To the many of you who are coming across this site by searching for “barack obama refused to say pledge of allegiance” or something similar, let me be the first to tell you that it is not true.
Click here to read the details of what happened and about the photo you were probably sent. To see the video from when the photo was taken, click here or watch below.
Watch Obama Say The Pledge of Allegiance
Watch Responses to Other False Smears Spread about Obama: Muslim, Flag Pin, Patriotism, etc.
Someone Lied To You
Let’s get to the larger issue though.
Who thought you were so gullible that they would send you false, misleading information about something that could affect you and your children’s future–who our next President should be?
Somebody thought so poorly of you, your intelligence, and your well-being under the next Presidential administration that they flat out lied to you. Somebody tried to play you for a fool.
Barack Obama has respect for your intelligence. He has said:
“I have absolute confidence in the American people’s capacity to absorb the truth as long as we are forceful in that presentation.”
It’s too bad that we can’t say that whoever sent you that email has the same respect for your intellectual capacities.
About the American Flag Pin/Lapel Accusations
Regarding the related claim floating around about Obama and an American flag pin. Here is what Obama actually said:
“Somebody noticed I wasn’t wearing a flag lapel pin and I told folks, well you know what? I haven’t probably worn that pin in a very long time. I wore it right after 9/11. But after a while, you start noticing people wearing a lapel pin, but not acting very patriotic. Not voting to provide veterans with resources that they need. Not voting to make sure that disability payments were coming out on time.
“My attitude is that I’m less concerned about what you’re wearing on your lapel than what’s in your heart. And you show your patriotism by how you treat your fellow Americans, especially those who served. You show your patriotism by being true to our values and our ideals and that’s what we have to lead with is our values and our ideals.”
Please note that our very own President also doesn’t always wear a flag pin, neither do most of the other Presidential candidates–including Hillary Clinton, John Edwards, Mitt Romney and veteran John McCain.
Final Comments
They always like to start these chain emails and spread foolishness in the South, so as someone who was southern-born and bred, I get especially offended when Republicans like Mitt Romney come to the South spreading lies and misleading foolishness that they don’t say elsewhere.
If someone sends you one of those false chain emails–feel free to send a copy of this post to them in response…or just send them an email with a friendly reminder of the ninth commandment, “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.”
UPDATE 11/7: Barack Obama responded today to this chain email that has been circulating. ABC News reports:
“My grandfather taught me how to say the Pledge of Allegiance when I was 2,” Obama said, his annoyance obvious. “During the Pledge of Allegiance you put your hand over your heart. During the national anthem you sing.”
A woman also asked Obama about the photo Tuesday night during a town hall meeting in Cedar Rapids, evoking a similar reaction.
“This is the classic dirty trick of the campaign,” Obama said.
He added that he’s often the target of anonymous criticism on the Internet.
“You’ve got e-mails saying I’m a Muslim plant trying to take over America,” Obama said. “We’ve seen this before.”
He advised the woman to tell the sender of the e-mail the real story.
“You don’t have to curse them out, just tell them they’ve got their facts wrong,” he said.
UPDATE 11/7: General Merrill “Tony” McPeak, USAF (Ret.), Maj. Gen. Scott Gration, USAF (Ret.), and Richard Danzig, Former Secretary of the Navy have just released a letter denouncing the chain emails regarding Senator Obama’s patriotism. You can read their letter here.
UPDATE 11/9: Also see “Barack Obama’s Real Pledge of Allegiance: Refuses to Neglect America’s Heroes“
UPDATE 11/26: Also see “Letter to the Editors on Obama’s Patriotism“
UPDATE 12/3: Also see “Obama Is A Patriot Who Loves His Flag And His Country“
November 2, 2007 at 4:24 pm
Good idea to debunk these bogus charges, but I hope it doesn’t backfire. I hadn’t heard of this charge previously but I did find the post from a site which used RSS feeds to present a list of blog items on each candidate. Unfortunately the title got truncated and most of the second line got cut.
I checked the link to see what type of new attack is being launched (and did find that out). I hope that there aren’t people who only saw this partial headline and took “Barack Obama Refused To Say Pledge of Allegiance” as a statement of fact without checking further.
November 2, 2007 at 5:18 pm
Yeah i thought about that…i wrote a draft of this post several days ago and waited before publishing it to see if the number of people searching for ‘barack obama refused pledge allegiance’ would die down. it’s only increasing. if they’re going to search for it, hopefully they’ll read about it here rather than the other sites where it’s popping up.
November 2, 2007 at 5:57 pm
hmmm…just thought of another way to deal with this fine line.
November 3, 2007 at 3:15 pm
Thanks for helping fight the lies
November 3, 2007 at 5:15 pm
I doubt your post sir. I think he DID refuse to say the pledge. Plus he’s scum who in a statement of his own patriotism specifically refuses to wear an American flag pin. I wouldn’t care if he just didn’t wear one, but it’s his intentional and publicized refusal that irks me.
November 3, 2007 at 6:40 pm
I tried posting the truth about this on my site but people just kept spouting what the email said over and over. There’s no reasoning with them.
I don’t know how anyone can doubt that Barack Obama loves this country. He made the courageous decision to run for President, knowing it would be a sacrifice for his family, for his girls. Knowing people would attack his background and his race. Knowing that there would be threats serious enough to warrant Secret Service protection.
He’s not doing this on a whim, he’s not running a symbolic race. He’s running because he cares about this country and the people in it. He’s running because he’s tired of politics as usual just as much as we are. He’s running because he believes he can make a difference.
In my book, that’s about as patriotic as you can get.
November 3, 2007 at 6:49 pm
Roger, I updated the post to address your related claim about the flag pin.
Regarding the pledge—”I think he DID refuse to say the pledge” doesn’t make it so. It’s especially troubling that you don’t even have proof for your claim and yet you “think he DID”? The Washington Post link in the post shows why he indeed DID NOT.
November 3, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Terry, thanks. I’ll check that out. The people who just want to smear for smearing’s sake are going to say it no matter what. My hope is that we can just catch the people with good intentions who simply have been misinformed.
November 3, 2007 at 11:57 pm
This is just normal political stuff. Everyone does it. The more you talk about it, the more it gets play. I HAD already forgotten about it.
His real estate dealings will be enough to do him in. Politicians and cookie jars…they can’t keep their hands out of them. He is just like the rest of them. There are better and there are worse.
November 4, 2007 at 12:56 am
Thanks for working to set the record straight on this. Unfortunately, many people will bend the truth to make it fit into how they choose to see the world.
November 4, 2007 at 9:34 am
I appreciate the post. I received the email, and immediately googled the issue and came up with this post. Thanks for trying to bring a little clarity to something I felt certain had been taken out of context.
Let me say however, as an undecided voter, it is a concern to me that he doesn’t consistently demonstrate his patriotism, even if it’s just a hand over the heart during the National Anthem. To me that can suggest a flexability in standards. His response to this issue was that “sometimes he does, and sometimes he doesn’t”. I don’t think that signals the kind of person I want making decisions for my country. Is that a higher standard than I would hold my neighbor to?… why yes it is. Should I expect a little more from a presidential candidate? I believe so.
