Topic: White Smoke

Referencing the film Wag the Dog, the hosts discuss how modern warfare can be manufactured for television. They share a report from a military intelligence source suggesting that the "white smoke" seen in Syria may not indicate a chemical agent. They compare the visual evidence to the smoke trails associated with the downing of flight MH17.

A brief lockdown occurred at the White House after an unidentified individual threw a smoke bomb over the fence. The hosts suggest these types of incidents are "trial balloons" or tests of security and media response, noting that the story disappeared from the news cycle within thirty minutes.

Reports from a "White House Insider" via the blogger Ulsterman claim President Obama is largely removed from daily governance, spending hours in a study wearing flip-flops and watching sports. The account suggests Valerie Jarrett and Bill Daley run the administration while the President receives briefings limited to 15 minutes. The insider also claims Obama continues to smoke in the West Wing using smokeless ashtrays.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs is scrutinized for his contradictory statements regarding President Obama's smoking habits. Gibbs claimed he had seen no evidence of the President smoking in nine months, despite previous admissions that the President was "working hard to stop." The hosts interpret Gibbs' stuttering and body language as evidence of lying, suggesting the President remains a smoker under high stress.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs addresses media inquiries regarding President Barack Obama's ongoing struggle with cigarette smoking. The discussion follows a new Surgeon General report emphasizing the extreme dangers of secondhand smoke. Gibbs explains that the President smokes for enjoyment and relaxation to manage the pressures of the office, while the hosts criticize the secrecy surrounding the habit.