MSNBC's Martin Bashir had some very harsh words about Sarah Palin's bus tour on his Tuesday show--and he even accused Palin of potentially breaking the law.
Palin has been on a swing through the Northeast over the past couple of days, stirring up the usual media storms and political questions.
Bashir said it was difficult to figure out why Palin is making the tour, because she "specializes in checkbook journalism--that is, she only gives interviews to a network that pays her in excess of $1 million a year." He also called her "confused and coy" about her motives.
Then, Bashir said that the former Alaska governor might be breaking the law:
"In fact, the whole thing could be in breach of a federal law because the United States Flag Code establishes important rules for the use and display of the stars and stripes, the flag of the United States. Under standards of respect and etiquette, it's made clear that the flag of the United States should never be used for any advertising purpose whatsoever. Yet that's precisely what Sarah Palin is doing. She's using the flag of the United States for her own financial purposes. She drapes herself in the stars and stripes and makes millions of dollars in the process. This has got nothing to do with the presidency and everything to do with filling her pockets. And by raising her profile, she raises her income. It is as simple as that. So she was right when she said that hers is not a campaign bus. It's a cash bus and she'll keep it rolling for as long as she can."
Bashir is seemingly mistaken, however. The American flag is used in advertising very frequently, and the Flag Code is actually a voluntary one.
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