U.S. President-elect Barack Obama neglected giving a direct reply when the question was posed on a U.S. talkshow on Sunday whether he had managed to give up his smoking habit.
Obama has been compelled and advised by his team to become a model of non-smoking, after smoking, however for 20 twenty years.
As seen on NBC’s Meet the Press program, interviewer Tom Brokaw informed Obama on how he had avoided responding to the query during an interview last month with ABC’s Barbara Walters.
Taking notice that the White House now was a no-smoking zone, Brokaw asked Obama, “Have you stopped smoking?”
“I have,” Obama replied, smiling broadly. “What I said was that there are times where I have fallen off the wagon.”
“Wait a minute,” Brokaw interjected, “that means you haven’t stopped.”
“Fair enough,” Obama said. “What I would say is that I have done a terrific job under the circumstances of making myself much healthier. You will not see any violations of these rules in the White House.”
Obama was often observed on the presidential campaign trail chewing Nicorette gum, which supposedly eases the desire for nicotine. He has attempted several times to quit.
His doctor said in May, 47-year-old president-elect, who acquires office on January 20, is in outstanding health and fit to serve as U.S. president. He was works out daily at the gym, plays basketball and jogs 3 miles a day.
Gerald Ford, who served from 1974-77, was the last U.S. president to use tobacco on a regular basis. The White House no-smoking rule was imposed by former First Lady Hillary Clinton, now Obama’s nominee for secretary of state.
