CNN

If you want to be elected to the highest position of office in the United States, you could at least wear the flag of the country you want represent. I am sorry but, the whole thing is terrible. Don't worry Obama, don't wear my flag, when you are flipping burgers, you don't have to wear a flag then!

Just because he didn't wear a flag pin doesn't mean that he is unpatriotic. It's not what you wear that shows that you are unpatriotic, its what you do that shows. If you burn a flag or wear a swastik, it is saying that you are unpatriotic. All Obama did was not wear a pin and people are saying that he is unpatriotic. Its wrong, people are vilification Obama just for not wearing it.

Blackwater, false claims about WMD's that lead us to a war with no end in sight, wire-tappings, GITMO, and politician after politician in some sexual scandal either involving call-girls, text chats with underaged boys, or rendezvous' in toilet stalls...

... but a missing flag pin is a much more important reason not to support a person who's taken not one cent from a lobby.

Wow.

You people are stupidly insane, or maybe just ignorant. Either way, I think down the line, this country will get what a nation of people with no analytical skills deserves and God help us all if it is what I'm afraid it is.

This is just ridiculous. I just can't even begin to fathom what a stupid, and irrelevant point this is. If you don't see why, then you're voting for all the wrong reasons.

You people only further make my goal of teaching my children critical thinking skills all that more important. Lord help us, but we have sheep baying about lapel pins and how that is important to the political process.

Well I'm glad that he's not hiding behind the flag and pretending to be patriotic, since he doesn't support the constitution anyway. The 2nd amendment isn't about hunting Mr. Obama. It's about defending my life and liberty from whoever would threaten it. That means so-called assault rifles. That means semi-automatic handguns. That doesn't mean duck hunting. Leave guns alone. in the 20th century 54 million people were murdered by their governments shortly after strong gun control was passed, because they couldn't fight back.

Obama seems like such a great guy. It's too bad he doesn't care about my freedom. The burden of freedom is that you have to accept everyone else's.

Because you don't wear a pin means you're not suitable for President! If someone uses that as a reason not to vote him...thatr is a truely lazy voter.
His reasoning is actually very valid. He doesn't need some object to express patriotism. His actions and the very fact that he serves in the US senate and is running for President shows patriotism enough.
Also, those of you who critisize Obama for not wearing a pin, do you wear a pin? If not does that make YOU an unpatriotic American? If the answer is no then you should be quiet.

Obama 2008!!

NOTABLE DEMOCRAT QUOTES,

"I decided I won't wear that (american flag) pin on my chest.” ~ Barack Hussein Obama

"I did NOT have sex with that woman, Monica Lewisnki" ~ William Jefferson Clinton

"Vast Right Wing Conspiracy" ~ Hillary Rodham Clinton

"It's a choice" ~ Bill Richardson speaking about people being gay.

“We cannot build enough prisons to solve this problem. And the idea that we can keep incarcerating and keep incarcerating — pretty soon we’re not going to have a young African-American male population in America. They’re all going to be in prison or dead. One of the two.” ~ John Edwards' view of young black men

CNN Get off this horse...you have ridden it to death. The comments here are so small minded and reporting them on three different blogs still does not give them velevence.
OMG...he is not wearing his pin. Well he will NEVER get my vote now!!! And we all know he is muslim anyway. Right???
Get a life. He is the best man for the job and deserves our respect. Were's the beef CNN?

Whats the point? Does that mean that the average citizen is not patriotic since they aren't wearing flag pins? I can think of a ton of reasons NOT to vote for Obama, but this isnt anywhere on the list.
Seriously, how about reporting NEWS?
Blech.

