1. On 60 minutes, Barak's wife said that she leaked the information that he smoked as a ploy to get the nation to pressure him to stop. It seemeed sweet at the time but with your reporting I see the darker side.

Barak's voice is so smooth and sweet. His wife obviously wants to make him seem less atractive so that she does not have to compete with every woman for the love of her sexy sexy husband. She can turn him into a merely sexy husband and some people might begin to be able to control themselves.

Nick at 8:52PM on Mar 2nd 2007

2. African Americans do not seem aware of any dangers in smoking. I work in a government agency with over 15,000 employees, only 4% are caucasian or latino or other. Of the other 96% African Americans over 80% of them smoke. This is based on a self-reporting survey within the organization. Mind you this is an agency with information about health posted everywhere. I have spoken to some of these smokers and they claim it is their one joy in life. They also do not believe the claims that it is bad for you. Odd!

alex smith at 9:51AM on Mar 3rd 2007

3. The audio tract that you doctored up to make these people sound different was idiotic. To have this posted on a political link is ridiculous and you should be flogged. And by the way ....you sound real manly yourself there Mo.

Bobby at 2:21PM on Mar 3rd 2007

4. WHY ARE YOU IMPLYING THAT LAURA BUSH SMOKES?

ERIC at 5:51PM on Mar 3rd 2007

5. Laura Bush began smoking Winstons as a teen. She quit her regular smoking habit eight years but, according to at least USA Today and The Boston Globe, she continues to sneak cigarettes. Not that I blame her. The pressure of a job she never wanted must be terrible.

Mo at 6:01PM on Mar 3rd 2007

6. I am not voting for Barak, but if he wants to smoke,
light em' up. It ain't nobody's business if you choose to smoke. People needs to worry more about their bad habits instead of everyone elses, and that's stickin your nose where it don't belong.
If you can't help stickin your nose up everybody elses butt, wear a patch.

Robert at 6:34PM on Mar 3rd 2007

7. Quoting Alex Smith: "African Americans do not seem aware of any dangers in smoking".

I live in a small town in Central Louisiana of which it's section being predominantly black known as "Lower Third Street" has something not found through out any of the white nieghborhoods. Many liquer ads and smoking ads on bill boards, all of which I simply had to point out to my wife as it would appear all but minorities of choice are educated as should be concidering such hazards. I had once seen a movie starring Cuba Gooding Jnr (a very fine actor) of which pointed this issue out as well! It's truly sad that such continues to be of concequence in todays world!

Ricky at 12:12AM on Mar 4th 2007

8. For #2 -- Alex Smith

I don't have statistics, Alex, but I suspect that smoking is more a factor of socio-economic group than racial group. A higher percentage of African Americans and Hispanics in America are poor. Poverty is a predictor of substandard education, inferior health care, unemployment, out-of-wedlock births ... yada,yada. If anyone does have figures or studies about the incidence of smoking among different racial groups or the incidence of smoking across economic groups, please share the information.

Ricky is absolutely right about big tobacco targeting minority populations and poor neighborhoods in their advertising campaigns. Also be aware that they are beginning to target teen-agers, again. Take a look at the new Camel hype. Its for the kids.

I work in a hospital and I notice it breaks down like this among the employees:
Doctors and most RN's don't smoke. Administrators don't smoke. These are the most highly paid, highly educated employees. Professional staff (clinicians, social workers, middle management) also do not smoke. The lower you go on the pay scale, the more smokers you find. Mostly security guards, housekeepers, food service workers and CNA's. Being poorer and less educated, they are in the tobacco's target population. Its disgusting the way Big Tobacco preys on the most vulnerable.

I really like Obama -- But he NEEDS to quit smoking. He has to send that anti-smoking message to our kids. Laura Bush can do whatever she wants. She has to live with Dumb-Shit Dubya. Smoking may be her only consolation and early death her only way out.

Pam at 11:26AM on Mar 4th 2007

9. You have to show by example. Now, for his comment about how US made Iran stronger. If he wants my vote, he will have to come out with answers and solutions, not tearing down President Bush's policy. If you have answers that will continue to do what Bush did (protect US), then we can talk. This is not Vietnam like most "peace" marches want you to believe. We have a type of people (gansters) who want to destroy anyone and everyone who don't think like them. See the way they (radical muslins) treat their own (women and children). I know all muslins are not like them. The ones with who are not afraid to speak, one never hears about it. One of the biggest problem in America is the media. They can haandle the truth. Most of the media is owned by people who don;t believe in democracy to it;s fullest extent. So, I encourage you to march to the beat of a differnet drummer (you). I want to believe that you didn't come this far to be status quo.

jewelene Kirkland at 11:26AM on Mar 4th 2007

10. Who cares? Let the guy smoke. His life and no one elses.

Jdlamps at 11:27AM on Mar 4th 2007

11. "Pam" sounds like a really angry fembot, ticked off that Laura Bush loves her husband. and if George W. is such a "dumb shit," and his GPA was higher n John Kerry's at Yale, then how effing dumb is Kerry?

(answer: dumb enuff to blow the election.)

Pam's remarks make sense only when applied to Hillary Clinton, or Tipper Gore.

Wendy at 3:40PM on Mar 4th 2007

12. I like Obama even better now that I know he smokes. Laura, too. Cigarettes might send me to an early grave like they did my grandpa - he was only 92 when he died of Alzheimer's. He quit "tabaccy" when he was 68, didn't show signs of dementia for another 20yrs -- unlike his mother who never smoked, and was beginning to be senile by her early 60s. She eventually died of Alzheimer's, too, at age 86. Two of her kids have already died from Alzheimer's, in their 90s; another was just diagnosed, in his late 80s. All used tobacco in one form or another, since they were 12. The youngest is 80 and still smokes, teases us "kids" that cigarettes will kill us. So far he has no signs of dementia. There is evidence that something in tobacco might delay the onset of Alzheimer's in those of us with a genetic near-certainty of getting it - and don't forget, it always leads to death. So those of you who want everyone to force everyone to quit smoking, be prepared to own the responsibility of causing us to become senile at an earlier age, and DYING at an earlier age by depriving us of something that actually keeps US healthier longer. And don't forget, a lot of centenarians use tobacco, and do a lot of other things that are supposed to be bad for everyone. It's all in the genes. Anyone who insists that tobacco kills everyone who uses it is just jealous that they don't have good genes.

Kimmerly at 7:23AM on Mar 5th 2007

13. Obama needs to quit smoking, but not for anyone but himself. If the fact that he smokes would be reason enough not to vote for him, then people are voting for all the wrong reasons. He's smart enough to know that you lead by example and he's come this far without us worrying about his health. I sure hope that people look deeper than this when voting in the next election or we're in deep trouble. In this day and age, I would hope that everyone would know by now that the greatest example that kids have are their parents. There will always be bad influences in this world, parents have to teach right from wrong, give kids their wings and hope for the best, just like our parents did.

Kathy Lock at 11:12AM on Mar 6th 2007

14. Leave Barack alone! If he want to smoke leave him alone!

Cristylez at 9:56PM on Mar 8th 2007

15. I dont like how Barack is portrayed in this video! Two thumbs down!

Cristylez at 9:56PM on Mar 8th 2007