of control by two families (36 if Hillary would win a second term).

Every time I see Obama he looks, acts, and sounds presidential. Hillary does not. I am a Republican switching to Democrat to vote for a Democrat in South Carolina. Watch out because people like me are going to make conservative heads spin and Obama may be our next president.

I have been a supporter of Obama for a few months now, and knowing that when he was a teenager he used drugs does not change how I feel about him negatively. If anything knowing that Obama has made mistakes shows that he's human and not THAT different from you and I. It comforts me to know that the person I would trust to run my country is human, and can admit when he's made a mistake.

Barak Hussein Obama has about as much chance of becoming the leader of the free world as I have of flying to the moon in lead boots!

If you folks want to get these fascist Republicans out of office you better smarten up and pick a candidate that can win.

The neo cons are so afraid of Hillary Clinton that they started this muck racking, mud slinging campaign more years ago than one cares to consider.

Don't think for a minute they won't swift boat Barak Hussein Obama on the issue of his drug use and anything else they can dig up. And dig they will. They are masters at that game!

It is fact that Hillary Clinton can win against the Republican machine.

It is fantacy to think that Barak Hussein Obama can win this election.

If you want another fascist Republican administration, vote for Obama and surely we'll get another 4-8 years of Republican domination in the White House.

HILLARY CLINTON TO WIN IN 2008!

Vic

Hey Les,

It wasnt coke it was marijuana. I know things like that are hard for you toothless people in west virginia to differentiate between since you are all cracked out on meth. everything else is the same for you guys. Furthermore, we already have a cokehead president, so the issue is a moot point. past drug use really shouldnt be an issue at all ESPECIALLY marijuana. As for Bush, not only does he have cocaine use under his belt but a DUI as well.

What matters is their stand on drugs now, and given the fact that the drug wars only exacerbated the problem, i would like to see someone come up with a new plan, regardless of what they did when they were young. The fact is, this country, for caring about something like this, is a bunch of puritanical hypocrites. No better a place for it then America.

Typical Clinton politics, show no guts by saying the words yourself but have a surrogate do it, see how it plays, if it polls as bad, say that the high ranking member of your campaign doesn't speak for you and lastly blame he Republicans somehow.

Damage is done, no blood on your hands and the message gets across, end of story.

He/She is scared and they are playing the dirty politics all over again.

Obama has more honesty and integrity in his pinkie than He/She has in their whole body.

Can the Dems find a drug-free candidate
you ask Chris? If he promises not to make up intelligence to justify going to war, or ignore a natural disaster, or fire judges who don't agree with him...then he can fire one up in the oval office for all I care.

*** I notice Obama does not state when the last time he used illegal drugs was?!?!?! Criminals should have to be honest if they want to be president. ***

So apparently this does not apply to the current president, who has consistently refused to answer questions about his own drug use (which apparently extended WELL past the age that Obama is talking about) and kept his DUI under wraps as well.

But then Republicans are ever the hypocrits.

Larry in New York said: "He IS however a great role model for many Americans…a guy who came from a single home, who admittedly wasted his teenage years on drugs and booze, and OVERCAME all that, worked HARD, and has achieved.

It's the American story."

Hey Larry–if Obama is such a "regular" guy from the streets–where the heck did he get the money for a Harvard Education. He may be "your" American story–but he's not the American story for most Americans–who can barely cover the "non-covered" expenses of their childrens "public"education and mortgage.

Hey cmon...........I'ts Politics 101..... If you can't honestly talk about the issues...........smear your opponent.

Frankly I'd be concerned if a candidate had never taken soft drugs/alcohol. What better way to relate to a majority of the voters. It shows humanity. Why is weed such a big issue still?

I'm still waiting for "Senator" Clinton's husband to come clean about his drug use; at least Obama's honest about it

Don't hate on Shaheen – you KNOW the Republicans are going to bring up SOMETHING, ANYTHING to defeat the Democratic candidate. Then again, the Republicans have skeletons, too.

The political ticker blog is filled with the drama of the campaign – the candidates personal issues and their personal lives. Isn't this secondary to the resumes of these candidates? When are people going to debate the qualifications and experience of the candidates?

Hillary is going to loose so who cares. Her husband needs other woman so can she offer to America???

The problem is not so much in that he used drugs, it's that he said "it helped" and that is not the message our youth needs to hear, whether he thinks it's true or not.