Barack obama already serves this country as a senator, what more do you want, he would rather focus on the difficult issues we face as a nation instead of attached a made in china with lead American flag…part of the problem we need to fix, American flag pins should only be made in the u.s.a, but thanks to bush and previous administrations our country has been sold out and we have to depend on china to make our flag pins what a shame, i dont wear a flag pin, when i can find one made in the u.s.a i would gladly buy it, lets focus on the issues and rebuild this nations economy,our dollar is falling every day, the canadian dollar is worth the same we got major issues, im glad obama is a serious candidate who is only interested in the real stuff real Americans care about "our beloved country", and the dire issues facing us, if we pick hillary, we get more of the same, i will vote for bill any day, but since he is not running, i wont vote hillary, as it appears she is being coronated and forced down our throats by the media in this country, Americans are smarter this time around go barack 08!!!

I think if you look it up you'll find that none of the current wearers of flag lapel pins were wearing them before 9/11. Does this mean they weren't actually patriotic until AFTER the attacks? HUMMMMM!?

We all know this is a smear effort by CNN. But truth the average American that has seen this on TV for 2 seconds, already think it is a stupid topic. No one is falling for a ridiculous attack.
It has quit the opposite effect by looking like it is attacking Obama and therefore has gotten him sympathy. Especially when the other Candidates agreed with him that Patriotism is what you do and not whether one wears a Made in China pin.
CNN you’re seen as attacking the underdog and America hates that. Ironically CNN has made him the underdog by touting Hillary as the inevitable front-runner. Good thing Obama has the money to combat future dumb attacks.
If CNN keeps reporting this, Obama should put out an AD with him taking off a flag pin flip it over and it reads Made in China, Then look into the camera and ask Now is this a symbol of Patriotism and not my time as Community Organizer, State Senator US Senator etc..

No amount of defensive rehetoric will work. Obama was caught dry. He is trying to fumble with mumbo-jumbo to make it appear that the pin doesn't matter. Matter of fact, it matters. The worst he did is attempting to put a spin on the relevance of wearing the pin.

The only "source of scrutiny" on this issue has been from YOU, CNN. This is beyond ridiculous. Obama gave at least three incredible speeches this week...on foreign policy...on the torture memos...on health care for Vets. And THIS is what you write about????? The main stream media is really starting to disgust me.

lol

"The top story of the day, somebody is not wearing a pin, lets execute them!"

I forgot the patriot who said this, but it's appropos: "I don't need to pin a picture of my mother on my lapel to know that I love her."

Maybe the Clinton News Network should have Vinod Gupta do a poll on how many "likely" voters are upset by Obama's position on the lapel pin issue. I think we all know that it would come back 100 percent are pissed off and 53 percent plan on voting for Hillary. The fact that the total equals 153 percent is explained in InfoUSA's methodology: "I, Vinod Gupta, vow to taint each and every poll CNN buys from me to show that I'm a bigger friend to the Clinton's than Hsu ever was. Oh, and our margin of error is plus or minus infinity."

I can't believe some people are ignorant enough to actually complain about this.

HEY CNN! STOP!!! DO SOME ACTUAL REPORTING AND STOP SPINNING THIS FAKE STORY! NOBODY CARES!

CNN: Drudge Light.

Based on Obama's logic of not wearing an american flag pin to be patriotic to america:

What kidn of crooked value system this guy have!
Posted By anon, new york, NY : October 6, 2007 11:38 am

i ask of you, what kind of crooked value system do you have? it takes someone completely crooked to twist something so harmless and logical as this into something negative.

Why should the lack of patriotism be viewed as patriotism in different modes?
Strategically is a very bad move. It shifts a creative strategy to a pandora box of fundamental doubts. THAT WILL NEVER GO AWAY FROM NOW UNTIL THE PRIMARIES.
What's next, tear down all the masoleums to the fallen in action?
These raise serious doubts–especially when America is still fighting the war on terror.
Ahh! such a lunatic way to a look at American values!

Based on Obama's logic of not wearing an american flag pin to be patriotic to america:

- You do not need to get a marriage licence to be a couple or parent.

- YOu do not need to christian church to be a christian.

- You do not need to go to a muslim church to be a muslim.

What kidn of crooked value system this guy have!

