Just days after his Republican rival, John McCain, released his medical records trying to remove concerns that his ability to lead the nation can be compromised by his age and health, U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama seems to be in “excellent health” and fit for office, according to a letter from his longtime physician released by the campaign.

Dr. David L. Scheiner, who has been Mr. Obama’s primary care physician for more than two decades, said he last examined Mr. Obama on January 15, 2007 and found him in “excellent health.” “He has been seen regularly for medical checkups and various minor problems such as upper respiratory infections, skin rashes and minor injuries,” the letter reads.

The only thing giving Mr. Obama, 46, a hard time is quitting smoking, as he has quit but relapsed several times. The last time he quit smoking was in February and he has done a great job so far with the aid of Nicorette gum.

Smoking is known to have serious effects on someone’s health such as heart disease, stroke and lung disease.

Dr. Scheiner also found Mr. Obama in great shape with “no excess body fat,” his blood pressure was excellent (90/60), his cholesterol level was within normal limits, as well as the so-called bad cholesterol or LDL. Also Mr. Obama had no signs of problems on standard blood tests or a heart EKG.

Overall, if he stopped smoking, “it would be very hard for medical science to predict he’s going to have any disease even over the next 30 years,” Dr. Otis Brawley of the American Cancer Society said, as quoted by the Associated Press. He also added that Mr. Obama’s family history with cancer (his mother died of ovarian cancer, while his maternal grandfather died of prostate cancer) isn’t strong enough to raise serious concerns.

Of course, a page of medical information in Mr. Obama’s case does not compare with more than 1,000 pages of medical documents of Sen. McCain made available to journalists last Friday plus the conference held by four of his doctors, all revealing he is also in “excellent health,” despite his history with malignant melanomas.

McCain was diagnosed with invasive melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, on his left temple in 2000. He has a scar and swelling on his left cheek as a result of the operation to remove the cancer that year. In his life, McCain has had four melanomas.

Dr. John D. Eckstein, an internist who has been overseeing McCain’s treatment for 16 years at the Mayo Clinic’s campus in Scottsdale, Arizona declared that “while it is important to predict any person’s future health today, I can find no medical reason or problems that would preclude Senator McCain from fulfilling all the duties and obligations of president of the United States.”

If elected, McCain would be the oldest first-term president.

Now the only one who has not released a word on her medical condition is Democratic opponent, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, 60. Will she follow her rivals’ example and inform people on her health? It remains to be seen…