How convenient it "wasn't authorized"...

Do your homework, guys.

http://theleftcoaster.com/archives/011500.php

I agree totally with Monte Brown from NY.. His comments are either # 13 or 14 from the top...Great peice Mr brown. You speak for me on this issue..

To Ms M and all those who want the world to know they are black, I don't really care. I'm black too, so what. All I can say is since you are black, you better wake up about Hillary. You are being punked.

Didn't we have a Democractic presidential candidate who admitted to doing drugs and he won anyway?

What was that guy's name again. Bill something...

Chris Myers you are you kidding? How can you say, "Can't the Democrats find a drug free candidate? Bill & Hillary and now Obama?" Give me a break!”
Let's say for sake of your argument that your statement is true, I'd rather have a former drug dealing candidate that has told the truth about his youthful indiscretions, then an elected official who has sex with prostitutes, sex in airport bathrooms, exchanges elicited e-mails with minors, and amongst other things, wage a war illegally.
At least our guys, for the most part, do their dirt before they get elected.

I can't believe that so many people give Obama an A+ for honesty. His stupid, attention-seeking, admission of prior crimial actions is not a positive thing. For God's sake, he deserves a D- for common sense. And. . .he brought the whole topic up and now, when Shaheen points out all the red meat he threw out to the Republican Attack Machine, he calls the entire Clinton
campaign "desperate". Yeah, you wish!

If any federal employee is an admitted drug user their position should be stripped and they should have to pay back any medical costs, tax payer funded medical insurance covered. Where is the outrage. If I admit to being a prior drug user in a employment application I'm passed over. If I admit to being a prior drug user if I apply for medical insurance I'm declined. Either legalize drugs like marijuana and cocaine for everybody (Including rich boys who can afford a good lawyer to get them off the hook) or shut up and look for another job!

O'Bama, just say you "didn't inhale." Oops, that quote is already taken.

With polls showing her in freefall Team Clinton in total meltdown!

Its an absolute lie to mention an issue now on the premise that "the Republicans" might use it later. Team Clinton wants this "issue" in today's news cycle, why else would they have their New Hampshire Chairman saying it?

What's silly is that Obama's team is using this as a fundraising ploy (on their website - the "victim" card as Hillary had played earlier). On the surface, this seems smart (make Hillary look like a dirty candidate, etc.), but does the Obama campaign really want the idea that Obama used cocaine (quite abundant amounts) to stay in the news cycle? Ultimately, this will hurt Obama more than Hillary (who's team - including her - came out immediately to dissociate and apologize for the comment).

Obama is bad for the American middle class. He recently supported the Peru Free Trade deal that will send U.S. jobs overseas and increase the destruction of the Amazon rainforest. He supports Amnesty for Illegal immigrants. He doesn't even stand up for the African-American community who are most hurt by out of control illegal immigration.

Now he is supported by Oprah. Pro-Iraq war Oprah. Go back and see her show before the Iraq war began. It was so slanted in support for the war. She wanted to convince folks and our politicans to support it so that her little man Obama could run against it later.

Dan NJ
A correction: they were not campaign officials but volunteers. If you don't understand that little of a difference, you should really think and consult ppl. 10 times before you vote.
Hillary 2008
Obama 2016
Let's get the White House for 16 years instead of 8. Let's do it Dems.

obama supporters are blinded by oprah

We Dem's attacked Bush for his use of drugs in the 04 election and now we want ot over look one of our own.
We made our bed and now we must sleep in it.
I know Obama did this when he was a teenager and I can care less about it but, the Republicans are going to have a field day with this because we had our fun with Bush.
Is Obama ready for this? EXPERIENCE IS WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT. Can Obama deal with this. I hope so.

What a classy Lady! Even though she isn’t doing these things, she gets the hits publically! Well done! THE SMART CHOICE IS CLINTON, look past skin, gender and oprahbama...

The problem here is, and I think the younger responders either do not know about or have not read the correct version of history, that Bill AND Hillary were BOTH investigated for White Water, and just as quickly as it came to them, it disappeared as if it never happened with all of the question unanswered. To those of you who say Bill and Hillary are not the same person, I agree, but they are certainly cut from the same cloth. To say the country will be better off without GW and WITH another Clinton is comparing Germany pre-Hitler and during the Hitler years. Both were oppressive, negative societies lead by people hoping for ultimate power. As an independant, I can only hope an Obama, Romney, or Guilianni will win over the 'Old Guard' Political cronies. Change starts here folks, Vote you mind, but find the truth first.

