The debate this evening on ABC really was a disgrace, or at least the first 40 minutes of it or so. Stephanpolis and Gibson spent the first half of the debate throwing right-wing talking points at Obama, which is not surprising considering that Stephanopolis got his questions from Sean Hannity.
Given this environment, I wasn’t surprised to read this on Snopes:
Obama Explains Stance on National Anthem
Hot on the heels for why he no longer wears a flag pin, Barack Obama was forced to explain why he doesn’t follow protocol when the National Anthem is played.
According to the United States Code, Title 36, Chapter 10, Sec. 171, during the rendition of the national anthem, when the flag is displayed, all present, except those in uniform are expected to stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart.
‘As I’ve said about the flag pin, I don’t want to be perceived as taking sides,’ Obama said. ‘There are a lot of people in the world to whom the American flag is a symbol of oppression. The anthem itself conveys a war-like message. You know, the bombs bursting in air and all. It should be swapped for something less parochial and less bellicose. I like the song ‘I’d like to teach the world to sing.’ If that were the anthem, then I might salute it.
We all know this shit is out there and we know that it’s false.
I mean, there are people stupid enough to think a lot of things about Obama. Last I heard, he was a black militant Muslim with a radical Christian preacher who hates his white mother and grandparents and who leaves his shopping carts in parking places at the supermarket. Oh, and he smokes, too.
When Obama is the nominee, these attacks will become even worse when the 527s attack him for having had a lesbian affair with Bea Arthur.
That’s why we need to get in the habit of refuting that BS now, no matter where it comes from, be it Aunt Millie, John McCain, or George Stephanopolis. It’s OK to disagree with Obama on policy issues, and attack him about things that are true, but making up lies is just not acceptable.
We can and we must.
Blog de Ford 
The striking thing about Obama is that after all this time all they’ve got is made up shit. There’s more genuine stuff they can hold against Clinton and McCain – well, if only they wanted to there are some huge issues. If Obama being in the same room with someone who was part of Weatherman in the 60’s is an issue, what do you call McCain being part of the Keating Five? I mean…holy corruption, Batman. That doesn’t mean that the not so subtle playing to race based fears won’t work. It could. But it is a testament to the man that that’s all they’ve got.
So, those questions came from Sean Hannity? I was thinking National Enquirer! And, I’m with zenyata … I’ve been utterly befuddled at the lack of any metion of the Keating 5 scandal. I guess they’re too busy talking about the many ways in which McCain is a “Maverick!” Except he’s not …
With the exception of the lunatics at Fox News, I’m usually skeptical of claims of bias in the media. But the hands-off attitude the media take toward John McCain is so evident as to nearly defy belief. No mention of the Keating Five. The only negative story on him (unless you count Cindy McCain stealing recipes from the Food Network and labeling them as McCain family recipes…) was the NYT piece in which he was accused of adultery. The story itself, in my opinion, was weak. But the most telling thing was the manner in which it was published – the NYT held the story for months – months!! – releasing it only after the Repub primary was decided. Their own public editor called them out on it the following Sunday. How in the world can you explain sitting on a story for months, only to release after a primary is decided, other than you are trying to help McCain??
And the media have failed in properly vetting Mrs. Clinton. What has her husband been up to since he left office? I don’t care if you are a former president – making $109,000,000 in 6 years is tough. The media didn’t even vet the Clintons during the first Clinton administration – they let the right win attack machine do it and merely reported those findings.
Add all that to this so-called debate, and it’s enough to make one sick.
I think McCain is getting a free ride right now simply because the Democrats are consuming all the oxygen. By September, the real McCain will be revealed…or at least that’s my hope.
How can they NOT cover McCain’s role in the Keating 5 case or his temper?
Unless they won’t.