Lufkin, Tex., Sept. 21, 2007

Sporting The Same Tie Every Day Since 9/11

Man Pledged To Wear American-Flag Necktie Until Bin Laden’s Capture; Now It’s In Tatters

  • The only thing thinner than Bob Flournoy's tie is his patience.

    The only thing thinner than Bob Flournoy's tie is his patience.  (CBS)

  • Interactive Tales Of The Tapes

    Excerpts and analysis of messages believed to have been recorded by Osama bin Laden.

(CBS)  Every morning, Bob Flournoy stands in the mirror and hangs this albatross around his neck.

"Even if I'm just going to be around the house, I will put it on for a few minutes, because I said I would," Flournoy told CBS News correspondent Steve Hartman.

"And he'll do what he says,” said his wife, Jeanie. “And after 45 years of marriage, I know that."

Indeed, for the last six years, Jeanie says her husband hasn't so much as looked at another tie - not since shortly after 9/11, when this Lufkin, Texas attorney announced to his Bible study group that he would wear this same American flag tie - every day - until Osama bin Laden was captured.

“Ioops,” Flournoy said. “Six years. That's a long time"

Of course, back then Flournoy had good reason to be optimistic.

"If he thinks he can hide, he will be sorely mistaken," President George W. Bush said in 2001.

But "dead or alive" soon gave way to "comme ci comme ca.”

"I don't know where he is, you know, I just don't spend that much time on him," Bush said at a press conference in the spring of 2002.

Flournoy isn't looking to blame anyone. He says the more pressing issue is the state of his tie, which over the years has gotten so deteriorated that he's had to cut out portions and have it remade. It's now half the size it was - too fragile to even tie. He attaches it with Velcro. In fact, the only thing thinner than his tie - is his patience.

"This is breaking news: I have asked the mayor if he can grant me a pardon, so to speak, from this promise that I made.”

“OK, before you go any further I have breaking news,” Hartman replied. “That's cheating.”

“I don't care.” Flournoy said. “What is the word? There's a word…"

“Surrender,” Hartman suggested.

“No!" cried Flournoy, laughing.

Fortunately for Flournoy, Hartman is not mayor.

"There's no question it is a health hazard," Mayor Jack Gordon said. "It's just time to end it."

This week, he signed the pardon and the tie will now hang in a public place for all to see. Hopefully Bin Laden won't be far behind.




© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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by whispyseas September 22, 2007 3:46 PM EDT

'' ... to keep their fathers safe, the girls banned naked get well feed world men at the trail crossings, and replaced them instead with dressed get sick tax world girls ... now they refuse to send their fathers to the trail crossings because they are not safe though, statistically, the men have better odds with the 90,000 at the area trail crossings than with the 300 in the girls own traveling troupes ... ''

'' ... hundreds millions sick beds, small bunches with hundreds and tens thousands folk rallied round fertilizing and watering museums of molecules and microbes that web together the swimming drifting dirts and trees and folk and such ... ''

'' ... the greatist generation gave way to the ******* ***********, investing trillions in votes and dollars to play biological chemical nightmare as they wage wars in the schools and offices of their own ''illegitmate'' war babies ... ''

'' ... china and india are so massive they have but to crank out a low cost knick knack each per day to sap every dollar from every economy in the world, non charity and taxation are finished ... ''
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by feelfree1 September 22, 2007 3:11 AM EDT

Re: "Indeed, for the last six years, Jeanie says her husband hasn''t so much as looked at another tie - not since shortly after 9/11, when this Lufkin, Texas attorney announced to his Bible study group that he would wear this same American flag tie - every day - until Osama bin Laden was captured."

What-A-Moron!
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