In my previous post, I wrote about the world's longest cigar. However, another newsworthy event also occurred in Ybor City last Saturday. Cigar Dave (aka "The General") announced his presidential ambitions during a live broadcast of his nationally syndicated cigar radio show, from Tampa's Cigar Heritage Festival. I had the pleasure of meeting Cigar Dave before the official opening of the festival, and found him to be quite personable, perhaps even bordering on presidential. The U.S. could use another cigar smoking President in the White House, who will snuff out the self-righteous activities of all those dreaded pleasure police. Then, I will have a picture with the President, and not just a mere General.

Speaking of cigar smoking Presidents, it is only fitting to remember what happened on this 22nd day of November in Dallas, some 43 years ago. However, during the year prior to his assassination, JFK enjoyed Cuban cigars so much that he instructed his press secretary to purchase a thousand Petit Upmanns before signing the Cuban Trade Embargo. You can watch a video of Pierre Salinger smoking a cigar while telling that story in my Top 10 List of Cigar Videos.

^{Photo: 2006 © Gary Manelski Licensed to About.com, Inc.}