Since William Howard Taft a century ago, no American president has come close to matching his portly presence at 300 pounds, but next year’s Republican field could change that.
The subject comes up after a GOP split over Michelle Obama’s campaign against obesity, with conservatives mocking the First Lady as Mike Huckabee and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie applaud her efforts to slim down chubby children with healthy diets and exercise.
In the TV era, from Eisenhower to Obama, White House occupants have all been relatively trim, but potential candidates like Huckabee and Christie could change that.
The former Arkansas governor wrote a book about losing 100 pounds but has gained some of it back with problems over what comes out of his mouth as well as what goes in, while Christie notes that “it’s a really good goal to encourage kids to eat better…I’ve struggled with my weight for 30 years, and it’s a struggle.”
In the last election, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton were breaking barriers of race and gender, but 2012 could focus on heft.
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