Obama as a smoker - help (average guy) or hurt (stupid)?

[democrat2thecore]

EDIT: Picture removed due to controversy over whether it is "Photoshopped." It still doesn't change my question. But, because the picture itself is in question, I am removing it.

This hasn't been discussed a lot, but I have a serious question for all DUers. I am torn on this myself and want to know what others think. Obama is a cigarette smoker - never in public - but he's a smoker. I can see that working two ways:

1) Obama is an average guy and smoking proves that he isn't going to change who he is - to please anybody.

2) Obama smokes cigarettes and with what we know about them now - it shows he is stupid.

Trust me, this will become an issue at some time. It's just one of those things. I can see it helping and I can see it hurting. Seriously, what do you think?

And by the way, Obama is my strong #2 candidate. If Biden falters, I'm with Obama. I have no hidden agenda, I honestly want to know what people think as smoking can be a hot-button topic with a lot of people.

[MadBadger]

1. hasnt he been trying to quit?

[bigdarryl]

15. For his sake i hope he has if not Michell will kill him

that was one of the agreements he made her ultimatum was if you stop the smoking you can go ahead and run. DAMN!!! Barack i can see who wears the pants in your house hold

[democrat2thecore]

23. Yes! He HAS been trying to quit.

I should have mentioned that he's chewing that gum that helps some people and doing other things. But, I know he was still smoking on October 2nd as I was there when he was speaking on the Iraq Speech Anniversary and several campaign people said they saw him put out a cigarette as he jumped out of his car at the Iowa Events Center. It's not an easy thing to stop - I've been there.

[niyad]

2. I don't care whether he smokes or not.

[msongs]

3. smoking is a drug addiction. if he tries to hide his drug addiction.... what else does he hide? nt

[tammywammy]

12. Seriously?

I hide my smoking from certain people too.

And it's incredibly difficult to quit, I've tried a few times already.

[Mojorabbit]

20. Oh please. good grief. eom

[Pirate Smile]

29. Oh Lord...

:eyes:

[ixion]

32. "Never trust a man without a vice" -- Mark Twain

those who claim not to have vices are the worst.

[slick8790]

39. Absolutely.

Look at craig, foley, vitter, limbaugh, etc.

[Cha]

90. There's vices and there's

fucking smoking.. not only are you destroying your cells, you're putting lucre into the coffers of big tobacco. I see all these kids pushing baby carriages around town with cigs hanging outta their mouths..why, we even have a Cig Friendly store in town where I'm guessing they charge less per carton.

Sure it's hard to quit..I did back in the day.

And, yes, I have vices.

[ixion]

96. poppycock... a vice is a vice and smoking is a vice and people have been smoking for thousands of

years and there's not a damn thing you can do to stop that.

Smoke'em if you gott'em. :smoke:

[Cha]

101. Yeah, I'm not trying to stop

anyone just stay the fuck away from me.

[Vickers]

99. "All generalizations are false, including this one." - Mark Twain

:P

[democrat2thecore]

37. Sorry, as the original OP, I don't buy that for a second. -nt

[1corona4u]

4. He supposedly quit....

not sure though. My friends who are smokers, were commenting one day about poor Obama having to sit on the patio to have a smoke, LOL...I could just visualize it...with his wrought iron furniture, and his melamine ashtray, LOL....

It's been reported though that he is/was on the patch.

[Adelante]

5. He's trying to stop

I think most people understand how difficult an addiction it is to break.

[1corona4u]

6. Yeah, I have 2 friends that have been trying to quit for years now...

they keep falling off the wagon though...stress related mostly.

[MadBadger]

9. Except I doubt (could be wrong) they have the motivation he does

Running for President.

[1corona4u]

18. Well, their reasons are life threatning...

so, yeah, I think it's every bit the incentive as running for prez. It's just hard for some people to quit.

[polichick]

7. Is the White House a non-smoking building?

Can't you just see him sneakin' out back for a smoke!?

[1corona4u]

14. I watch him in the debates, and think...

damn, you know he wants a cig so bad, LOL...he probably doubles down on the patches then.