November 4, 2007 at 9:48 am
Too bad Obama is of such questionable character that you even had to put this site up to put your spin on things!
November 4, 2007 at 9:58 am
Thanks undecidedinSC.
For everyone who wants to see the video of this moment please go here to watch:
http://www.c-span.org/search/basic.asp?ResultStart=1&ResultCount=10&BasicQueryText=harkin++steak&image1.x=0&image1.y=0&image1=Submit
Click on “Sen. Tom Harkin’s 30th Annual Steak Fry” 9/16/2007 2 hr. 24 min.
Go to 39:20 and it starts there.
November 4, 2007 at 12:24 pm
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/anthem.asp
November 4, 2007 at 12:40 pm
well you could have put it a little more nicer. who knows what some people of power will do. look at the people who sent this back to me.
November 4, 2007 at 3:18 pm
P.S. It’s ironic that uniformed military servicepersons gave Obama more money in the second quarter than any other candidate–Republican or Democrat.
http://thinkonthesethings.wordpress.com/2007/09/13/military-give-more-money-to-barack-obama-than-any-other-candidate-democrat-or-republican/
Also, here’s a video of Obama talking about patriots, patriotism, and the Iraq War back in 2002. All the “Made in China” American flag lapels in the world aren’t worth the lives and money that could have been saved had the country listened to this man.
http://thinkonthesethings.wordpress.com/2007/05/01/video-barack-obama-on-iraq-in-2002/
November 4, 2007 at 3:47 pm
sagereader-You are talking about $7,750K more than Ron Paul. You statement is misleading. Obama has received less than 10% of all military contributions from Jan-Sep 07. These facts are from your linked story.
November 4, 2007 at 4:06 pm
huh? what’s misleading?
let me just put the exact quotes from the source article regarding Obama and Ron Paul’s second quarter military donations so people can read for themselves.
Re Obama: “Obama, who has never served in the military, has brought in more contributions from uniformed service members—about $27,000—than any other presidential hopeful, Democrat or Republican.”
Re Ron Paul: “Among GOP candidates, Ron Paul, the only Republican who opposes the war, has brought in the biggest haul from the military since the start of the 2008 election cycle in January—at least $19,250.”
Hope that clarifies whatever is confusing. No doubt that Ron Paul has also done well. I’ve covered his military donation quarter wins on this blog as well. For the third quarter he and Obama flipped places in military donations. I’m not sure what was wrong with the statement I made though because I tried to be as precise as possible.
November 4, 2007 at 4:39 pm
What about the third quarter? Isn’t that the most recent info? Using your own reasoning, money is directly related to support. Tell us about the current data and not data from the spring of 2007?
The information about Ron Paul being second is two clicks away from your blog. It is only using part of the information that was presented. Maybe you should have linked the actual article instead of a link to another blog, which then had another link to the actual article that was referenced.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/politics/5223477.html
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=3601542
This is how you do it…these are articles from about two weeks ago that shows Ron Paul with $10K more than Obama. Do the research yourself…it took me exactly 45 seconds.
November 4, 2007 at 5:07 pm
This blog or post is not about Ron Paul. We’re talking about *Barack Obama’s patriotism. * That’s why I focused on his military fundraising in my comment. There is nothing about the comment I made that is untrue.
And for your information, I did report about Ron Paul’s third quarter fundraising on this blog two weeks ago. All you had to do was search the archives. It took me exactly 10 seconds.
http://thinkonthesethings.wordpress.com/2007/10/18/ron-paul-barack-obama-lead-in-donations-from-military-servicepersons/
Once people start slandering Paul for not wearing his American flag lapel pin (which he also doesn’t wear regularly) or being unpatriotic, perhaps I’ll focus on him. Until then, we’re talking about Obama here.
November 4, 2007 at 5:38 pm
“They always like to start these chain emails and spread foolishness in the South,”
Why the bigoted remark about the South?
There’s no foolishness north of the Mason-Dixon?
Or, are you implicitly stating that there is more racism?
Is that what you meant? Either intention prays on a stereotype that you find repulsive when applied to your preferential groups.
Or was it to imply that those who reside in the South don’t have enough intelligence to investigate for themselves?
Your ‘reasoned warning’ loses all credibility when you insult the people of an entire region, accusing them of either being stupid or bigoted.
Perhaps someone from ‘out West’ should warn the South about people who need to warn us for our own good. Yeah, sure. That would be a big help. About as much help as your warning.
November 4, 2007 at 5:39 pm
I received an email from my sister with the “damning” photo, a long caption about how Barack refuses to say the Pledge of Allegiance and the rhetorical question: How can this man expect to be our next Commander-in-Chief?
My sister lives in Tennessee, I think she got the email from someone she met in Florida. She previously sent me another chain email from the same person about Barack (HUSSEIN!) going to school at a Madrassa, which was also debunked elsewhere.
There is no changing the minds of people who send these emails, but I am glad to find easily available sources like this one to respond and call them out.
November 4, 2007 at 6:41 pm
Hey guys im not saying that he’s a bad person or anything by any means just let me get that out right now.
all im gonna say is that it may not be a good idea for him to run as president, exsepially now w/everything in the middle east. and also why would we elect a islamic president, on a Christian based nation? when the book of our nation is supposed to be the Bible but yet the book of Islam is the quran? i’ve heard things saying that he has converted… maybe he has, MORE POWER TO HIM if he has, but what if that isnt true? is there the tinnest possablity that he is just saying this to get elected? yea there is… but will we find this out before he is elected, before its to late? probley not, its gonna be an after effect.
did you know that all the quran talks about is evil, killing people, and violence? and when a potental leader of your country places his hand on the quran to be pledged in instead of the Bible, we got some real problems!
they say it is a peaceful religion, but then they go and behead people? oo yea thats real peaceful. do we really want someone who doesnt honer our Lord Jesus running our country? i dont, and i know my fellow Christians don’t. all im saying is that we need to take percossins on who were electing to run our country. I dont know Barack Obama, and probley never will, all im saying is i dont have any thing against him, its just the tinnest chance that what he has said about converting may not be true, so think before you vote.
November 4, 2007 at 6:58 pm
You made the statement that it was ironic that uniformed servicemen contributed more to his campaign in the second quarter than any Democrat or Republican when questioned yesterday…for an issue brought up yesterday You linked this to his patriotism. You linked this to old data, not data that was relevant yesterday. You knew there was new data out there, you even reported on it. You didn’t present that to us while talking about a current topic, you referenced the old data and decided the new data wasn’t relevant to this current discussion.
I just think it is ironic that you would reference old data for a current topic. That is all. I don’t question his Patriotism, just your reasoning that he is a Patriot because of the money donated to his campaign in April-June by servicemembers.
November 4, 2007 at 7:53 pm
morethan: Nothing you have said negates the overall point I was highlighting that military servicemembers, the living embodiments of patriotism, don’t seem to find Obama to be some person who utterly lacks patriotism relative to other candidates given their contributions. That point stands whether Obama was first and Ron Paul was second as happened in the second quarter or whether Ron Paul was first and Obama was second as happened in the third quarter. It’s not like the people who were number 1 and 2 all of a sudden dropped to last place or something out of the umpteen candidates running.
