Smoking issue a "dog-whistle" for libertarians

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution AJC.com "Cain ad catches fire -- or blows smoke":

the grainy 55-second video has been a raging success, generating more than 1 million hits on YouTube by tweaking liberal outrage at the taboo cigarette habit -- and libertarian delight in liberal outrage.

The use of the cigarette was a calculated ploy, said Marty Kaplan, a professor of entertainment, media and society at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California.

"Smoking is a dog-whistle to libertarians, Ron Paul supporters, people mad at the ‘nanny state,' " said Kaplan, who was deputy campaign manager for presidential candidate Walter Mondale in 1984.

"Plus, it vouches for Cain's ‘authenticity.'" Kaplan said in an email, "The subtext is that only a real guy, not a cautious and opportunistic pol -- [like Cain rival Mitt] Romney -- would do something like this."