Obama "Fed Up" With Questions About His Patriotism

By: Maria Gavrilovic
Topics: Barack Obama

(CBS)

From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:

KOKOMO, IND. -- Questions surrounding Barack Obama's patriotism resurfaced today at a town hall meeting, when a voter asked him to address rumors that he does not salute the flag. Obama strongly denied the allegation, calling it a "phony issue" and a lie.

"It's a lie. So anybody who tells you out there that I disrespect the flag, that I don't salute the flag, that I don't say the pledge of allegiance, that you know don't wear flag pins, don't listen to them," Obama said. "Look at what I do and look at what I say and my commitment to making this a stronger country and I get pretty fed up with people questioning my patriotism."

Obama blamed the rumors on an incident at the Harkin Steak Fry in Iowa last summer, where he said he listened and sang along to 'Star Spangled Banner' but didn't put his hand over his heart.

"I acknowledged the mistake of not having put my hand over my heart during the singing of the Star Spangled Banner," Obama said.

"I'm gonna look at all of you at a ballgame one time to see if you always get it right."

Obama also tried to turn the table around on Hillary Clinton's argument that he does not have adequate experience to be president by questioning what she has done with hers. He used health care policy as an example of what he says is Clinton's inability to reform Washington.

"Now here's where the difference between Senator Clinton and myself come in, because you know she's making a similar claim, you've got to ask yourself why is it we haven't gotten health care reform?," Obama said. "I mean, all these folks who talk about how much experience they've got, why is it that we haven't been able to get it done?"

He also told the crowd that a vote for his opponents would be a vote for the "same old thing."

"So, Indiana you've got a decision to make, we can keep on doing the same old thing with the same old folks the same old ways and hope somehow that we're gonna get a real change, or we can make a decision that we are gonna to bring about a new America, with a new politics and new leadership."

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by shingles1 April 28, 2008 4:23 AM EDT: man, this article really brought out the nutjobs.

at least greenfun is focusing somewhat on reality --- the rest are all off in some black helicopter illuminati freemason ****-terrorist neverland.; Reply to this comment


by truthyness April 27, 2008 9:13 AM EDT: People keep asking questions about Obama''s patriotism because he won''t give them sufficient answers. Its as simple as that.; Reply to this comment


by shewill08 April 26, 2008 5:27 PM EDT: He is still a citizen of Kenya.So, tell me, who is he more loyal to when is refusing to give up that citizenship to run for President of the "United Sates"? He is associated with terrorists, who are dominant in Africa, he is associated with a church that only caters to the black community and believes America is damned; he associates himself with slumlords who degrade the poor and less fortunate. He won his senate seat in Illionis by petitioning,and filing lawsuits, against his opponents so the courts would hand him the election(no voters here to elect him). His story has yet to be told but his spin on race wont allow it because we may just find out who he really is and not like what we see.; Reply to this comment


by DCropp April 26, 2008 4:07 PM EDT: Why doesn''t Hillary wear a US Flag lapel pin?

It''s funny watching the media listen to the right wing media.

They question Obama, but the never question Hillary for not wearing one. Maybe, it''s Hillary who is not patriotic.

Hillary is elitist who keeps voting for pork.; Reply to this comment


by greenfun April 26, 2008 3:13 PM EDT: Emil Jones and Obama:
I called Kelley last week and he recollected the private conversation as follows:

"He said, ''Cliff, I''m gonna make me a U.S. Senator.''"

"Oh, you are? Who might that be?"

"Barack Obama."

Jones appointed Obama sponsor of virtually every high-profile piece of legislation, angering many rank-and-file state legislators who had more seniority than Obama and had spent years championing the bills.

"I took all the beatings and insults and endured all the racist comments over the years from nasty Republican committee chairmen," State Senator Rickey Hendon, the original sponsor of landmark racial profiling and videotaped confession legislation yanked away by Jones and given to Obama, complained to me at the time. "Barack didn''t have to endure any of it, yet, in the end, he got all the credit.

"I don''t consider it bill jacking," Hendon told me. "But no one wants to carry the ball 99 yards all the way to the one-yard line, and then give it to the halfback who gets all the credit and the stats in the record book."; Reply to this comment


by greenfun April 26, 2008 3:06 PM EDT: More Obama and Emil Jones:

Barack Obama frequently cites his impressive record as an Illinois state legislator as an indicator of his experience in running for President.

Turns out, according to former Chicago reporter Todd Spivak, all of his legislative accomplishments were in his final 7th year and were handed to him by his mentor, Ill. State Senate President Emil Jones.; Reply to this comment


by greenfun April 26, 2008 3:03 PM EDT: Obama and Emil Jones

State Sen. Donne Trotter, D-Chicago, accuses Jones of a little "bill-jacking" - taking issues that other senators had been working on and giving them to Obama. Trotter, for instance, said he had hoped to be named chairman of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee but the job went to Obama instead.

In an e-mail, Obama described Jones "a powerful advocate for those who need a voice" and someone with "passion for public service."

Critics offer a different picture.

When Jones married a state employee, she suddenly got a 60 percent raise. His son got a state job that wasn''t advertised to the public. A nephew and stepson got computer consulting jobs from a college that received a $4.5 million grant for computing needs.; Reply to this comment


by tigerjcs April 26, 2008 2:57 PM EDT: Barack Obama is a phony. He would promises anything so that he get elected. He knew that he can''t delivered those promisses. His speech lack of substance and road maps to guide him. He is anti American. Wake up, America, vote for the PROUD AMERICAN ALL THE TIME - HILLARY OR MCCAIN.; Reply to this comment


by greenfun April 26, 2008 2:51 PM EDT: Obama has not stopped partisan roadblocks in the Senate, how is he going to do this in the White House? Aren''t you supposed to look at a candidates record to see what they might be capable of accomplishing? Side by side Obama''s accomplishments pale in comparison to Clintons. Her work ethic is unbelievable. Notice who is taking the weekend off-it isn''t Clinton.
Everyone who has taken the time to research has learned that Emil Jones helped Obama get recognition for many of the bills that others did all of the legwork on. This happened when Obama told him of his desire to run for President. I read a lot of negative personal attacks against Clinton, and I think that is probably the best you can do when your candidate doesn''t have a very impressive resume and lacks substance.
I wonder why so many people make these emotional decisions and have this need to project a savior-like quality onto Obama. At the end of the day, he really is just a politician. He flip/flops, distorts, exaggerates, misleads and practices hypocrisy.
When you all come back down to earth, you will wonder how you voted for someone who is not capable yet of being effective in Washington.
This should be a practical decision.
Who has a proven track record of getting the job done? Does either of the candidates actually have respect in the Senate for reaching across party lines-yes they do and that is Senator Clinton. Believe it or not- Senator McCain is also well respected for reaching across party lines.; Reply to this comment


by blkpresident April 26, 2008 2:36 PM EDT: Hillary-Steinem ''08?

America can do better than this. Wonder who these broads would tap as Secretary of State, Jane Fonda?

Hmmm, wonder if they would tap former President Jimmy Carter as Secretary of State? America doesn''t need lil'' missy and her weenies. We are at war and terrorist don''t paly softball.; Reply to this comment