Meanwhile …

There's a little-known fact about Barack Obama that, if exposed, would bring untold shame to the president-elect.

So far, though, Mr. Obama and his PR team have managed to keep this secret relatively quiet -- no incriminating photographs, limited comment in the media. But word is starting to trickle out.

Barack Obama is ... a smoker.

Oh, he's well aware that such a habit is frowned upon by the finger-wagging Nanny Staters -- many of whom are his most ardent supporters. He's also doing his best to try to quit.

But during the campaign he admitted he had lapsed from time to time.

"But I figure, seeing as I'm running for president, I need to cut myself a little slack," he said in an interview for the November issue of Men's Health magazine.

Now that he's about to take over the Oval Office, Mr. Obama pledges "you will not see any violations of" White House non-smoking rules when he becomes president. That's good news.

Now, if only Bill Clinton had gotten rid of all his smoking instruments during his eight years as president.