Doug and everyone: Thanks for sharing.
November 4, 2007 at 8:32 pm
Anyone else have trouble getting the video to load? I would like to see the whole thing.
any suggestions?
November 4, 2007 at 8:39 pm
[...] he refused to say the pledge of allegiance. The Fact Checker at The Washington Post (Hat tip to Think on These Things) debunks this one: The photograph was taken on September 16, 2007, at Senator Tom Harkin’s [...]
November 4, 2007 at 8:50 pm
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/fact-checker/2007/11/obama_nabbed_by_the_patriotic.html
According to this website they were standing for the National Anthem NOT reciting the pledge. but in my opinion should n’t any presidential candidate have their hand over there heart when the National Anthem is being played? That would be that patriotic thing to do.
No matter if they were at a steak fry or something more “patriotic”
November 4, 2007 at 9:01 pm
Stacy, first Obama is not a Muslim. He’s a Christian.
However even if he was, don’t you realize…
1) That anything Barack Obama wants to do as President would have to be passed by the Senate and the House first (which are almost entirely Christian)?
2) That the Secret Service (most of whom are white Christian males) know the President’s whereabouts 24-7, so they’d know his every move and communication?
3) That the CIA, FBI and other intelligence agencies are going through his background with a fine-toothed comb and they will continue to track him as he becomes President? If the FBI secretly tracked Lucille Ball, Albert Einstein, Marilyn Monroe, and Martin Luther King, then you know they are going to track our future President!
4) That most of the people in “Washington” are white, Christian men? If Obama were not a Christian, he’d be outnumbered.
5) That if Obama were to give a speech from the Quran, he’d have speechwriters who would be able to catch it and to make sure he quotes from the Bible too? And if he were to give a speech and start saying something threatening, that there would be TV cameras and an audience surrounding him to give him a WTF? YBGOOHWTBS look as soon as he started?
6) That Obama is not superman? We have millions of Americans who are Christians and only one man serving as President. One man couldn’t take out all of us in any fell swoop. Plus, he’s skinny! A lot of people could take him down quickly.
Now the people we really should be worried about are folks like Rudy Giuliani who wanted to appoint someone tied to convicted felons to be our Secretary of Homeland Security or the many Republican candidates like Romney who want to keep us mired in Iraq, while Osama Bin Laden (a very real threat that we know IS true) is in Pakistan training al Qaeda and running loose.
God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of a *sound mind.* I agree with you that we should all think before we vote.
November 4, 2007 at 11:55 pm
It doesn’t matter whether it’s the Pledge of Allegiance or the playing of the National Anthem, he isn’t standing at attention nor saluting (hand over heart for civilians), he still is disrespecting this country and all the people who died for it.
November 5, 2007 at 12:31 am
http://www.saynotocrack.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/george_bush_heart.jpg
November 5, 2007 at 1:05 am
Here are the choices:
Would you rather have a candidate who puts their hand over their heart during the national anthem, yet sends 3,000+ American men and women to die in Iraq, when Osama and the people who attacked us on 9/11 are in Pakistan/Afghanistan
OR
Would you rather have a candidate who would have spared those lives and trillion dollars in American taxpayer money and focused on capturing Bin Laden and Pakistan and strengthening our national security, yet listened intensely to the National Anthem but did not put their hand over their heart one time?
OR
Would you rather have Gravel, Kucinich, or Ron Paul, who may have both but don’t wear an American flag pin on a regular basis?
None of the candidates are perfect. The question is, which imperfect candidate would you rather have?
November 5, 2007 at 9:25 am
Sage-It looks like this is a tough one to brush under the rug. I am sure if he would have been standing in the back of that group he would have seen what the others were doing and would have done the same. He either made a decision not to salute or place his hand over his heart or he just forgot. Neither shines him in a good light.
When you start down the path of “…at least he isn’t as bad as “, then you start to sound like the very establishment you are trying so hard to distance yourself from.
November 5, 2007 at 10:45 am
From urbanlegend.com
“The photo, taken by Danny Frazier Wilcox for Time magazine, is authentic. A video attributed to ABC News appears to confirm that the picture was snapped during a rendition of the national anthem, but the claim that Obama “refused to say the Pledge” is a lie.
The implication, obviously, is that failing to display the proper hand-over-heart etiquette constitutes evidence that Barack Obama is unpatriotic and therefore unfit to hold the office of president. Some even speculated that it was an intentional gesture of dissent on the candidate’s part, to which an Obama spokesperson replied on Inside Edition, “Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn’t [put his hand on his heart]. In no way was he making any sort of statement, and any suggestion to the contrary is ridiculous.”
Not that it will make a difference to some, but Obama’s campaign was quick to supply photos of Obama properly saluting the flag on other occasions which can be viewed at MediaMatters.org.”
The fact is, he stood apart from everyone else, whether the others pictured having their hands on their hearts is a “campaign” move or genuine is questionable as well, but the fact is, showing signs of Patriotism isn’t soething to be wishy washy about. You can be casual with ‘bless you’ when someone sneezes, or even with holding a door for someone, but when you’re supposed to be on your best foot trying to win over the American voters, just put your damn hand on your heart. It is a gesture that a stand up kind of person would always do.
November 5, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Looks true to me!
November 5, 2007 at 1:00 pm
Frankly I did not care for the insults toward the South. It is type-casting or profiling all Southerners and that is as stupid as type-casting all Northerners or Westerners in the same catagory. If you think all women are bare-footed and pregnant and all men are cavemen with clubs or whips and plowing a mule or running around in a beat-up truck with tobacco and beer you are gravely mistaken. We are professional people. By the way many people come south of the Mason-Dixon line to earn a living or to retire in a nice atmosphere and to pay less real estate taxes. Are you lumping them all together with “Southerners”? I think a good old-fashioned apology is needed here. My husband and I are highly educated.
I searched all the resources on the internet and got the correct answer on Obama but
I wonder, did you? Or did you just assume that it originated in the South? Well, there is a problem with ASSume.
November 5, 2007 at 2:32 pm
I would rather have a president who cares enough about our country to stick with what he believes is right and not flip flop everytime the polls do not lead his way!!
November 5, 2007 at 3:23 pm
http://wittybanter.wordpress.com/2007/10/29/fire-it-up-barack-obamas-gospel-tour-hits-columbus-ohio/
We attended a recent Obama rally and left with many questions. Maybe you can provide some feedback?
Witty Banter
November 5, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Amazing the number of people who think taking a public loyalty oath makes one a patriot.
Bush, our psychopathic president, has no problem putting one hand over his heart while with his other hand he shreds the Constitution and guts America’s laws and honor with the help of his Republican enablers and traitors in Congress and his oligarchic and theocratic neo-crazy friends.
My hat’s off to anyone who refuses to take the pledge of allegiance until the Republicans have been crushed into a footnote of history and their foul stench removed from the political life of this once-great country. They like to think they are the great repository of American values, that they are America. In truth they are the repository of war, destruction, lies, deceit, greed, corruption, and hypocrisy. They piss on our war dead while taking payoffs from their corporate donors who are nothing more than war profiteers.
