Hillary Clinton -- and really, everybody -- has found it difficult to criticize her "friend" Barack Obama. But rabid Republican bullies have (finally!) found a little something negative they can pile into the Swift Boat, docked as it is, waiting to be called to serve.
Just how might they attack the adored and gifted orator with an alarming amount of political party cross-over appeal?
They're questioning his patriotism.
Now, examining Obama's love for the U.S. isn't new. Over the summer, a picture of him without his hand over his heart started rumors (detractors claimed it was during the Pledge of Allegiance; in actuality, it was during the National Anthem wear hand/heart coverage is optional). Then it was noted that during the run-up to the Iraq war, Obama stopped wearing American flag label pins ("a substitute for, I think, true patriotism," he said.). There was also a brief detour into calling the avowed Christian a Muslim (which, for religious conservatives, IS like calling someone un-American). But that was finally settled at a debate in January.
Then, oops!, his wife Michelle went and said something about being proud of the U.S. for the first time in her life, a statement that was plucked from its context and plunked down into a small but growing collection of negative material against Obama -- for use this fall if/when he is the Democratic nominee.
Obama will be running against a former POW and decorated war veteran, a fact that we'll no doubt hear endlessly. But Political Nanny would not be surprised to see this gifted orator turn any patriot games into a heartfelt, emotionally inspiring call for all of us to love not just America, but Americans!, a little more and a lot less conditionally. There will be swooning and donations and an opponent who will look older, meaner, petty and perhaps seriously out of touch.
McCain, Political Nanny doesn't mind the squabbling, but you might not want to go exactly there.
