Clinton campaign co-chair Billy Shaheen has voluntarily stepped down after making comments about Barack Obama’s drug use as a teenager.

“I made a mistake and in light of what happened, I have made the personal decision that I will step down as the Co-Chair of Hillary for President campaign,” he said in a statement.

Shaheen had questioned Obama’s electability against a Republican, saying they’d use things like Obama’s admitted drug use during his youth in Hawaii against him… even suggesting that they may question whether Obama ever sold drugs as well.

Sen Clinton personally apologized to Sen Obama this morning, and the campaign had disavowed the comments.

Read the full Shaheen statement after the jump, and watch him introducing Sen Clinton in Brentwood, NH last month.

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Sen Clinton has personally apologized to Sen Obama for remarks by her New Hampshire campaign chairman Billy Shaheen, the husband of Gov Jeanne Shaheen, who said yesterday that Obama’s past drug use could be used against him by Republicans in a general election. Shaheen apologized for bringing up the drug issue, and the campaign immediately disavowed his comments.

Now, New Hampshire spokeswoman Kathleen Strand says “Sen. Clinton personally apologized to Sen. Obama this morning, and reiterated that this was not anything that came from the campaign or that we condone.” She confirmed that the apology took place at Washington’s Reagan National Airport as the two left the nation’s capital for a Des Moines, IA presidential debate.

UPDATE: Top Clinton strategist talks about the apology (and hints at Billy Shaheen’s impending departure) on camera after the Democratic debate in Iowa, check it out. done