And this is what the Democrats are afraid of challenging, of fighting tooth and claw? The floors of the Senate and the House should be red with blood. Instead we get mewling tactics and warmed over bombast and sound bites ginned up by the likes of third rate minds like Tim Russert.
The pledge to the flag is false patriotism for public display. It’s meant to put a stop to critical thinking, it’s meant to blind the citizenry to the hypocrisies of their leaders, it’s meant to stop you from seeing the slaughter gate up ahead.
And it appears to be working.
November 5, 2007 at 8:15 pm
so why is this about republicans ric?
and please oh please explain how our President has shredded the Constitution??
I haven’t heard that one before this should be pretty interesting.
And good luck crushing the republicans “into the footnotes of history” sorry darling but i think you need to check your history. Since President Lincoln (R) only 1/3 of our Presidents have been Democrat and 2/3 Republican….. So i hate to tell you and crush your insane ideas but republicans are here to stay and there isn’t anything your psychotic rambling is going to do about it.
November 5, 2007 at 8:17 pm
http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/presidents-day/political-parties.html
Meant to post in other
just in case you want to check for yourself Ric.
November 5, 2007 at 10:29 pm
I was a democrat for 25 years but always voted for the person. Now I would rather be islamic than a democrat! I am a working person’s, person and if you are too, you will vote republican.
November 5, 2007 at 11:14 pm
You know what? Some of y’all make a really good point about my language about the South. I shouldn’t assume that all southerners would be offended that Romney holds “Osama, Obama” signs in the South but not in Massachusetts or Republicans start John McCain smears about having a black baby in the South and not in New Hampshire and oh so many other ridiculous things they say when they come to the South but don’t say elsewhere.
So I’m going to edit the post and talk about MY offense as someone who was born and bred in the South when they do these things. If y’all aren’t offended by them doing these things then that’s your right. More power to you. My bad for trying to stick up for all southerners. I’ll just stick up for myself.
November 6, 2007 at 11:27 am
Are you going to believe us our your lying eyes?
November 6, 2007 at 12:13 pm
I found this site by googling obahama and pledge and anthem. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t made up. I’ve gotten several takes on it. You say it’s all a lie. Well apparently the picture IS NOT A LIE. Him not saying the pledge, however, from what I’ve read is a lie. That’s not cool. Growing up and learning patriotism, and flag etiquette. Holding your hand over your heart during the anthem is appropriate etiquette and is a symbol of showing patriotism. Yes it is wrong to “show patriotism” by placing your hand over your heart, when in all reality there is no patriotism in your heart. Obahma was trying to make this a statement, but by not placing his hand over his heart during the anthem just made a statement to me about his heart. He could have done it in a much more tactful way with boldness as well. It was a risk, he took, I think it was an unwise risk. I am open to both parties, I am creating a list of all their stances and statements and will choose the one that fits my criteria best, this will be under the candidate’s heart statement….
November 6, 2007 at 1:05 pm
Tim, I’m glad you’re checking different sources. That is a good thing.
You misread my post though. I said that the *claim that the picture was an instance of him refusing to say the pledge of allegiance is a lie* and it is.
To sum it up in a nutshell–the chain email with the photo is saying that Obama “refused” to hold his hand over his heart while saying the pledge of allegiance. That is a flat out lie.
If you look at the Washington Post link you see that it was during the national anthem, not the pledge of allegiance that he did not have his hand over his heart. No one is disputing that.
The debate then becomes about the protocol differences between the pledge of allegiance and the national anthem for whether one puts their hand over their heart. Some have problems with a candidate who doesn’t always put their hand over their heart for the national anthem, while others believe the pledge and the anthem are different or that such superficial behaviors don’t say anything about a candidate’s real commitment to the well-being of the nation.
In no way though did he “refuse” to wear a flag pin, “refuse” to hold a hand over his heart during the pledge of allegiance, or “refuse” to hold a hand over heart during the national anthem as these chain emails are suggesting. He wasn’t trying to make some kind of statement, he was just listening to the lady sing.
November 6, 2007 at 2:52 pm
I got this email today–and thought it was a little fishy. While I wouldn’t trust any of those people on the stage to run the country, I had a hard time believing that Obama would intentionally screw himself like that with a great portion of the electorate. Even Hillary has her hand over her heart, and I don’t think she believes a word of the pledge, or the National Anthem, for that matter.
Here’s where the problem lies–a person who wants to be President and Commander in Chief should not be thinking about whether to put his hand over his heart or not–he should–and it should come naturally, out of lifelong habit.
I am a retired combat pilot, DESERT STORM and IRAQI FREEDOM, and I am not optimistic about the Republican’s chances next year, although they will still get my vote–in spite of screwing up left and right for the last 4 years. One of the reasons is that the other side seems detached from America, and the fringe of the other side seems downright AntiAmerican. This picture tells me that while Obama might be a good guy and all the rest, he isn’t a part of what I think of as mainstream America. I know that’s not a surprise, given my background, but there it is–and I’m sure I’m not alone. I lived through 8 years of Clinton during my career, and Obama will be my President if he wins–but I don’t think he’s looking at the same definition of America that I am. If that heartens people on the left, OK–but one day we’re going to need each other, and this isn’t the way to get there.
November 7, 2007 at 1:07 am
How many of you who think that Obama’s failure to place his hand over his heart during the anthem is a sign of lack of patriotism or love for this country, also believe that hanging nooses from a tree is a “harmless prank?” Just curious.
November 7, 2007 at 8:11 am
I did not google ” obama “pledge of allegiance”" to verify the story. More likely, I thought that I would find one of the urban legend sites telling me what was wrong with the photo. I usually turn it around and send the link back to the people who emailed it to me. In this case, I’m not so worried about it. If anyone who lets an emailed photo influence their voting decision shouldn’t even bother going to the voting booth.
November 7, 2007 at 10:18 am
The fact that he CHOOSE not to put his hand over his heart is enough for me. Add to that, his own people stated when asked if Obama normally puts his hand over his heart while listening to the national anthem; Obama spokesman Bill Burton replied by e-mail: “Sometimes he does, sometimes he doesn’t”. Burton went on to say Obama was not making any sort of statement by not putting his hand over his heart on all those occasions. I disagree, he is showing that to him it’s not something important. His complete lack of respect in not bothering to put his hand over his heart shows how little he cares for this country, the flag and the people who put their life on the line to defend it.
November 7, 2007 at 10:39 am
This is pretty simple, and well said by a few here. The title is misleading BUT the picture is not. He didn’t put his hand over his heart, the ONLY 1 who chose this personal display. Not particularly bright for a Presidential candidate if you ask me.
Politics is often dirty biz and 3 second sounds bites…….he should know better than to offer any hint of being less patriotic than others! Another example of his inexperience. And poor decision making as well, especially since there are pics elsewhere showing his hand on heart. Sorry, but I think a candidate for CEO of the U.S. ought be consistent with something as simple, but meaningful as this.
