PHOTO BACKFIRE?

      Famed Internet political gossip website, The Drudge Report, released a leaked photograph of Barack Obama dressed as a Somali edler his trip to Kenya in 2006. This photo comes at a pivotal moment in the Democratic presidential race when Obama continues to surge as the front runner. This fact leads many in the political realm to think that these recent photos of Obama were silently handed to the media by active staff on the Hillary Clinton campaign. Clinton’s campaign neither confirmed nor denied the accusations.

    The leaks and release of swift denials in political life are a regular routine, which doesn't surprise many who know the game, but pundits such as Fox News Contributor Fr. John Morris think that the release of this photo only caused damage to the Clinton campaign.

    “I don’t think the American people want this type of thing,” said Morris.

    Political leaks and sucker punches are nothing new. From the last minute DUI mention on George W. Bush in 2000 to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth launch of attacks on former presidential candidate John Kerry during his 2004 bid for the office. Once a certain campaign begins to pick up steam, it becomes the mission of competing campaigns to bring down the leader.  A series of back channels and unassociated tactics are used to provide a safe buffer zone between the court of public opinion and the candidates themselves.

    Has this apparent photo leak hurt the Obama campaign? His long time supporters have begun to sound off in his defense.

    “ The pictures do not matter to me. Wearing those clothes does not make him Muslim,” said Brandon Cook.

    “I think it's a low blow, and it's such hot buzz word...MUSLIM. I think it's incredibly reaching on Hillary's part, but it's just the tip of the iceberg,” said Anthony Garcia.

    Obama has since spoken about the photograph and the intention of someone to damage his current bid for the White House. He has said that he certainly knows that this photo was not released to help his campaign in anyway and that he takes Sen. Clinton’s word that she knows nothing of a leak from inside her team.