Obama smoking presents health issue

Just shows Obama is full of smoke ?

Did he mention carpal tunnel syndrom and writers cramp? This is news? What a waste of money.

OMG so now people who have quit smoking are not able to be president? How about all that second hand smoke from Laura Bush getting into Georgies lungs? That surely must count no? And what about Mccains previous skin cancer? From what i understand there is more of a chance of recurance of that than Obama developing lung cancer at such a young age! Give it a rest already!!à

Next, I guess we'll need to know where he lived his entire life to determine if he was subject to polluted air and drinking water; and what he ate, to determine whether he consumed too much sugar or saturated fat. We can't be too careful, now can we?

Great comments!!! Obama has jumped through so many hoops its ridiculous.

It all depends on how long he smoked for. But according to medical reports, the minute you stop smoking your system begins to 'heal' itself in many many areas, so maybe Obama isn't so bad off. But wait a minute. It was just reported from McCain's medical records that he smoked 2 packs a day for eons.

Actually, I don;t think Obama quit smoking. The fact that he reeked of cigarettes while being interviewed a short while back ,and was not firm in his answer after that about if he had quit, convinces me that he is lying. His reply when asked if he had succeeded in quitting was " I've uh fallen off the wagon uh a couple of times but its getting there". Apparently, he was told not to smoke, because it did not fit the clean cut image that is being put out there to get the nomination. He obviously is not able to quit so instead adds this to his history of deception. Just ask Alice Palmer! By the way, where is his Health Report that was supposed to be released a couple of days ago?

McCain smoked 2 packs a day for 20 years. Not that any of this is newsworthy, but FYI.

You would start smoking too after dealing with Clinton.

Bravo to Keith Lifetime Southsider, funny.

And to continue, all this in newsworthy, why? Back to the issues...

Such liberal malarcky. Smoking doesn't hurt your health. No scientific facts back that up. Just like there's no proof of global warming, eating bad food makes you fat, 2nd hand smoke is dangerous, babies sucking on lead based painted toys causes problems & blah-blah-blah.

Hey Keith, I knew somehow it was Clintons fault that Obama smokes. Whatever, whenever, whomever, it will always be Clintons fault. Give it a rest already people!!

Of course voting Republican can inflict life-long damage.

I am 100% anti-smoking. But if you think that pushing the dont-stop-smoking meme that the damage has already been done helps anyone, you are a fool of the highest order. Smokers need to know that the benefits of stopping smoking are rapid. Many benefits kick in within hours, days and weeks. Most, if not all, cancer risks return to normal within ten years, regardless of the length of time a person smoked.

But, if you have any regard for the health of smokers, you would stress that the more you smoke, the more you have to gain by stopping.

Please don't use this issue to mislead smokers that they don't gain anything by stopping now.

Maybe just stop talking about it if you wish to maintain your complete ignorance on the subject.

Stopping smoking now helps the smoker, and everyone.

Not surprising that Obama has this filthy habit.

Wow. A smoking candidate would get 25% of the vote (from smokers) automatically. I expect to see Hillary smoking tomorrow.

Roman B I really hope you're joking right? If not Oh boy you are one deaf, dumb and blind Republican added to a very long list!

Barack Obama is younger than Clinton or McCain, but he is the most visibly tired candidate in this race, despite his mid-campaign vacation. Maybe he has circulation or blood pressure problems. And, his constant gaffes show he's either not firing on all cylinders, or he's truly not all that smart.
From seeing dead people to inventing stories about his family to thinking the US has 57 states; that the Great Lakes border Oregon; to not knowing that Kentucky shares a border with his own home state of Illinois; to not knowing what languages are spoken in Afghanistan, or Brazil for that matter, and to declaring Iran to be no threat to the US one day and then claiming, the very next day, that Iran poses a grave threat....etc., etc. it's enough to make on suspect early onset Alzheimer's.

Or maybe Obama just has a Dubya brain in a different housing.

Pls. get info to Obama or his doc David L. Scheiner that using the gum to quit cigarettes is 10 times less effective than the spray. Patch and gum under 13% success at one year, but spray almost 90%. Can get protocol from Dr. who did the FDA trials, Dr. David Sachs, Pulmonary Assoc., California Ave., Palo Alto, CA, 94306. It really is possible to quit without withdrawal. If Obama suceeds after so many relapses, maybe he will help ALL smokers by pushing for adding nicotine replacement therapy to the lists of drugs that insurers pay for. He would save the future generations!
Thanks and good luck!

How long did McCain smoke and when did he stop?

Clearly the years of smoking have damaged his brain, leading to chronic and possibly terminal liberalism.

I usually don't post comments but after reading some of the above comments, I would like to know who in the world would allow people to post such ignorant comments.

A few points from an ex-smoker:
1. McCain quit smoking over 20 years ago. Almost all of the effects of smoking are gone by now. Obama is still smoking, so he's only getting sicker.
And McCain quit before he starting running for president.

2. When I was active in the Democratic Party (a Town Committee member), I was made to feel like a pariah, because I was a smoker. That I was my initial reason for leaving the party. (I am now a moderate independent.)
I cannot understand why Democrats were so intolerant toward a Town Committeeman smoking while embracing a smoker for President.

3. I quit an over 30 year habit on the first attempt, despite a great deal of ambivalence and considerable skepticism about most (but not all) of the ill health effects of smoking.
I have never been known for having a lot of confidence or will power.

4. Apparently Obama is someone who is both weak-willed and less than forthcoming.

5. Would he be willing to submit to a public blood test, so we can be sure that tobacco is the only thing he's smoking?

The most problematic issue isn't whether or not Mr. Obama smokes, it is whether or not he is so determined to achieve his ambitions that he will lie about it. Isn't it time we expect more of our elected officials, republican or democrat? Unbridled ambition combined with unequaled arrogance has caused many of this country's leaders to betray our confidence on issues small and large. Character is not a part-time trait. Those who lie about small issues, are considerably more likely to lie about the big issues. Tell the truth Mr. Obama, that really would amount to meaningful change!

If you look deeper you will see it is the
tobacco companies at the root of it.
Obama is only human like millions of
smokers. Those who are smoking, those who have quit, and those struggling to quit. Who are any of us
to judge?

George Bush smokes also (cigars). He also used to do cocaine didn't he?