The Peoria Journal-Star’s Phil Luciano takes a look at Obama’s cigarette vice.

I realized smoking can be deadly, but to political careers?

Barack Obama isn’t taking any chances. He says he wants to kick the habit for health. But pundits say smoking could be a political liability, as if a cigarette would make him an unsuitable commander in chief.

Let me understand this: Voters will tolerate womanizing, boozing, pot-smoking and all sorts of bad behavior - but not a perfectly legal activity such as smoking?

And the St. Petersburg Times also has a recent story about this…

“For many people, smoking is seen as a sign of weakness and lack of willpower, ” said John Banzhaf III, a law professor at George Washington University and executive director of Action on Smoking and Health, a group opposed to smoking. “A presidential candidate would not want to be seen as lacking strong will or lacking determination.”

But others say Obama’s smoking and his struggle to quit could enhance his image.

“I think it humanizes him,” said Chuck Todd, editor of the Hotline, a political Web site. “He’s got a vice. We all have vices.”

Obama has said he often smoked as a response to stress, particularly during campaigns and while writing books. Asked about it in 2005, he invoked a biblical phrase: “The flesh is weak.”

But he emphasized Tuesday that he was discreet about his smoking.

“I’ve never been a heavy smoker and don’t smoke in front of folks or in the house,” he said.

I’ve been surprised by how many people say Obama’s puffing is a complete turnoff for them and will effect their vote. Do you care, and if you do, why?