Why do we care?

For the record, he answered that. He says his father taught him that during the Pledge, you put your hand on your heart, and that during the national anthem you sing!

Obama is the man!!

And you probably didn't care that Bill Clinton shared cigars with Monica Lewinsky in the oval office.

Have you been to a ball game lately? No more than half in attendance salute during the National Anthem. Respect for the flag is dwindling. It's very sad. Thanks for standing up for this!!

I personally don't care what Obama thinks about saluting during a song as long as he does a good job running the country. He will get us out of Iraq and give us national health care. That is what is important.

I don't usually talk about politics because it gets people upset, but that makes no sense. What makes you think that Obama will do a good job running the country? He doesn't have much experience beyond getting a law degree and practicing as a civil activist for three years in a poor Chicago neighborhood. Yes, he got elected to Congress but he has only been there for a few years and hasn't done much that was meaningful there. He is probably the least qualified candidate running! We should do a much better job selecting candidates that have experience and reflect the nation's values.

I agree with Tina, Obama is an empty suit lawyer. We sure don't need another one of those.

Our Commander-in-Chief should also have military leadership experience. You simply can't command the world's largest most powerful military without it. I don't agree with a lot of what McCain says or does, but he has the most leadership experience in the field and is the only candidate with military credentials.

And our President should be a proud, patriotic American, not an angry social activist. We have already leaned too far towards socialism, we need to move in the other direction.

That is my 2 cents worth.

What right-wing brainwashing. We need change from the status quo. ANYONE would be better than Bush! He and the GOP have run an illegal war for oil and for the profit of corporate pals. If it wasn't for the war we could have had national health care. People are dieing, Obama will end that!!!

Ratsarse: You really are one!! Too illogical for any response.

Chase: Obama's camp naturally has an "answer" for everything. That is their job! So you just accept any "answer"? You believe that the reason he doesn't salute during the National Anthem is because his granddaddy told him to sing instead when he was two? That satisfies you?

Orson: The half that aren't saluting at ball games are Chase and all the other "rats arses" in the crowd.

Wow, well said!!

I love this!! Go Hillary!!

All right Chase, let me answer your question.

Why do we care? We "care" because we are Americans, proud and loyal to God and country! We "care" because we respect our country and our flag, and honor those who gave their all serving them! And we "care" because we believe that our President, our Commander in Chief, should share those core values.

Senator Obama caused quite a stir following this incident. He responded to criticism with the "aw shucks" explanation that his grandfather taught him when he was two to salute during the Pledge and sing during the Anthem. I guess that trumps subsequent education and protocol.

U.S. Code Title 36 defines proper deportment during the playing of our National Anthem. Given how finely attuned candidates for high office usually are to the importance of symbolism, one would think that, at the very least, Illinois Senator Obama would follow protocol. But he chooses instead to defy it. In so doing, he demonstrates his disdain for the core values that shaped our nation.

Should we "care"? Damn right we should!

~Doug

Way to go Doug! Couldn't have said it better myself!

I was listening to Mark Levin last night and he was playing clips of the many gaffs by Obama during his campaign. It is amazing that the MSM hasn't picked up on them! If he were a Republican (Bush, Quayle) they would be all over them! Obama is a fairly smooth talker, but it's clear that he wings it much of the time and isn't particularly good at it. But the MSM apparently doesn't want to rain on his parade.

Very good reply, Doug! We should care, and many of us still do. I think it isn't that they don't care, it's that they are too lazy to do the research and form educated opinions. Easier to say "We don't care".

I say we draft Doug for President!

The flag and, as I see it, what our country stands for - liberty, freedom and our way of life - are too precious for me not to stand, remove my hat and salute the flag as she goes by in a parade (That even includes when we're at Disney and some visiting high school band parades by,), I do the same when the National Anthem is played or the Pledge of Allegiance is recited. Thats just plain respect. To me, its not about who is or will be President, its about our great country and hard earned freedom. Enough from me, Have a GREAT Memorial Day and remember.

Snopes did a fine job of detailing this and other events.

Go to http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/anthem.asp

Sorry, but I thought snopes' take was uncharacteristically slanted. To wit:

A quotation by the director of a state historical society who claims that unnamed "experts" say that the "law seems a bit out of date" (then lending her credibility by noting that that historical society houses an original manuscript of the Declaration of Independence), and her statement that "you show your respect with your demeanor" and then, in the same context, "whether you put your hand over your heart...is really in this day and age irrelevant" appears intended to support snope's initial observation that putting one's hand over one's heart "has come to be observed less and less consistently by the general public over the decades".

Snopes notes that "it's possible" the photo was taken just before Obama raised his hand to his heart or immediately after he lowered it, but then adds in the same sentence that "other accounts" (like the ABC News video) show that the picture is "as described" adding, perhaps for obfuscation, that we can't tell from either just what they are all looking at.

As for whether the "incident" represents a statement of beliefs held by Senator Obama, snopes goes to the most biased of sources, his "campaign spokesperson", who tries to put the issue to rest by saying that "In no way was he making any sort of statement, and any suggestion to the contrary is ridiculous."

Wrapping up the issue of Senator Obama's not placing his hand across his heart during the playing of the National Anthem, snopes neatly diverts by providing two video clips showing him standing, hand on heart, for the Pledge of Allegiance during the opening of two Senate sessions, along with his own statement refuting claims that he refuses to say the Pledge of Allegiance.

With all due respect to Michael and to snopes who usually states facts free of such obvious bias, I think this particular piece was anything but a fine job.

I note that neither Barbara nor David Mikkelson put their name on this piece. This may have been one of the very few written by someone else. That would explain a lot.

Gerald P.: Well-said. Always consider the source.

snopes is usually good source!!

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I agree, this seems a departure from typically non-biased snopes entries. One might suspect Obama's spokespeople of supplying most of the information.

In his defense, I doubt he is making a conscious statement. We all subconsciously reflect our beliefs even if we try to conceal them, and Obama is certainly a product of his. Yet they guide his decisions and so justify our scrutiny and consideration when we vote.

I particularly enjoyed reading this post, especially the readers' comments. They reflect an intelligent readership. ("Lucy's" provided comic relief.)

Have a wonderful long weekend and remember our fallen veterans on Monday.

Just shows to go you how the mice will play when I'm not watching the store.

Normally, I would delete this -- it's spam, after all -- but after reading Sara's comment about it providing "comic relief", I guess I'll leave it up.

Kids, don't follow Lucy's link. You'll go blind!!

Doug