Obama's Health

The fact that Sen. Obama was a smoker is old news, since he quit. Right? Think again.

The stories that have explored this issue all missed the point: Obama's history of smoking raises questions about his current and future health.

Some, like Jake Tapper, have suggested that Obama was less than honest about whether he still smoked, at least as of last August.

Others have suggested that Obama's smoking history makes him "more human," and that his (alleged) ability to quit makes him more heroic.

And some, perhaps with tongue in cheek to this, think quitting may actually hurt him by changing how his voice sounds.

Meanwhile, Sen. McCain's health questions are almost as old as he is. Congressman Jack Murtha (75), thinks John McCain (71) is too old for the pressures of high office, and he has come under legitimate pressure to release his medical records.

But what of Senator Obama's health? It's not as if once you quit smoking, all of the health effects immediately disappear. In fact, after enough smoking, some health effects are irreversible. Consider just the arteries and lungs.

How long and how much one smokes makes a difference. A 1998 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that the amount of fatty deposits in the carotid artery depended on total pack-years of tobacco exposure, not whether the patient currently smokes. And a smoker's excess risk of a stroke doesn't return to that of nonsmokers until at least five, or as long as twenty years after quitting. Sen. Obama would have to serve a hypothetical four smoke-free terms before his stroke risk returned to normal.

So how long and how much did Sen. Obama smoke? The information has not been officially released, and the campaign has not returned calls or emails posing this question. But he smoked a lot over his life.

He admits to having smoked up to ten cigarettes a day, but usually closer to five or six. Most people underestimate how much they smoke, but let's take him at his word. Let's also assume he really did quit when he said he did, in February 2007 (although he admits to having fallen off the wagon). That's about twenty-six years, given that we know he was smoking by the time he was a freshman at Occidental College. That's more than 55,000 -- maybe 70,000 cigarettes! Has this aspect of Sen. Obama's ability to serve really been explored?

Just because he's young, looks great, and exercises doesn't mean he's healthy. Recall Jim Fixx. An overweight smoker when he turned his life around at thirty-five, Fixx became the icon of fitness. He quit smoking and started running. Then he died in 1984 at age fifty-three -- while running.

Sen. Obama, while not overweight, smoked a lot longer than Jim Fixx did. And while the stresses of running may have contributed to Fixx's death, it was his years of smoking, not his running, that caused the plaque to build up in his arteries. Doctors say the stress of being president may in fact exceed the stress of running. And it's an unhealthier kind of stress.

The public deserves to know how long and how much Sen. Obama really smoked. Does he have other risk factors for heart disease? Compared to whites, for instance, African-Americans are more likely to die of a stroke, according to the American Heart Association. This, in fact, is probably the only time race is a legitimate question to raise this campaign season -- and just one of several health question on voters' minds.

Comments

[troqua]

"Does he have other risk factors for heart disease? Compared to whites, for instance, African-Americans are more likely to die of a stroke, according to the American Heart Association. This, in fact, is probably the only time race is a legitimate question to raise this campaign season..."

Did you really mean to imply we should never elect African Americans because they are statistically more likely to die of stroke? Does it make you feel better to say, "oh, I can't vote for Obama because he is at greater risk of stroke than the white candidate," than to say what you really mean? Nice rationalization of your bigotry.

You, sir, are an ass.

[PresumptuousInsect]

Uh, what?

I read the whole piece, and didn't wake up to the fact that this WASN'T SATIRICAL until the end!

Come ON, HuffPo. Don't you evaluate these blogs?

[Lon]

Is this a joke? While people die at all ages, sometimes out of the blue. The idea that there is some likelihood that Obama will die suddenly by the time he is 55 (putting him past two terms in office) are remote. Certainly they are no more likely than that Hilary Clinton will die given that she is older. Which is not to say that there is any issue here with Clinton. Just that this is a pretty stupid topic.

[DustyRebel]

Absolutely absurd.

Nowhere does the Constitution state that health is any factor in being President.

This entry goes down as one of the most inane.

[PaceSetter]

Concern Toll Jeff Stier wants us all to worry about Obama's health. How touching.

