UPDATED: MSNBC's and Now CNN's Odious Attack on Obama Today

No flag pin, no hand over his heart: Is he exposed?

Exposed as what exactly? Not wearing a flag pen is to be "exposed" for not adhering to the Fox News/Republican Party-version of patriotism, which means meaningless gestures like wearing a lapel pin are far more important than words and deeds?

Glenn Greenwald linked to this image today on MSNBC which follows a Fox News attack line that Obama is not patriotic for "refusing" to wear a flag pen on his lapel, as if a flag pen is mandatory and not wearing one is tantamount to treachery and treason against this country.

Sen. Barack Obama's refusal to wear an American flag lapel pin along with a photo of him not putting his hand over his heart during the National Anthem led conservatives on Internet and in the media to question his patriotism.

Now Obama's wife, Michelle, has drawn their ire, too, for saying recently that she's really proud of her country for the first time in her adult life.

Conservative consultants say that combined, the cases could be an issue for Obama in the general election if he wins the nomination, especially as he runs against Vietnam war hero Sen. John McCain.

Yes, because meaningless gestures of patriotism are so important, especially when you're the Republican party, which makes a show of "supporting the troops" and then undercuts them by awarding no-bid contract to Republican donors and lackeys who then manufacture sub-standard equipment every time they get the chance.

Note - the article was written by AP reporter Nedra Pickler, who is notorious for peddling Republican lies that John Kerry was as effete snob who lied about his service in Vietnam. She was recently criticized for spreading Republican misinformation that Obama never gives policy speeches, which Media Matters refuted.

Nedra Pickler is also married to a FOX News employee, Eric Conner.

As Glenn Greenwald notes today:

The article contains one quote after the next from right-wing polemicists accusing Obama of being unpatriotic. Josh Marshall noted last night that the article prominently features disgraced GOP operative Roger Stone as one of the central accusers, but just as bad, if not worse, it then goes on to quote this repulsive dialogue from Fox News' Fox and Friends:

   "First he kicked his American flag pin to the curb. Now Barack Obama has a new round of patriotism problems. Wait until you hear what the White House hopeful didn't do during the singing of the national anthem," said Steve Doocy, co-host of "Fox and Friends" on the Fox News Channel.

   "He felt it OK to come out of the closet as the domestic insurgent he is," former radio host Mark Williams said on Fox.

The Republicans are ginning up the ol' right-wing "he's not an American" attack machine for one more run on the electoral speedway. Don't let them succeed.

Why is it when Democrats don't wear flag pins they're "unpatriotic" but when Republicans don't wear them none of the media says a thing? Look at McCain and Huckabee in the picture below - what are they missing?

UPDATE: CNN has jumped on the bandwagon. DO NOT ALLOW THIS TO SUCCEED. E-mail all three organizations and tell them to stop impugning the patriotism of Obama and his wife. WE WILL NOT STAND FOR THIS!

CNN today:

About not wearing an American flag lapel pin, Obama said Republicans have no lock on patriotism.

"A party that presided over a war in which our troops did not get the body armor they needed, or were sending troops over who were untrained because of poor planning, or are not fulfilling the veterans' benefits that these troops need when they come home, or are undermining our Constitution with warrantless wiretaps that are unnecessary?

"That is a debate I am very happy to have. We'll see what the American people think is the true definition of patriotism."

Contact MSNBC about this article by e-mailing them here: [e-mail]
Contact the AP, whose Nedra Pickler wrote the article in question here: [e-mail]
CNN: Here