ORLANDO, Florida - Barack Obama has a message for John McCain: Stop suggesting I don’t put my country first.
Since returning from a trip to Hawaii, the Illinois senator has spent the past few days responding to attack ads from Arizona Sen. John McCain that have helped the Republican candidate in the polls.
On Tuesday he pushed back on the issue of patriotism during remarks before a veterans group, pounding McCain — who uses the slogan “country first” — for suggesting that Obama’s positions on foreign policy and the Iraq war were formed for political gain.
“I have never suggested, and never will, that Sen. McCain picks his positions on national security based on politics or personal ambition,” the Illinois senator said.
“I have not suggested it because I believe that he genuinely wants to serve America’s national interest. Now, it’s time for him to acknowledge that I want to do the same.”
Obama has consistently fought back against suggestions that he and his wife, Michelle, are not patriotic. He said again on Tuesday that he would not allow others to challenge that.
“Let me be clear: I will let no one question my love of this country,” he said. “I love America, so do you, and so does John McCain.”
Click here for more Reuters 2008 campaign coverage.
Photo credit: Reuters/Jim Young (Obama speaks at VFW conference in Florida)
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Barack Hussein Obama may the first candidate for the office of president of the United States who describes himself as a “Global Citizen”. He has not given any indication that being an American citizen has an intrinsic value to him. Not having military experience is the least of his deficits that include immaturity, inexperience, arrogance, and intellectual shallowness. In short, he lacks “gravitas”. Obama has not demonstrated that he has the character needed to govern this country wisely or the statesmanship needed to represent America in the global arena. He is the last person I would trust to make judicious decisions in a global crisis or to have access to America’s nuclear arsenal. I wonder how Obama would react to someone disturbing his breakfast, delaying his nap or interrupting his vacation respond to a national, or international, disaster.
Given his unique childhood and early life, Americans need to be assured that Obama
- Posted by sherryloves his country more than he craves the power of the office of president. Other than attack anyone who questions his “patriotism”, I have seen little in Obama’s behavior and verbiage that gives that assurance. On the contrary, Obama trashes this country regularly
and does so passionately. He doesn’t seem to comprehend that saluting the flag, wearing a flag pin on his lapel and having the American Flag, not his personal logo, on his campaign plane are small gestures that demonstrate that he is proud to associate himself with the US; that he wants to serve America as president not himself.
Gee….do I really think more than 2% of all politicians put country first? It is about self, not country. A country has become just a place to put oneself first.
- Posted by DianneSo much has been said about Senator McCain’s military experience ad is bing used as a part of his campaign. Senator McCain’s experience clearly shoes his patriotism. But his military experiences - being shot down as a Navy Pilot and thenserving as a prisoner of war for more than five years are not the type of military experience that are relevant to a US Commander-in-Chief. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was not a military pilot and he was not a prisoner of war but he led the United States to victory with the Allied Powers over the Axis Powers in World War II. That was why the US people elected hin the US President more than the two terms that was provided by US laws. The lack of military experience of Senator Barack Obama should not be held against him. President Dwight Eisenhower was not a military pilot and he was not a prisoner of war but he was a US Military General and he led the Allied Forces to Victory over the Axis Powers. That was why the US people elected him the US President. The military experiences of Senator McCain do not belong to the class of military experience of President Franklin D. Roosevelt aznd President Dwight Eisenhower.
Federico B. Santa Cruz
- Posted by Federico B. Santa CruzThe fact is that John McCain supported, and continues to support, the invasion of Iraq while Barack Obama did not. It’s a farce for anybody to equate patriotism with a belief in war which is certainly what John McCain and his brotherhood would have you believe. If John McCain really put his country first or had sound foreign policy judgement he would never have supported the invasion of Iraq. It seems to me that the person who is making comments about the Iraq war and foreign policy for poltical gain is none other than McCain.
- Posted by Tyler TylexObama should spend more time on the economy rather than taking offense over a person right to criticize.Obama has in recent weeks convinced me that he will do more harm to this country than BUSH did. The impression I get he would spend more time trying to convince the public that he was God’s give to the country than solving the serious problems that confront this country.I am a 45 year Democrat that will not vote for Obama.
