The Debate Over Tobacco Gets Personal
BROWN: We showed you how our hard-working lawmakers haven't done anything about oil prices, so how are they keeping busy? Well, you're not going to believe it. But for a while today, they argued about the evils of cigarettes. And things got pretty hot and pretty personal. Once again, here is Gary Tuchman with that story -- Gary.</s>TUCHMAN: Well, Campbell, an interesting and kind of bizarre dustup on the floor of the House of Representatives this afternoon between the House minority leader and the longest serving congressman in Washington. It happened as the House was debating legislation to give the FDA the power to regulate tobacco. One of the strong opponents of the bill, two-pack-a-day smoker, House Minority Leader John Boehner. Now, he was banned from smoking near the entrance to the House floor when Nancy Pelosi took over as speaker. Congressman Boehner used to hold court in that area, puffing away when the Republicans were in the majority. As a matter of fact, one of the benches where people used to smoke was called the "Boehner bench."</s>BOEHNER: Most of my colleagues know I smoke. I know that smoking is probably not good for my health. Most people who smoke in America know that smoking is probably not good for their health. Do we need the federal government to tell us that we need to spend $5 billion of smoker's money for the government to tell us that smoking is not good for us? I don't think so.</s>TUCHMAN: Well, Boehner continued on, saying enough is enough, and got increasingly passionate.</s>BOEHNER: This is a bone-headed idea, a bone-headed idea. I mean, how much is enough? How much government do we need? More and more and more. They're not a smoker in America, doesn't understand that smoking isn't good for you.</s>TUCHMAN: But supporters of this bill say it's really designed to protect children who often don't have quite the understanding level of a John Boehner. And Democratic Congressman John Dingell of Michigan decided not to be subtle when he directed comments to Boehner.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The gentleman from Michigan.</s>DINGELL: Madam Speaker, I yield myself 15 seconds for the purpose of responding to my beloved friend, the minority leader. This legislation's on the floor because people are killing themselves smoking these evil cigarettes. And the distinguished gentleman, the minority leader, is going to be amongst the next to die. I am trying to save him, as the rest of us are, because he is committing suicide every time he puffs on one of those things.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will the gentleman yield? Will the gentleman be kind enough to yield?</s>TUCHMAN: "The next to die," wow. Dingell did yield and the House then did overwhelmingly pass the bill. It would tighten restrictions on advertising and sales of tobacco products to minors and allow the FDA to oversee tobacco like it oversees other drugs. The Senate still has to pass, and it appears to have the numbers to do so, but not might have enough time to take it up this year. But alas, it could all be for naught, because the White House is opposed to the bill and it could see a veto then. Campbell, back to you.</s>BROWN: Gary Tuchman for us tonight, Gary. Here, again, to talk about our government at work is senior political analyst Gloria Borger, Tara Wall of "The Washington Times," CNN political analyst Roland Martin. Oh, will you stop.</s>MARTIN: That was funny, I'm sorry.</s>BROWN: Not a very dignified debate, we just saw. Congressmen yelling at each other. What's going on here?</s>BORGER: Well, you know, actually, these two guys are friends, I should say that. And I think John Dingell got a little overzealous in his feelings that he wanted to protect his friend. He said, you know, you're going to be the next to die, but I want to save you. This is clearly a debate at its very base about regulation and where government should intrude and where it shouldn't. And what Boehner is saying is, look, I smoke, I know it's bad. I don't think it's the government's job to regulate cigarettes. I don't think that's the job of -- it's too big a government if you do that.</s>BROWN: The issue they should be focusing on right now as they head into the August recess?</s>MARTIN: I think it's one of them because also you have health implications. Look, I'm allergic to smoke. I cannot stand smoke. You can't smoke in my house. You got to go to the corner of the yard to even smoke. But, again, the key is, they are targeting children. And so, there's just nothing worse with seeing, riding along the freeway, you see a mother or a father in the car and the child's sitting right there and they're just puffing away. That's the real intent. That is, you want to keep it away from minors because that's for the next generation that these tobacco companies are targeting. So I say good job protecting the health of Americans.</s>BROWN: I have to agree with Roland. I used to smoke and I couldn't agree more with Roland. But, Tara, obviously you are a conservative. Do you think this is overreached by the government?</s>WALL: Yes, in a word. It's certainly unprecedented. And, of course, we all want to protect children, do what we can to protect children. But we want to take another overwhelmed government agency -- and I've worked in government agencies, you know, to now add to their, you know, case load, if you will, tobacco, in addition --</s>BROWN: Tara, given the health risks here --</s>WALL: Tobacco additions --</s>BROWN: Given the health risks that we know directly result from smoking...</s>MARTIN: Right.</s>BROWN: ... and given the danger for children to be --</s>WALL: But this agency regulates drugs and food. To add tobacco to that --</s>BROWN: Tobacco is a drug.</s>MARTIN: Right.</s>WALL: And then to say to the tobacco companies, we're going to make less riskier cigarettes. What's healthy about less risky cigarettes? They're all --</s>MARTIN: But, Tara, the other thing is you also eliminate advertising, Tara. You can't leave that out.</s>WALL: That's not healthy. The point is, we need to balance what is common sense with where regulation is actually needed --</s>BROWN: Guys --</s>BORGER: And that's what they've done in this. They've been working on it for a decade.</s>WALL: I disagree.</s>BROWN: All right, guys.</s>WALL: Pass energy first.</s>BROWN: Unfortunately, the clock says we have to go.</s>MARTIN: And the smoke has cleared.</s>BROWN: Gloria, Tara and Roland, as always, thanks, guys. Unless you think Congress' entire day went up in smoke, stay with us. If you've got kids, you're going to want to pay close attention to the bill that passed the House moments ago. We're going to have the details next.