Pictures tell a story, this is no different. Bad decision Barack. As for the opening comments on this blog…..you word it as though people are gullible and stupid. No doubt some are but you might want to re think your own ‘blanket thinking.’
Finally, I’d ask BO: If, as CIC you were standing at a State dinner or, more importantly, an overseas dinner with other leaders and our anthem came on………..are you going to keep you hands at your side? Or show your pride and belief in our NATIONAL ANTHEM? Others are watching.
November 7, 2007 at 10:51 am
I appreciate all the comments from across the spectrum.
To linksrat: My claim is that the person who wrote this email tried to play a lot of people as being gullible. I don’t see how you can dispute that. I’m not the one who wrote a chain email to send to millions of people to try to mislead them.
November 7, 2007 at 11:17 am
Sage — At first I thought it was a stupid ’scam’, not real. It wasn’t until I Googled it (yes, some of us do want to know the truth) that I came to this blog. Where I then read it was a flat out lie. Also misleading.
Off to Snopes I went and voila……the pic is true, the wording isn’t. Just what I said.
You’re correct about the electorate being gullible. Across the board. But tell me just how (many) Dems listening to their union leader mantras makes them any more intelligent? Or the kiddies and their narrow issue web campaigns.
Sadly, but perhaps to our benefit, not many people even bother voting! I’d like to see BO win, but not because I want to see him as CIC.
November 7, 2007 at 11:50 am
Linksrat–Thanks for your comments. Since you’re not the first to think I was trying to be harsher than I intended on the gullibility issue, I edited the post a bit. Perhaps some of my dialectal language may have been sending a different message than I intended. Hopefully now it’s clearer.
I don’t think people are incapable of seeing the truth. I think there are people, like the person who started this email, who try to take advantage of people who may not have time or who may not think to go check things out, which is really troubling. It’s time we put a spotlight on these people and call out their actions as being unacceptable and something we won’t tolerate.
We won’t all agree on who we end up supporting, but I think every American CAN agree that we should at least have accurate information about our candidates and that deliberately spreading misinformation goes against our democratic values.
November 7, 2007 at 12:19 pm
Cool by me Sage. I agree with the honesty factor, but politics has always been lees than. Couple the spinmeisters of each party with the simple folk pushing their own agenda (regardless of the issue) and you’ll always have biased, untrue info.
Which is why being informed on the issues is so very important. Hopefully before walking into the booth and checking off the candidate you were told ‘is our guy, or gal.’.
Take care.
And go Rudy Huckabee!!!!
November 7, 2007 at 3:54 pm
November 7, 2007 at 7:50 pm
i have to say, thank you for posting the truth. but don’t call those of us who decided to check the facts stupid or ignorant… we’re the smart ones. yes, i googled “obama refuses to say pledge” because i wanted to know if it was true. i do this with everything i get (either that, or i immediately check out snopes.com because i don’t want to go around believing everything i read or disbelieving everything i read). this doesn’t make me stupid… and frankly, i’m offended that you are accusing people who look into it further of being stupid.
it’s the people who just go with it or who just disregard it without checking facts that are stupid.
i think you’ve completely unvalidated yourself by calling people who look into the accusation further “stupid”
yeah, you posted the truth, but you also insulted anyone searching for the truth. sorry, but THAT’S stupid.
November 7, 2007 at 8:32 pm
martha, please provide a quote for your claim.
November 7, 2007 at 9:10 pm
Sage, I appreciate your attempt to correct a misconception here. I myself am an Obama supporter (though sometimes torn between Obama and Edwards).
But I see a problem here: while it’s false that he refused to say the pledge of allegiance, it’s true that he failed to put his hand over his heart during the national anthem, as required by the flag code. Ok, maybe not “required”, but “recommended.”
In my opinion, this is like the man who, standing accused of selling meth, says “It wasn’t meth, it was just cocaine.” The details may be wrong, but the heart of the charge is true. He should have had his hand over his heart, whether it was for the pledge or the anthem. Both omissions are failures of patriotism, for those who care about those things.
November 7, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Allsburg, thanks for your comment. I responded to a similar sentiment a few comments back in my comment that starts “Tim, I’m glad you’re checking different sources…”
November 7, 2007 at 9:57 pm
UPDATE: ABC News has a better video of this moment out.
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3759803
November 7, 2007 at 10:21 pm
Thought it was bogus, but still would never vote forhim, hes not ready!
November 7, 2007 at 10:42 pm
We are a nation that has soldiers mired down in Iraq. This year, the fifth year of the war, has been the deadliest. This man predicted exactly what has happened, unlike any of the other leading Presidential candidates in either party had the discernment to do. If he’s not ready, none of them are.
November 8, 2007 at 1:21 am
A new letter has been released by three military experts on this issue. Here it is:
http://obama.3cdn.net/bd741716c892f7b788_eum6iycah.PDF
To Whom It May Concern:
As you might have seen, vicious smears are being circulated in anonymous emails attacking Senator Obama’s patriotism. These accusations are outrageous. As retired generals in the U.S. military and civilians who have served at the highest levels in the Department of Defense, we know something about patriotism, and Senator Obama is one of the most deeply patriotic Americans we know.
What makes Senator Obama patriotic?
We admire his long record of public service. Over the last two decades, he has served the American people as a community organizer, a civil rights lawyer, constitutional law professor, a state senator, and a U.S. senator.
We also admire his strong support for our troops and veterans. As a member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, he has fought to improve care for wounded troops, slash red tape, and reform the disability review process. He also passed legislation to combat homelessness among veterans. As President, he will expand housing vouchers, and launch a new supportive services housing program for at-risk veterans and their families. In addition, he will improve mental health screening and
treatment at all levels: from enlistment, to deployment, to reentry into civilian life.
Above all, we admire Senator Obama’s courage in putting his convictions ahead of his political prospects by opposing the war in Iraq from the start. In 2002, Obama said the Iraq War could lead to an occupation of “undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences.”
Today, he’s showing the same good judgment by fighting to responsibly end the Iraq War and by standing up to the rush to war with Iran, including opposing the Kyl-Lieberman amendment that would provide cover for an attack on Iran.
Senator Obama’s personal history represents the best of the American Dream. His grandfather fought in Patton’s army and went to school on the GI Bill. His grandmother worked on a bomber assembly line during World War II. His father crossed an ocean in search of the promise of America. And his mother taught him that America has a place for everyone’s dreams.
Senator Obama’s attackers are peddling lies and smears because they disagree with his strong opposition to the war in Iraq and the rush to war in Iran. They know that as President, Barack Obama will end the ugly, divisive, slash-and-burn style of politics that they have mastered. To all those trying desperately to discredit Senator Obama’s patriotism, take it from us: we have served this nation for decades, and we know a true patriot when we see one. Barack Obama is a patriot. America needs him now.
Sincerely,
Gen. Merrill “Tony” McPeak, USAF (Ret)
Maj. Gen. J. Scott Gration, USAF (Ret)
Richard Danzig, Secretary of the Navy (1998-2001)
November 8, 2007 at 4:37 am
Thank you for all of the information. I received this e-mail from my dad today and didn’t know what to think of it. I’m not into politics as much as many people who read and post on this site, but, as a big fan of Barack Obama, I was curious about this.
