McCain's camp "rescues" flags from Obama rally

[flintknapper]

I am not really surprised….considering:





Yes, I know photos of Obama covering his heart during the pledge of allegiance... or saluting the flag can also be found. But.. the fact is (and he will tell you this himself): Sometimes he does, Sometimes he doesn’t!


As far as I am concerned, that kind of casual attitude towards patriotism and respect for the flag just doesn’t cut it.


Edit: (gratuitous gun content)…..”I love my 45”.

[lawrnk]

Its a big deal to me. A man who does not respect our flag should never been employed by our country. While I don't support putting someone in jail for flag burning, a good punch in the mouth seems fair.

Take the Thai people for example. They adore their king. He graces most all currency there. If you crumple up the currency for instance in front of someone, you'll wish you hadn't.

[dihappy]

Not that im a fan, but that picture is not of anyone saluting or not saluting during the Pledge of Allegience.

It in fact was the National Anthem that was playing, and to be fair, everyone in that picture was violating code by not "facing" the flag.

[Skiprr]

Democratic convention organizers claimed the flags were not going to be discarded--but instead were snatched from the site of Obama's historic address to carry out a "cheap political stunt."

McCain supporters said the flags were discovered by a vendor at Denver's Invesco Field after the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention. The vendor supposedly found trash bags full of flags in and near garbage bins, and turned them over to the McCain campaign.

Okay. Lemme see if I got this straight. A patriotic vendor at Invesco Field found a boat-load of miniature American flags--12,000 of them--stuffed into garbage bags sitting out by the garbage bins. He probably looked around a bit; maybe asked somebody if they knew why the flags were in the trash piles.

He called the campaign office of his preferred presidential candidate, John McCain, and told 'em about it. I can hear the person at the campaign office: "WHAT'S in the trash? Are you sure? That's just not right. Yes, please. Move them aside and I'll make some phone calls to find someone who can come pick them up. And thank you for your patriotism."

After the fact, the Obama camp calls it a "cheap political stunt," and says that they had no intention of throwing the flags away.

So what I'm struggling with is, if the Obama machine is telling the truth, why were those flags sitting out with the trash? And even if the intent was to leave them with the trash for a minute until somebody pulled up a van, why were the flags left unattended, and with the rest of the garbage, long enough for the vendor to look around, make a decision, make some phone calls, and for someone to load those abandoned bags of American flags into a truck?

I'm sorry. Something ain't right there. The Obamas have repeatedly demonstrated that, while they may be patriots (I'll withhold making that judgment because I can't see what is in their hearts) they choose not to demonstrate it in the simple ways that I have been raised to believe.

[flintknapper]

Not that im a fan, but that picture is not of anyone saluting or not saluting during the Pledge of Allegience.
It in fact was the National Anthem that was playing, and to be fair, everyone in that picture was violating code by not "facing" the flag.

Nor was it intended as such. My point was that Obama is clearly shown NOT to be observing what is considered patriotic etiquette by exercising the "hand over heart" when the National Anthem is played. He does this fairly often, why? He is also known NOT to recite the Pledge of Allegience...when others do, why?

He seems reluctant to wear a "flag pin" most times as well. Small things to most folks I am sure. Very telling to others.

One would think...a man running for the highest office in this country (a largely patriotic country) would make it a point to at least appear a "patriot".

Lastly, the flag on the stage is obviously a "back drop" and probably not the only flag present. But, if it were...then you would be correct in your statement concerning them not facing it. Unfortunately, proper respect for the flag is not something that is taught (or adhered to) much these days.

If someone can't the get the "small things" right, then why would we believe they will do any better with bigger issues.

[Purplehood]

Normally a photo like this wouldn't disturb me, but the mass of little bits and pieces similar to this make me think that Mr. Obama believes that he is some sort of "Teflon-man" and doesn't need to be held to the same standards as other candidates on the Right or the Left.

[bdickens]

Quite frankly, the photo "proves" exactly nothing except that he didn't happen have his hand over his heart during the 1/250th of a second or so that the camera's shutter was open. I wasn't there, and I doubt anyone who frequests this forum was either. For all we know, this photo could have been taken as the Anthem was just beginning and Mr. Obama was caught daydreaming about taking all our guns away and was a little slow on the draw.

Not that I'm gonna go out and vote for the guy. But there are a lot of legitimate reasons not to other than some picture that really shows nothing.

[Purplehood]

Like I said, that and many other things... it would be rather childish of me to base my decision regarding him on just happening to be caught at the wrong time and/or out of context.

[CompVest]

However, it is interesting that he is standing very relaxed with his hands in frront of him with fingers interlaced. Doesn't look like he just caught by the camera as he relaxed his arm or scratched his nose?

[The Annoyed Man]

Although I don't condone disrespect for the flag in any way shape or form, what is even more remarkable to me about this particular story is how politically tone deaf the Democrats are in general, and with regard to these flags in particular - even if they were just "storing" them for future use. The interesting thing is that the concessionaire who found them is sticking to his claim - and the Democrat party has not called him a liar by name. Furthermore, with all of the media coverage, before, during and after, the DNC, there must surely exist a photo/video record of those bagged up flags stacked around the dumpsters (or not) the way the gentleman who found them says they were.

My sense is that, if the flags were being stored for future use, they would have been kept in a place where it would have been difficult for a bunch of people to just walk off with them. The fact that they could seems to bolster the contention that they were stacked up in and around the dumpsters. But whichever version of the story is true, I'm sure that Obama had nothing to do with it either way. If the flags were thrown out, it was the act of some campaign operative who has no brains - an act of political clumsiness, or tone deafness - but I'm sure it was not ordered by Obama himself.

If it was a theft, then why haven't the police been called, and why hasn't anyone been charged? Heck, if anyone stole thousands of flags from me, I'd call the cops. The fact that they haven't tells me that they don't believe they can make it stick; and it also tells me that they care more about the egg on their faces than they do the alleged crime committed... ...which tells me that they didn't value the flags that much anyway, whether or not they were actually stolen.

[flintknapper]

Quite frankly, the photo "proves" exactly nothing except that he didn't happen have his hand over his heart during the 1/250th of a second or so that the camera's shutter was open. I wasn't there, and I doubt anyone who frequests this forum was either. For all we know, this photo could have been taken as the Anthem was just beginning and Mr. Obama was caught daydreaming about taking all our guns away and was a little slow on the draw.

Not that I'm gonna go out and vote for the guy. But there are a lot of legitimate reasons not to other than some picture that really shows nothing.

Nope here is the video, judge for yourself: (there is a quick ad first, so hang in there)

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3759803" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

From the U.S. Code:

During a rendition of the national anthem, when the flag is displayed (A) all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart; (B) men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold the headdress at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart;

Probably worse than Obama's lack of patriotic etiquette, is the singer's "rendition" of the National Anthem (pretty much butchered it IMO). But....then, I'm "Old Fashioned".

[bdickens]

Ouch! That rendition was SO bad, maybe Obama didn't recognize the song ? Man, three measures into it, I had to shut it off!

[flintknapper]

Ouch! That rendition was SO bad, maybe Obama didn't recognize the song ? Man, three measures into it, I had to shut it off!

That occurred to me too!