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Obama Drug Use Minimal: Old Friends

Posted Feb 9, 08 7:07 AM CST in Politics 

(Newser) – In his memoir Barack Obama makes a rare admission—for a politician—of  “some bad decisions” as a teenager, of indulging in drinking and drugs before political activism led him out of apathy. But friends remember an already-focused Obama: an eloquent, poised young intellectual, active against South African apartheid and moderate in his lifestyle. "He was not even close to being a party animal," a college friend tells the New York Times.

In a piece examining whether Obama might have overstated his coming-of-age challenges, college classmates say, "If someone passed him a joint, he would take a drag," but he never seemed to be grappling with drug problems. “As far as pot, booze or coke being a prevalent part of his life, I doubt it,” said a high school friend, who admits he pressured his classmate into drinking beer.

Source New York Times

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Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., makes remarks during a news conference following a tour of the McKinstry Company, Friday, Feb. 8, 2008, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., speaks at a rally Friday, Feb. 8, 2008, at KeyArena in Seattle. Washington state voters will take part in political caucuses on Saturday. (AP...   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., greets the crowd as he begins a rally Friday, Feb. 8, 2008, at KeyArena in Seattle. Washington state voters will take part in political caucuses...   (Associated Press)
Democratic presidential hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., makes remarks during a news conference following a tour of the McKinstry Company, Friday, Feb. 8, 2008, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)   (Associated Press)
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Barack Obama • Hillary Clinton • teenagers • Hawaii • drug use • Dreams From My Father


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