Forum editorial: President sets poor example

Talk about it

Last week the White House said President Barack Obama is in good health but has not quit smoking. He’s apparently cut back somewhat, but he’s not quit a habit that puts him at odds with at least two of his administration’s high-profile initiatives: health care reform and children’s health. If he expects to be credible on those issues, he should quit smoking.

The president appears to be a thoughtful, focused leader. Whether one agrees or disagrees with his policies, most observers of the president concede he’s extremely bright and disciplined. Yet, he’s unable or unwilling to shake the addiction of smoking – something millions of Americans have accomplished. He’s setting a lousy example.

First, he’s spending his political capital on comprehensive health care reform and appears ready to push legislation through Congress without bipartisan support. But smoking is responsible for causing all manner of often-fatal health problems, from cancer to heart disease. Smoking drives up the costs of health care, and no reform will succeed without containing costs.

The hazards of smoking and secondhand smoke have been known for a generation or more. Surely the president is aware. His concern about health care insurance and access to medical care doesn’t comport with his smoking habit.

Second, the first lady’s praise-worthy campaign for children’s health, specifically youth obesity, seems a tad out of sync when the president is engaging in a behavior that is not healthy. Admonishing kids to not smoke might bring a response like, “Hey, the president does it, so why can’t I?”

It’s a safe bet the first lady is not using William Howard Taft (340 pounds when he left office) as an appropriate presidential example for her campaign against childhood obesity. Likewise, it would be difficult for her to convince kids to embrace a healthy lifestyle when her husband is puffing away in the Rose Garden.

Anyone who’s tried to quit smoking and repeatedly failed knows how difficult kicking the habit can be. But the president is not anyone. This president in particular is youthful, athletic and the loving father of two daughters – fine qualities that stand in stark contrast to tobacco addiction. He should use a measure of his much-admired will power to quit.

Forum editorials represent the opinion of Forum management and the newspaper’s Editorial Board.

Tags: barack obama, opinion, editorial, smoking, health