I am not suprised. Hillary always want to have it both ways and I bet all ways...

Drug user is Drug user, no matter it was past, the record is for ever, if a person did something against US law and there has no clean record in his life, how can that be qualify to run for the USA president.

Drud use and criticism over old questionnaires are only the tip of the iceberg. Hillary's getting desperate.

http://www.political-buzz.com/

It is pretty interesting to me that no one ever referred to Slick Willy (Bill Clinton to the rest of you) as an alleged drug dealer when his own purported drug use (inhalation or not) came to light.

Why Obama?

Barack Obama is the more intelligent of the two candidates and I think we all know it. Unfortunately, Clinton realizes that she is losing in Iowa, NH, AND SC, she feels that the only way to take back the lead is by releasing deceptive remarks regarding Obama. This is SAD, and she has lost my vote. I am now voting for Obama. Sorry, Hillary.

Obama's wife sure dances and prances around like she is wired. Did she participate with him with the drugs? Does she acknowledge that she did or state her present status??

If it happened more than 7 years ago it isn't relevant – at least on government job applications. Appreciate the candor of the guy. No "didn't inhale" or "depends on what definition of is, is" BS. And all of you sanctimonious "its illegal" whiners – grow up or let's talk about your personal perversions that may or may not be illegal.

Who cares if he smoked weed when he was a teen? He's 46 years old. He was a teen when he did it. How many of us can say we did something dumb as a teen? How about ALL OF US. I mean Hiliary did something dumb as a teen I'm sure of it. She has no room to talk. I mean her husband isn't even satisfied with her. HAHAHA If you think that attack on Obama is from a cold heart don't sweat it. Hiliary's marriage is even colder.HAHAHA

Go Obama! You have class and honor something the Clinton's forgot!

who in D.C. NOT DOING DRUGS HAVE ANYONE CHECK THE WHITE HOUSE a go TALK TO SOMEONE AND TOLD HIM TO START A WAR THE HELL WITH BASEBALL IT'S RIGHT THERE HEY MITCH CHECK THAT AND GIVE ME A CALL.....

They can apologize and play nice but drugs are not Obama's problem, skin color is his problem and America's problem.

America is not going to elect a black man President of these United States and all but the most idealistic must know that. Liberals LOVE to talk about it and Republicans LOVE to talk about it too but when it gets down to pulling lever, punching the card, pushing the button they won't vote for a black candidate for THAT office and black people make up a small minority in this nation and are, quite frankly, notorious for not voting at all – whatever the reason.

Posted By Pete : December 13, 2007 11:33 am

Haha, I thought white people have always claimed black people to have voted enough.... wait, may be I heard it wrong. White people haven't been voting at all and it is high time black people not to vote and allow white people go to the poles..
Tied with your misery right now!

Barack Obama has taken over $12million from lobbyists and other special interests since his time in the Illinois legislature.

Here is the question for Hillary:

Are you an incompetent leader who cannot control your staff or are you a liar who keeps pretending that you do not know what your staff is doing?

Either way I am voting for someone else.
Anybody but Hillary in 2008

The people who won't vote for Obama because he smoked pot as a teenager come from the same ignorant segment of the population who won't vote for him because his name sound kinda like "Osama". Let's try to mix in some real news every once in a while, CNN.

I guess you never used them, Chris Meyers?

Well, once again Obama shows that he has more class and dignity in his little finger than desperate sellout-to-the-big-boys Hillary has in her entire being and pathetic life in meaningless politics.

I love how Obama knows how to smoothly ride the current wave of momentum he's got going - success is so comfortable for him!

Meanwhile, Hillary is busy yelling at and firing her campaigners and basically crapping her pantsuit. She was SO arrogant and thought she had this thing in the bag; I can't help but enjoy seeing someone so arrogant eat their humble pie with so much distaste.

p.s. Chris Meyer, you poor deluded thing, I would advise you to start looking for a mental health professional right now so that you're prepared for the heartbreak you're apparently going to feel on Election Day.

