VIDEO

Boehner Smoking Joke Triggered First Lady Eye Roll

A lip reading expert offers the analysis

Jan 23, 2013 by Lisa Fine

Staff Writer t

Image: YouTube

The mystery may have been solved about what caused First Lady Michelle Obama's much talked about eye rolling response to something House Speaker John Boehner said to her and the president at the inauguration lunch.

Her reaction, which many viewed in a silent video that spread across the Internet, was to a smoking joke that Boehner made, a lip reading expert says.

The Ohio Republican, a smoker, apparently asked President Barack Obama if he had a cigarette before the Monday luncheon, lip reader Larry Wenig told "Inside Edition," The Hill reports.

"Somebody won't let you do it," Boehner said to the president and his wife, referencing the First Lady, Wenig said. President Obama had reportedly quit smoking in 2010, but has called giving up the habit "hard."

Boehner spokesman Michael Steel denied the lip reading expert's explanation, telling The Hill in an email: "That is not true."

Via The Hill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMpICj-uguk

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?	Would Michelle Obama be justified in rolling her eyes if Boehner made the smoking joke?

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Yes, Boehner would deserve it

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I sympathize, but bad reaction

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No, not appropriate

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All : 79

Comments (view in Forum)

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Jan '13

woodtick57

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Wow! i didn't think the innaugural discussion couldn't get any more banal than over whose dress the first lady wore...i was incorrect...
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Jan '13

AceLuby

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My thoughts exactly. Who cares? If my wife made the news every time she rolled her eyes we'd need a new cable news station...
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Jan '13

factchecker

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@AceLuby Boehner said that he feels that the White House is doing every thing in their power to get rid of the Rep. party. My oberservation was that all you had to do was to watch the Rep. debacle with Hilary Clinton at the Bengazi hearings. They don't need help they selve distruct. Senators McCain (sick old man) Johnson of Wis., Ron Paul (who will never be President so no one has to worry). And a couple of others who disgraced themselves. NO they don't need help they are or have already destroyed the Rep. party with out any help just being themselves. Bushes couldn't come to the inageration because one Bush was taking care of the other. A little late for that I would say. What happened to Rummney?
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Jan '13

Real4WheelDrv

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I think Michelle AND Boehner need a reboot here, him for going with the stereotypical "controlled by your wife" thing, and her for falling for it. But on the other hand, Michelle's push to nanny everyone's health sets her up for jabs like that anyway.
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Jan '13

mtkopf

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I find it inappropriate that Boehner, a political foe and no friend of the First Family, would comment on the relationship between POTUS and flotus. I would only say that to CLOSE friends and I would STILL get the same reaction from the wife. Boehner--what a douche.
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Jan '13

Republican5001

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Lay off the red bulls man, it was a joke.
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Jan '13

mtkopf

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@Republican5001 no red bull. Coffee. Hopefully beer shortly
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Jan '13

SavageMazx

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@mtkopf two bad I can vote that up more than once LOL
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Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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I don't think i've every agreed with republican5000 before, but lighten up...
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Jan '13

AaronCross

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She looks like a bug eyed ape. Who cares what she does?
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Jan '13

bsking

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ZZzzzzz
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Jan '13

marine1

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Whats the big deal, they are both over 21 and i'm pretty sure that smoking is not the only unfavorable habbit they or anyone else might have? In my liberal view :} let people do what they want so long as they don't hurt others.
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Post @marine1
Jan '13

PoliticalSpice

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@marine1 you ever tried saying that to a girlfriend on a health kick? I doubt you'd be alive to talk about it if you tried.
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Jan '13

marine1

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@PoliticalSpice I am smarter than that, women Never forget
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Jan '13

WMCOL

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Weak people use tobacco and alcohol, and then those become a part of their other weaknesses making them a wreck about to happen.
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Jan '13

mtkopf

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One could argue that the weak people are really the ones who must have religion in their lives. Those who choose to live religiously do so because they do not possess the same moral fortitude as I and therefore need a Church and God to tell themwhat is morally right and what is morally wrong. These religious folk are then dangerous bc the Church will not always be there to make EVERY decision for them.
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Post @mtkopf
Jan '13

zeke

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@mtkopf Like to blow you're own horn huh?
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Post @zeke
Jan '13

wild_turkey6

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I would argue that it takes a weak person not to use alcohol. How hard is it to get up and go to work every day when you were in bed at 9:00 pm? Now compare that to the functional alcoholic that gets up and goes to work after a night of heavy drinking. That is the stronger person and should be celebrated. But no. Society has turned demonized these people.
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Jan '13

culinary

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This comment caused ME to roll my eyes. Really dude? Or lady, I guess. I smoke and drink and am in no way weak. Have a job, go to school, raise an 8 year okd myself, just to name a few. Not weak by my standards anyway. What it does do is keeps me from going gangsta on holier than thou people :)
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Jan '13

mtkopf

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@zeke no I'm trying to demonstrate to wmcol how ridiculous his post sounds.
As I said "one could argue..." meaning a case could be made, not I actually believe what I wrote.
While I am a recovering Catholic, I have the upmost respect for another person's religious beliefs. That said, what makes this poster so morally superior that he/she feels the need to preach on the lifestyle choices of others?
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Jan '13

whataGOVwehave

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Where's the who gives a shi* button?
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Jan '13