This is the same Jeff Stier writing stories about how woncderful plastic bags are , or worrying that we've legislated the inclusion of too little lead paint in kids toys. I'm not certain yet, but I believe he is also the same Jeff Stier quoted here http://www.sdjewishjournal.com/stories/oct04_wb.html

"Jeff Stier, a non-profit executive, founded Best For Israel, an allegedly bipartisan group, and launched its web site www.bestforisrael.orgg) with the single goal of advancing the message that George W. Bush is, well, best for Israel".

Given his politics and track record, is Mr. Stier's concern for Obama real or merely a red herring?

If he is truly concerned about a candidate ascending to the White House who is medically challenged, he should really be looking at John McSame, who, if he gets the nod, would set a record as the oldest man ever elected to the presidency. People are already blaming his recent Al-Qaeda gaffs on alzheimers. The old duffer has been treated for cancer once, and won't release his medical records. His colleagues in the Senate have spoken about his violent rages attributed to PTSD. Staying 100 years in Iraq is so far worse for millions more people on this planet, Iraqi as well as American, that I believe Barack's past smoking pales by comparison.

[xenofile]

I don't give a fig about Obama, but I think it's high time the anti-tobacco Nazis were put out to pasture.

I'm not a smoker, but I think the anti-tobacco movement is out of control! I worry more about the blogger's mental health than about Obama's physical health.

[stanjz]

You are hastening the death of the old way of politics. For that, we should thank you.
This is all smear and innuendo, all the time. The only reason Senator Clinton is in the race, is because, the media and Republicans ran interference for her leading up to March 4th.
Obama doesn't wear a flag pin and that is news, but twice the percentage of Republicans voted for Senator Clinton in TX and this is not news. This is after Limbaugh asked them to cross over to manipulate the voting. These same people rightly claim abortion is wrong, and the fact that it is legal doesn't make it moral. Many people continue to die for our system of Democracy, and encouraging people to " manipulate it" isn't moral either.

[busybeez]

If any candidate looks unhealthy it's Clinton. She looks like she's having trouble getting around as well because she's gained so much weight. Are the fat healthier than a previous smoker? Dumb.

[briwref]

That comment was unnecessary and childish. Gaining weight? Senator Clinton is a 60-year old woman who is in good health. In any case, women, on average, live longer than men, especially men who smoke.

[tasukibeth1]

What about Hillary? She clearly styles her hair, presumably with hair products. Do you know what hair spray does to the ozone? Not to mention the fumes that are violating her soft, pink lungs? Don't even get me started on the curling iron. Not only does it take energy to heat it up - ENERGY CONSUMPTION CONTRIBUTES TO GLOBAL WARMING, YOU KNOW - she endangers her face and scalp by holding the curling iron dangerously close to it. Do you want someone this wreckless in charge of your country?

Think about it. HOT curling iron. TOXIC hair spray fumes. And don't even get me started on those cookies she bakes. Do you know how much cholesterol is in a cookie?

[busybeez]

You are smoking out your ass on this one. You win the award for the stupidest article of the year!!!

[butchie65]

Why doesn't he ask McCrazy. he won't let his health records out ? This idiots are getting way beyond unbelieveable. Nuts is more like it ! These people get paid for this crap ?

[seejake]

Really?

REALLY???

Mr. Steirs, did you help Charlie or George with their debate questions?

[Jeradlangley]

As Chris (nobody thinks more of him than him) Matthews would expel " HAAAAHH!!!"

[sfbayani]

Now that you are at it, ask the same of McCain.
With McCain, it is not only his age that matters
but his medical condition that was news months ago.
Which tells me, does he medicate for that condition?
If so, do the medications affect his ability to focus, to remember -
therefore, will it affect the way he processes issues,
the way he makes a decision ....

It is the public's right to know

[sandiaview]

Another dumb a-- distraction! John Mc is a mean little twit; anger also hurts your health.

[emsique]

What a weenie!!!!

Ike chain smoked, so did FDR. Churchill chain smoked cigars and drank like a fish. This has no bearing whatsoever on anything! Did you write the questions for the last debate?

[misspeach2008]

FDR died in office. Poor choice for an example. 8^)