A speech taken out of context has always been fodder for both liberals and conservatives, a way for one side to exlaim "look at what they said!" Sometimes words can show what someone thinks about the other side of the spectrum (Rush Limbaugh's phony soldiers huff and puff), and other times, the tactic is played up for maximum distraction.
Michelle Malkin has been pulling double duty vitriol frothing, proclaiming her hate for John McCain and his 'liberal' stances on issues like immigration and his refusal to spout GOP conservative talking points without thought or reason. If that makes him a liberal, it'd make him the only liberal who recommends a troop withdrawl timetable for the year 10,2008. Malkin simply will not let it go and get behind The Maverick for the good of the Republican Party. She has more in common with Hilary than she thinks.
Her target this week is Michelle Obama, who said in Milwaukee this Monday, "Let me tell you, for the first time in my adult life, I am really proud of my country. Not just because Barack is doing well, but I think people are hungry for change."
I'm not really going to debate what she said, the tone and meaning of individual syllables and the way her hair looked at the moment. To a reasonable person, that line reflects the sudden explosion of interest in politics not just from young people, but everyone across the country. Nearly every caucus is bringing in record numbers of voters that realize a lot is at stake when Bush makes his way out the White House. McCain represents an extension of those policies that we've seen for eight years now, and is showing the world that he'll take over Bush's third term. We'll face new wars while pressumably still breing bogged down in Afghanistan and Iraq (psst, we're already stretched thin, according to defeatist military officers on the ground). Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.
But conservative pundits like Malkin put their blood oath to Lee Greenwood on hold long enough to lambast Michelle Obama about her comments, suggesting that she isn't proud of her country one iota. Not even a little bit! In fact, she secretly hates America, just like everyone unhappy with the status quo. She's not alone in these shennanigans, as other popular blogs like Captain's Quarters shows us. Don't let the name fool you, the author (along with Malkin) are so proud of their country that they chose to sit out the wars and contribute taxes to the economy. Freedom isn't free after all. Malkin goes on to say (with her hand over her heart, most likely), "For me, there’s the thrill of the Blue Angels roaring over cloudless skies. And the somber awe felt amid the hallowed waters that surround the sunken U.S.S. Arizona at the Pearl Harbor memorial."
That just broke the bullshit detector, which reached an all time high after Hillary's New Yawk accent. It seems there's no shame left in the world. God bless Michelle Malkin, the biggest patriot when everyone is watching.
To suggest that someone isn't patriotic by what they don't say or attach to their shirts (remember Pingate?) is antithesis of actual patriotism and rationale. It's a reverse Scarlet Letter; scorn and hate being directed at someone for what they don't say and do, for not spouting interchanable textbook quotes and brainless, warrantless grabs for emotion in lieu of reason.
There's been a personnel crisis within the military for years because of a two front war, and these self-proclaimed patriots have not lived up to their own talking points of selfless service and how it has made America great. It's something I'm proud of, but I've recognized it not in America, but by the very small number of Americans who have answered the call of duty. Rank and file pundits like Malkin have no clue about pride, because they did absolutely nothing to achieve it. They take it for granted like it's a birthright and squeal when they feel it's challenged. The only thing they value is having an audience to distract from what Barrack Obama is saying by loudly shouting what Michelle Obama didn't say. It's deperation at its most glaring and sad.