[polichick]

27. I never thought of that...

The debates are probably a challenge in a number of ways!

[mitchtv]

8. I'll go with stupid, not that ther's anything wrong with it

Really though, the net effect is negligible, Unless of course, it becomes an issue. Catch Bill or Hill smoking , and it will be a big, fat issue.

[sandnsea]

10. Did you photoshop that?!?

You'd really go to that length to smear someone???

This is really disgusting.

[polichick]

16. I've seen that pic before, so I doubt it was photoshopped. nt

[sandnsea]

19. I never have

and believe it would be used alot more often if it weren't photoshopped.

[polichick]

22. I guess it could be, but I've either seen that one or one very similar. nt

[sandnsea]

Yeah, with cigarettes "hanging" out of his mouth

They're photoshopped. No politician is going to talk to somebody with a cigarette hanging out of their mouth, it's ridiculous on its face.

[democrat2thecore]

41. Wrong

Obama has NEVER hidden the fact he is a smoker. NEVER. Why is it a shock there are photographs?

[sandnsea]

47. I'm not arguing the smoking

I'm saying that he did not stand there with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, it's ridiculous. That picture is photoshopped.

[democrat2thecore]

77. I've removed the photograph.

But I was not trying to smear Senator Obama. Period.

[1corona4u]

26. Well, then...

Here's what he said back in Feb. 07;

After struggling to quit smoking in the past, Sen. Barack Obama is trying a cessation aid not available over the counter: public attention.

Obama (D-Ill.) resolved to quit his cigarette habit over the winter holidays, just weeks before his expected presidential campaign would make photographers and reporters an even more regular part of his life.

He said in a Monday interview that, although he has never been a heavy smoker, he has quit for periods over the last several years but then slipped back into the habit. On the cusp of a potential presidential bid seemed the right time to quit for good, he said.

"I've never been a heavy smoker," Obama said. "I've quit periodically over the last several years. I've got an ironclad demand from my wife that in the stresses of the campaign I don't succumb. I've been chewing Nicorette strenuously."



http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0702060167feb06,1,1003440.story?coll=chi-news-hed

[ariesgem]

30. It's a photoshop.

http://www.news.uiuc.edu/ii/04/0805/obama,barack_w.jpg.png

[democrat2thecore]

46. deleted by poster

[ariesgem]

82. deleted by poster

[democrat2thecore]

86. No - I removed the picture.

I'm no photo expert and if the authenticity of the photo is really an issue, it just muddles the purpose of the post, so I removed it from the OP.

[ariesgem]

95. Thanks for removing it.

:thumbsup:

I didn't read that you removed it before writing my previous post.

[1corona4u]

48. Still, that doesn't mean he's not a smoker...

he has admitted it...read my other post.

[sandnsea]

53. Everybody knows that, it's old old old news n/t

[1corona4u]

59. Oh, I think that there are plenty people

who still don't know this.

[sandnsea]

Thank you n/t

[sandnsea]

31. I know and I don't care

I just think it's stupid to photoshop pictures to smear somebody with. There aren't any with cigarettes in his hand, only with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Nobody stands and talks to someone with a cigarette dangling out of their mouth, it's ridiulous. They're photoshopped.

[niyad]

24. umm, just because you have seen something before doesn't mean it wasn't photoshopped the

first time you saw it, now does it?

[polichick]

36. You're grasping at straws...

Go have a cig instead!

[niyad]

52. grasping at straws? because I am pointing out an obvious fact? try again, sweetie

by the way, I am an allergic non-smoker, so don't try that BS on me.

[polichick]

56. I meant that it makes no difference at all whether that photo is legit...

He's a smoker who's trying to quit ~ and who cares poopsie?!

[niyad]

64. oh my. . .let's see, your remark was that the pic had to be true because you have seen it before. I

simply pointed out that the mere fact that a pic has been seen before is NOT proof that it wasn't photoshopped, and you tried to turn it around.

you really have to try harder.

I repeat, I don't give a DAMN whether he smokes or not--that is NOT one of my criteria for any elected official, and I say this, again, as an allergic non-smoker, pookie.

