From Suave to Taboo: a 21st century smoker in the White House

I hearby stoop to posting an article I am writing for work because I just haven't tried writing anything else. Maybe this will spur me on!




In a recent NBC’s Meet the Press interview with president-elect Barack Obama, Tom Brokaw inquired about Obama’s personal stance on smoking. Obama responded by admitting that, while he occasionally lights up, as amid the pressure of the presidential campaign, he is actively working at becoming healthier. “What I said was that there are times where I’ve fallen off the wagon,” Obama confessed to Brokaw, when asked if he’d quit. Then, speaking of the White House Smoking Ban he went on to assure viewers, “…I think that you will not see any violations of these rules in the White House.”

Despite the flood of media at the beginning of December regarding Obama’s penchant for cigarettes, the topic of presidential smoking is far from new to the White House; indeed, a former non-issue.

Many U.S. presidents were avid cigar smokers, especially in the early days of the White House, with smoking much more socially acceptable and even considered debonair. Presidents Madison, Jackson, Grant, Arthur, Harrison, McKinley, Coolidge, and Kennedy all loved their cigars. According to the autumn 2003 online edition of Cigar Aficionado, “Between the Civil War and the Second World War, more presidents smoked cigars than did not” (Sferrzza Anthony, Carl. 'Our Presidents and Cigars').

Cigarette preferences belonged to Roosevelt and Eisenhower, and even the more recent presidents Nixon and Ford used tobacco products on occasion. Closet smokers included President Harding and First Lady Laura Bush. First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy was reported as an obsessive chain smoker, always indulging in secret.

Times have changed, as the nation has become increasingly aware of the severe health risks linked to both direct and indirect exposure to tobacco smoke. As possibly the most powerful and influential person in America, many wonder what kind of example a smoking president in this day and age could demonstrate to citizens and their families. Most might agree that when scrutinizing a president, we ought to keep the “main thing the main thing”. Focus on policy rather than personal. However, the fact remains that America has a new president who is trying to quit a habit that tends to have negative physical, mental, social, and emotional implications. How or whether that will play out over the next four years of Obama’s term, time will reveal.

Ironically, it was Obama’s former democratic opponent and personally named secretary of state, Hillary Rodham Clinton, who ultimately directed the White House Smoking Ban. Yet, if President-elect Obama continues along his track to better health, the Ban should not cause much tension. And who would argue against a healthier, albeit inexperienced commander-in-chief?