Go, Barack, go! I'm going to donate some more money to the next President right now! Obama supporters, please do the same so he can continue surfing on top till 2008!

You don't need the GOP's trash, when you have Hillary Clinton's shameless mud. Whoever said, sometime ago, that Clinton was a light Bush-Cheney, was somehow right. Now, if this fool making this comment is a co-chair of Clinton's national campaign, God helps this campaign.

We had the Robert Novak story a while back, then the two Clinton campaign workers in Iowa forwarding the 'muslim plant' e-mail, the story about Obama's kindergarten essay and now this? Is anyone else seeing a pattern here?

Democrats, if you truly want an end to this kind of politics as usual we must not nominate Clinton.

Obama's reaction shows class, he'll make a great President.

Why do you people keep commenting on what Bill Clinton did or said as President? Surely Hillary is NOT the same person – she has a mind of her own and should not constantly be made to sound JUST like her husband. As for Obama, he needs to learn grammar and a few other things before running for President! I don't believe he is ready for this job and nominating him is a sure way to have another Republican President. CNN – can we move on now? And yes, I am black!

another day another lie from a hrc campaign worker, followed by a denial, if she cant even contain and control her campaign staff, how is she going to control the many big branches of our government? i think the handwriting is on the wall, she needs to just go away because i dont think she is ready to run our big government yet, she can try again in 2016!

Another OIF veteran is making a run for congress! If he wins, he will be the second OIF veteran in congress (Rep. Patrick Murphy was the first) and he will be the first OIF vet in the Senate!
http://vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=246#1630

The CNN headline is "Obama responds to rival's drug remark", implying Clinton made the comment. She didn't. You can suspect whatever you want behind the scenes, but it's not up to CNN to escalate and implicate. The only thing more dysfunctional than our government is our media.

Obama is not my choice for prez. But I will say this. I have more respect for a man who admits what he has done in relation to drugs. Then say he tried pot but “did not inhale”.
I was a democrat, but thanks to Hillary I am not an independent. Shocking # when you look at the amount of people going Independent. Hillary how are you going to bring dems and rep together when you cant even get along with Obama?

The Clintons will do anything to have power, and their lack of ethics and restraint filters down through their campaign, and will be typical of another Clinton White House. Does America really want four more years of the Clinton way of doing things? I don't!

The "realist" said: He's right. Hillary is feeling threatened by the poll numbers and the mud is going to have to starting flying early. She really wanted to save this kind of nastiness for Republicans. It's all right to personally destroy them because they're not black and she doesn't need their vote to become the President.

Again...for a change we agree. Hillary really does feel that he is expendable–and there really aren't very many blacks in the GOP. We all know why Hillary is the way she is....but why aren't there more blacks in the GOP? You know, a lot of blacks, and whites support John Edwards. They feel he is inclusive of everyone–and views average Americans–as just that–average Americans. Not poll points or voting/donation blocks. Something Hillary needs to consider–something ALL the GOP candidates need to consider.

"I will remind you, Mr. Winchester, that our current president has a very public history of cocaine and alcohol abuse. Pots and Kettles, sir. And Columbia should be capitalized."

Posted By Steve P., Minneapolis, MN

...And also spelled "Colombia." Like the nation, not the university.

His drug use is true. Why is he complaining??? He is so arrogant making comments about the poll numbers when the Clinton campaign is only restating what Obama says in his book.
He was a heavy drug user and he used cocaine heavily. That is a big deal and he does not have good judgement.

He knows this will bring his persona that I am GOD and the saviour of the world back down to earth. Maybe the media will start to really look into his past as a State Senator.

Not ALL people used drugs even though I have read so many comments from people who said all of us had.

America has too many serious problems to deal with, and this man who is not serious because he was not even going to run for President until the likes of Oprah convinced him; he does not have new ideas; he can not be specific about his ideas and he needs to step aside. We need a serious person to handle our serious problems. We need more than HOPE.

"why should he apologize, Obama Hessein has mentioned it in his memoir and republican will definitely exploit this issue.

No way Obama can win general election".

Posted By jmaya, iowa : December 13, 2007 11:50 am

My good friend,the future of Obama/America is not our hand. Therefore we must be patient, I think that Obama can bring all of us togeter in all issues, especially in the issue of race relations. For your information, Black and White will vote for an African American.

