         dropDownController.closeDropDown(false);
     }
     
+    /**
+     *  @private
+     *  Destroys the callout 
+     */
+    private function destroyCallout():void
+    {
+        removeDynamicPartInstance("dropDown", callout);
+        setCallout(null);
+    }
+    
     //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
     //
     //  Event handlers

     *  stores those values.  If callout is around, the values are stored 
     *  on the callout directly.  However, we need to know what values 
     *  have been set by the developer on the CalloutButton (versus set on 
     *  the controlBarGroup or defaults of the controlBarGroup) as those are values 
     *  we want to carry around if the controlBarGroup changes (via a new skin). 
     *  In order to store this info effeciently, calloutProperties becomes 
     *  a uint to store a series of BitFlags.  These bits represent whether a 
     *  property has been explicitely set on this CalloutButton.  When the 

                }
                
                calloutProperties = newCalloutProperties;
            }
        }
    }
