Obama Wears Flag Pin To West Virginia Rally

McClatchy:

Barack Obama, who labeled discussion of whether he wears a flag pin in his lapel a false issue in a debate with Hillary Clinton, was wearing one Monday as he campaigned in West Virginia ahead of Tuesday's primary vote there.

Obama made no reference to the pin, which could be clearly seen in television images and through telephoto lenses as he spoke in Charleston, W. Va., about veterans issue. There was no public comment from his campaign.

Read the whole story: McClatchy

Comments

[DemocraticRN]

I view wearing of the lapel flag pin as a symbol of Conservative Right Wing support of the Iraq War, just as I viewed the sewing of the U.S. flag into the seat of one's pants by the Liberal Left Wing in protesting the Viet-Nam War during the late 60's. As a moderate Democrat, I will not nor have not done either. I do not have a yellow ribbon magnet on my car nor do I display any type of bumper stickers. Instead, I contribute money to Veteran's groups to do what our broken Government will not do. I served my Country in the Military. I feel that these actions prove to myself that I am a patriot and I don't need to prove it by displaying cheap symbols.
Senator Barack Obama has reverted to pandering for political gain and should be held accountable for it.

[Gatling]

"I view wearing of the lapel flag pin as a symbol of Conservative Right Wing support of the Iraq War"

This view is uniquely yours. Is it fair to project it onto every other Dem?

When O speaks to vets, he wears a pin given to him by a vet, out of respect.

He has said this before.

[loki]

Can someone explain to me just when it was that the GOP took ownership of the American flag pin? I thought the American Flag, in pin , patch, tshirt, whatever form, was for all Americans? Just more proof that Rethugs want to divide and destroy, not unite.

[noneIn2008]

His focus is moving to swing voters in swing states. Now he is running for the general election, he can ignore the far left base and move more to middle rhetoric. He is a politician, what do you expect ? Don't expect consistency or results. Expect rhetoric. Jeremiah Wright has also clearly made this point.

[Gatling]

You get all this from a flag pin?

The Left gets as silly about this as the Right. He doesn't HAVE to wear it. He doesn't have to AVOID it.

It's just a pin.

[trinity]

Oh the flag pin lady will be pleased...

[BlackMagicWoman]

F the flag pin lady

[kellygrrrl]

Flag Pin Lady will cut you!
B!tch is hardcore!

[dumboldfarmer]

He wears the pin when speaking with vets and has for a while. It is not something one should make a big deal about.

[Stace]

Please stop, you're making too much sense.

[eej]

Someone should tell the author of this article and HuffPo who are making another frenzy over nothing.

[trubski]

The silly pin was probably made in China. I can't believe so many people are willing to waste so much time on such ridiculous trivia.

[forpeace]

*

Obama was delivering his speech to the Vets, so he was wearing it out of respect for them.

I do Admire him for Respecting our Vets.

Go Obama!

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[BlackMagicWoman]

What's even more to be admired is him speaking out in support of the GI Bill. That means much more to our service men and women than a stupid pin.

[GravitonX]

Obama is probably wearing it out of respect for the person who gave it to him. That's why Obama is so admired.

[08timefortruth]

Based on the number of comments posted here as compared to the number posted on the article that quotes his speech, it is clear that what the man says is not nearly as important as a piece of jewery.

I just watched his speech on C-Span and as always he was very inspirational. He also got lots of applause and guess what? There were even WHITE people there.

[Stace]

WHITE PEOPLE?!? YA DONT SAY!!! :-O

[pleeezzze]

Anyone can make a Speech . So what ?
Many people are Not as influenced by that ...rhetori­c.... as you seem to be .

Everyone is aware that his SPEECHES are simply ( political speeches ).
They've all got on , Big Deal .

[XRayD]

W. Va and KY call for Time for TRUTH in advertising ...

The Reagan Democrats are now the "Beverly Hill's & Bill's Democrats" !

[txshldm0007]

I am an Obama supporter and I agree with most of the stuff he says. This another major boo boo .. he keeps talking about about how the flag does not make a different in Patriotism and then he wears it the flag ... hellloooooo

Major boo boo ...

[forpeace]

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txshldm0007
================

What's wrong with you people? He was blamed for not wearing it, he is blamed for wearing it!!!!!

Plus he said over 1,000,000 times that he wears the flag sometimes.

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[Stace]

uhhh, WUT?!?!?
He's damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.

SMDH at the fickleness of you people. This was said already but let me scream it for reiteration:
{{{HE WAS SPEAKING TO A GROUP OF VETS - HE'S EXPRESSED IN THE PAST THAT OUT OF RESPECT FOR THEM, HE WILL DAWN THE FLAG PIN}}}

That is NOT flip flopping his position on the issue - it's him making the decision ON HIS OWN to wear the damn thing when HE feels it's appropriate to wear it. Not when the media or anyone else tells him he should wear it.

JIMMINEY CHRISSMUS CAN WE GET OFF THE FLAG PIN PLEASE!?!?

I wonder how many flag pins are on sale on Ebay???

[IAM4CLINTON]

Rev.Wright was right after all- Obama is just another politician after all !

Obama would use the flag pin as a prop when he goes into a conservative state such as WV, but then he will come back to Chicago or San Franscisco and denigrate folks who wear one proudly !

BTW, no Democrat has become President without winning West Virginia. Bill Clinton won WV twice in 1992 and 1996.

With barely a handful of folks willing to vote for Obama in WV, how is he going to carry the state in the fall election ?

[Sandmann]

Here's a snausage..­.

[Sandmann]

I see the Anti-Obama crowd is still honed in on non-issues, I have a snausage and a pat on the head for these folks. "Sit, Ubu, Sit...Good Dog!"

Now leave the heavy-lifting for posters who know the difference between a fork and spoon.

[pleeezzze]

Sandman ....leave the condescending crap to Obama , he does it much better than you !

[happycat]

Forget about Obams's positions on the war in Iraq, the shitty economy, health care, what West Virginians really want to know if he is wearing a flag pin! Pretty pathetic.

[1PALady]

KO said he thinks he always wears his flag pin when speaking with veterans.

[paganmist]

Precisely. And his speeches in WVA thus far have been focused on Veterans issues, how he feels America is failing them, and his initiatives to provide better education and health care for them.

Giving speeches about veterans in need would probably be the best time to wear a flag pin that a veteran personally gave you.

I don't think Obama's a saint or anything, but this is just a gesture of niceness and honor that really doesn't need to be twisted into some evil nefarious plot. The man has proven that he can withstand the onslaught of ignoramuses who try to tear him down because of a flag pin, and he's withstood that test when it counted the most, so why on earth would he change his principles in a throw-away state?

No offense to WVA, but we all know that he's not going to win it, and we all know that he doesn't actually need to win it right now. It'd be a poor time to start pandering, when he's avoided pandering during the rest of the states that he actually needed.

[paganmist]

This is a reiteration of a post I made below. Sorry for repeats, I thought my post had gotten scrubbed.