[polichick]

73. Actually, I wasn't turning your post around...

...I was just giving it the attention it deserved.

[sandnsea]

43. No, the ridiculousness of the "photo"

is what leads me to conclude it's photoshopped. Along with the other "pictures" that are floating around in google, also with cigarettes photoshopped into his mouth.

[polichick]

49. But who cares anyway?

I doubt most voters will.

[sandnsea]

57. I was shocked at the photoshop

I wouldn't be surprised for the right wing to make a bigger issue over him smoking than Giuliani's affairs. Nothing the right gets into a tizz over surprises me. I was just shocked somebody was trying to pretend a photoshop was real in order to launch a smear campaign.

[democrat2thecore]

65. WRONG AGAIN

I was just shocked somebody was trying to pretend a photoshop was real in order to launch a smear campaign.

You're talking about ME. I didn't even think "Photoshop". Can we all analyze every pixel of every photo? He's a smoker! That's a fact! I am SO angry that you are pulling this "somebody pretending...to launch an attack" business. I could just as easily claim you are sowing dissension on purpose instead of calmly discussing the issue. To think I respected you. I am now disgusted at your assumptions - they tell me a lot about the real sandnsea.

[democrat2thecore]

35. Oh, please

This was a serious question. You are one of my favorite posters here at DU and am dissapointed you would not take this as seriously as I do - and some in his campaign! I am asking a legitimate question. The picture is one of many of the senator smoking, it was to add a visual to the question that people will be asking - and they eventually will!

[sandnsea]

38. It's bullshit and it's photoshopped

and it's a really childish and disgusting smear.

[democrat2thecore]

55. SMEAR?

Does Obama smoke or not? Yes! He admits it! He is trying to stop! How is discussing a candidate smoking in 2007 a SMEAR? It's true - it's not something I made up. I am still surprised that you - of all people - would be so shocked and accusatory.

[sandnsea]

58. You're caught

quit embarrassing yourself.

[democrat2thecore]

66. You are being grossly UNFAIR

And I think you may just know it.

[NYCGirl]

45. It is photoshopped. Here's the original:

http://www.news.uiuc.edu/ii/04/0805/obama,barack_w.jpg.png

[lurky]

51. Definitely photoshopped.

A pretty sloppy job, too. You can see weird little smudges around the cigarette where it was cropped out of one picture and inserted into this one.

I think most people can sympathize with someone who is struggling to quit smoking, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. But I think whoever photoshopped this picture was trying to make him look sleazy.

[Nailzberg]

80. also note the buttons on his shirt - dead giveaway

The original photo shows the shirt buttons on Obama's right hand side and buttons-holes on the left.

The image was reversed to accommodate the cigarette image that was being inserted, and thus the buttons are on the wrong side of his shirt.

[opihimoimoi]

11. A Smoker??? He is TOAST......he is a Loser.....

[lumberjack_jeff]

13. Hurt. n/t

[zulchzulu]

17. Michelle Obama made it a point that Barack quit when running for President

As far as I know, he quit. Surely if he did smoke, I don't see that as a liability anyway.

[niyad]

21. could we possibly focus on REAL issues? oh, maybe like ghoiliani's ties to terror spronsors?

mccain's senility? the thuggery of all those on the reich?

seriously. . .

[democrat2thecore]

88. I agree, but unfortunately these things ARE issues - just look at this thread(!) -nt

[geek tragedy]

25. He QUIT, genius. n/t

[ixion]

28. how about irrelevant?

it really doesn't matter... or at least is shouldn't.

[Cooley Hurd]

33. The present First *cough* Lady's already stunk up the WH with HER butts....

...so who cares if Senator Obama does?:shrug:;)

Seriously, the only thing that should be of concern is his health and whom he picks as his running mate.

[1corona4u]

54. What?! She smokes?

[Cooley Hurd]

62. From what I understand, she does...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/04/05/earlyshow/leisure/books/main1474223.shtml

<snip>
Even Laura Bush has her vices, such as a smoking habit she can't quite shake. Kessler says the first lady bums a cigarette once in a while: "She goes out on the balcony and smokes a little bit every now and then."
</snip>

Yeah, on the balcony...;)

[Kucinich4America]

79. Reportedly, the Chimp himself still smokes as well.

Cigs, not crack. He gave that up because daddy could get him the pure stuff.

