Patriotism?

[kentuck]

Will patriotism be an issue in the upcoming campaign? Is John McCain more "patriotic" than Barack Obama? Will the people perceive him as more patriotic? Does it make a difference?

No doubt, John McCain will wrap imself in the flag. He has already started with his commercials about him being a POW and how he is going to "protect" America. Should we simply dismiss this as an issue or is this an "Achilles heel" for Obama?

Patriotism is one of those unspoken issues in places like Appalachia and other parts of America. It appeals to most blue collar workers. They remember those old Merle Haggard words, "when you're talking down my country boy, you're walking on the fightin' side of me". That may sound corny to most of us but it is part of the life of much of working America. Just saying...

[faithfulcitizen]

1. YES, YES, & YES. They already are. That's 1 reason I like Clark for VP.

Obama will need to do more, and so will Michelle. It sounds like he's on the right track, telling his story and her story, talking about his grandfather serving in Patton's army, etc. But this will absolutely be his "achilles heal".

[kentuck]

8. I think the Republican strategists will decide this is a vulnerable area for Obama...

And will attempt to use it against him. Whether or not they will be successful, I don't know. I think may need to do more than simply point out that his grandfather fought with Patton's Army? I think he may need to define "patriotism" in a new way? Such as, "spending money on schools and hospitals in Iraq is not patriotic - spending money to help Americans is patriotic". It is not patriotic to ask our young men and women to die in a war that was not necessary. Etc...

[faithfulcitizen]

18. absolutely, I agree completely. I have no doubt Obama can define it in his terms.

I just hope they focus a great deal of attention to it. I forget which speech it was- no wait, I think it was the one he gave here in Indy at the JJ dinner. All about "his patriotism", it was brilliant. "It is not patriotic to ask our young men and women to die in a war that was not necessary." exactly!

[SoonerPride]

2. Fox tries this crap all the time. It won't work this time. Obama has a sound response to it.

His story of how this country gave him opportunity, how his family is filled with war veterans, and how much he loves the country mutes the false bullshit meme of "unpatriotic."

However, since the Republicans continue to fuck over our troops and John McSame refuses to approve the Webb GI Bill, how fucking patriotic is he? Only skin deep apparently. They talk a good game and wear a lapel pin (sometimes)but in reality they don't provide armor, send the troops back for endless tours until they come back injured or dead, and if they do come back injured they let them rot in cesspools like Walter Reed until Democrats and journalists expose their hypocrisy.

Hell, even when they come back in coffins, the Defense Secretary simply rubber stamps his "condolences" only until that bullshit is exposed.

Fuck the Republicans and their attempt to paint themselves as "patriots" They are fucking hypocrites.

The last refuge of the scoundrel indeed.

[kid a]

3. Lets see...Yes. No. Some. No.

Obama will not get the voter base that uses patriotism as a wedge issue.
He never will - but it won't matter.

[H2O Man]

4. Yes.

McCain will certainly attempt to wrap himself in the flag. I think that Senator Obama is fully prepared for this, and will respond in a manner that makes citizens aware that there are many ways that patriotism works to improve our nation. The things that McCain fronts for aren't what the nation needs right now, and Obama will focus on those issues that McCain hopes to obscure with that flag.

[ErinBerin84]

5. Laura Bush "defends" Michelle Obama against Patriotism Attack

(hey, it's better than nothing. There are very few things I can actually remember Laura Bush saying in the past eight years)

"I think she probably meant I'm 'more proud,' you know, is what she really meant," Bush told ABC News. "You have to be very careful in what you say. I mean, I know that, and that's one of the things you learn and that's one of the really difficult parts both of running for president and for being the spouse of the president, and that is, everything you say is looked at and in many cases misconstrued."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/09/laura-bush-defends-michel_n_106019.html

[Annces]

6. Yes

Of course, McCain will also be used to show that he is the real man, the strong man who will protect us.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

7. The people are a helluva lot more interested in gas prices than flagwaving.

"All politics is local."

The "God Bless Murka", tacky Flagpins, and constipated looks of politicians when they play the National Anthem is usually very effective when times are good or there really is a perceived threat from some bogeyman, but when people are losing their jobs, can't afford to drive to work, and their kids are coming home in coffins, patriotism is down on the list of what's going to bamboozle the citizenry.

No doubt the republicans will try to sell the usual nonsense and sell McLooney as some kind of hero defending us from the "evil" ones.

But, that ship sank along with the economy and an unwinnable war.

[kentuck]

9. I don't know about that?

Sometimes I think that the tougher times get, the more "patriotic" people become??

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. It's not going to work this time. Bush overplayed that theme for 8 years.

All the bombast, the generals announcing victory, the teary eyed referrals to dead "heroes" (aka cannon fodder), and all the other trappings of flag waving to the mindless, only resulted in a lot of dead people and an economy going broke.

Sure, a lot of the ardent nationalists will vote for McLoopy out of their fear and xenophobia, but most will vote out of self-interest.

The problem for McCain is that all the flag waving, "smoke 'em out", patriotism hasn't worked.

[kentuck]

11. I hope you are right.

But can you think of anytime in our history when it didn't work??

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

12. Sure. In 1916 Wilson ran as an anti-war candidate.

FDR had to promise not to get into WWII.

Nixon had "a plan" to get out of Vietnam.

Lincoln was convinced that he would lose to McClellan, and probably would have, if it had not been for Gettysburg and Vicksburg.

[kentuck]

13. And they all got us into the worst wars of our history?

Strange, isn't it?

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

16. Indeed it is. Yet, human beings are considered the epitome of evolution.

Which, given our history, is grotesquely laughable.

[purji]

14. Its not really patriotism its Jingoism

using patriotism to sell something SHITTY ,like mCCain.

[polichick]

15. Obama has begun to talk about what patriotism REALLY is - I hope he continues...

imo patriotism has to do with sacrifice for the greater good ~ these days that can mean giving up gas hogs and assault weapons, as much as it does taking care of our vets and ponying up for great schools. But the Republican "all talk, no action" brand of patriotism is bullshit.

[kentuck]

17. I think he needs to talk much more about "real" patriotism.

There are a lot of fake patriots out there.

[crankychatter]

19. Constitution as Founding Document vs Neocon Toilet Paper

no problem