Obama: The Return of the Flag Pin

I guess Barack Obama really is about change.

After months of rationalizing and refusing to wear a flag pin on his lapel, Obama decided to change things up.



What a coincidence that it just happens to be less than a week before the Pennsylvania primary!


Flag pin
by krs601


From CNN's Political Ticker:

For the first time since a mini dust-up back in October, Democrat Barack Obama wore an American flag pin Tuesday at a town hall meeting with veterans in Pennsylvania.

But he didn't show up wearing the pin–instead, a Vietnam era veteran presented it to him on the ropeline as Obama made his way to the podium at the start of the event.

"I was just handed this," Obama said. "It's a flag pin. I think I'll go ahead and put that on."

He then did just that.

"I appreciate your service," Obama told Philip Fiumara, Jr., a Vietnam era veteran and undecided voter, according to the campaign.

"Thank you so much. It means a lot coming from you, and we are grateful to you."

This is the first time Obama has worn a flag pin on his lapel since it was widely reported last fall that he had stopped wearing one.

During an October 17, 2007 appearance on the Tonight Show, Obama awkwardly explained why he couldn't bring himself to wear such a pin:

When Leno brought up the "flag pin" issue, Obama stumbled around a bit.

"This is the nature of presidential politics. I mean, there's always something. Now the truth is that I wore a pin right after 9/11."

It's always bad when a politician says, "The truth is...." That's a big red flag.

Obama continued, "When I took it off, I lost it."

I hadn't heard that before, that he lost his one and only flag pin.

Obama said, "I didn't replace it even though I have terrific respect for those who wear it because I think a lot of politicians will put their flag pin on and then act in a real unpatriotic manner."

That sounds stupid. I think he simply wanted to appeal to the Lefties, the anti-flag base.

"I mean you had Alberto Gonzales wearing a flag pin the whole time he was shredding the Constitution. And What I want people to do is to judge me by how I act."

Maybe that's the problem. People are judging Obama by how he acts -- talking down to Americans, calling them bitter, mocking their values, being arrogant and elitist.

Apparently, it was time to bring out the flag pin to prove his patriotism.

I bet that Obama would not have been caught dead at that April 6 San Francisco fundraiser wearing a flag pin in his lapel.

I wonder how many other Americans Obama has met along the campaign trail have given him flag pins.

I imagine many people, including veterans, have sent flag pins to his Senate office or campaign headquarters, to replace that one he "lost."

But this pin was special. Obama decided to dramatically pin it to his lapel. I wonder if the moment was staged.

Even if the vet wasn't a plant, Obama gave quite a performance.

The real test will be if Obama continues to wear the pin. From this point forward will he wear the American flag pin in his lapel?

Remember what he said last fall: "When I took it off, I lost it."

Will Obama lose this one? Will Obama be wearing his patriotism on his lapel from now on?