As a side note…After seeing the video of this incident, I can’t say I would have had my hand over my heart during that rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” either. That was the most unpatriotic travesty I have ever heard in my life! Our National Anthem was butchered beyond recognition, therefore I do not consider it unpatriotic that he did not put his hand over his heart, because I would have either!
November 8, 2007 at 8:30 am
As a Certified Meeting Professional I know that the standard is to salute toward the flag OR the music during the national anthem. I guess I am about as liberal as you can get, however I do have to ask how a senator or a presidential candidate did not know this? Which is worst, Obama’s lack of knowledge or John Edwards’ lack of cross-cultural sensitivity by wearing a coat and tie when every one else in that 3rd world meeting was open collar. Both are now off my radar.
November 8, 2007 at 9:25 am
Lee, if you find a better candidate on foreign policy wisdom and legislative work to help troops returning from Iraq, please let us know.
November 8, 2007 at 12:10 pm
I check the shadows in the picture and i know a friend that was there and it is true nice try in this rebuttle sight but he is out for me, I love politics he is done with me out out out out.
November 8, 2007 at 1:09 pm
huh?
November 8, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Hey, the video “proof” is fine. It shows Obana not giving the civilian salute to the flag during the playing of our national anthem. Refused pledge, ok no. Refused to honor the national anthem and what it stands for, oh yah! I don’t want to read false stories for political purposes. But what I see in your clip is equally disgusting and further evidence of Obama’s questionable patriotism. You cannot paint it any other way.
November 8, 2007 at 8:23 pm
Jay, were you also disgusted by the fact that Obama was intensely singing along with the words of the song at the end and many of the other candidates were not? Is their patriotism also now questionable?
November 8, 2007 at 11:29 pm
Sage on November 4, 2007- “Were talking about Barack Obama’s patriotism…”, but you keep bringing up “many of the other candidates yourself.
If you want Obama to stand on his own, then let him do so…What has Obama himself said about this “hand over the heart” issue.
Has he addressed it or ignored it?
Did he forget or did he make a decision to just stand there?
His words on this SPECIFIC ISSUE would go a long way to clearing the air on this.
November 9, 2007 at 12:47 am
morethan, i updated the post with obama’s response and some more info yesterday that addresses your question. please see above.
November 9, 2007 at 7:01 am
This is his response…
“This is the classic dirty trick of the campaign,” Obama said.
This is addressing the “email” not his actions. The email may indeed be a dirty, but he didn’t talk about his actions from the photo.
November 10, 2007 at 6:12 pm
“My grandfather taught me how to say the Pledge of Allegiance when I was 2,” Obama said, his annoyance obvious. “During the Pledge of Allegiance you put your hand over your heart. During the national anthem you sing.”
That is such a blatant outrageous lie. When Hussein was 2 years old his grandfather was a MUSLIM not even living in this country. Why would a MUSLIM (and one with a violent history at that) teach him the Pledge of Allegiance when he was raised to hate Christians. Jews and Americans in general???
November 10, 2007 at 6:27 pm
I saw the picture of him on the stage. All other candidates had hands over their heart and Obama stood without attempting to put his hand ove his heart. I dont think we are ready for him to be President of the United States of AMERICA.
November 10, 2007 at 6:52 pm
Johnathan, you should read the book Dreams From My Father to educate yourself. Barack Obama’s grandfather on his mother’s side was a World War II veteran who did serve as an important teacher for him during his childhood.
Please stop trying to discredit people who have put their lives on the line for this country.
November 11, 2007 at 3:41 pm
If you want the facts, Barak Hussein Obama, did not put his hand over his heart while the National Anthem was played at a Harkin steak fundraiser in Iowa in September, 2007. All others on stage, including even Hillary, had their right hand over their hearts during the National Anthem. I think most Americans, if they are remotely patriotic, and know what is proper protocol, would place hand over heart during the National Anthem. In fact, it should be automatic, especially for someone running for president. I don’t care what books Obama has written or what he’s said. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. Don’t belive me; check out http://www.snopes.com for a clip of the ABC News video of the event. There is also a photo, but check out the video and judge for youself.
November 12, 2007 at 12:28 am
Just, please see my comment above for November 6, 1:05pm. Also, I believe actions speak louder than words too, so please see the accompanying post “Barack Obama’s Real Pledge of Allegiance: Refuses to Neglect America’s Heroes.”
http://thinkonthesethings.wordpress.com/2007/11/09/barack-obamas-real-pledge-of-allegiance-refuses-to-neglect-americas-heroes/
November 12, 2007 at 1:22 pm
If I had to listen to that woman BUTCHER the song like she did I’d stand there too! He looked as if he were in shock & if you go down the row on that video he was NOT the only one standing that way. There was one other. People like to pick the pepper out of the fly poop. WHO EVER that was singing that song needs her LIPS sewn together! And to Lee Brown. The word is WORSE not WORST! You used it incorrectly.
November 12, 2007 at 1:26 pm
Not believing his responses ::you need to watch the video again. There is another man that doesn’t have his hand up either, he is turned side ways. They all looked like they wished that who ever that was singing would GET IT OVER WITH!
God people BUTCHER that song. It needs to be sung like it’s supposed to be.
November 12, 2007 at 2:27 pm
You’re joking right? First, thanks for posting the clip - and for letting me know that you think others think I am gullible. So is anyone who buys your message that it is okay because it was just the National Anthem.
I can’t control what others send me, and rarely read them, but if they interest me I do go on the net and find out if there is any truth to them before I forward them or take interest in them.
As to your point…what a JOKE! Sorry…where I am from in the U.S. you salute to the Pledge and the National Anthem. Note: If you are in the military and in uniform you formally salute…if you are not in uniform or you are a civilian you place your right hand over the heart and men with head cover should remove it and hold it to left shoulder, hand over the heart.
This is truly what is wrong with this country. No one seems to remember their civic lessons from when they were a child (and they aren’t even taught in school anymore). Citizens have decided that if they fly 100 flags it makes them more patriotic. Never mind that they let the flags become tattered and torn, leave them out in the rain, don’t light them at night and the worst of all…let them touch the ground. Now thanks to you, some people actually have the impression that it is okay to not show proper respect to the National Anthem.
http://www.usflag.org/flagetiquette.html
November 12, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Mel, I respect your concern that Obama should have had his hand over his heart for the national anthem.
1: I assume we agree though that it is wrong and unpatriotic for anyone to misrepresent this and misinform voters about what happened and to say he “refused to say the pledge of allegiance” or “refused to put his hand over his heart for the national anthem” since those are not true.
2: I assume we agree that there are more important litmus tests for someone’s patriotism and commitment to this country’s well-being such as…
–whether someone funds health care, mental health outreach, and support for our returning soldiers
–whether someone sends our troops to war without a clear mission and exit plan
–whether someone promotes division rather than unity in the American people
3: I assume we agree that none of our candidates are perfect and that imperfect candidates who pass the three aforementioned litmus tests carry greater weight than imperfect candidates who only pass putting their hand over their heart
November 12, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Yes…without a doubt it bothers me that e-mails are constantly sent around with false information! I don’t forward anything without finding out if it is true first.