"There is no reason for not putting the Clintons back in the White house" – Monte Brown

See, this is the kind of attitude that's holding back Hillary's campaign. This isn't about one candidate "deserving" to win for some unstated, esoteric reason. It's about who is best for our country, who will bring back prestige and inspiration to our nation. It's not about just following a predetermined script about who "should" win and criticizing legitimate contenders as "getting in the way" of the favorite.

I noticed that the headline on CNN's home page referenced the comment as coming from a "rival". Why is it when the Clinton campaign gets caught in a dirty trick CNN chooses to refer to them as a "rival". Would they treat the Edwards and Obama organizations with the same kid gloves?

I think the Obama camp came out and answered smartly with this one and not getting in a slinging of mud fight with the Clinton camp. Like Hillary said in an earlier debate, "when you are on top, everyone is aiming for you." Well, it seems that Obama is moving to the top and she is the one who is aiming.

Mark Winchester VA wrote Apologize all you want but he is still a doper! Great role model for the columbians.

No. He's not still a doper. That's just plain silly.

He IS however a great role model for many Americans...a guy who came from a single home, who admittedly wasted his teenage years on drugs and booze, and OVERCAME all that, worked HARD, and has achieved.

It's the American story.

A much more interesting one than Hillary's.

Obama in '08 AND '12

If the Clintons want somebody "electible", look no further than Laura Bush. She has 16 years experience, no issue with drugs, and she'd be a lot more electible than Hillary. Billster

What a sad bunch of fools.
First of all, if you think Hillary Clinton has not already been chosen to be president, you have another thing coming. We do not have elections in America anymore. They are just for show.
There is nothing on earth short of a violent revolution that will stop Hillary Clinton from being the president. Nothing. it is a rigged game, a fixed outcome.

Secondly-to any idiot that would indict hapless Obama (who still thinks he has a chance)about his drug use, might I remind him that George Bush Sr., William Casey, and Oliver North directed the Iran Contra operation, which saw the CIA flood American cities with huge amounts of cocaine in an effort to raise money for the Contras.
In plain English-that makes George Herbert Walker Bush a DRUG DEALER.
And his son's cocaine use was not rumor, it was FACT.
Hey, it was the 80's-everyone was doing it-and who cares if a few African American communities got completely destroyed by crack? That was a small price to pay (actually, in Bush's eyes, a benefit) to keep South America free from communism.
By the way, who was it that oversaw the drug drops for Iran Contra when they made their way into the US via airplane?
You guessed it-Bill Clinton!
And the drug sales profits were laundered through many Arkansas business and government funds.
Ever hear of Mena, Arkansas?
Bush/Clinton/CIA family drug business-a cozy little operation.

Says who Obama? We have a huge drug problem here in the US alone, we have soldiers dying in Afghanistan fighting the Talibans sending drugs in this country, we're spending hundreds of millions of dollars fighting drug cartels entering our border with Mexico and our waterways. You must be kidding!

YES! Obama your use of cocaine in the past is a BIG problem for registered voters like me. Your use of cocaine alone in the past is one BIG REASON for me and others who have young children to vote for you.

What made it worse, you use the white people of this country as an excuse for your use of drugs, you wrote it in your book. If Every American registered voters go to their public library your book, they'd all turn their backs away from you, you're racist; you blame them for your own inadequacy as if they've pointed a loaded gun on your head. You've made your own choices, take responsibility for it and be held accountable instead of passing the buck like you always do.

You're not fit to President, you are dangerous, you're more divisive than our current President. One thing for sure I will not for you, I don't want the person who'll represent me to the world a former COKEHEAD!

Looks like the Clinon lawyers, who defend anything Hillary says: Monte Brown and a. thomas are back. I was wondering where they have been hiding with all the slipping in the polls of Hillary. I also wonder where they will be hiding when Hillary loses Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and yes, Nevada, we just added three new offices there, i have to say the Obama campaign has geniuses and have this thing figured out!

Hey, I give credit to Obama for at least being able to own up to his mistakes. He made a mistake, admitted that he made that mistake, and moved on from it, which is exactly what other people should do as well!

Here's a prediction. Obama wins Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Next big votes in February result in split of the party between Obama and Clinton. Al Gore steps in to rescue the democrats.

