I’m not one for fellating fellow journalists, but I’d make a knee-bruising exception for Slate’s Ron Rosenbaum, the first big-name journalist (who’s not a card-carrying libertarian) to stick up for President-elect Barack Obama’s nicotine addiction.

And not only does Rosenbaum defend our Dear Leader’s decision to do whatever the fuck he wants with his discretionary income/lungs, he also accurately captures the sympathies of fun-havers everywhere:

All us sinners—of various habits and forms—loved Obama for it and loathed Brokaw, Walters, and the nation of scolds we have become in their collective attempt to shame the poor guy (yes, president-elect, I know, but here, just a poor, conniving backslider) into some self-scourging confession.

You have to admire Obama’s good nature as he puts up with these narrow-minded nannies (addicted to tobacco in their own perverse, negative way) and offers up this masterpiece of obfuscation.

Kudos, Mr. Rosenbaum, and way to stick a finger in the eye of obnoxious social engineers. I wrote about smoking just a few days ago when I thought I might quit due to a cold (I didn’t), and a few weeks ago on “Stop Smoking Day” (or whatever it’s officially called).

Photo courtesy of flicker user Roomic Cube