[Vickers]

98. That's pure class there, smoking in the Christmas photo.

:P

And holy CRAP, has Barb *always* been in her 70s? :shrug:

[Evergreen Emerald]

34. Pickles smokes too and that is also hidden by the press--I don't know if Bush smokes cigarettes

I know he did cocaine and alcohol...also hidden by the press.

So, the question is: what is fair game and what is off limits?

[tammywammy]

40. What's the difference between a cigar and cigarette?

Many presidents have been known to smoke cigars. :shrug:

It's a non-issue.

Plus, see post 30, that's a photoshop.

[Stop Cornyn]

42. His successful fight to lose weight is part of Huckabible's appeal; maybe Obama should publicize his

success at quitting smoking.

[cgrindley]

44. smoking is cool and it makes you look older

I love smoking.

[tammywammy]

60. I like to think of Obama as a modern Marlboro Man

[Evergreen Emerald]

76. the marlboro man died of lung cancer.

[tammywammy]

84. I was kidding, and yes I knew that

[cuke]

50. I am going with Option #3 - No one will care much either way

[democrat2thecore]

61. I'm sorry I asked this question now.....

I was seriously interested in what people will think when the smoke-patrol people jump on Obama being a smoker (trying to quit aside). One poster, in particular, was rude and accusatory to me as if I was out to "smear" Obama. I made it clear if Biden falters - I am FOR OBAMA! It is a serious question and some get angry. For that, I am sorry. Honestly, I am more disappointed in a certain poster accusing me of "smearing" Obama when his smoking is reality and the photo - as far as I know - is not photoshopped. I mean, he admits he's trying to quit! But if anyone really thinks I was trying to hurt Senator Obama, in any way, I apologize, That was NOT the intention. This is "inside baseball" campaign theorizing. That's all.

[NYCGirl]

63. Maybe you shouldn't have posted the photo. It IS photoshopped. Here's

the original:

http://www.news.uiuc.edu/ii/04/0805/obama,barack_w.jpg.png

[democrat2thecore]

69. I don't know which is real and which isn't, but I'm removing the photo from the post -nt

[NYCGirl]

71. Good. Thank you. NT

[Hekate]

67. Photoshop. He's made it very clear he's trying to kick the habit & Michelle is on his case about it.

There's NO WAY he'd be caught on camera with a cig in his mouth.

As to the OP's question: I doubt it makes a difference to voters.

Smoking in this country is on the decline, and it is now socially unacceptable nearly everywhere to light up. Some e-smokers and non-smokers are self-righteous prigs about the issue, but a lot of the rest of us know someone who is struggling with quitting. He's more likely to engender sympathy for having been honest about it being a struggle.

Hekate

[AtomicKitten]

68. photo-shopped pictures are designed to hurt

And anyone following Obama sees him chewing on Nicorette frequently, so I would venture to guess he's in the process of quitting.

next

[Bucky]

70. I think it makes him look cool

Just kidding. It makes him look like a guy who's overcoming a hurtful vice. That photo, however, does make me think about comparisons to Frank Sinatra.

[Kucinich4America]

72. Obama said that he quit smoking months ago

He also said he took up jogging, and that his lung capacity was much better once he got the cancer sticks out of his system.

Furthermore, that picture, besides being a horrible Photoshop, isn't even very recent, as Obama now has a little bit of gray hair coming in on the temples.

[democrat2thecore]

74. Links?

I know he was still smoking on October 2nd. I HOPE he has been able to quit as it is not an easy thing to do. I've been there.

[NYCGirl]

78. According to the Washington Post, he stopped in February.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/11/AR2007021101336.html

Maybe you should turn in a report to Michelle.

[democrat2thecore]

81. Thanks - That IS interesting

And I hope it's true. The campaign office in Iowa on October 2nd was saying otherwise. Hey, whichever, he IS trying to quit which isn't easy to do.