Democrat ticket in '08: Gore / Biden

why should his past be a concern espically when it was when he was a teenager and now u have coked up senators and politicans holding office but the their above the law so they cant be touched.Peolpe will try to smire him just so he wont be the first black president.But he takes a licking and keep on ticking.....................GO BARAMA

Hilary Clinton is the most down right mean and nasty person I know. I mean, it takes that kind of a person to stay with someone who got "you know what" under the table in the oval office. Her camp is a reflection of her and they are worried. I mean you should see the stains. Even her Husband, the great Bill Clinton has gone out to "help" is wife by using his reputation and past accomplishments. He has said he is unhappy with her camp and need to make changes. Well, Obama has a camp too, and I am sure his camp officials are doing a good job at handling their own campaign with out the help of any one else in the political realm. See, Obama doesn't need help from someone with his own campaign. HRC is still unbelievable and in my opinion is not presidential material. Hilary Clinton for president? Ha. Hilary Clinton for Pimp is more like it. Because if she gets elected, she will be pimping the entire world. And lets face it, we want a president to stand on their own two feet and not have to have a personal trainer like Bill holding their hand the entire way.

Obama 08'

Who cares about what was done when Obama was a teenager. The Clinton camp is desperate and needs to talk about real issues that are happening right now....i.e. foreclosures/jobs/Iraq War/etc. etc.
I want to know why Senator Clinton voted on the Iraq War and since she indicated a mistake, how is she going to correct this now and if she becomes president. That's what I want to know. I also want to know what are her plans to rejuvinate a failing economy/ the amount of foreclosures/ the problems with the school systems (drop-out rate)... The Clinton camp needs to talk about the ISSUES.

To Claire,

I think the grammar mistake is the reporter's not Obama's. Obama spoke and the report wrote it down. We all know that "they're" and "there are" pronounce the same, but should be written differently. To report news on the fly, I guess that reporters do not have much time to check their grammar.

Hillary is not concerned with sterotyping Obama as the "typical drug using black man" What!? Are we going to vote for a Republican??

The national polls show Obama is losing big to Hillary. Obama can only dream that he has Hillary's polls.

Hillary is still enjoying high national polls. After the CNN's poll showing her lead of Obama by only 10 points, another poll (ABC/Washongton Post) of the same day shows Hillary ahead by 30 points (53 v 23), and the most recent ARG poll shows Hillary ahead by 19 points (41 v 22).

"Apologize all you want but he is still a doper! Great role model for the columbians.
Posted By Mark Winchester VA"

I will remind you, Mr. Winchester, that our current president has a very public history of cocaine and alcohol abuse. Pots and Kettles, sir. And Columbia should be capitalized.

why should he apologize, Obama Hessein has mentioned it in his memoir and republican will definitely exploit this issue.

No way Obama can win general election.

Oh noooo.... Help me, help me!! I'm melting in the polls...

It is a sad, sad era when CNN, one of the leading news groups in America, uses poor grammar. I have found several mistakes in recent months. The latest error I noticed is your mix-up of "there" and "they're" in a quotation you attribute to Barak Obama.

Get it right, CNN! People do notice!

Wow another non news story for CNN to again through mud at Obama and bring up some kind of youthful indiscretion. Anything to help Clinton.

The Hillary campaing was widely advertised as the best political machine ever. Nevertheless, she has two officials in Iowa sending out "Obama is a terrorist" mass emails intended to induce fear and her campaign chair in New Hampshire talking about Reps. attacking drug use intended to induce fear among Dem voters.

So which is it Ms. Clinton: Is your campaign engaged of dirty politics attempting to SCARE voters into supporting you a la G.W. Bush, OR are you such a bad leader and manager of your staff that your people run rampant and make decision contrary to your will without consequence (perhaps a la G.W. Bush)?

Either way, this is a bad sign for your campaign.

At least Obama is honest! He smoked, he inhaled, he admitted it! I would be more likely to vote for someone who actually admitted to being human and making mistakes.

PLEASE edit your work for homophones. In this article, in the last sentence, the wrong "THEY'RE" was used. CNN needs to recognize that the kids writing the news today just don't know the difference between there, their, and they're.

