Herman Cain’s campaign manager is pro-choice when it comes to smoking.

An otherwise random political ad for GOP Presidential candidate, Herman Cain has lit up the blogosphere on account of its lone prop: a cigarette. In the ad, Cain’s campaign manager, Mark Block blathers on about “taking the country back” and “putting the united back in United States” but then the unthinkable happens: he smokes a cigarette! It’s the brazen puff heard ‘round the world. He inhales, baby and is proud of it!

Clearly, Block and Cain were looking for attention. And in that they scored. The video quickly went viral prompting all sorts of commentary, good, bad and ridiculous. Here’s an amusing remix.

Block claims the cigarette was a “choice,” which is an interesting word. After all, political ads are all about making a choice. Furthermore, the freedom to choose is what America is all about. Smoking is indeed a choice yet most people, smokers included, consider it a bad one. Still, it’s every citizen’s right to choose…right?

In the context of political advertising the word “choice” usually refers to a woman’s right to choose (abortion). Like most of his Republican counterparts, I’m pretty sure Cain is against such a right. So it is intriguing to hear the word being used in defense of this ad and that cigarette. I wonder if it’s all part of some diabolical plan to make Mr. Cain seem pro-choice, even if he isn’t? More likely it’s just a coincidence. In the end, I believe the ad will go down as an historical oddity. But it certainly got my attention. On the other hand, if Block would have cut a fart that would have too.

(Special thanks to Adpulp for alerting me to the Cain video and other related silliness.)