People have been known to give up smoking for a lot of reasons; outrage at the cost, a desire to get healthier and wanting to provide a better example for their children are all common reasons. Former smoker President Barack Obama revealed that his motivating factor was a little bit different; fear of his wife ultimately got him to snuff out the habit, according to CNN.
A hot microphone overheard a conversation the president had while attending the United Nations General Assembly. President Obama was discussing smoking with Maina Kiai, Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly for the United Nations, saying that he hoped he had quit the habit, according to Politico.
"I haven't had a cigarette in six years... that's because I'm scared of my wife," President Obama said with a laugh.
Perhaps the nicotine withdrawal has clouded President Obama's mind a bit, in comments he made in 2009 the president admitted that he still smoked occasionally, according to the Christian Science Monitor.
"I've said before that as a former smoke I constantly struggle with it," President Obama said at a 2009 press conference. "Have I fallen off the wagon sometimes? Yes. Am I a daily smoker, a constant smoker? No."
First lady Michelle Obama has spent much of her time as first lady trying to convince Americans to adapt a healthier lifestyle; her most recent initiative has been focused on getting people to drink more water. So it comes as little surprise that the first lady would be key in getting the president to give up the unhealthy addiction.
Michelle Obama seems to think that the real reason her husband gave up smoking wasn't because he was afraid of her wrath, according to the Christian Science Monitor.
"I know that his ability to ultimately kick the habit was because of the girls, because they're at that age now where you can't hide," Michelle Obama said. "I think that he didn't want to look his girls in the eye and tell them that they shouldn't do something that he was still doing."