However, what bothers me most is that this page/article was set up to defend the fact that he did not cross his heart, because it was just the National Anthem. What kind of defense is that? All it does is aide in the general population’s ignorance…therefore making it no better than the the initial e-mail I received. For Pete’s sake if you are going to run for political office please bone up on your flag/civic/patriotic etiquette. Sorry…I don’t see this page as a help to Obama on this issue - I see it as just more false representation! I see it as perpetuation of an additional falsehood, based upon a technicality. I guess now I am supposed to be in favor of it because it makes who ever started the rumor bad, and Obama good? - Sorry sounds like the same rhetoric we get from most of the other politicians out there!
I agree that no candidate, or human, is perfect (especially me)!! But, I am not ready for another president that continually makes us look like an idiot to the world and nation. I am going to consider the little things too. In the end, I can do no more than anyone else and hope that I have made the best choice, or at least one I can live with (whether they win or lose).
Additionally, let us not forget that it is easy for Obama to say he was against the war since the beginning, but he didn’t have a vote, and the sentiment of the country at the time was not anti-war (far from it)! So, I guess I just don’t buy the I wouldn’t have entered the war, and especially without an exit strategy, spin from him.
I wish Obama all the luck in the world, and three years ago he had my vote. My first thought of him was that he could be the road to change, and that he is a dynamic speaker. However, there have been a lot of awful men throughout history who where dynamic, or persuasive, speakers, so I must remind myself of this when ever I hear anyone give a speech. My problem is the more information I put on pro/con sheet the more con’s I am getting the last few months. It may end up being a bad thing for all of these candidates that this pre-campaign has gone on for almost a year now.
November 12, 2007 at 10:46 pm
This page was set up to set the record straight and to put things in perspective. I’ve said throughout that if people have issues with a hand over heart during the national anthem, I respect that as long as we 1) Have the facts straight about exactly what happened and 2) Put the incident into perspective.
Regarding “easy for Obama to say…”
While you’re right that being in the Senate and having to vote can influence whether someone publicly opposes the war or not, being in the Senate and having to vote does not mean much for whether they have the judgment and prescience to envision the precise consequences of taking military action.
His public support or opposition aside, Obama still *predicted exactly what would happen if we entered, down to which ethnic groups would be fighting.* The visions and predictions laid out by the other candidates of what would happen were off the mark. It is still difficult then to argue against esteeming Obama’s judgment in 2002.
November 12, 2007 at 11:18 pm
P.S. While people have focused on the pledge of allegiance vs. national anthem issue the most problematic word in the smear email is REFUSED. He didn’t refuse to do anything. He was singing along to the song with his hands in front of him.
Therefore, the slippage in people’s language and thinking that I’m defending anything about the national anthem as opposed to him “refusing to pledge allegiance,” which are the words throughout my post, shows all the more need for this page to exist.
November 14, 2007 at 12:19 pm
You all are quick to come out in droves to fight his unpatriotism with b.s. blogs
November 14, 2007 at 12:49 pm
so you think people can spread emails saying “obama refused to say the pledge of allegiance” and we’re just going to sit back, not set the record straight, and sing kumbaya?
you can’t be serious.
November 17, 2007 at 6:56 pm
the real crime here is that ridiculous attack on our National Anthem by the woman singing it
November 18, 2007 at 6:21 pm
first who ever elected to have that person butcher our national anthem should be
charged for murder. second our judment should stand till osamas next opportunity
to pledge or not. soooo if he does he cross his heart hes a lier if he dont hes a musim
that has no busness running for our president . are we not paying allegiance to the
office he is trying to obtaine. what makes him better than an american.
November 18, 2007 at 9:37 pm
I was born in the north and live in the south, and I don’t see the geographic relevance of where Mit Romney discusses this issue. I’m from North Carolina which has the best public University system in the country, not to mention the twenty or so private instituitions that are amoung the counties finest. Most people who attend these colleges are taught to think for themselves. In this instance seeing is believing. The video is very subjective. I do not need anyone to explain to me what I’m looking at. Neither Osama nor John Edwards (whom is from the state I live in) participate in the Pledge of Allegiance. Just because you know the words and say a couple of them does not mean that you participated in the Pledge. Anyone who can justify Osama’s lack of Patriotism in this instance, clearly has less than he does.
November 18, 2007 at 9:45 pm
Correction…I stated above that Osama was not participating in the Pledge of Allegiance I was actually refering to the National Anthem. I do not, however, feel I made a mistake in the spelling of Barack’s last name.
November 19, 2007 at 6:42 am
*A Gift for Billie and R.J.*
Since I know that even YOU TOO will have a better life and future for your children under an Obama Administration, I’m going to work my darndest over the next year to get it for you.
Given your mindsets and parochial knowledge of naming conventions outside the confines of the United States, I think I’ll savor the gifts of an Obama Administration for you and your kin more than I will savor the gifts for myself.
November 19, 2007 at 10:11 am
Sagereader, Since when did Socialism (at best) become better for my kin and myself? My “parochial knowledge” is more relevant to the confines of the United States, historically speaking, than that of Socialism, Communism, or just defiance of a United States document that you must not be not familiar with…The United States Constitution. We rarely use our Constitution now, why should we advocate a politician/s who would like to see The Constitution abolished? Then again, by supporting political candidates as such, you probably agree with the abolition of The Constitution. **MY GIFT to you is the introduction of an important document known as The United States Constitution. It can found at any public library, school, or courthouse. While you are there please feel free to read The Bill of Rights and The Declaration of Independence as I know a true comprehension of these documents should clarify any confusion you must have regarding US Policy, US History and US Civic Responsibility.
Please continue your campaign efforts though, they solidify logical thought, knowledge and actions of the other candidates.
November 19, 2007 at 10:24 am
Barack Obama taught U.S. Constitutional law at the University of Chicago, one of the top law schools in the country.
November 19, 2007 at 10:52 am
Were you in his class? Just because I teach Robotics doesn’t mean I know anything about Mechanical engineering, just as Barack teaching Constitutional law does not mean that his class (or he for that matter) knows anything about politics. I truly do not mean to condescend, I respect your viewpoints whether I agree with them or not, but my other point was addressed earlier. We rarely use our Constitution. Would it be an unfair assessment to infer that Barack teaching Constitutional Law contributes to this unfortunate crisis? Maybe it goes back to parochial knowledge…or the lack thereof.
November 19, 2007 at 11:30 am
If you think Obama taught constitutional law at one of the top law schools in this country, reviewed law articles as the President of the Harvard Law Review, and served in public office for almost two decades, yet does not know anything about politics or the constitution…
then bruh, we just gotta agree to disagree on that one.
I strongly support your right to go speak in support of another candidate and not mine.
November 19, 2007 at 1:10 pm
In order to complete this circle of discussion I must make one last point. If Obama has so much political experience, then why did he not cover his heart with his right hand during The National Anthem? As potentially the next President of the United States I think he knows what to do, and what’s worse, he knew there would be cameras on him. I think this was an act of Civil Disobedience in protest of something he initially voted for. Maybe not. Maybe he did just take for granted that no one would care or notice during The National Anthem. In doing so it looks as though he lost some ground politically…But hey…anyone but Hitlery!
