Questioning Obama, Neither ABC Moderators Nor Clinton Wore Flag Pin Either

Underlining the inanity of last night's Democratic debate, at the same time that Senator Barack Obama's patriotism was being questioned because of his decision not to wear an American flag pin on his lapel, neither of the two debate moderators were -- you guessed it -- wearing a flag pin of their own.

Indeed, as one reader of the Huffington Post pointed out, neither the well-dressed Charlie Gibson nor his sidekick George Stephanopoulos donned an American flag last night. In fact, Obama's opponent, Sen. Hillary Clinton, didn't have one either.

See the pictures here.

That, of course, didn't stop the ABC honchos from raising the issue strictly with Obama. Segueing off of a voter video and "conversations" that had come up "again and again," Gibson scolded Obama:

"It's something of a theme that Senators Clinton and McCain's advisers agree could give you a major vulnerability if you're the candidate in November. How do you convince Democrats that this would not be a vulnerability?"

Obama responded by restating, as he's done in the past, that he reveres the American flag as well as the country.

"What I've tried to do is to show my patriotism by how I treat veterans when I'm working in the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee," he said, "by making sure that I'm speaking forcefully about how we need to bring this war in Iraq to a close, because I think it is not serving our national security well and it's not serving our military families and our troops well..."

Sensing that the moderators weren't swayed (this was, after all, the same group that had just asked Obama if his controversial former pastor "loves America as much as you do?"), the Senator went on.

"And let me just make one last point on this issue of the flag pin," he said. "As you've noted, I wore one yesterday when a veteran handed it to me, who himself was disabled and works on behalf of disabled veterans. I have never said that I don't wear flag pins or refuse to wear flag pins. This is the kind of manufactured issue that our politics has become obsessed with and, once again, distracts us from what should be my job."

There were no follow up questions as to whether Clinton didn't show the requisite amount of patriotism. Nor, for that matter, did Gibson and Stephanopoulos turn and accuse each other of sedition.

Comments

[victoriajubilee]

Dont get complacent because its another day ,continue to send the e-mails and make the phone calls to ABC that big pile of excrement calling themselves a news organisation. KEEP UP THE E-MAIL AND PHONE CALLS, NO LET UPS ALL WEEK.

[Lazslo]

Again, another fine example of true Americana form. The rules don't apply to the ones holding the stage. That's modus operandi number 1.

[Kim445588]

George Bush wears a flag pin you idiots!

This issue is another perfect example of how spot on Obama's "bitter" comments were, for thinking people anyway.

[kcam44]

you're the idiot.

[clevelandtocali]

A friend said all he can think of when he hears about this stupid pin bullshit is...

"A PLEDGE PIN...ON YOUR UNIFORM!?!?!?!?!?!?"

[AggravationKills]

You're not the only one! lol

[CTmom13]

ABC should be EMBARASSED. They wasted millions of people's time with Tabloid Trash that the media can't seem to understand WE DO NOT CARE OR WANT TO HEAR . If we want to hear it we will buy a National Enquirer

[Lazslo]

actually, I think you'll find that ABC turned a profit from the broadcast last night, and that's what's important.

[kellygrrrl]

What?!!!! No Flag Pin? Off with their heads!!!!

[philipwitak]

I care about this country - deeply and a lot. i'm a 'natural-born' citizen. i'm a proud member of the middle class and a respectable resident in my community. i pay my taxes. i give to charity. i show up for jury duty. i served honorably in the united states military. even used to be a cub scout. and i used to pledge my allegiance to flag every day; for many, many years.

But i will never wear a flag pin - simply because too many goofballs already do.

[BetterDeadthanRedState]

My flag pin is bigger than your flag pin!

[sillyseason]

I DON'T Wear A Damn Flag PIn

I'm a Vietnam veteran and have NEVER worn a flag pin! You wanna question my patriotism too? If I were Senator Obama, I would have told all three of those non flag pin wearing hypocrites to "kiss where the sun doesn't shine."

We sit back as Americans and suck in this crap, while the flag pin wearing Rove, Bush, & Cheney rewrite our constitution, all the while saying, "SCREW YOU, American voters."

This bullshit has to stop, and WILL stop when the PEOPLE reclaim their government in November.

[craneman]

and Obama will be the reclaimer!!!

[ammitusen]

i sense your frustration, sillyseason but do have some hope. it does seem that the American People are beginning to open their eyes to the folly of commercializing patriotism and not so many Americans are sitting back and sucking up the crap anymore. this bodes well for our country, the country you served. some of us have seen the folly all along while other folks take awhile to get a clue. please look how far we've come back to our American selves since the time when critiquing GW was tantamount to treason. a terrorist sympathizer were you if your dared protest his wars. so cross your fingers and try to have a little faith that it will indeed stop when We The People regain our government in November.

[kcam44]

DITTO!! Screw the "made in china" flagpin. I agree--Bush, Cheney and the rest of the sleazeballs in Washington wear their precious flagpins daily and what has it done for us--Absolutely nothing!! The flagpin does not symbolize patriotism in my view. My husband is a disabled veteran and doesn't care to wear a flagpin, does this make him unpatriotic?? Everytime I look at Bush or Cheney and their stupid flagpins, it reminds me of the mountain of lies told to the American people, and the senseless loss of life in this endless war. Their pockets are getting fatter and fatter as they prepare to exit the Whitehouse, and Amercians are losing their jobs and homes, while food and gas prices skyrocket!!
SCREW THE FLAGPIN, WE NEED TO TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK!!!!