[hyphenate]

75. IMHO

I can't really get behind someone who smokes unless he proves conclusively that he won't, at some point, veto any kind of a plan that could hurt the tobacco industry severely. By smoking, he is assenting, even if it's only in a minor way, to allowing cigarettes to continue to be distributed legally and without reprimand.

We all do know that smoking isn't good--that goes without saying. I look at photographs, films and other media from 40 or more years ago and see many people smoking, and it makes me cringe, but I also know that facts about the harm done by smoking were being covered up then. My dad is a perfect example of someone who smoked extensively in his youth, and died from lung cancer from smoking at 58. While I personally never smoked, I abhor it because of my dad, and pretty much killed most of my dad's side of the family.

As you said, it might be a major issue at some point--smokers and non-smokers are clearly polarized on the issue, pointing to it as a personal choice, and as such, joins women's reproductive rights questions in deliberation, and can be as touchy as that long standing argument. But I have to wonder how anyone who is intelligent, wise and fair can argue that smoking is in any way a correct course of action. I know it's difficult to stop--my dad tried several times to do so, and succeeded up to a point, but in the end he returned to smoking, but I would hope that those who currently smoke are not encouraging others to do so, especially their children or grandchildren. And that's why I would hope that a leader today would curtail his or her habit in light of the many reasons they should not be smoking to begin with.

[democrat2thecore]

85. Thank you for real discussion

That's what I intended. Yours was a very thoughtful response - and I'm sorry about your dad, 58 is wayyy too young.

[polichick]

83. Wow, who knew this would be such a touchy subject?!

I don't believe you were trying to smear anyone ~ it is an interesting question considering smoking is banned in so many places, but I don't think it will be much of an issue for voters.

[NYCGirl]

87. No. After all, the fictional President Bartlett from The West Wing had to sneak

outside the White House to smoke.

[democrat2thecore]

91. You are right! I had forgotten that! Great show - I miss it. -nt

[polichick]

102. Some part of me must've remembered that...

...since earlier on this thread I mentioned Obama having to sneak out for a smoke. I definitely remember watching that show and wishing we had a president like Bartlett!!!

[skipos]

89. I think most people will think

"Obama smokes and is trying to quit, like me" or "Obama smokes and is trying to quit, like he should."

I don't see this being a big issue. Everybody has their addictions and challenges.

His "scary" middle name is going to be a much bigger issue, imo.

[democrat2thecore]

92. I am the Original Poster - -- the picture IS a Photoshop Job

I agree that the photo is photoshopped (and has been removed). The reversal of the buttons is what made me see that the picture was not real. Even though it doesn't change that he is/was a smoker, I am sorry for offending anyone with the fake photo in my thread. I apologize with all I have for that, I shouldn't have included the pic in the first place. As I said before, if Joe Biden falters, I am an Obama supporter. If anyone doubts my sincerity or questions my motives, I hope you will search my posts in the past that show that I agonized for a long time between Biden, Obama and Edwards. I feel terrible for the picture, but still think the original question I asked is valid, especially if he hasn't completely quit. This thread proves how smoking can put people in corners just as quickly as abortion and some other hot-button issues. Again, I am very sorry for including, what I now know, to be a fake picture. I think I'll take the rest of the day off and watch some football, the Big XII Championship is on tonight.

[NC_Nurse]

93. Smoking has nothing to do with intelligence. It's addictive.

Some people will approve, others will sympathize, others will disapprove.
Every candidate has some flaws. I doubt this will matter. Sounds like he's quit anyway.
Anyone who has ever quit smoking will admire him for that, it's hard to kick.

[Warren Stupidity]

94. I've heard it is bad for your health. He should stop.

It makes him human. I don't have a problem with it at all.

[ClarkUSA]

97. Obama quit at the beginning of the year BEFORE he announced his candidacy.

Michelle made that a condition of his agreeing to run for his presidency, according to a recent Salon.com article.

[Connie_Corleone]

100. I'm surprised this thread is still going on. Obama stopped smoking.

What's the problemo?