In October 2007, Barack Obama quit wearing a US flag lapel pin that he had been wearing since 9/11. Obama’s explanation at the time was:
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 what will make this country great and hopefully that will be a testimony to my patriotism.
While Barack has mostly held to not wearing his pin, it does show up from time to time. Interestingly, it seems to show up when he’s addressing groups who are generally known for their patriotism like a blue-collar group in West Virginia or Missouri or while touring a manufacturing plant in Michigan.
I’ll admit I’m a bit of a cynic. Maybe Barack’s flag wearing is just coincidence and not political pandering.
Then again, maybe not.
On Monday of this week John McCain criticized Obama for having been to Iraq only once during his term in office. McCain’s valid point was that he thought it was unfair for Obama to be making opinion about what was or wasn’t working in Iraq if he hadn’t been there since the surge, hadn’t visited with General Petraeus or with President Maliki. McCain, who has been to Iraq eight times, went so far as to offer to escort Obama should he choose to make the trip.
Barack’s response to McCain’s offer, given by his spokesman Bill Burton sounded vaguely familiar:
"John McCain’s proposal is nothing more than a political stunt. And we don’t need any more "˜Mission Accomplished’ banners or walks-through Baghdad markets to know that Iraq’s leaders have not made the political progress that was the stated purpose of the surge. The American people don’t want any more false promises of progress. They deserve a real debate about a war that has overstretched our military and cost the U.S. thousands of lives, hundreds of billions of dollars, without making us safer."
So, just like losing his flag lapel pin, Barack won’t go to Iraq because he believes it’s just another meaningless show. Well gee, the lapel pin didn’t stay off too long before Barack thought he needed to wear it again. Do you think he may change his mind on the Iraq trip?
WASHINGTON (AP)– Barack Obama is considering a visit to Iraq this summer, his first to the war zone since becoming a presidential candidate.
Obama revealed his plans to The New York Times. He has been under criticism from Republican rival John McCain for failing to visit Iraq since 2006. Obama also declined McCain’s invitation for a joint trip.“I just don’t want to be involved in a political stunt,” Obama said, according to a report on the newspaper’s Web site Wednesday.
I guess he just might!
I’ve got to hand it to McCain, he put BO in a corner that there was no way out of. If he didn’t go, McCain will pound him for making decisions without any first hand information. If Obama goes he’ll be drawn and quartered by his own moonbat base…it’s a no win situation for poor Barack.
In honor of Barack’s trip to Iraq (and with Steve gone, this is the first music we’ve had all week):
