Former Democratic Senator and presidential candidate Gary Hart suggests that all supporters of Barack Obama could now “prove” that they are “just as patriotic as anyone on the right” by starting to wear flag pins. It’s got to be his best idea since deciding to take a trip on the Hanky Panky during the 1988 presidential campaign.
A number of the commenters at his blog entry on The Huffington Post rightly take offense at the suggestion. After all, who is it supposed to convince? And since when does flag-waging (or flag-sticking) prove anyone’s actual patriotism? Wouldn’t it just play into the idea that you weren’t patriotic if, say, your flag pin fell off that day?
Perhaps Hart has some investments in a flag pin factory or something….