INDEPENDENCE, Mo., June 30, 2008
Obama Defends McCain's Military Service
Ill. Senator Also Touts His Own Patriotism In Missouri Speech
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Play CBS Video Video Obama Affirms Patriotism At a speech in Missouri, Barack Obama shot back at a smear campaign intended to cast doubt on his loyalty to the United States. Dean Reynolds reports.
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Photo Essay Barack Obama A look at the life and meteoric rise of the president-elect.
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Photo Essay John McCain Some call him a hero, some a maverick. Will Americans call him Mr. President?
However, he was forced to interrupt his Fourth of July week event - at Harry Truman's old home in Independence, Mo. - to respond to Republican rival John McCain's complaint that it was actually Obama and his campaign who were wrongly questioning the importance of McCain's military service.
McCain said that "that kind of thing is unnecessary," and the Obama camp agreed.
Obama praised McCain's service, and the Democratic candidate's spokesman rejected Sunday's remarks from a prominent supporter, retired Gen. Wesley Clark, who said McCain's years as a Vietnam War fighter pilot and prisoner of war did not necessarily qualify him to be commander in chief.
Although Obama did not rebuke Clark by name, aides repeatedly said that Clark did not speak on behalf of the campaign, reports CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic. Obama spokesman Bill Burton released the following statement: "As he's said many times before, Senator Obama honors and respects Senator McCain's service, and of course he rejects yesterday's statement by General Clark.”
As for his own patriotism, Obama said he chose Monday's topic in part because of questions raised during the presidential race so far, even though he had always considered his love of country a given, in fact his inspiration for running for office.
"I have found, for the first time, my patriotism challenged - at times as a result of my own carelessness, more often as a result of the desire by some to score political points and raise fears about who I am and what I stand for," he said before a crowd of a few hundred people at the Truman Memorial Building.
"I will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign, and I will not stand idly by when I hear others question mine," he said.
Obama plans to spend all week in the run-up to Friday's July Fourth holiday focusing on American values - choosing a different theme each day and traveling to a mix of battleground states, including Missouri, Ohio and Colorado, and traditional Republican strongholds such as North Dakota and Montana.
He is also beginning his first television advertising campaign of the general election season - all part of an attempt to define the first-term Illinois senator before Republicans do it for him.
Questions about his patriotism were raised during the Democratic nomination fight, and Obama started wearing a flag pin on his lapel in May in one attempt to answer them. Earlier in the campaign, when critics questioned why he didn't wear the pin - as many male politicians do - he said he had stopped after the 2001 terrorist attacks because he felt it had replaced "true patriotism" for some public officials.
Later, the pin on his lapel started showing up again. It was there Monday.
Other efforts to undermine his candidacy have included suggestions that he refuses to put his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance - an allegation his campaign has answered by linking his Web site to a C-SPAN video of Obama leading the pledge with his hand over his heart as he presides over the Senate.
As for the latest controversy involving McCain, Obama attempted to distance himself from Clark's remarks.
Patriotism "must, if it is to mean anything, involve the willingness to sacrifice," he said. "For those like John McCain who have endured physical torment in service to our country - no further proof of such sacrifice is necessary. ... And let me also add that no one should ever devalue that service, especially for the sake of a political campaign, and that goes for supporters on both sides."
The comment drew loud applause.
Separately, Obama spokesman Bill Burton said, "As he's said many times before, Senator Obama honors and respects Senator McCain's service, and of course he rejects yesterday's statement by General Clark." A campaign spokeswoman said praise for McCain was always planned to be a part of the speech - and that it took on particular resonance because of Clark's comment.
At a news conference in Harrisburg, Pa., McCain was asked about Clark's comments.
"I think that that kind of thing is unnecessary," McCain said. "I'm proud of my record of service, I have plenty of friends, leaders who will attest to that.
"The important thing is if that's the kind of campaign Senator Obama and his surrogates and supporters want to engage in, I understand that. But it doesn't reduce the price of gas by one penny. It doesn't achieve our energy independence or make it come any closer. Doesn't make any American stay in their home who's at risk of losing it today. And it certainly doesn't do anything to address the challenges Americans have in keeping their jobs, homes and supporting their families."
