Obama irritated by 'hand-over-heart' photo

[babylonsister]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/O/OBAMA_PHOTO?SITE=CONGRA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Obama irritated by Internet photo


BURLINGTON, Iowa (AP) -- Barack Obama complained on Wednesday about an Internet photo that claims the Democratic presidential candidate didn't hold his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance.

"This is so irritating," Obama said when asked about the photo in Muscatine, Iowa.

The photo, which has circulated widely on the Internet, was taken in September during Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin's annual Democratic fundraiser. A message accompanying the photo claims Obama didn't observe the pledge.

Obama said the photo was taken during the singing of the national anthem, not the pledge.

"My grandfather taught me how to say the Pledge of Allegiance when I was 2," Obama said, his annoyance obvious. "During the Pledge of Allegiance you put your hand over your heart. During the national anthem you sing."

A woman also asked Obama about the photo Tuesday night during a town hall meeting in Cedar Rapids, evoking a similar reaction.

"This is the classic dirty trick of the campaign," Obama said.

He added that he's often the target of anonymous criticism on the Internet.

"You've got e-mails saying I'm a Muslim plant trying to take over America," Obama said. "We've seen this before."

He advised the woman to tell the sender of the e-mail the real story.

"You don't have to curse them out, just tell them they've got their facts wrong," he said.

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. This is one of the things that makes me just not fucking care.

So many fucking real issues in the world, and assholes, shitwipes, and fuckbags are worried about who's wearing a goddamned flag pin and who isn't, who isn't worshiping the flag properly, who is or isn't singing loud enough, who's willing to take their oath of office on a Bible and who isn't...

For fucking Christ's sake, none of that shit matters.

IT DOESN'T FUCKING MATTER, YOU ASSHOLES!!

God, I hate this country sometimes.


If one of the Democratic or Republican candidates came out and stood up for Obama (and anyone else being maligned over shit that doesn't matter) said, "Shit like this is nonsense", they'd get my vote.

[ClarkUSA]

5. Hmmm, I wonder which campaign could possibly be behind this?

I have an inkling. It's dirty inside-the-beltway politics at its worst. Republicans aren't
the only ones who practice it.

[Rhiannon12866]

8. I agree with you and I saw the video of Obama with his hands clasped in front of him,

while the others at the Harkin Steak Fry had their hands over their heart. WTF?! What a silly thing to focus on when the world is falling down around our ears, day by day. I'm sure that Obama had a lot more on his mind that day than worrying about his hands or whether he was wearing some kind of flag pin. I read that he no longer wears one because he thinks that this is used as a substitute for real patriotism...

I agree, none of this crap matters, but reporting on this gives the MSM something to talk about rather than the actual issues and what is really at stake, this time around...:-(

[RC]

2. People are worried about a peaceful Muslim running the Government,

after a bunch of war criminals started 2 illegal wars, and drained the treasury and shredded the Constitution?


I stand corrected. (see below) I really don't care much what his religion is. Other than that, my comment still stands.

[NYCGirl]

4. Except there isn't a Muslim running in the primaries. NT

[tammywammy]

10. There's a Muslim running? Who?

[Rhiannon12866]

12. I was just going to ask that. Obama is a serious Christian, has discussed his faith and his church.

But I've also gotten those chain e-mails on the danger of electing a Muslim, and they were talking about Obama. I straightened them out pretty fast. It's on Snopes, as is the crap about his terrible faux pas during the national anthem...:eyes:

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/muslim.asp

[geek tragedy]

18. Holy shit. Such ignorance. n/t

[alteredstate]

38. No kidding.

[JTFrog]

40. To the extreme.

And how do you stand corrected and stand by your comment at the same time? :crazy:

[cboy4]

3. I don't blame him for being irritated. And he gained my

respect with his position on the flag pin.

I hope he stops holding his hand over his heart because that's a ridiculous practice also.