Tralee

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Wow, this is what passes for hard news? Personally, they need to add a 4th choice, the I don't give a hoot one way or the other response.
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Jan '13

AceLuby

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Finally! Something we can agree on :)
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Jan '13

MetaphorBreeze

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I personally don't care what he said. My First Lady needs to be the epitome of class. She should be stately and somewhat polished at the very least. Eye rolling is best saved for teen drama.
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Jan '13

Nat

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I would venture to guess that you've rolled your eyes in public on occasion. To expect perfection from anyone is just inane. I also would guess that the fashion faux pas commited by Mrs. Bush (to the point of her having to go up and change clothes) was okay with you. Who cares if she wore an $8500 rent-a-gown that had been worn by 3 other people? But that was news too. News is not news any more. It's a back-biting bunch of judgmental people with expectations of which they could not themselves live.
When you become perfect, let us know.
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Jan '13

Roco

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Who really cares?!?! Quit this pc crap. Whatever was said by Boehner wassn't important just like Michelle's "eye roll" wasn't important either. Why do all the unimportant crap get played up, but the real important things get glazed over?
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Jan '13

Hermeticrev

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Amen Roco......Why are we becoming a nation of panzy drama queens.....Deal with the important stuff....and leave playtime drama to the kids
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Jan '13

BelinKS

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I roll my eyes at things even if I don't know I did it. It's her perogative if she rolls her eyes at someone. It's not bad, it's kind of funny. Shows she's human, just like the rest of us.
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Jan '13

Canoochee

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I guess one post about the First Lady's lack of tact wasn't enough? No if she ever stands up and get's in someone's face calling them LIAR, that would be newsworthy.

But we already knew Michelle is a walking faux pas.
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Jan '13

PNWest

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I've gotten to the bottom of this whole thing. Michelle Obama's eye rolling was completely justified. This is a CORRECT lipreading of what the Speaker said to the President:

Speaker: What did the boy melon say to the girl melon?
President: I don't know what?
Speaker: Sorry, Honeydew, but I cantaloupe.
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Jan '13

mtkopf

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**rolls eyes**
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Jan '13
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Jan '13

PNWest

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@RUMORS-- When you get back let me know what "YSAFI" means?
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Jan '13

s_braxton

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There are things going on way more serious than this eye roll story like Georgia's government employees injuring people including children http://open.salon.com/blog/sb4justice/2013/01...
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Jan '13

stephen

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sure if he said something stupid.
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Jan '13

AundriaP

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Wow...he made a joke! Big deal!!
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Jan '13

kirbstomp1

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That's hilarious, he probably actually said, "Yo, first lady, wanna hit the joint in the oval office later today?"
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Jan '13

WebNavigator

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Michelle has no class. This is behavior I would expect from a teenager, definately not someone in her position. She even eats like a cow, watching her shovel food down her throat was truely shocking. Can't someone give her some classes in social graces? Geez!
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Jan '13

Brownie

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Shoot, WOMEN rolls their eyes at a lot of things. It's not just I child thing. You've probably caught your momma doing it a few times.
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Jan '13

WebNavigator

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@Brownie - First of all she is before the world and should be on her best behavior. This isn't her at a bus stop or sitting with her family in front in the privacy of her home, this is Michelle showing her classlessness to not only the nation but to the world. Second I don't roll my eyes. It is a very disrespectful behavior. When my children roll their eyes I correct them and I teach them manners, politness and expressing their view points through words in a positive nature and not through contemptful behavior. I have yet to see anyone roll their eyes at any business meetings at work. A truely immature, contemptful and unprofessional behavior.
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Jan '13

Brownie

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@WebNavigator She's still a woman. She isn't the first and she sure won't be that last.
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Jan '13

Brownie

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@WebNavigator i can't believe you you have not rolled your eyes lately. Wow...
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Post @Brownie
Jan '13

Russell797

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Smoking jokes are not funny to those of us who have lost family members to that disgusting habit.
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Jan '13

cat2009

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I wonder if this lip reader is part of the White House staff.
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Jan '13

Fitz

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Who really cares?
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Would Michelle Obama be justified in rolling her eyes if Boehner made the smoking joke?

Would Michelle Obama be justified in rolling her eyes if Boehner made the smoking joke?