Our politicians, Clinton, Edwards, etc sent our sons & daughters to war without even reading the intelligence report. The lives of these young people weren't important enough for them to read approximately 90 pages. The facts in this report would have shown them that Bush was fabricating his "facts".

But they thought their political careers would be boosted by voting for sending our young people to die and be maimed. That's news – where are your constatnt reports on that.

Oh right – too afraid to go up against the Clinton revenge machine. Well, thankfully a lot of us aren't. Grow a spine – report real news.

Obama said, "I decided I won't wear that (american flag) pin on my chest.”

Obama, now you know why you are down in polls, and falling.
Posted By A. Thomas, New York, NY : October 5, 2007 8:37 pm
are you serious? i'm having a really hard time telling. either this post is internet sarcasm, or you're just so naive, you actually believe this crap your posting.

the media is trying very hard to come up with dirt on Senator Obama. And their astute "journalist" came up with this and CNN is running with it. How pathetic.

Clinton meeting in Florida with lobbyists and politicians who are heads of committees to teach the lobbyists how to get the most bang for their buck was not news. Mark Penn with the Clinton campaign providing info to the polling companies is not news. Penn's ties to Blackwater is not news. The fact that 1 in every 6 people in NY are not covered by healthcare (HRC's state) is not news. The real story on the 9/11 heroes and the lack of healthcare is not news.

And people wonder why blogging on the internet has become so popular. The media is so cowardly and inept – that's why.

Obama is quite right. You can can wear a wedding ring and walk around with your wife whereas you are actually gay and all this is to cover up your gay side. No wonder CNN is lagging behind all other main stations in ratings. They have been having slow newsdays. This is news?. I do not wear the flag pin and that does not qualify me as unpatriotic. If the flag pin means anything, we would not be in this war, we would not have 47 million uninsured Americans and certainly the flag pin would not be made in CHINA.

So who flag does he want to wear? Osama, I mean Obama can NOT be trusted.

That is very brave of Obama. This decision really shows how courageous this man is. Doing this in the middle and height of a presidential election just shows how he's willing to confront traditional thinking for substantive actions. All i can say is "wow"

Unfortunately for Obama, he made this an issue for himself. By wearing the pin in the first place to show what a patriot he is.

Yes let's move onto other things! Like how Obama will build a Utopia from recycled cola bottles and flattax us by the pound. Go, Obama, go! We're right there with you, dreaming, dreaming, dreaming...

I have a R,W&B key chain shaped like a ribbon that says "Support The Troops" I oppose the War in Iraq and I support Barack Obama's decision to not wear a flag pin made in China. I am also a Christian , but I don't wear a cross. I tend to keep my faith where it belongs. In my heart. This is a ridiculous story and more evidence that the Media has nothing substantial to attack Barack Obama with. In the Summer, I thought it was because the campaign hadn't started , but now that it has , and there's still nothing negative, it's looking more like there really is nothing negative about him to report.

The media totally missed the point. Obama's message was that whetehr one wears the pin does not represent patriotism and that patriotism is shown by what you do. Obama's has made so many important talking points but they have been ignored by the press. One has to wonder whether the journalists are too lazy or intellectual inactive to find real news or they are spinning things out of proportion because of their hidden political positions.

Why is this an issue? why should this be a test on how patriotic a candidate is? is it just because a CNN affiliate started this whole nonsense that we have to get thi shoved down our throat over and over again? does CNN think we are THAT stupid?

Since when is a flag pin required for candidates running for president. The Senator took an oath of office pledging to uphold the constitution and does not need to put a "made in China" pin on his lapel. Ask the other candidates if the pins they wear were made in the USA. This is more than stupid.

Rather see actions from a person than someone who feels he/she needs to dress the part. We have enough of those.

Send some of your reporters to Iraq and do some real reporting. This flag pin story is stupid.

I think that the flag pin that Obama won't wear will bother alot of people from the southern states. Being that so many are Democrats, instead of Obama they will switch and vote for Hillary.

