Clinton Campagn Attacks Obama On Drugs

The hints were there already, but now a Clinton surrogate is flaying Obama for his refreshing candor about past drug-use. Again: this is the politics of fear. Check out the classic Clinton defensive crouch with respect to the GOP:

"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."

So a Clintonite is urging that Obama follow W’s example. Somehow, I don’t think this is going to help. But it’s a sign of how worried they are that their coronation has turned into something a little more complicated.

Why I Still Love Ron Paul

Because of exchanges like this:

Q: So keep us safe, enforce contracts, run the courts, pollution rules and otherwise butt out? Leave us alone?

A: Basically that, which would mean if I’m elected, I should immediately take a pay cut. You know, because I wouldn’t have so much to do.

There really is only one Republican in this race who represents Grover’s "Leave Us Alone" coalition.

Could She Come Third In Iowa?

The Clintonites are showing signs of panic, as Marc reports:

In a variety of conference calls over the next few days, in surrogate appearances, and in memos distributed to reporters, the campaign will directly challenge Obama on points of his resume, on past statements of his, on the details of his current policy plans, and on his campaign’s pushback that it is Clinton who is not electable…

Much of Barack Obama’s recent success is attributable to Obama himself and his campaign’s formidable Iowa field organization, which was developed by state director Paul Tewes. The Obama campaign regularly attracts more than 70 Iowans to its mock caucuses, a figure suggesting that Obama’s support is wide and deep.