Clinton denounces official's Obama comment

Democrat rejects other 'silly' comments from campaign targeting rival

	Political operative Bill Shaheen resigned Thursday after making comments that Barack Obama's teenage drug use could make it hard for him to win the presidency.
Jim Cole / AP

Video: Decision '08

Turning Point: 2008
Nov. 5: NBC's Tom Brokaw recaps the historic election of America's first black president. Produced by msnbc.com's Kevin Flynn.

Looking back at the historic race

NBC calls an Obama win

'Change has come to America'

Decision '08 Election Night video

Barack Obama victory speech

John McCain concession speech

The candidates in pictures

Reuters	Final push Presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain make their final appeals to voters.
AP file	John McCain The Republican presidential candidates' life has revolved around the public need.
Punahoe Schools via AP	The life of Barack Obama The path of the president-elect, from childhood to party leader
The Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman via AP	Sarah Palin The fast-track governor's rise from Alaska beauty queen to governor to John McCain’s running mate.
AP file	Joseph Biden The senator's legacy of public service and life filled with second chances.

Associated Press Writer

updated 12:26 p.m. ET Dec. 14, 2007

JOHNSTON, Iowa - Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday denounced the comments of an official in her campaign who resigned after raising questions about drug use by Barack Obama.

Clinton was asked about the official's comments about Obama as she campaigned in Iowa, where the controversy has become an issue less than three weeks before the state's leadoff caucuses.

"As soon as I found out that one of my supporters and co-chairs in New Hampshire made a statement, asked a series of questions, I made it clear it was not authorized, it was in no way condoned, I didn't know about it and he stepped down," Clinton said.

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

A day earlier, Bill Shaheen, a national co-chairman for Clinton and a prominent New Hampshire political figure, had resigned. He and the Clinton campaign had been criticized after he suggested Obama's admitted use of drugs as a teenager could be used against the Illinois senator if he became the Democratic presidential nominee.

Clinton, speaking during a taping of Iowa Public Television's "Iowa Press" program and during a meeting with reporters afterward, sought distance from that comment.

"I made it very clear as soon as I heard about it that I not only disapproved, it did not reflect the campaign I am running," said Clinton. "I did personally apologize, the gentleman in question has stepped down from the leadership role in my campaign."

'Not in my campaign'
Asked if the issue of Obama's drug use should be an issue, Clinton said, "Not in my campaign."

"There are a lot of differences between us, and those are the contrasts that should be drawn," said Clinton. "I'm running a campaign about who I am, what I've done and that's what I'm going to stay focused on.'

She also rejected recent comments from her campaign about Obama saying he hadn't sought the presidency for long — after writing and talking about such an ambition throughout his life.

"That was silly, and I told my campaign it was silly," Clinton said. "My whole point has been there are legitimate differences."