# Were you suprised that Obama smoked? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 14, 2011, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661 "2011-03-14T15:41:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/21 "2011-03-14T23:16:14Z")
I was surprised, but only because I figured that smoking can be a liability to a politician. Just being a smoker could alienate voters who consider it a sign of weakness of character. ---
**Author:** ![Gil-Martin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Gil-Martin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gil-Martin)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/22 "2011-03-14T23:28:10Z")
> [@Agent\_Foxtrot](#): > > I was surprised when I first learned it a few years ago, but it actually made me like him _more_. It didn’t surprise me–I’d heard he’d experimented with other drugs by the time I learned of his nicotine habit–but it did make me like him more. It’s not why I voted for him, of course, but it made him seem more like a regular guy. I would have liked to see him smoke in public (if I ever saw this, I cannot recall it). ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/23 "2011-03-15T00:07:05Z")
It didn’t surprise me, but I’m from Chicago, so I new about him before he was famous ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/24 "2011-03-15T00:33:42Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > I was surprised. I’m glad he finally had the gumption to give it up. John Boehner also smokes. That surprised me, too. Really? Every time I hear him speak, I can hear the nicotine in his voice. > [@elfkin477](#): > > The link of a photo posted on some random blog that doesn’t even say anything about where it came from? Hmm. According to [this gallop poll](http://mulderscreek.com/photos/killhooker.jpg) college grads making over $90,000 are the most likely to kill hookers. Yes, but most hooker killers can give it up any time they like. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/25 "2011-03-15T00:36:21Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Why would this be surprising, especially if you knew the amount of money he’s been making? Millionaires have the cash to try every single freaking thing in the world if they want to, and frequently feelings of entitlement and the immortality of youth (at least in their younger days) leads them to try every single freaking drug they can lay their hands on. Cigarettes are fucking nothing. I feel like I heard somewhere that income was actually anti-correlated. Not sure where though. And in anycase, Obama only became a millionaire in the last few years. I’d be pretty surprised if thats when he picked up cigarette smoking. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/26 "2011-03-15T00:56:37Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > … As for Bush - his wife Laura is a voracious smoker. Both daughters are former (if not current) smokers as well. ---
**Author:** ![xoferew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/e9a140/32.png) [@xoferew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xoferew)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/27 "2011-03-15T01:30:46Z")
For a second I thought you were referring to Obama’s daughters. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/28 "2011-03-15T01:51:39Z")
> [@rachelellogram](#): > > Why would this be surprising, especially if you knew the amount of money he’s been making? Millionaires have the cash to try every single freaking thing in the world if they want to, and frequently feelings of entitlement and the immortality of youth (at least in their younger days) leads them to try every single freaking drug they can lay their hands on. Cigarettes are fucking nothing. That’s a really weird thing to say. First, Obama wasn’t born a millionaire. He was probably at least 40 when he and his wife started making serious money, and I’m willing to go out on a limb and say that the number of people who start smoking when they’re 40 is vanishingly small. Second, cigarettes aren’t exactly going to break anyone’s bank, so he could have started any time, without waiting to become a millionaire. Thirdly, as other people have pointed out, education and income are inversely correlated with smoking. Given all that, your logic isn’t, well, logical. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/29 "2011-03-15T01:54:33Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > As for Bush - his wife Laura is a voracious smoker. Are we 100% sure of this? Do we have a reliable cite that proves this? I do believe you, by the way. I just want to know how you got this info, especially the voracious part. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/30 "2011-03-15T01:59:51Z")
Yes, as I love to stereotype people and have a completely closed mind, I find it shocking that anyone smokes, drinks, wears slippers, recycles, puts their pants on two legs at a time, digs their nose, hates cockroaches, and anything else I don’t do. [/sarcasm] ---
**Author:** ![jasonh300](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/46a35a/32.png) [@jasonh300](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasonh300)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/31 "2011-03-15T02:05:46Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > Since this is the straight dope, I know the logical response to that last statement is “The top ten highest income earning and educated people that I know all smoke like a chimney!!” So, just for the record, here are some Gallop poll [results](http://modeledbehavior.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/image2.png). My suggestion is to forget the Gallop poll. I know a few very well educated, extremely wealthy people, and they, and their spouses smoke cigarettes. You’re not likely to see them standing on a street corner with a cigarette hanging out of their mouths. They tend to not let people they don’t know very well see them smoke. I suspect that they would claim to be non-smokers if they were polled. ETA: Now that I think about it, what presidents have we had that DIDN"T smoke? I’m pretty sure neither of the Bushes smoked…Clinton smoked cigars. Reagan and Carter both had their brand of choice specially packaged with the presidential seal. I’d assume anyone who was in office before Carter smoked, because back then, it seems like everybody smoked. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/32 "2011-03-15T02:22:50Z")
I was only surprised that he didn’t quit before the campaign and election - I’d have thought it might be seen as a liability. Wasn’t surprised that he’d have been a smoker during his adult life. ---
**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/33 "2011-03-15T03:23:16Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Really? Every time I hear him speak, I can hear the nicotine in his voice. > Yes, but most hooker killers can give it up any time they like. IIRC, Mark Twain once said:" Giving up killing hookers is easy; I’ve done it hundreds of times." Best wishes, hh ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/34 "2011-03-15T03:27:08Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > . As for Bush - his wife Laura is a voracious smoker. Is this actually true? I would have a tough time choking this down, as it is brand new info to me… There must be at least one or two photo’s floating around if this is a factual statement. Any you can dig up? ---
**Author:** ![Shmendrik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/35 "2011-03-15T04:09:42Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > It’s a lefty thing. Sartre, Castro, Kim Jong-Il – all big-time smokers. > > 😉 Maybe you’ve hit on something there. After all, who was the most anti smoking dictator ever? Hitler! ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/36 "2011-03-15T05:13:30Z")
> [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](#): > > Is this actually true? > > I would have a tough time choking this down, as it is brand new info to me… > > There must be at least one or two photo’s floating around if this is a factual statement. > > Any you can dig up? She told [CNN](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/05/14/laura-bush-thats-right-i-_n_48484.html) in 2007 that she was a former smoker. She didn’t say how long ago she’d quit. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/37 "2011-03-15T05:50:43Z")
I was mildly surprised, because I expect most people not to smoke, but not overly so. I know plenty of smart people who smoke. They know it’s bad for them, but they’re addicted. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/38 "2011-03-15T05:58:45Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > I’m about 4 years younger than him and have never smoked. I am 67 and never smoked. Both my parents smoked heavily. Neither my brother or I ever did. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/39 "2011-03-15T06:06:00Z")
I really don’t know if I was surprised by it. I do know that I found it really easy to picture him smoking. He just looks like a smoker to me. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2011, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661/40 "2011-03-15T06:19:36Z")
The poll only reflects people’s answer to the question. Many smokers claim they don’t. And I think almost all former smokers (which apparently Obama now is) would have answered no. I would assume he started smoking at a young age before he was highly educated and a millionaire. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/were-you-suprised-that-obama-smoked/574661.md?page=3)