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Obama’s Semi-Secret Habit

By Alan Stewart Carl | Related entries in Barack

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While most coverage of yesterdayâ€™s Meet The Press interview with Barack Obama centered on his comments on the economy, there was on side issue I found interesting: Obamaâ€™s smoking habit.

Close observers of Obama have known for awhile that he is an on-again-off-again smoker. But, generally speaking, his cigarette habit has been as hidden from view as was Franklin Rooseveltâ€™s paralysis. I mean, images of Obama smoking on the campaign trail never circulated although he admitted yesterday that he still struggles with quitting.

I wonder if his popularity during the campaign would have suffered if more people knew about his habit? To me, it just makes him seem more human. But we tend to demonize smoking in our modern culture and I wonder if Obamaâ€™s habit, if more widely known, would damage his image as a cultivated, vigorous, in-control man.

Admittedly, this is a rather small point with all the real problems facing Obama. But itâ€™s an interesting statement both on Obama and contemporary culture that his smoking has been so hidden. For his part, Obama says heâ€™ll follow the White Houseâ€™s no smoking policy. But I bet, with the stress, heâ€™ll still sneak a few puffs. And I bet we never see a picture of it.

This entry was posted on Monday, December 8th, 2008 and is filed under Barack. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

6 Responses to “Obama’s Semi-Secret Habit”

Marla Says:
December 8th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Didn’t Jed Bartlet sneak out for the occasional puff too? The West Wing parallels are becoming unnerving.
ExiledIndependent Says:
December 8th, 2008 at 10:13 am
If the dude wants to smoke, let him smoke. But no, we’ll never see it happen given the precise control over his public image that he exerts. And I’m guessing that he should probably hurry up and puff away while he can–national healthcare and a national tobacco ban seem like they would go hand in hand….
Jimmy the Dhimmi Says:
December 8th, 2008 at 10:43 am
Think about it this way: Since Obama walks on water to his supporters, maybe smoking will be cool again!
EvilPoet Says:
December 8th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Obama human? I’m shocked I tells ya! Shocked! /snark
sus Says:
December 9th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
Isn’t it funny how we encourage folks dealing with alcohol and drug problems, with smokers are pariah?
TerenceC Says:
December 9th, 2008 at 6:01 pm
Speaking on behalf of the on-again off-again smokers the real question is how many per day. Two or three is no big deal (he’ll even get a little buzz from the nicotine). Four to ten a day is a light smoker who hasn’t quit – anything more than that is genuine nicotine head.

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