Pins and Panders - Obama Rises above it

RCP ^ | May 6th, 2008 | Richard Cohen

[The_Republican]

Sometimes I think the best thing about Barack Obama is that little empty space on his lapel. It is where other politicians wear their American flag pin, a kitschy piece of empty symbolism that tells you nothing about that particular person except that he or she thinks like everyone else. Obama's flag, invisible to the naked eye, is the Jolly Roger of a politician thinking for himself.

The flag pin issue arose last fall when someone noticed that Obama was campaigning in the patriotic nude. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, wearing the pin had become de rigueur for politicians. Obama too had worn the pin but had taken it off when he started "noticing people wearing a lapel pin, but not acting very patriotic." Some of these people, he said unconvincingly, were not voting for veterans' benefits and the like -- "not voting to make sure that disability payments were coming out on time."

I suspect more to the point -- and much more important than votes on veterans' issues -- was Obama's sense that the flag pin, rather than representing patriotism, was an emblem of conformity and hypocrisy. Richard Nixon, for instance, sported one while undermining the Constitution and, in private, cursing all sorts of minority groups. And history does not record if his vice president, Spiro T. Agnew, took his off on the solemn occasions when he received bribes in the White House. Somehow, the flag pin did not improve the character of either man.

Obama better expressed his feelings later in the campaign when he was asked by ABC's Charlie Gibson why he didn't sport the lapel pin and he answered, if I may paraphrase, that the flag flew in his heart.

[shineon]

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck...

[Diogenesis]

[Malesherbes]

The lapel is not the only empty space; the whole suit is empty - but it carries a lot of baggage.

[steel_resolve]

[Spok]

Obama hates white people and America almost as much as he hates Jews and Israel. If he wins the election, all we can do is hunker down and hope there’s something left to rebuild in 4 years.

[tal hajus]

I wonder if Cohen feels tingles up his leg, ala Chrissy Mathews, and just how far up they go.

[Neoliberalnot]

The socialist jackass can barely rise above a flat-worm.

[FrankR]

"...was Obama's sense that the flag pin, rather than representing patriotism, was an emblem of conformity and hypocrisy"

Oh...well hell...we wouldn't want any sense of conformity or hypocrisy coming from a man who attends a church with a robotic congregation in total lock-step (or maybe it should be goose-step)conformance with the "rev" I'm-a-nutcase Wright, would we?

A group of people with a writhing hatred for all things white, and all things American...who are gritting their teeth to stay here, only to accept all the freedom and opportunity that any country in history has ever provided to any race of people.

Obama-llama-ding-dong is the poster boy of conformity, who is walking a tight rope to please his leftist/socialist brethren, while trying to let them know how much contempt he has for "whitey"...without letting "whitey" hear him, of course.

Now, let's talk about hypocrisy...there is nothing on planet Gore more hypocritical than a politician. Then, add to that one who is mainly interested in the aggrandizement of one particular race, and the ideals of old socialism, and we give you the King of Hypocrisy...Barrack Huessein Obama-llama-ding-dong.

In closing, do all of these leftist writers actually think we are falling for these contrived, high-school-bullsh!t excuses for obama's behavior? Obama stands before us with cookie crumbs on his face and hands, telling us he knows nothing about the cookie jar...how's that work?

Now, everyone can jump on the what a novelty train with Tom Hanks, et al, of actually having a black president...or they can worry about their childrens' futures and election someone who knows what the hell they are doing, without the built-in contempt for the country he would govern.

THE OBAMA WRAP Those who feel we must elect a black,
Could do much better than Barrack.
If we really need to stop Osama,
Then we don't need to elect Obama.

Do we really believe he's seen the light,
and pulled away from Reverend Wright;
Or is it, as we expected,
Just something to say to get elected.

He's tied to Ferrakhan and that Tony dude,
And an angry, pouty wife with an attitude.
He neither a salute or a lapel pin wears,
but likes to hang out with William Ayers;

With all his rhetoric it sure seems strange,
He's never defined what he means by "change";
As an orator, he's really hard to beat,
but it's a bun of platitudes with no meat.

AFter you vote, and put him in,
he'll embrace Rev. Wright again;
All the time you think you're winnin',
You'll only be electing an Afro-Lenin.