It’s not just that a picture has finally surfaced of Obama reaching for a cigarette. What is remarkable to the point of astonishment is that it has taken six years for such a photo to finally see the light of day. This is not Obama sneaking off to the toilet to have a secret fag. If this is what he does normally, smokes with others around, then why you or I should think we know anything at all about what is going on is a real question. The picture is also not from some obscure source. It is from The Washington Post with the title, Let President Obama have a cigarette, already. Here’s part of the excuse-machine that is already being cranked up:

But for God’s sake. Let the man smoke an occasional cigarette if he wants to. “One cigarette takes 11 minutes off your life,” Obama’s NIH would tell him. So smoke three and don’t plan on watching a last episode of “Parks and Rec.”

Maybe Obama smokes two packs a day, which, at his age, is not healthy. That seems very unlikely; given his reliance on Nicorette — for which he has also been criticized — it’s fair to assume that his use of actual cigarettes is more sporadic. Even if he does, the guy has the best health care and the lousiest gig in the world. If he develops a preexisting condition as a result: good news!

If he’s not smoking on camera, if he’s not passing out Marlboros at the White House Halloween party, let him have an occasional cigarette. For those of you tempted to e-mail me a lengthy harangue about how irresponsible that attitude is, feel free. Please include your own personal bad habit and what your plan is to kick it.

Liars without character, both the president and the media that follows him around.