Presidential Vice
Attention has been drawn once again to President Barack Obama’s struggle to stop smoking, more than a year after the habit threatened to blight his clean-living campaign image. The news emerged following a complete physical examination of the president by his doctor. “During Monday’s press briefing, Robert Gibbs told reporters, President Obama continues to chew nicotine gum. Gibbs says the President has quit smoking but ‘like anyone he falls off the wagon.’ Gibbs also told reporters the President ‘works hard at it and continues to struggle with it.’ After President Obama’s Sunday physical, his doctor recommended he should continue to stop smoking. Gibbs was asked when and where the President sneaks his cigarettes. Gibbs replied he is not with the President 24 hours of the day. The President has admitted in the past that during the campaign he was smoking up to 5-6 cigarettes per day but Gibbs said he isn’t aware the President is up to that level currently.”