Thank God He Smokes

[babylonsister]

Yes, Friday fluff. Well, except for that Urdu poet thing. :shrug:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-07-16/thank-god-he-smokes/full/

Thank God He Smokes

by Mark McKinnon

Barack Obama all but admitted in an interview yesterday that he still sneaks a cigarette now and then. Bravo, says The Daily Beast's Mark McKinnon. Obama's perfection was getting mighty annoying.


An NBC medical reporter Wednesday asked President Obama the question that dare not be asked—is he still smoking? She got a response with a tight smile: "I’m doing quite well, thank you." Which, of course, means not so good.

Relax, Mr. President. We're just glad you're not perfect.

You know things had gotten out of hand when the media started writing stories about whether or not President Obama is “too perfect”.

And in addition to the Obama thrill continuing to run up the leg of the collective media, there has been evidence of Obama himself wandering into dangerously perfect territory. Obama suggested last month that he had read “all the great Urdu poets.” All of them? I would have been impressed with a couple.

The problem with “perfect” is that I think voters are suspicious of someone without any flaws, even if he’s the president. Voters are moved more by humanity than perfection. They want someone who is human, accessible, and real. And they know that no one is perfect. So, if someone tries to come across that way, or is presented that way, the BS detectors come out.

For all their flaws—in fact, because of some of them—Clinton and Bush were and are loved even more.

But Obama? Perfect family. Model father. Terrific kids. Even perfect dog. Great game (who can forget the three-pointer he sank during the campaign?). Good dancer. Ultra cool. Very fashionable. Great orator. Highly literate.

So thank goodness Obama smokes. That’s the only thing that seems to keep him tethered to mortal ground these days.

snip//


So I say to the president and to his staff, cut out the denial and the defensive posturing about the presidential habit. For a lot of us, it just makes him more human. And more likable.

But if you do really stop smoking, please find some other bad habit to replace it.

Because no one is perfect. Not even presidents.

[Burma Jones]

1. His first pitch at the All Star Game wasn't perfect......and we remember the bowling fiasco

in short, he has the kind of shortcomings with which I am very comfortable.

[babylonsister]

3. Oy, the bowling!

He was mega-bad at that!

There's lots of things he's bad at, and I imagine we'll hear all about them. ;)

[Rosa Luxemburg]

6. LOL!

[snappyturtle]

2. I hope Mika doesn't hear about this! nt

[Bucky]

4. You left off Trekkie. He's a cool *Star Trek geek* for God's sake. How do you even get there?

[Warpy]

5. There's nobody more unpleasant than a saint

Thank goodness our party doesn't profess to produce them.

[babylonsister]

7. Then thank goodness I don't rub elbows with saints!

:D Who knew?!

[RandySF]

8. That is why

I was actually disappointed when I learned that Obama wasn't really looking at that woman's ass. It made me happy to think there was a little mischief in him. Oh well.

[timeforpeace]

9. What's wrong with smoking? Go for it.