- Posted by Leroy MacCormackTo me, a president’s love for their country in America means a strong love for all your countrymen and the Constitution which binds them all. That they are WIlling to forsake the world in the defense of Liberty, and Freedom for their countrymen. Willing to, at all costs, retain America’s sovereignty and independence from the temptations of the world. Willing to honor and believe in his fellow countrymen enough to allow them the freedom to truly set their own ways in their pursuit of happiness. Willing to resist the power afforded to them by their elected positions. Willing to ALWAYS work to seek the people’s approval and opinions on matters that direct the nations future and would not forcibly take from his neighbor to give to another. Willing to faithfully execute his oath…”I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.”
Those are a few examples of the type of things I wish were more inherent amongst our elected officials especially those seeking the executive office. I am overjoyed however this year to not have to pick the lesser of 2 evils(still evils). Instead I do get to cast a vote for a candidate that I can trust to live up to his oath. Dr. Ron Paul.
- Posted by JasonExactly. And let McCain say he disagrees. If he does, he is subject to the same criticism.
- Posted by Paul StewartThis is just silly - must be why it’s called the silly season. No matter how much Obama may not like being called unpatriotic, anyone and everyone has the right to question it. Period. That’s just how it is. The good Lord gave us all a brain to think and reason with, so we do make judgments and come to conclusions… and some are wiser than others, obviously.
Perhaps Obama’s time and energy would be better spent understanding why it’s so easy for McCain (and many, many others) to question his patriotism in today’s political climate. After all, McCain couldn’t get away with it if people weren’t already thinking the same thing. For someone who has invested so much into “fighting the smears,” it has not been very successful. Why?
- Posted by Somebody“Patriotism is the willingness to kill and be killed for trivial reasons.”
- Posted by beto– Bertrand Russell
I would have to question something about Obama, not sure I would call it Patriotism; I think one can define patriotism many ways.
I just notice the little oddities about Obama. During that recent faith interview that Obama and McCain spoke at, I noticed that when asked if there was evil in the world, his examples were Darfur, AMERICA’S Streets and AMERICAN parents abusing their children.
Why did he pick America as two of his examples of evil in the world? Islamic terrorism did not even get honorable mention!
- Posted by HeatherI think many people still question His Patriotism. After all He is someone who willingly sat in a church for 20 years listening to sermons filled with Hate.
- Posted by mimi362Hate for white people Hate for Jews Hate for Italians and worst of all Hate for the very America he wants to be President of- Are you kidding and he wants to know why people question him. I wouldn’t have listened to that kind of crap not even for one day, but he did and his angry wife Michelle did. Only when he was going for the Presidency did he decide to stop going to that church, otherwise I’m sure he would still be there.
I have heard in numerious conversations that Obama does not salute the U S flag, nor place his hand over his heart nor recite the national anthem while others are,
- Posted by Carl T. MasseyI find this hard to believe, can this be confirmed or not.
I doubt McCain will agree to acknowledge Obama on patriotism. McCain hasn’t run a respectful campaign about the issues (which he would lose), and isn’t about to start now.
- Posted by the big pictureI seen a hip McCain bumper sticker today
- Posted by notiit said ‘SENILITY RULES BRO”
I love seeing Obama fight back — this is what it takes to win an election: http://www.entertonement.com/collections /2249/Veterans-of-Foreign-Wars
- Posted by BaxterJThe bottom line: A higher percentage of American presidents have been assassinated while serving in office (4 of 43 — Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley, Kennedy) than died while in military service for America during any war. Simply being a serious contender for president provides an indication of an extreme form of patriotism to America. It is an extraordinarily dangerous job.
- Posted by ThorenWhy dO you need McCain to PROVE that? May be he is right.
- Posted by EmmaIt is treason to lose a war to win an election. If he really thinks Obama is a TRAITOR, he should have the guts to use the word.
- Posted by Chris WrothIf Obama cared about his patriotism he should not have sat in his church for 20 YEARS and listened to HATE about America!
- Posted by DEM now INDHe loves his country, but would still vote to deny the surge troops funding even knowing the successful result. Michelle Obama loves her country now that her husband is running for President. Obama loves his country so much that he listened to a racist pastor for years.
- Posted by Phil