there is a lot of stupid shit expected of the president..including one must be of an acceptable religious faith...

it's really disgusting.

I would like to remember the mainstream media that Mr. Obama is not a celebrity. He is the President of US. I don't care if he smokes or not because it's not a moral issue. I also don't care about the first lady cloths, if his family has a puppy...
I'm concerned about what will he do to make US citizens lives better, his foreign policies and the serious measures he has to do that will affect not only Americans but the world.
But I will not be surprised if someone asks him what is his favorite desert or what after shave lotion he uses.

Oh heck Philip! I just blew my tea all over my laptop.President Clinton was FAMOUS for liking cigars, nudge nudge, wink, wink.

As for Anderson Cooper, please. Every woman between 18=80 knows his sexual preference. Maybe the ghost of Commodore Vanderbilt is responsible. Or maybe the ghost of his late brother, Carter, rest his soul. Carter died from depression, a terrible waste of one of the most handsome men i ever met.

I really wish Anderson Cooper would do more work about mental health issues and suicide prevention.... he could do so much for it. But then, maybe he's not ready yet. Maybe he is too busy thinking about Obama smoking.....

Parliment Lights eh? i use to smoke them

SHOCK! HORROR!

Your President smokes?

Could be a whole lot worse.

Take our Prime Minister for example.

He totally fucks up the economy!

Fid

I wonder if he has to stay 25 feet away from all doors and windows of the White House, and if he was busted within that range ya think he'd get a ticket?!

Who gives a crap if the guy smokes, oh well maybe the Surgeon General can make a grandstand about occasional puffing on his behalf.

If Obama wants to keep Americans believing in him via hope and trust (gag)then he should be honest and not be evasive, oh wait he's a politician.

I wonder what he thinks about 25 ft smoking bans in psych wards and forcing patients to wear nicotine patches, or allowing 2 smoke breaks a day, or mental health agency housing rules stating clients can't smoke anymore on the property.

Is this a civil liberties discussion? I think so, because if we don't have freedom of choice for this, just wait it will only get worse.

Like Boston proposing a 5% sales tax on sweets like donuts to force ppl to indulge in "less healthy and sugary foods".

Give me a break! and who gives a crap about Anderson Cooper anyway? he's completely obnoxious with a silver spoon up his arse!

PS-- I hope you're having a cigar smoking party the day you move out of your apartment!!!!!!

Out of all the things to worry about in the Obama White House, him smoking is not one of them. If media cared about real issues, they'd why his cabinet choices don't pay taxes.

The same for Anderson Cooper. Personally if he was an "out" homosexual, I don't think that it would change my opinion of him as a guy who doesn't really give hard hitting interviews and is more of a news personality versus a journalist.

This won't be a popular comment among you smoking enthusiasts but, as someone who lost both parents in their fifties, to smoking related causes, I would at least like to see smokers aspire to giving it up. I actually do not think the decision to smoke is entirely a personal and private one since I very much believe the health of the community is dependent upon the health of the individuals in it. Someone who chooses to smoke is placing a burden on society and the health care system whether they acknowledge it or not. I lost my daughter to psych drugs and my parents to smoking. I take my responsibility to engage in my own well being very seriously. I'd like others to do the same. Smoking is an unhealthy habit and can be deadly. If it makes you feel good well great but that's not really a good enough reason in my book to continue doing it. Does this make me a supporter of the nanny state? Well it's not where I want to be but I'm not going to sit by and have people say smoking isn't hurting anyone else besides the individual who's doing it -- that's not true.

Philip Dawdy responds: go ahead and find me the verified reports of people who've died from secondhand tobacco smoke. they are few and far between, at least according to joe jackson who's researched the hell out of the issue. as for me, i simply don't like being chased from my home by newcomer ninnies. as for obama, he's an adult and can do as he pleases.