[springsm]

Where was the debate? I didn't see one on TV last night. I saw a couple of men who think they are smart or cute or something, heard a few inane questions to trap somebody and a bunch of pandering to something. Gee whiz..if this is called a debate, this country is in a bigger heap of dung than I thought. You would expect some intelligent matter from those who control the nomination/election..namely TV Pundits and Talking Heads.

[Kim445588]

Yes, this will probably serve as a case study for student journalists. The caption will read: How NOT to hold a debate, and How to destroy your credibility in one hour or less.

Tools

[BrooklynnRules]

Has anyone seen Hillary or McCain with flag pins? Can't we just get to the issues instead of wasting so much time on who said what at what time of day?

[PrdAmerican]

Can we just remind the forgetful American populace that thinks this is an issue that these so called patriotic symbols got their beginnings on the lapels of the bastards who were part of the watergate scandal and chose to wear the flag to tell people that despite their crimes the really were patriotic...blegh.


But Georgie's obsession with the pin is never ending...

Although I do love this excerpt:

ABC President David Westin banned on-air talent from having such pins adorn their lapels. In 2003, he deemed it the "patriotic duty" of reporters not to display the flag. At a journalist conference, he elaborated that "after 9/11, the question came up and we, as a matter of policy at ABC News, tell our people on the air, you shall not wear an American flag or any other symbol on the air."

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2007/10/05/abc-puzzles-over-obsession-u-s-flag-pins-notes-nixon-wore-one

[OfficialA]

God bless David Westin.

[richcpl]

It is appalling that Democrats are now arguing about pledge pins and patriotism within their own ranks. I doubt George Stephanopolous was out to favor hillary. But in any other profession, the appearance based on the past relationships would have been a disqualifier itself. The likely reality is that, in his effort to prove he was not a clinton partisan, he went too far the other way. He's damaged his reputation. Too bad for him.

[Ruppy]

I don't have a flag pin. I have a twin brother who served in Afghanistan and is now in Iraq. I have 2 elderly parents who worry everyday about his safety. But since I don't wear my patriotism on my lapel or a bumper sticker on my car, I must not love America.

The debate last night was a complete debacle. Flag pins, Weather Underground and does your retired pastor love America? Good lord. I was waiting for Charlie Gibson to run on stage and hit Obama from behind with a chair. This was a tag team hatchet job about issues that those of us in Middle America don't give a rip about.

You should be ashamed ABC

[kiga]

Charlie and George are not running for president and don t' have to wear the American flag pin. Obama has said, "I won't wear that pin on my chest."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccbPVMBKQpA
last night he said, "I never said I won't wear the flag." he is on video saying that he would and won't wear that pin, which is it?
Hillary doesn't have to wear the pin as it has been customary for male politician to wear not he women, should Obama wear lipstick now? Obama has to answer why he is electable despite the legitimate concerns that dems have. Obama has come clean once and for all!!

[momofsix]

Hillary doesn't have to wear the flag pin because she is a woman???!!! How sexist is that? I am a woman not that much younger than she is and I have worn a flag pin occasionally. Is there some sort of flag pin manual for dummies the rest of us are unaware of? Well I guess if she isn't even willing to take a hit on fashion for her country then she doesn't deserve my vote. This whole flag pin thing is the most absurd thing I have ever heard of.

[omaro]

Weird. The youtube clip you reference is cut off TIGHTLY, immediately before the quote you cite, as though there were a beginning to that sentence that FOR SOME REASON you chose not to include. Could it be, kiga, that the context would create a very different impression from what you're trying to imply? And what do you mean "customary?" This flag-wearing fetish is of recent origin, and started among right-wing Republicans, who apparently see no irony in the fact that the little pins they wear always say "Made in China" on the back. You're also wrong, even about that custom--there are plenty of (Republican) female politicians who wear them too.

[BlackMagicWoman]

Why doesn't Hillary have to wear a flag pin? Well she could at least wear a flag brooch or something. She must hate America! Oh, nevermind... The red, white, and blue would have clashed with her suit.

[jabee]

Hasn't ANYBODY HERE seen the poll ....on ABC'S OWN WEBSITE THIS HOUR?

Who won the debate?

OBAMA , 49,600

CLINTON 14,600.

As of about 3:45.p 4/17. Go see it. ABC NEWS.

Tell you anything, boys and girls?

[Durango]

And who lost?

ABC NEWS.

[Sylmason]

And..........................Got this poll from http://www.thejnotes.com/

{{{{DRUDGE POLL}}}}WHO WON THE DEM DEBATE IN PA?...

HILLARY CLINTON
43% 70,880

BARACK OBAMA
57% 93,132

Total Votes: 164,012
Send ABC a message:

Call the Switch Board: 212-456-7777 and Ask for the Voicemail of George Stephanopoulos Directly.

Also: dial 818-460-7477 press 2 then 6 then 639

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Peter Salinger (THE MAN IN CHARGE OF ELECTION COVERAGE) Director, Special Events & Sports 212.456.5105 [e-mail]

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[momofsix]

LoL you've been busy. But you missed that little dweeb jake tapper.