[polichick]

6. Oh good grief...

In a "free" country we should be able to stand on our heads during the Pledge or the Anthem.

[abq e streeter]

26. I always remove my cap for the national anthem when its played at a ballgame

for fear of some half drunk right wing jackass taking a swing at me. Probably a reasonable fear too. But that's OK...coerced patriotism is the purest kind , isn't it?

[polichick]

51. Lol, good move...

This morning I was reading in a little breakfast place and three men at the next table agreed that Obama would never be elected now that people knew he doesn't put his hand over his heart. I was tempted to talk to them about it, but they were quite elderly and I suspected they might be pretty set in their ways.

[Skip Intro]

7. Obama has his facts wrong: From Cornell University Law School

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode36/usc_sec_36_00000301----000-.html

LII / Legal Information Institute


(a) Designation.— The composition consisting of the words and music known as the Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem.

- - (b) Conduct During Playing.— During a rendition of the national anthem—

- - - (1) when the flag is displayed—

- - - - (A) all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart;

- - - - (B) men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold the headdress at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart; and

- - - - (C) individuals in uniform should give the military salute at the first note of the anthem and maintain that position until the last note; and

- - - (2) when the flag is not displayed, all present should face toward the music and act in the same manner they would if the flag were displayed.


---------------------

Not that I think it's a big deal either way - it should all be optional - but when he says someone else has the facts wrong, well, actually, he's the one who's got his facts wrong.

[cboy4]

9. Yawn. n/t

[Skip Intro]

11. hey, he brought up facts - I just looked 'em up to see

personally, it's his desire to put troops on "the right battlefields" that bothers me, I really don't care where he puts his hands...

[sandnsea]

13. I've never been taught that, not ever

I suspect most Americans haven't. I also cannot believe this is written in the US Code, how ridiculous. We probably don't practice it because it's too much like Nazi Germany.

[tammywammy]

15. It's okay, Bush never learned it either

[avrdream]

23. That's funny. Even the little girl beside him did better.

Good picture - I wonder what the f- he has his hand over.?

[Texas_Kat]

43. His heart.... it's just located in a different place than the rest of us

[tammywammy]

46. I can't take full credit

I've seen this same picture posted in the last few days. :) I do find it hilarious though.

[Rhiannon12866]

36. LOL!!! Priceless! He looks like he's in one of those Pepto Bismol ads!!!

:rofl:

At least Obama didn't look like he was about to :puke:

[tammywammy]

47. I didn't even think of that!

I was just wondering if Bush knew where a heart's supposed to be.

[MS Liberal]

14. Obama is too inexperienced.

This is a perfect example of why I am supporting Hillary. I find it hard to believe that someone running for President of the United States does not know to put his hand over his heart during the playing of the national anthem.

Better hope Hillary or Edwards calls him on the carpet for this so he can practice his comeback for the GOP incase we Democrats lose our minds and vote for him instead of Hillary.

[ClarkUSA]

17. I'm more concerned about the judgment of someone who votes for IWR and Kyl-Lieberman.

But that's just me.

[CyberPieHole]

29. What was Obama's vote on Kyl-Lieberman? Oh, yeah...HE FAILED TO VOTE!

That's how important the issue was to him. He couldn't be bothered. Note to Obama: Voting is part of the job description for a U.S. Senator.

[Rhiannon12866]

37. And he wasn't yet in the Senate when they voted on IWR. n/t

[cboy4]

19. This is a perfect example? Perfect? You have got to

be kidding me.

Who gives a rat's ass whether he puts his hand over his heart during the national anthem.

But you go ahead and support America's Hand over the Heart during the National Anthem candidate, Hillary Clinton. :eyes:

[alteredstate]

30. Yep!

[sandnsea]

20. If this is why you support Hillary

then that explains the trouble the country is in.

[Colobo]

22. That's ridiculous.

[JTFrog]

39. I find it hard to believe that

someone running for POTUS does not know better than to trust G.W. Bush. And apparently unable to learn from a mistake that has costs thousands of American lives and over a million Iraqi lives, she comes out swinging for the Kyl-Lieberman amendment.

