Obama and Patriotism

About time you wrote an appropriate article Joe.

Maybe there is some hope for you!

There is nothing more patriotic that supporting the most patriotic American running fo PResident right now, Senator Barak Obama.

Just reading his oratory gives me goosebumps - he is such a master speaker. I wish I could have heard his words. Can you imagine the power and the beauty of his 8 state of the union addresses he will give and how every year that goes by will add layers and layers to the accomplishements he will make as our president? He will undo in 8 years all the damage the GOP has done to America in the last 100.

Hillary supporters, please, please, please listen to what this man has to say and realize in your hearts that this is the man you need to support. Put an end to this destructive primary and make you voices heard for Obama!

Yes we can!

Obama 08!

Joe -

Since you're a charter member of the 2008 Election Patriotism Police Force, would you mind telling the rest of us what you actually mean by "patriotism"?

Chutzpah Joe keeps up the drumbeat of putting Obama's patriotism in the spotlight. The casual reader will view Joe's reference to the speech as a statement supportive of Obama, but it is not. It is a reinforcement of the assertion that Obama's patriotism is suspect and must be repeatedly validated.Obama is obliged to prove that he is a patriot, but not John McCain. America is not run by patriots; it is run by global corporations, like Halliburton, which is now headquartered in Dubai. Does Chutzpah Joe question the "patriotism" of Halliburton? He would not dream of it.

Chutzpah Joe has expressed no similar grave concerns about McCain's physical or mental health, nor has he delved into McCain's character issue, which appears not to have been miraculously transformed by his POW years. The propaganda apparatus of US corporate media can now manufacture serious defects in a candidate overnight. Chutzpah Joe, of course does not participate in the manufacturing; he just handles distribution.

Chutzpah Joe keeps up the drumbeat of putting Obama's patriotism in the spotlight. The casual reader will view Joe's reference to the speech as a statement supportive of Obama, but it is not. It is a reinforcement of the assertion that Obama's patriotism is suspect and must be repeatedly validated.Obama is obliged to prove that he is a patriot, but not John McCain. America is not run by patriots; it is run by global corporations, like Halliburton, which is now headquartered in Dubai. Does Chutzpah Joe question the "patriotism" of Halliburton? He would not dream of it.

Chutzpah Joe has expressed no similar grave concerns about McCain's physical or mental health, nor has he delved into McCain's character issue, which appears not to have been miraculously transformed by his POW years. The propaganda apparatus of US corporate media can now manufacture serious defects in a candidate overnight. Chutzpah Joe, of course does not participate in the manufacturing; he just handles distribution.

No, I think Joe has finally seen the light and now supports the appropriate candidate.

Yes we can!
Obama 08!

Joey asks a good question. As Klein seems concerned about patriotism -Democrats only natch-perhaps he can give us his definition.

The only thing Skippy O'Bonger seems to have shed IS his flag pin and Pledge of Allegiance.

He'd be a great president... of Belgium.

In the real world, the one in which voters reside, there has been no change in Obama's rhetoric on the subject of "patriotism," "optimism," or whatever.

The narrative Joe is pushing with at least three posts so far on the subject is entirely invested. It's dishonest. There's no point to it.

What a waste of space.

I meant "invented." But "invested" may be right, too. He seems obsessed. . . .

Americans, fellow patriots, please consider getting on board with Obama! It is time that we join together behind this wonderful candidate who is not politically aligned with special interests (corporate donors)!

These special interests (corporate donors) don't stand a chance against us because Obama is the ONLY candidate that has built the ONLY weapon that can be effective against the special interest (corporate donors) money/influence. The weapon that I speak of is the 1.2+ million individual donors and more importantly individual voter database! Help our party grow that database even more and be a part of the calvary that frees America's politics from those special interest groups (corporate donors) that Clinton and McCain are publicly aligned with!

We are the ones we have been waiting for!

-US Army veteran

Of course this post won't hold a candle to the effect of the Time column questioning his patriotism. That has already made its way into a Karl Rove speech. I'm sure we'll see many references to it in the future if Obama is the nominee.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080406/ap_on_re_af/zimbabwe_elections

What would The Great Lite Patriot Hope do about his brothers in Zimbabwe?

Anything?

Or just his usual NOTHING?

ivb:

You know, you're right. The attack came in print, and the "walk-back" is only here, for the groundlings.

It's a great speech...but like ivb said, the attack's already out there, and accepted by morons like Kurtz, Fox News, et.al.

It's a shame patriotism is so defined by lapel pins and empty platitudes. I don't know who said it, or if I got the line right, but my view on patriotism is: "My country, right or wrong; if right, to be kept right; and if wrong, to be set right."