Though I don't think people should not vote for Obama because of his drug use (I think it gives teens who have made mistakes hope that if they reform, they can still have very successful lives), I do think its naive of him to say that Americans won't care about what he did as a teenager. Instead of just brushing it off, he is going to have to confront it headon. Americans care about every aspect of a president's life...their children, spouses, previous stances, drug history, and even their college grades. People became obsessed with Hillary Clinton's college thesis. That is part of running for president, whether Obama likes it or not. If he is the nominee and wants to beat the Republicans, he needs to be prepared for republicans to go after this, and for americans to probably care. Its amazing what can turn people off to a candidate these days.

Well said Monte. Really. That is the sort of clear, concise support that the Clinton campaign is hoping more of their supporters will go out and preach to the undecided voters. Keep it up!

At the start of the campaign I would've said that Hillary had my vote unreservedly - now that's seeming less and less likely. I am sick to death of the "unauthorized" negative garbage that keeps leaking from her campaign staff. Either Hillary IS authorizing it and trying to keep her own hands clean - or her staff is completely out of her control. Neither is a good sign of someone that might be running this country (we've already had 7 years of that). A couple more instances of this and she's lost my vote.

Monte Brown this is a democracy, not a coronation of Queen Hillary. I am deeply sorry that Hillary is a terrible candidate because she is so divisive, but the fact that she is such a repugnant candidate makes me glad that she's running such an amateur campaign.

Seriously, this is the woman that's supposed to be able to fight the Republicans, and she can't even get her attacks straight on Obama. It's really pathetic, and just goes to show that she'd be a miserable president as well.

Obama 08

Hey Claire, jokes on you. Last time I checked, people don't speak with "spelling". Clearly Obama meant "they're" and the editor of this piece mistakenly wrote "there."

Nobody cares "sappy"! Even if you weren't a coke head in college–you're out of your league presuming to lead our nation, particularly at a time when unprecedented change is necessary. Your expertise is in cocktail parties and blending in. Not scrappling in the dirt, and fighting for your convictions, and keeping to your principles and promises. You're just a well heeled politician, and an Ivy League graduate–whose has made a career of doing all the right things–to achieve your own career goals. My 2 cents.

That's his answer for any criticism (Either that or attacking his critics on his fact-check website...we all know how Saint Obama does his "fact-checking", poor Paul Krugman comes to mind).

Why does he never deal with the criticism head on? This answer is getting old and reeeeaaaaaallllllyyyyy annoying.

Another major stumble for Team Hillary.

Bet that's a tense bunch of folk to be around right now.

You misquoted him. It's "they're concerned ..." not "there concerned ..."

Apologize all you want but he is still a doper! Great role model for the columbians.

I did not have sexual relations with that woman...!

In your Obama quote... you mean "they're" concerned... not "there concerned".... where are your editors??? This is very sloppy journalism!

The Republicans scoffing at this is silly and hypocritical. Obama said he did this in his past, not unlike the current prez.

Senator Obama is correct everyone has done things in thier lives. Look at where he is today and what he has achieved. If anything it is more motivation for the younger voters it proves there is HOPE. Obama is our HOPE!

Oh woe is me – when is the Hillary team going to learn to keep it's mouth shut? Who needs Cheney around, when they shoot themselves in the butt!

Appears Obama didn't even need Rove, the GOP Mastermind & Operative to tell him how to beat Hillary. BUT still one has to wonder just why Rove is so generous to offer advice and hot to oust Senator Clinton from the fray?? Hmmm who do you suppose his next victim will be...

Classic Clinton at its best. Bring up an issue and blame it on the Republicans. God help us if she wins.

This is a classic mnemonic slander devise to associate Obama with drug use. Much as when Huckabee asked in the abstract if Mormons don't believe that the Christ and the Devil are brothers to slander Mitt Romney. Next day you apologize, but the bond is made and Obama/drugs becomes a reflex hard-wired on the brain. The perpetrator of the slander is later rewarded by the inner circle. Shaheen should be fired outright. We in the northern mountains of New Hampshire are not as stupid as the Clintons would like us to be nor are we as easily manipulated as Shaheen's constituents in the industrial cities below on the edge of Massachusetts.

President Bush once admitted to having used marijuana at some point in his life. I wonder then why admission of having made the same mistake for Obama would be a big deal?