How many lives were lost because Obama did or didn't put his hand over his heart at the right time?

I find your priorities a bit out of balance.

[beaconess]

16. That's not what I was taught . . .

We were taught to face the singer . . .

But nevertheless, if that IS the rule that everyone is supposed to obey during the National Anthem in order to demonstrate that they really do love Amurca, everyone in the photo that is being used against Obama is wrong - since they ALL have their backs to the flag. In fact, considering they all do have their backs to the flag, Obama is the only one whose physical affect is appropriate - everyone is apparently facing the singer, but he's the only one who is not saluting him/her.

[obamian]

21. It says should not must, so it is optional. And no one was facing the flag in the photo.

[obamian]

25. Also, none of the candidates have their hands over their hearts.

Their hands are over their left breast and their wrists are over their hearts.

[Skip Intro]

33. Where are Obama's hands?

[Rhiannon12866]

35. Clasped in front of him, as they are in most pix of him...

Holy national anthem, Batman! This must mean he's a terrorist!!!:eyes:

He says that sometimes he puts his hand over his heart, sometimes he doesn't... This whole stupid non-story is on Snopes, a tempest in a teapot:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/anthem.asp

[iverglas]

28. snopes cites that, and has video

http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/anthem.asp

I'm not seeing Edwards's hand, either, but he's at just the angle where it just might be up there.

Obama does appear to be singing, in mid clip where he bends a little, and at the end. (Who the hell was the screeching banshee doing the job at the microphone??)

As a foreigner, I'm just gobsmacked that there's a law telling you what you're supposed to do when the national anthem is played. I guess there is no sentence attached to violations ... they'd be having to let all the pot smokers out of the prisons to make room.

[alteredstate]

31. Here ya go!

[iverglas]

32. yes, what a lovely picture

I'm not sure why you're showing it to me ...

Anthem, or pledge?

Snopes has video of anthem, and no hand.

I don't actually give a crap. I'm a foreigner, as I said, and I find the whole hand-on-heart deal just plain icky.

[cboy4]

34. I'm a citizen and I also "find the whole hand-on-heart

deal just plain icky."

[AtomicKitten]

24. This kind of wingnut 'gotcha' nonsense needs to be dealt with

quickly and decisively, and good for Obama for calling BS on it.

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

27. Speaking as someone who quite dislikes Obama... This is the dumbest fake controversy of 2007

This makes Edwards' haircut and Hillary's laugh look like Watergate.

[Bake]

41. The moral of the story: don't screw up on the little stuff.

If you want to be President, don't screw up on the little stuff. Put your hand over your heart for the National Anthem. Don't give the other side something to make a negative ad out of.

Obama can be irritated all he wants. Fact is, he screwed up and he got caught. Was it trivial? Maybe. But he shouldn't have screwed up in the first place. That should just be AUTOMATIC.

Bake

[rinsd]

42. Its a lame attack they are hoping to couple with their even lamer flag pin attack (nt)

[tammywammy]

44. Agreed

It's just silly.

[oasis]

45. Obama's "too cool" to wear "the flag" on his lapel and all that other dumb stuff.

B-)

[NewHampster]

48. Think he's Irritated now. Just imagine how he'd whine in a general

against Rove and the boys.

Strong experienced fighters don't get irritated. They expect the blow and always have a counter ready.

[NYCGirl]

49. At least he's not sending his spouse out to compare this to swiftboating. NT

[NewHampster]

50. He did not say that

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3696304

[CyberPieHole]

52. No fan of Obama here...but Obama's patriotism should NOT be in question...

The "hand over heart" thing is complete trash. Obama has a right to be pissed...it is disgusting to attack him for this. We all know what the insidious implication is: He's not one of US. Shameful! In this instance I say, GObama!

:kick: