Whoever wears the biggest flag pin wins the presidency
Politico.com reports that CNN was running an 'online poll' asking if Barack Obama has enough patriotism to be president. Politico pointing out that "it's odd to see the mainstream media drive a largely whispered question that none of his main, named critics -- Hillary, McCain, or the RNC -- will touch."
The poll is gone now, replaced by a poll about last night's Oscars, so I can't tell you the results... but the results don’t really matter. Because watching righties spin scandals out of thin air is one thing...but watching the Mainstream Media get into the act is a different thing completely.
CNN should be ashamed...this is a partisan hit piece. But, that's how it works. It starts with rightie smear sites and hoax emails...next thing you know it's taken seriously at CNN.
Like it or not, the media often drives the major stories of an election season, and faulty reporting can sink a candidate’s chances.
So...will we have a poll asking if John McCain has enough patriotism to be president? And, let's see, did CNN ever ask if a certain officer in the Air National Guard who deserted his unit "in a time of war" was "patriotic enough" to become president? Or a guy who sought five draft deferments to avoid serving his country was "patriotic enough" to become vice-president?
It's slander, pure and simple...and pretty typical of what the next eight and a half months have in store.
I honestly don’t understand the thinking of people who are going to base their vote on whether or not the candidate wears a flag pin on their lapel, it’s not going to get them into heaven anymore (John Prine).
As Bush and Cheney have amply shown, any politician can wear the flag pin while lying to us and trashing our Constitution.
I think it was Sinclair Lewis who said that if fascism ever came to America it would come wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross.
Obama’s response:
"As far as the American flag pin, I mean when we start getting into those definitions of patriotism that’s a debate I’m happy to have, because I will come right after them. This is a party that presided over a war in which our troops did not get the body armor that they needed, or sending troops over who were untrained because of poor planning, or are not fulfilling the veterans benefits that these troops need when they come home, or undermining our constitution with warrantless wiretaps that are unnecessary.
"As far as the American flag pin, I mean when we start getting into those definitions of patriotism that’s a debate I’m happy to have, because I will come right after them. This is a party that presided over a war in which our troops did not get the body armor that they needed, or sending troops over who were untrained because of poor planning, or are not fulfilling the veterans benefits that these troops need when they come home, or undermining our constitution with warrantless wiretaps that are unnecessary.
That is a debate that I am very happy to have. We’ll see what the American people think is the true definition of patriotism is."
That is a wonderful response to the drivel coming from the right. I especially like his mentioning the Constitution and warrantless wiretapping.
The Politico also reports:
"Top Republican strategists are working on plans to protect the GOP from charges of racism or sexism in the general election, as they prepare for a presidential campaign against the first ever African-American or female Democratic nominee.
"Top Republican strategists are working on plans to protect the GOP from charges of racism or sexism in the general election, as they prepare for a presidential campaign against the first ever African-American or female Democratic nominee.
The Republican National Committee has commissioned polling and focus groups to determine the boundaries of attacking a minority or female candidate...[..]"
I don't know why I find this so funny...how I wish I could've attended some of those meetings. My mind reels with Saturday Night Live skits....