Too bad most people don't seem to bother with that last caveat when judging patriotism. :/

exactly - it is we who bring the plethora of american errors under shrub to light that are the real patriots, especially those of us who support Obama.

it is we who bring the plethora of american errors under shrub to light

You tell 'em, StewieZ. It is honest voices like yours that will expose the BushCo reign of error. Keep up the good work. If only more people would embrace the truth and honestly declare their views, America would not be hobbled by lies and deceit and plagued by people who pretend to be what they are not.

You are welcome. I think that people like me and you have done so much to help the nation by pointing out all the wrongs that we have allowed to happen under Bushlite. History will remember us as the real patriots and that this was the year we saved America when we elected Obama and took the reins of power away from the GOP for good. Slowly, the comments and the writings of great Americans like you and me are bringing more people to the light and the hope that is the future.

Yes we can!
Together HH.
Peace!

History will remember us as the real patriots

Sadly, no, StewieZ, but history will remember the BushCo militarist ideologues who gutted the Constitution, plundered the treasury, tortured prisoners, and murdered hundreds of thousands of Iraqis as traitors and criminals.

YEs it will. The ascension of Obama and the salvation of America and the world from BushCo will be the result of all of us uniting behind Obama in November and history will remember that it was people like us who made it happen. You have no idea how many people you touch and influence with your prose and skills here and the amount of respect your fellow commeneters and the bloggers themselves hold for you and the other patriots in here who are saving America. Don't give up!

Don't give up!

Thanks, StewieZ. It is your heartfelt praise that encourages liberal heroes like me to fight on the ramparts of Leftist American civilization. I will not rest until the happy day that you drive your Volvo in our victory parade of blacks, homosexuals, illegal aliens, peace protesters, and environmentalists as we celebrate the inauguration of our next President. It is honest and responsible Americans like you who will determine our future.

Actually I drive a prius but hybrid volvos are nice too. I'll look for you in the parade my brother!

It seems that Joe was too busy fawning over McCain to notice that this is exactly what Obama has been saying for over a year. This is not an unusual or new passage, not something he just added. He's been talking like this as long as this primary was on. How Joe failed to realize this, I have no idea, but it speaks very poorly for his analysis of this race, and of American politics in general. I hope to God that the result of this sort of dishonest journalism is not that the country elects the first president to be accompanied by Colostomy Bag 1 wherever he goes.

Patriotism isn't defined by things like lapel pins. However, patriots don't do things like this.

Obama supporters really should think this through, because someone (like me) is going to "cross-examine" Obama on his actions sooner or later, and then upload it to Youtube. Even if most of Obama's supporters don't see a problem with things like that, everyone else will.

Well as an Obama supporter, I applaud him for standing up for the rights of the migrants and immigrants. Only a xenophobic racist of base calibre would have any problem with Obama doing this. Then again, people who are against hispanic immigrants are racists and so it shouldn't be surprising that they would be against an african american like Obama as well.

Electing Obama will defeat the forces of racism!

Er, NoMore Blather DotCom... "Cross-examine..." ??? who appointed you Chief Prosecutor? Patriotism is not defined by faux-Joe McCarthys (like you) who are "threatening" to "cross-examine" someone and post it to YouTube. I can say with certainty you are less the "patriot" than you purport to be, sir. Patriotism comes in many shapes, sizes and colors. It's actions are not defined by the likes of you or Sean Hannity or Bill O'Reilly. Take you bluster and blunderbuss and your blather with you when you leave. You do not speak for me or others whose definition of "patriot" and "patriotism" is far more enlightened.

To Mr. Klein:

I have not memorized every one of Sen. Obama's speeches. But even to most casual observer who happened to listen to -- I mean really listen to -- his speech in Philadelphia just a couple of short weeks ago, would recognize some of the passages as having been in that speech. And if you've been paying attention to Sen. Obama's speeches, you would also see common threads from other messages and speeches woven throughout.

Instead of odd pronouncements about his patriotism, which must not come in the flavor you prefer to sip, take some time and really study what he says and you might find a kind of patriot who does not need to wear the flag upon his lapel, who does not spout phony war stories to gin up street cred, who does not need to rely on stagecraft and gimmickry to appear patriotic. One who loves his country but sees it flaws that can no longer go unrepaired.

But if spinning a fragile story about whose more patriotic floats your boat... have at it.

jade 7243 - you are part of the hope for tomorrow my comrade Obama supporter!

Bravo!

Together we can!

Obama 08

The problem with Joe's original article -- as well as what nutcases like QH -- is that it confuses "patriotism" with "nationalism."

Patriotism is a love of country, but it's a tough love, allowing people to question the actions of their country and its leaders.

Nationalism is a stalker-like love of country, where the country and its leaders are NEVER wrong (at least the leaders nationalists support ... otherwise, not so much).

Joe, like many wingnuts, too often confuses the two. Which is a shame.

Mark - exaclty - nationalism is such a 19th and early 20th century concept that we in the 21st century need to disavow in the era of globalization. Human rights cannot fully flourish where there is nationalism.