Obama used words and images to argue his own born-in-the-USA bona fides. He described one of his earliest memories, sitting on his grandfather's shoulders to watch astronauts come ashore in Hawaii, and recalled his grandmother's stories about working on a bomber assembly line during World War II. While living in Indonesia, he said his mother would read the first lines of the Declaration of Independence.
For the Missouri crowd, he quoted a favorite native son - Mark Twain - and drew a standing ovation.
"Patriotism is supporting your country all the time, and your government when it deserves it," he repeated Twain's quote. "We may hope that our leaders and our government stand up for our ideals, and there are many times in our history when that's occurred. But when our laws, our leaders or our government are out of alignment with our ideals, then the dissent of ordinary Americans may prove to be one of the truest expression of patriotism."
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See all 747 Commentspoltroon, craven, recreant, dastard, cur, wheyface, sneak, faintheart, mollycoddle, barrack, milksop, milquetoast, baby, shirker, deserter, bully, blusterer, weakling, panicmonger, scaramouch, alarmist, caitiff, pessimist, malingerer, obama, chicken, wimp, sissy
Posted by LibH8er at 07:54 AM : Jul 02, 2008
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If you had read it you would understand that there was no smear, only a media feeding frenzy and John McCain having another one of his hissy fits.
Hopefully the ''no child left behind program" is teaching people how to read and comprehend.
Wake up people, this is not what America''''s founders had in mind. Posted by RowdyWicca
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No, actually Obama is asking us to pay attention and get involved, he is asking us to listen to what he has to say, and to take some initiative to look up all of the specifics he has laid out in his "blueprint for America" for how he would like to implement change. In other words Obama is trying to help educate low information voters so they don''t have to keep repeating hate speech that they get from talk radio.
He is asking us to step up to the plate and take some responsibility for moving this country forward in a way that benefits us all (not just the top 1%, like McCains plans would do).
His latest is confusing Sudan with Somalia. There is a reason he graduated 894 out of 898 in the Naval Academy.
Do the Republicans have something against nominating somebody with some intelligence?
George H.W.Bush was the only Republican who had any intelligence (even though he is a crooked politician, who has learned how to live off the taxpayers)
Sorry Ubama.....your grimy fingerprints are all over this latest smear.
Obama plays the liberal to get MoveOn''s support, and rid himself of Hillary, and then moves so fast to the right that his media toadies and gullible supporters are getting whiplash.
He disdains actual policies and positions (he scornfully said that everyone has a 10-point plan). He expects people to vote only for him; not his positions, which are ever changing, not his support team, which are easily jettisoned when no longer useful, and not his accomplishments, which are nonexistent. We must vote only for him - and trust only him. He alone knows what is best for us (although you can guarantee that he has no clue what that is right now).
He said he is a blank slate on which others write their hopes. (Empty suit, much?)
How insane are his followers? Haven''t they ever heard of a cult of personality? Apparently not, because that is what Obama is asking us to put in place. No policies, no principles, just a messianic figure to adore and believe in. And, how well did that work in the past?
Wake up people, this is not what America''s founders had in mind. George Washington said he did not want to be king. Apparently, Obama has something else in mind.
That''s big of him.
U.s
http://unclesamurai.blogspot.com/
It''''s really funnt to hear Bush defenders talking about Democrats not possessing character or judgement.
It''''s even more pathetic than funny.
Posted by realpatriot1 at 11:09 AM : Jul 01, 2008,,,
Why not? Obama''s been lying through his teeth for a year and half now...and the democrats have been backing him up, along with big money and lobbyists...what exactly is your point?
The sad thing is Obama is running on character, that''s all he''s got...and he doesn''t even have that! Now street punk character, that he might have.
It''s really funnt to hear Bush defenders talking about Democrats not possessing character or judgement.
It''s even more pathetic than funny.
Posted by realpatriot1 at 11:09 AM : Jul 01, 2008,,,
The U.S. has a $9 trillion dollar plus National Deficit, a deficit doubled by Republicans and Pres. Bush submitted a budget with a deficit over 400 billion! We may need a 2 term Democratic administration whether we want one or not just to get our financial house in order again!, just to balance the budget again, just to pay down the National Debt! Based strictly on this one issue alone Republicans deserve a much needed timeout!!
Well, gee that''s good. At least he pledges allegiance to this country. Oh wait. He didn''t. He sat that one out.
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