Letters to the Editor
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Please....
Bring back Tim Grieve! War Room has really gone downhill since he left! Who gives a shit about this smoking thing? I mean really - is there nothing else going on today?????
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Obviously didn't stunt his growth
or maybe it just did.
Maybe those uneducated hicks backing Hillary in PA will vote for him now. Hey Folks! Remember indoor smoking in the nineties?
I can't remember where so I can't properly site my source, but I remember reeading that a twenteen noticed that since the smoking ban started the night clubs smell like BO. Used to be the cigarette smoke covered it up.
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Hmmm...
In light of the fact the current occupant is a war criminal, somehow the smoking part just doesn't seem all that objectionable at this point.
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@ teaparty420: Uneducated hicks?
That sort attitude about Clinton supporters will turn the very voters Obama is seeking to appeal to in PA off lots quicker than his smoking.
Keep it up. That sort of elitist crap will destroy Obama one voter at a time. Arrogance: For Obama and Obama supporters is the most dangerous weakness.
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Meh
It's not something that would make me less likely to vote for someone. My Dad used to smoke and it IS difficult to quit. He quit for years and then started again for a little while, my Mom found out and he finally quit for good. But, it's just tough to quit.
Besides, did the fact that Bush stopped drinking make him a better President? NO - and I like scotch. I don't like cigarettes. I wouldn't let Obama smoke in my house, but, I wouldn't let Bush in my house, period.
I bet there are people who say they are less likely to vote for someone because of smoking. I wonder if they are some of the same people who say they think it matters if a candidate is divorced, but conveniently forget that McCain in on his second wife? People are almost never consistent about these things.
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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Seriously. Does anyone with an OUNCE of common sense think that-
-- this matters one lick to anyone
-- that poll has any real-world value. This makes even those foolish polls about Obama's people voting for Clinton and vice versa look credible
-- this is one of the most important, interesting, or relevant things afoot in the world of politcs today
Well, at least the smoking story isnt at the bottom of the page at HuffPo or Politico by the time Salon got to it, like most stuff is these days.
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smoking
I hope these people who wouldn't vote for a former smoker watched McCain's ad. Or is it OK for him because he's a SUPER-AWESOME WAR HERO?
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Not an important topic...
...But interesting nonetheless.
Keep in mind, there has never been a study that has actually proved that smoking causes lung cancer or any other ill health effects (there have been a lot of studies correlating smoking with poor health, but corrleation does not equal causation). Also, there are no studies confirming that occasional smoking has any ill health effects at all. Repeated, long-term exposure to cigarette smoke is definitely bad for your health, but a cig or two per week is probably not going to kill you any faster.
Finally, obesity ends up costing taxpayers more money in healthcare costs than smoking does. At least all three candidates are of an appropriate weight for their height...
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Facepalm
Hey.. Jeb Bartlett was a smoker..
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Isn't it time...
...to stop thinking that our politicians are supposed to be these pristine beings, unencumbered by the vices and desires of normal humans? Between President W. Bush's past alcohol use, past drug use, draft dodging and President Clinton's philandering (and draft dodging), we should be used to it by now. Presidents are people, just like you and me. Maybe a little bit smarter than the normal American citizen, maybe having a drive ambitious enough to pursue an incredibly difficult and often thankless position, which the vast majority of people would not even consider.
The job requires skills in leadership, skills in bureaucratic management, general quick thinking and bravery in the face of tough decisions (how this applies to current and past Presidents is besides the point) that will affect millions or billions of people...but we do NOT need them to be angels.
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Matters, but not the Most Important Issue
At heart, I'm one of those puritanical anti-smoker types disparaged above. I dislike the fact that Obama smokes or used to smoke. Everything else being equal, I'd choose the non-smoker in a race between a smoker and a non-smoker. But, we're down to three choices for the next President. In that context, Obama's habit seems like a minor issue. Just as there are smoking actors whose work I admire and like to watch, I can like the work of a smoking politician without liking the fact that he or she smokes.
I do think it is fair game for people to consider Obama's smoking when deciding for whom to vote. That said, how much do we reliably know about the private lives of politicians and celebrities anyway? Not much.
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Smokers vs fatties
Of the 21% that might not vote for a smoker because of the health risk, how many of those polled should probably lose 21% of their current weight due to health risks?
Of the percentage that should probably lose 21% of their weight, how many of those polled have tried several diets to try to lose the weight, i.e. got on and off the wagon?
Same question as above, insert "getting exercise"?
How many of those people come from the We're Were Not Going To Vote For Him Because He Thinks He's Better Than Us Crowd That Just Became The We're Not Voting For Him Because We're Better Than Anyone That Smokes Crowd?
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What Kim P said...
she is exactly right...I find myself more and more not bothering to come by this site recently...what is goin on? guess you still have Glenn
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It's a plus
Someone who kicks an addictive habit shows strength and character, more than someone who never started. Huckabee quit overeating, Obama quit smoking... those are plusses. I'm not proud of many things in my life, but here's one: going from 80 cigarettes a day to zero, the night my daughter was born.