Obama Hits Wrong Note with National Anthem
By Rogers Cadenhead
Thursday, November 08, 2007 at 12:43 PM
Of all the presidential candidates to make their feelings known about symbolic expressions of patriotism like flag lapel pins and the National Anthem, none has been more candid than Sen. Barack Obama -- hands down.
In early October, Obama told a TV reporter in Iowa that he had made a conscious decision to stop wearing a flag pin on his lapel, a standard fashion accessory for American politicians since 9/11."You know, the truth is that right after 9/11, I had a pin," Obama said. "Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we're talking about the Iraq War, that became a substitute for I think true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security, I decided I won't wear that pin on my chest. Instead, I'm going to try to tell the American people what I believe will make this country great, and hopefully that will be a testimony to my patriotism."
Obama's explanation impressed people who are sick of empty patriotic gestures like leaving a "These Colors Don't Run" bumper sticker on your SUV for so long that it fades. But his decision to make this reasoning public doesn't make sense at all.
Nothing good can come from being a presidential candidate who explicitly refuses to wear an American flag. It's a discussion you lose just by having, like holding a press conference to declare that you are so not gay.
Yesterday, Obama chose to defend a photo where he's shown with his hand down during the singing of the national anthem at a campaign event in Iowa. (Some reports incorrectly claimed it was during the Pledge of Allegiance.)
"My grandfather taught me how to say the Pledge of Allegiance when I was 2," Obama told a reporter, expressing his annoyance. "During the Pledge of Allegiance you put your hand over your heart. During the national anthem you sing."
For starters, Obama's granddad was wrong. There are four rules you're expected to follow during the anthem, as anyone who attends a sports event knows: Remove your gimme cap, move your beer to your left hand, place your right hand over your heart and mumble the words. (There's one extra rule in Dallas: Yell the word "Stars!")
But with this issue, Obama has once again fed a discussion that gains him nothing and throws a bone to the Lee Atwater memorial wing of the GOP, which can't wait to define this guy in the minds of a public that hasn't formed a strong sense of him yet. While Americans are still getting to know Obama, they're being told that he won't wear a flag pin and doesn't cross his heart during the national anthem. And it's true!
Are there any other symbolic gestures that represent love of country that Obama can go on the record against? "God Bless America" is kind of egotistical! Mom's apple pie is loaded with carbs! The insertion of "Under God" in the pledge was a misunderstanding of what Abraham Lincoln meant! The wings on Captain America's head look stupid and do not confer the power of flight!
Comments
Congratulations, Rogers Cadenhead, on wasting everyone's time. You're writing is poor and your depth in the issue is that of a child's. I believe that there are more important issues in a presidential race than whether or not a candidate wears a flag pin... how about health care, the Patriot Act, or the War in Iraq. That's great. You are a terrific journalist.
Nothing good can come from being a presidential candidate who explicitly refuses to wear an American flag. It's a discussion you lose just by having, like holding a press conference to declare that you are so not gay.
Wozzat?
Are you saying that the American electorate are so shallow that they aren't capable of seeing that the de rigeur American flag lapel pin post 9/11 has come to represent the kind of knee jerk psudo patriotism that the Neo-Con-artists have used so successfully up to date to turn America the Beautiful into sommat less than a true democracy and that Obama is over-estimating their collective intelligence?
Well, ya might be onto sommat there.
Of course, the fact that Obama's been forced in to making these explanations every 10 seconds because the entire FOX noise network seems hell bent on making an issue of it may have had somaat to do with that.
Spud agrees that the average cynical pol going strictly on conventional pol wisdom would just shut up and wear the thing but thinks that Obama is neither average nor cynical.
Justan Azhole,
I believe that there are more important issues in a presidential race than whether or not a candidate wears a flag pin... how about health care, the Patriot Act, or the War in Iraq.
No shit, Sherlock. Of course the war in Iraq, the Patriot Act, The corporately corrupted congress and senate, national health care, immigration, the unsustainable twin deficits, Global warming, pollution, the falling dollar, the rising price of oil, the torture scandals, the DOJ scandals, The rise of the corporate mercanary, the death of the petro dollar and a coupla hundred more topics are far more important than whether or not Obama wears a lapel pin in the grand scheme of things.
But here's the thing...
Sometimes Perception is more important than Reality.
This is unfortunately doubly true in the case of pols.
How the candidates are being percieved, are projecting themselves and are being spun by various individuals and groups will have a very real impact on who will win the big gig in '08.
This may well turn out to be the most important election cycle in the history of the United States and Rogers is right to look at all the details involving said perception.
They say the Devil is in the details.
They say God is in there too.
Obama '08.
Be Well.
PS:The wings on Captain America's head look stupid and do not confer the power of flight!
That seriously cracked Spud up! Too bad there's no FFs at WTW.
Are you saying that the American electorate are so shallow that they aren't capable of seeing that the de rigeur American flag lapel pin post 9/11 has come to represent the kind of knee jerk psudo patriotism that the Neo-Con-artists have used so successfully up to date to turn America the Beautiful into sommat less than a true democracy and that Obama is over-estimating their collective intelligence?
Pretty much. Any politician who thinks a simple symbolic gesture like wearing a U.S. flag lapel pin can be countered with a nuanced argument about the obligations of true patriotism has lost his friggin' mind.
Pretty much. Any politician who thinks a simple symbolic gesture like wearing a U.S. flag lapel pin can be countered with a nuanced argument about the obligations of true patriotism has lost his friggin' mind.
Spud thinks he hasn't lost his mind per se he just over-estimated the LCD intelligence level of the average American voter.
Spud agrees this is a faux pas in this instance but not a deal breaker in terms of his electability.
Flag waving has become encoded into American DNA over the years.
Pols need to work with that reality or perish it appears.
Spud was largely unaware of yer baseball anthem & allegiance rituals having been massively misinformed on the subject by Matt Groening.
In Canader, at a hockey game, Spud removes his hat and hold it over his heart leaving Spud's beer hand free. The only pledge of allegiance we got up here is to the Queen and it rarely gets used.
"I do swear that I will bear true allegiance to her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, her heirs and successors, according to law, so help me God"
A deeply silly people.
Be Well.