This campaign is getting weird. Flag pins and 40 days of faith, "trophy wife," pro-choice republican front-runner, Florida, Mitt trying to buy his way into the White House, cackling laughs, what else. Maybe it should be a Kucinich/Paul contest. At least they talk real thoughts about real things. But then, they look too weird to be "presidential". Upcoming months should be a good show.

Good for you Obama! The youth of America are behind you~

You know its interesting that they don't pole people with cellphones (aka college students)which I think are strong Obama supporters!

Well I see no reason why Obama cannot simply wear a small American flag on his suit, there is such a trivial issue for CNN to focus on. What about Darfur, what about Iraq, what about the ACTUAL ISSUES facing America and the world? This belongs in the gossip section, not as a legitimiate political story.

There's a difference between patriotism and nationalism. I agree with Barack's decision, and what he says about actions speaking louder than symbols and words. After 9/11 the pins made sense, now, with the whole world unhappy with us, it seems in bad taste to be too patriotic. We all know what our flag looks like, and what it stands for. People who need to wear pins to remind them of this are the questionable ones. Obama '08!!!!!!!!

Who cares about a stupid pin? I don't wear an American flag of any kind. I don't have an American flag in my dorm room. I don't have one anywhere that's visible.

I'm still a patriot, though. I still love my country dearly.

Not wearing some little pin doesn't make you a bad American or a bad presidential candidate anymore than not wearing a cross makes you a bad Christian.

'Much Ado about Nothing!'... I guess most people who gave negative comments here did not even care to read the whole statement of Obama. It's laziness to the nth degree!!!

I can't believe there's so many here in this blog who would parse and chop the Obama's statement into pieces and not read it in its entirety before they comment.

He is not talking about "the flag" here... he is talking about "the pin". And I agree with him that patriotism is inside one's heart!

Why don't you all negative commenters examine yourselves. Have you in your life did some form of sacrifice for your country and countrymen?

The American flag pin is about the person that wears it, not the person that sees it. It's a reminder for the wearer to keep that patriotism close to their own heart, like carrying photos of their children in their wallet. Obama's choice to not wear it has nothing to do with his presidential aspirations; it is what he feels in his heart of hearts for our beloved country.

For the love of....yeah I'm sure Barack won't be able to make any important decisions now because he took off a pin from his lapel.

Not a seasoned politician? Inexperienced? What exactly is Hillary's experience? Edward's? Obama has held political office longer than either. He has been involved with politics longer than either.

Don't be confused with naivety and inexperience for honesty, new ideas and leadership.

The American flag is a symbol of liberty, of each person's right to live free. It's the most important visual of the United States. For someone to prefer a bare jacket lapel instead of one decorated with this symbol of our country, shows their lack of character. It also shows me that Barack Obama prefers to be looked upon as a blank canvas, one onto which people can project their beliefs and ideas. But, like Obama's declining to vote on the Betray Us ad, it shows a weakness, a reluctance to stand for something.

Who gives a flying flip who wears what on his/her lapel?? What the H*** has it to do with what is tearing America apart????

Next question...

No its not necessary for any American to wear a lapel bin of the American flag to show how patriotic you are. This is just another way to get away from the issues that America faces as a nation.

I don't hear anyone talking about our American "Old Glory" Flag being made in China!I have one flying on my porch
now.

Again, another weak straw-man, winkie-dink, mickey mouse argument by the folks who have not a leg to stand on!

Do they have any shame or conscience? NAH

WHY IS THIS AN ISSUE!?! CAN WE PLEASE MOVE ON TO MORE IMPORTANT THINGS!

Obama said, "I decided I won't wear that (american flag) pin on my chest.”

That is a very drastic and damaging statement for a guy who wants to be the next american president. I can support Hillary's position of "wearing it from time to time."

This shows Obama's INEXPERIENCE AND NAVIETY as a politician and presidential candidate. He is simply not a seasoned politician, and may fumble if nominated, and may bring embarassment to the country if elected.

Obama, now you know why you are down in polls, and falling.