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To Court Blue-Collar Vote, Light Up

Fellow Nicorette user urges Obama to take up smoking again

By Jason Farago, Newser Staff

Posted Jun 17, 2008 10:00 AM CDT

(Newser) – Everyone has ideas about how Barack Obama can attract the working-class white voters that eluded him in the primaries. Author Tony Horwitz goes for the throat: Start smoking again. West Virginia and Kentucky, where Hillary Clinton clobbered Obama, lead the nation in cigarette consumption among whites, and lighting up could help worse-off voters see him as one of their own.

As Horwitz writes in the New York Times, nothing could help Obama more with suspicious voters than "interrupting the flow of his soaring oratory with a smoker’s hack." Not any brand will do, however. Obama will have to forgo posh Dunhills, effete Gauloises, and the Newports black smokers favor; instead, he should choose Nascar-sponsoring Winston, "an old-fashioned coffin nail."

Barack Obama reacts to cheers from supporters after speaking to grassroots activists and Camp Obama graduates in New York, Wednesday Aug. 22, 2007. (AP Photo)

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., right, speaks as former Vice President Al Gore listens at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Monday, June 16, 2008. Gore announced his endorsement... (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Barack Obama reacts to the crowd during a gathering of veterans and military families in the armory at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds in Sioux Falls, S.D., Sunday, June 1, 2008. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

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To Court Blue-Collar Vote, Light Up

Fellow Nicorette user urges Obama to take up smoking again

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Barack Obama • smoking • tobacco • working class • cigarette • working-class vote • white voters

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Moderate Pot Use May Boost Lung Capacity

It's all that deep inhaling, suggests a study

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President congratulates those trying to quit

Hospital Bans Employees With Smoky Clothes

Policy goes into effect next year

Waking Up to a Cigarette Raises Cancer Risk

So try to hold off for at least an hour

Why the Women of One Virginia Town Die Younger

Obesity, smoking are killing women sooner in Emporia, Virginia

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To Court Blue-Collar Vote, Light Up

Fellow Nicorette user urges Obama to take up smoking again

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Barack Obama • smoking • tobacco • working class • cigarette • working-class vote • white voters

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Moderate Pot Use May Boost Lung Capacity

It's all that deep inhaling, suggests a study

Obama Calls Out Big Tobacco

President congratulates those trying to quit

Hospital Bans Employees With Smoky Clothes

Policy goes into effect next year

Waking Up to a Cigarette Raises Cancer Risk

So try to hold off for at least an hour

Why the Women of One Virginia Town Die Younger

Obesity, smoking are killing women sooner in Emporia, Virginia

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?