Saturday, May 17, 2008
Flag Pin Does Not A Patriot Make
Barack Obama Caved In * Cherie Blair and Foreplay in a No.74 Bus
Obama went down a notch in my books by appearing with a flag pin on his lapel. His previous position on wearing of flag pins was not an important factor in my decision to support him, but it made me respect him all the more.
In his own words:
- “This is an issue that is a phony issue because I was never opposed to wearing flag pins.”
- He said giving up the flag pin in the first place was a commentary on hypocritical lawmakers. (Reuters Blogs)
Perhaps the number of voters to whom the wearing of flag pins is important is large enough for Barack Obama to adopt the prop. It is nothing but a prop. Perhaps he did it just as a mark of respect for the veteran who handed him the pin. His action makes it clear that Obama,too, stands ready to make compromises. It is a sad reflection on Obama and the voters.
Think of politicians who almost religiously wear flag pins, and their records. Not all of them are Republicans but Republicans have a habit of grandstanding about trivial issues. Remember former Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert and his cronies strutting out of the Capitol building in March 2003 to declare before TV cameras that french fries in the House cafetaria would be listed as "Freedom Fries". Why? Because France declined to join the coalition in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Hastert is gone and so are freedom fries; they are now listed as french fries. Bunch of oafs.
Cherie Blair - Anything for Money
Cherie Blair, wife of the former British prime minister, recently got a lot of publicity about her tell all book, Speaking for Myself, which includes details of a ride on the top deck of a bus that made some critics talk about the book as a 'bodice ripper'. No airhead, this woman. A barrister, QC, no less. One wonders what made her write such a tawdry book. Money? Tony Blair now being on the lecture circuit that ought to provide good income for the Blairs. Perhaps they want to outdo the Clintons.
In view of his all-out support for Bush's war -- "Bush's poodle" was the unflattering term used for Blair -- it is interesting to read what Cherie Blair wrote about prime minister Blair's reaction to the news about Bush's victory in 2000.
Tony Blair's 'heart sank' when George Bush was elected US president in 2000, his wife, Cherie claims in her new book. The former prime minister's wife reveals that the Blairs had become friendly with Al Gore, the Democratic candidate, and his wife on visits to Washington, and were disappointed when Bush was declared president."I think it's fair to say our hearts sank when the result was finally ratified," she wrote in her memoir. |
The book makes no mention of what later caused the epiphany in Blair. It was reported that they prayed together during Blair's vist with Bush. Think of this scenario. Bush and Blair were down on their knees, praying, when god whispered in Tony's ear to join in the battle against the evil ones. God meant the neocons but Tony thought he meant Saddam Hussein and Iraqis with non-existent WMD. And so it goes.