November 19, 2007 at 1:14 pm
How could it be civil disobedience if he was singing along? You’re going to have to explain that one a little bit more.
November 19, 2007 at 4:05 pm
Co’mon I give you more credit than that. We watched the same video. Sure he sang along (momentarily) but have you ever seen, prior to now, anyone not put their hand over their heart while singing or not singing (that’s irrelevant) The National Anthem. Unfortunately, I’ve been to some VERY liberal events in my lifetime and never seen that before (in the United States). There should be no explanation needed for this on my part, you should be asking Barack Obama for an explanation. For someone to tell us (Barack) that “you’ve got your facts wrong…” is saying I’m blind! I don’t buy that! Maybe he knows some of the words to The National Anthem, but there’s more to it than that…I don’t think you need an explanation for that.
November 19, 2007 at 5:51 pm
As I said, I strongly support your right to publicly support another candidate and not mine.
November 20, 2007 at 1:38 am
I think obama should watch this video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfz2XDXaeqc and watch all the other pledge of allegiance videos on youtube and rethink his actions of what he did on that day
im not sure if that youtube link will turn into a clickable link, im not gonna hotlink it, if thats not a link just copy and paste it into your browser
November 20, 2007 at 7:21 am
If only we could get 100+ comments and all this outrage directed toward the politicians in Washington who are allowing returning Iraq vets to now be living on the streets and are not providing them with mental health care.
If the American people had their priorities in place, maybe our leaders would too!
November 20, 2007 at 10:59 am
Bottom line. He did not sing along with the national anthem and he did not have his hand over his heart! Any true american would know the protocol when the national anthem is played.
Why is it that everyone else on stage and probably in the audience showed respect the the flag and it’s country where as Obama did not. Come on people take your heads out of your A**!
November 20, 2007 at 11:03 am
please see comment above.
November 20, 2007 at 1:02 pm
US CODE TITLE 36 CHAPTER 10, SECTIONS 170-172 Sagereader, google this or something and quit making excuses for this guy! I don’t know 1 Iraqi veteran not getting Mental or Medical health care right now (who actually served in our military and didn’t get kicked out of boot camp!) There has to be a line drawn where you stop supporting someone only because you hate Republicans! If Fred Thompson or Ron Paul did this you’d be appalled and so would I!…So should every American! This whole thing is becoming ridiculous!
November 20, 2007 at 6:34 pm
O.k., well……..if he isn’t patriotic, or maybe he is, or wait…maybe?? Who knows…My question would be, has he answered the question yet of WHY he isn’t standing with his hand over his heart, saying the pledge??? Just curious….
Proud to be a Native American
November 20, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Tsali, your question is addressed above.
R.J., please elaborate on your comment.
November 20, 2007 at 9:21 pm
Tsali, it’s true. The question is answered above. If you watched the video, then you know the answer. Forget the rhetoric, see for yourself! Too many other people are overwhelmed with the fact that some of these “leaders” are as unpatriotic as (some of the less than liberal) media has suggested for some time now! Condescension is becoming rampant, these over the line liberals think that if you question Obama or Hillary on their ideas or their lack of leadership skills, then you can’t think for yourself! This is a great example. Video does not lie! Here are the codes of conduct expected while in the presence of the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance. Though this is not law, it should be adhered to by every United States citizen, especially Local, State, and Federal leaders.
§170. National anthem; Star-Spangled Banner
The composition consisting of the words and music known as The Star-Spangled Banner is designated the national anthem of the United States of America.
§171. Conduct during playing
During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should render the military salute at the first note of the anthem and retain this position until the last note. When the flag is not displayed, those present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed there.
§172. Pledge of allegiance to the flag; manner of delivery
The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, ‘I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.’, should be rendered by standing at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. When not in uniform men should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Persons in uniform should remain silent, face the flag, and render the military salute.
November 20, 2007 at 10:28 pm
R.J., please describe the implications of your comments for America.
November 20, 2007 at 10:32 pm
I’m going to briefly share some things that I’ve heard and seen on the 4 major, U.S. television networks. The following statements are not based upon any personal conversation which I’ve had with Mr. Obama, but they are based upon newspaper accounts which quote him, and television coverage, which I watched as Mr. Obama detailed his positions regarding these few matters.
Mr. Obama is a member of, and occasionally attends services at, a church which includes among it’s primary doctrines, the belief that any person whose dark-skinned ancestors came from Africa, owes their primary allegiance in all things, to their brothers and sisters of African decent. The church preaches, and Mr. Obama has publically defended these specific teachings, that all black Americans are compelled to promote and defend all issues and laws which may advance the common good of black people around the world, before they consider issues with regard to nationalism.
As a candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination, Mr. Obama has won the support of a very large number of citizens. And yet, he has publically refused the small gesture of wearing a U.S. Flag pin, he will not pledge his allegiance to our flag, which is merely, but clearly, a physical representation of the United States, and, he is an active member of a church which requires him to put the common good of people of African decent, before the common good of the people of the United States.
This strong willed person is giving fair warning to all, that if he is elected president, his allegiance is not to the United States as it is defined to include all citizens, or it’s Constitution. The presidential oath includes a pledge to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. The Democratic Party is a sad lot, with such an outspoken, anti-American bigot, among it’s national leaders.
November 20, 2007 at 11:31 pm
Larry, thanks for sharing.
November 21, 2007 at 12:32 pm
Sagereader, I’m not sure what I need to clarify. Is about Iraqi veterans receiving health care? The only people (Iraqi “soldiers”) that are not receiving Federal Champus insurance are those who made a mockery out of the Military and were “booted” out of boot camp. I have several friends that are home now from Iraq, though most have chosen to re-enlist for a second or third tour, and they all have more than adequate health insurance. I would have sided with you during the Vietnam War, however, regardless of my stance on the Iraq war, I cannot agree there is not appropriate health care for Iraqi veterans. I’m not sure how to answer this, as I don’t know where the confusion is.
November 21, 2007 at 12:50 pm
So are you implying that the veterans organizations that are addressing homeless veterans and are fighting for veterans to get their full disability and health benefits are not telling the truth?
November 21, 2007 at 2:59 pm
I don’t necessarily believe any lobby organization! I am going by the 20 or so friends I have that have absolutely no problems with their health care. What other people consciously decide to do is not my concern, but I know the benefits are there. Consider how many people “don’t have health coverage” that just don’t take advantage of what is being offered to them. You can/should not force anyone to take something they do not want…there’s that socialist/communist way of thinking again!
November 21, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Oh okay, everythings cleared up now! Except the fact that he refused to honor our national anthem as the other candidates did. Oh wait, back at square one. I’m glad you invested so many resources, constructed such a well thought out statement, probably did some research, to PRODUCE ABSOLUTELY NO RESULTS..the same as what the democratic party does daily. Lets all clap our hands in appreciation.
November 21, 2007 at 5:54 pm
Preach on brother-man!
November 22, 2007 at 12:42 am
No