I don’t care whether Obama did drugs, but I am confident that Hillary Clinton will win in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and all other states except Illinois and North Carolina and she does not have to and will not exploit Obama’s drug use. I hope that the American people are not buying into the Obama nonsense, altogether. Before Hillary put out her vision the other candidates had no clue of what American people NEEDED. The other candidates, with the exception of Biden and Kucinich, simple hanged on Hillary’s coattail until she rallied up the American people. Now the other candidates are trying to pull a fast one on the American people. Obama and Edwards have been eating from Hillary’s plate and now they want dessert and coffee. The American people must respond to these candidates by letting them know that these scrubs just can’t have their cake and eat it too.

We already have a sound candidate, who can BEAT THE REPUBLICANS, with Hillary Clinton. We don’t need those other knuckleheads. They are distractions, especially Obama. All they do is complicate things, and they won’t get anything accomplished. I believe that Hillary is honest, and it is incomprehensible how some Americans believe that Obama is more honest than Hillary. Let us not forget who we are. We are American. We work with intelligence. We play hard, and we keep it simple. The Republicans understood this in 2000 which is why they won. If the Democrats want to continue to ponder on stupid pettiness, feed into the right wing demagoguery, go against the NEEDS of the American people and hate the very candidate that will make life better for ALL AMERICANS then we all will loose. Do we want to take our country back from the reactionaries, or do we want to please Queen Oprah? Do we want fiscal policies that work like Hillary’s, or some vague assessment of fiscal policy like Obama’s? Do we want to move forward, or do we want to procrastinate and deliberate.

This is the greatest country in the world, and it will be greater with the Clintons back in the White House. Let’s just do it. Forget about Obama and Edwards and the rest of the Democrats. They don’t have any “clever chameleon”. Do they? There is no reason for not putting the Clintons back in the White house, when you ignore that emotional ying yang the reactionaries have festered and the Obama and Edwards campaigns have used for their benefit. Come on America. We don’t need Obama or Edwards. The Republicans are mad at Hillary because her policies will pass and will work and the right wing nonsense will go into the abyss where it belongs. WE ALL WILL WIN WITH HILLARY. Come on America, let's do it. We are not haters.

"I don’t think the American people are concerned about what I did when I was a teenager there concerned about what I’m going to do as a presidential candidate," he said.

How's about using correct grammar? "...there concerned..."

Should be "...they're concerned..." contraction of "they are", not a reference to a place. The deterioration of language in common usage is bad enough without it showing up in journalism as well.

They can apologize and play nice but drugs are not Obama's problem, skin color is his problem and America's problem.

America is not going to elect a black man President of these United States and all but the most idealistic must know that. Liberals LOVE to talk about it and Republicans LOVE to talk about it too but when it gets down to pulling lever, punching the card, pushing the button they won't vote for a black candidate for THAT office and black people make up a small minority in this nation and are, quite frankly, notorious for not voting at all – whatever the reason.

He's right. Hillary is feeling threatened by the poll numbers and the mud is going to have to starting flying early. She really wanted to save this kind of nastiness for Republicans. It's all right to personally destroy them because they're not black and she doesn't need their vote to become the President.

"...when I was a teenager there concerned about..."

Should be "they're" not "there". Heads should roll for this one. Thanks for keeping this non-story alive for another day!

I've never used drugs, and yet I could care less if Obama used them when he was young. Kids make mistakes. A mistake doesn't make someone a bad person, it simply means they made a bad choice.

I wonder why the news media reported this uh....slip....as news unless someone with Republican leanings outside the campaign wanted it published.

It wasn't news. It was PR and a carefully inserted slant that shouldn't have been pubbed as a news story. What it showed is that indeed, "politics is a dirty business."

And that includes media.
I
PS: I bet the guy who did, also did what he accused Obama on.

Ha, does Shaheen expect us to believe that apology! This is just typical of slash and burn politics – send out a surrogate to do some character assasination and then ask him to "humbly apologize". Please!!

I notice Obama does not state when the last time he used illegal drugs was?!?!?! Criminals should have to be honest if they want to be president.

I guess the Democrats should admit they were wrong to attack Bush 7 years ago for supposed drug use.

Can't the Democrats find a drug free candidate? Bill & Hillary and now Obama?

Typical for what they represent.

They don't have to apologize. Kinda used to their negative politics by now....

"Obama Rival?" Come on, CNN, just say it: Hillary Clinton

Three articles already this morning about this non-story. If the Republicans aren't going to make hay with this issue, CNN surely is.

Try reporting some news, guys.