Philip, please -- I'm not talking about secondhand smoke here. I'm talking about the burden on the health care system of all the people who have lung cancer and emphysema. I'm talking about families who lose their parents before their time. I'm talking about a whole bunch of people willfully impairing their health and expecting the rest of us to take care of them when they can no longer afford to do it themselves.

Philip Dawdy responds: well if that's what you are talking about, then i'm sure you want to see cars, trucks, buses and airplanes banned as well, along with soda, chips, fries, cooking oil and pork. anyone who eats pork is also endangering their health! and while we're at it, let's ban mountain climbing. people die on the mountains all the time and put public safety officials at great risk to go pull their bodies out, not to mention the cost. my point is it's a big slippery slope.

I think that Anderson Cooper keeps "nagging" Obama about his smoking because he is attempting to show America that he is just a normal person like the rest of us. Like how he asked about the dog searching....who cares? I really don't care to hear anything about Obama...especially about a family pet.

But quite frankly, I am glad that Cooper asked Obama about his smoking because it showed me that Obama is very sneaky! I mean please, the man can't even give a straight answer. He is a grown man, like you said, so why should he need to lie about this? If he can't even be straight about this, why should we believe anything the "man" says? It seems like he "accidentally" says things the wrong way an awful lot. He is not fooling me!

So wait you really care what meds do to your body and health but not about what smoking does to your body and health? Hmm, that makes a lot of sense. Just sayin'.

NannyState or HitlerState? Video about elderly German woman who cannot smoke in her own home
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J1M9ENyWXIA

Does Anderson have any tobacco stock holdings?

PS--Great replies in the comment section Philip--and Sara, really? ppl die of lung cancer, etc. and are NOT smokers.

I'm not a smoker, but sure do believe in people's rights to to what they want as adults.

My grandmother smoked until she died at age 90, 2 packs a day, without any health problems at all.

I think we have more to worry about with regard to Obama than if he smokes!

I'm a non smoker. With mild asthma. I really am sensitive to cigarette smoke, something my smoking friends respect by smoking outside.

Nonetheless, I think it's crazy and counter-productive to harass anyone in the White House about smoking. No matter who's in that position (well, except maybe for the most recent Shrub, who appeared too feckless to notice the world around him) it's one of the most stressful jobs on earth. The Prez should be able to go out in the Rose Garden and grab a smoke. Without hassle. Too bad if other people are so bloody shallow they'll copy him/her. Really.

My personal addiction is food. I struggle endlessly with it and yes, it affects my health. I lost 70 pounds when I realized how obesity was jacking up my chances of diabetes. It's winter now and I've gained back 10 pounds. I find I can actually lose weight when I'm ready but the best I can do is a holding action when I'm not. I suspect it's the same story--if not worse--with smoking. I've seen the rehab bills in my work and yes, Sara, they are big. But it's hard for me to pick and choose which addiction is a no-no when I live in such an addictive society and have a couple of my own.

I never cared what Bill Clinton did in the Oval Office. I don't care if Obama smokes in the Rose Garden. It being historic building I can see where you might not want to have to wash the curtains more often because of the smoke, which does linger on, alas. But there's lots of open ground around that place and I should think a smoke break would be most welcome. People really need to grow up and get some lives. Maybe they could spend their time and energy DOING something to help out instead of focusing on other people's business. That includes Anderson Cooper.

By the way, stranded mountain climbers are a big, fat issue here in NH. We bill them for the rescue when they do something stupid. It's not just the money--talk about endangering the lives of others... we've lost people who were on winter rescue missions and don't like it much.

Of course, I live in the last state in the union to require seatbelts and one of the last to require motorcycle helmets. Having seen THOSE rehab bills and knowing how preventable many of those injuries are, really does rankle.

Sherry (who admits to being an inconsistent human being, but thinks she really should be ruling the planet anyway)

Smoke? I am worried about what's in chemtrails...

I have adult friends who as children were ill very often, AND had parent who were heavy smokers. Studies show that childhood illnesses are lessened when the adults in the family quit smoking.