Video: Evidence That Clinton Camp’s Attack On Obama’s Drug Use Was Deliberate

Edwards, Clinton, and Obama Campaign Managers On Hardball

For more:

• Watch NBC’s brief overview of the story here.
• Watch Chris Matthews on Hardball call the Clinton attack straight out the playbook here.
• Donate your outrage about Mark Penn’s deliberate, underhanded attack here.

UPDATE 12/14: John Nichols at The Nation writes -

Shaheen will remain a key player in New Hampshire and in the national Clinton campaign; working, whether officially or unofficially, for Clinton. As the preeminent Democratic fixer in what for the fading front-runner has emerged as the critical primary state, he knows his services will be in demand.

He also knows that the Clinton camp doesn’t hold grudges against people who do the dirty work.

Officially, Bill Shaheen is off the Hillary Clinton campaign.

Unofficially, the smart bet is that Shaheen’s taking “thank-you” calls from the Clinton team and awaiting his next assignment. An even smarter bet is that Shaheen’s will not be a long wait.

UPDATE 12/14: Before this story even broke publicly, the Clinton camp had been sending out whispers about it to media outlets. Thomas Edsall at the Huffington Post wrote a few days before the story broke:

On Monday morning, Hillary Clinton’s campaign included a cryptic, somewhat ominous, note in an email to journalists and supporters:

Something to Chew On: Respected columnist David Yepsen notes that “it’s important for Democrats to understand the strengths and weaknesses of each candidate. Clinton’s negatives are well-known, Obama’s less so. Any shortcomings, inconsistencies or misstatements in Obama’s past will be exploited by Republicans in the fall campaign if he’s the nominee. It’s best for Democrats to vet them now.”

The Clinton campaign email did not spell out Obama’s “shortcomings, inconsistencies or misstatements,” but other Democratic activists have quietly received messages from Clinton allies pointing in the likely direction. Those messages provided a link to an Iowa Independent story by Douglas Burns headlined “The Politics Of Obama’s Past Cocaine Use.”

UPDATE 12/14: Also see – “Audio: Barack Obama on the Tom Joyner Morning Show – December 14, 2007“

UPDATE 12/16: Another Clinton campaign surrogate, Bob Kerrey, is now making similar statements about Barack Obama.

UPDATE 12/21: Black media aren’t feelin’ these comments from the Clinton campaign. The American Prospect has an article, “The Real Race Card” and the Detroit Black Star News has an article “Clinton Acolytes’ Racist Attacks.”

UPDATE 12/23:  The Washington Post has now picked up this story citing some of the pieces listed above.