That Woman Who Cares About Flag Lapel Pins

This woman FIRST appeared in a New York Times story and now she shows up to ask a question on ABC's nationally televised debate. Coincidence? I think NOT. ABC obviously sought this woman out in order to have her ask Obama about flag lapel pins, a fake issue if there ever was one. Yesterday we found out that Stephanopolous got one of his questions from rightwing world's Sean Hannity. What new revelations about ABC's disgusting tactics will we find out about tomorrow?

Well, that is why Republicans win elections.

This woman shouldn't be so bitter and cling to issues such as FLAG PINS!

Running for the top position in government is pretty patriotic too me!!

Oh, geevil, you're just so sad.

There's nothing unpatriotic about not wearing a flag pin, and there's nothing particularly patriotic about it, either -- particularly for politicians for some of whom it seems to have become an accessory that is not matched by their own voting/policy history.

An individual's vote is certainly subject to many different factors. For some of us, we put a great deal of thought into our vote, looking at many issues and following things closely for many months.

For other, the vote may come down to one issue: whether they wear a flag pin; the color of their skin; their gender; their eye color; the color of their hair... I could go on and on.

It' unfortunate that this woman, who has so many reasons to want change in Washington and PA, has clung to the flag issue as the turning point for her vote.

Should the MSM be giving her "15 minutes of fame"? I wonder! What will the rest of us learn from this?

Obama 2008 -- Yes, WE CAN!!!

This is not a Christian nation.

It may say it is, but it isn't. Sorry -the bar is pretty high to give yourself that title, requires not supporting torture or capital punishment. Or similar, un-Christ like teachings.

Sorry!

I think it is silly. People want to play a game of "I'm the most patriotic". "I'm the most Christian". Silly and really we have bigger fish to fry.

And let me address the point that is surely coming from the Republicans and Hillary supporters - that, as an Obama supporter, I am an elitist.

I will just say that I live my life and make personal and family decisions based on what impacts me. I vote for people who will get things done that will impact me favorably.

I concentrate on what matters and generally make good decisions. Ms. McCabe concerns herself with trivia, votes against her interests, and makes bad decisions. And that is why I am where I am, and why she is where she is. She's in debt, on welfare, a total charity case who unable AND unwilling to work (no Burger King in Latrobe?).

I am happy to pay the taxes that enable her to carry on. But it is tough to know that this woman is an enemny of many of my core interests, and uses the money that we taxpayers GIVE to her to stick her face in front of every camera or microphone in the state.

I know there is a Wendy's in Latrobe.

I too am wondering why the imprtance of a lapel pin? Do you see all people that go to church wearing a cross, that does not mean they are not Christians. I think we have taken the important issues off the table and need to get down to the business of who will be the best president and I choose Obama. The republicans just care about them selves. Ask Hillary about her picture with the Rev.Wright. She will come up with some story like the Bosnia deal. Or ask her about whitewater.As a Christian nation I think we should start acting like one.

From Talking Points Memo

Well, it turns out TPM Reader JL did give it some thought. And he came up with something very interesting (see JL's post at the DrexelDems blog). He did a little googling and found out Nash is pretty popular with the traveling press now in Pennsylvania. It turns out McCabe was featured in an April 4th story in the Times which begins like this ...

Ask whom she might vote for in the coming presidential primary election and Nash McCabe, 52, seems almost relieved to be able to unpack the dossier she has been collecting in her head.
It is not about whom she likes, but more a bill of particulars about why she cannot vote for Senator Barack Obama of Illinois.

"How can I vote for a president who won't wear a flag pin?" Mrs. McCabe, a recently unemployed clerk typist, said in a booth at the Valley Dairy luncheonette in this quiet, small city in western Pennsylvania.

Mr. Obama has said patriotism is about ideas, not flag pins.

"I watch him on TV," Mrs. McCabe said. "I keep looking for that lapel pin."

Now, it does seem like McCabe is not a fan of Sen. Obama's. And I think we can assume that it's not a coincidence that McCabe managed to show up featured in the Times and also as the sole outside questioner in the ABC debate. Presumably, a researcher for ABC or Gibson saw the piece in the Times, figured, hey, this lady hates Obama and is seriously ginned up about the lapel issue. Let's send a camera crew and film her slamming Obama to his face. It'll be great in the debate.

If you have on two flag lapel pins, does that make you twice the American? Just a thought. Can not believe this is an issue with the shape the United States is in!!

Eloquently put Marie. I guess I've run out of sympathy. Her comportment, both on TV and in the NY Times, showed an aggressive perspective on her part. I'm tired of coddling and cajoling. It's not nice, but she's stupid. She's a grown woman who is free to make her own decisions. In this instance, her decision was bereft of thought.

The vote GOP til they die. Always have, always will. Ever since the Union Hall got replaced by the evangelical church as the center of their towns.

These people know the GOP screws them, but they vote for them because they equate Democrats with cities and...gasp...black people.

Those are the dynamics of this state - I have lived here all my life.

They see Democrats and cities as havens for black welfare recipients, who take all their taxes.

Amazingly, this attitude persists - even now that a lot of these people no longer hold down any jobs at all and pay no taxes. They are OK taking welfare, they just don't want to pay taxes to fuind such relief efforts.

In sum, they want a free ride. As long as black people aren't allowed on it.

How very Republican!

These people have been left behind, and that is sad. But they were complicit in their own demise.

This proves Obama's point. Here, you have someone who was forgotten by the government, and what does she worry about? A flag lapel. This is what the Lee Atwaters and Karl Roves done to people.

I truly have deep sympathy for Mrs. McCabe and her husband. She is one of the 'bitter' people Obama was talking about, & her full story makes it clear why she has a right to be bitter.

She has been ignored by the current administration & she was ignored by the Clinton administration. This is a woman who should be desperate for change -- anybody but the teams of phonies who allowed her to slip into her hard times.

Unfortunately, just as Obama implied, Mrs. McCabe has let her bitterness cause her to displace her own interests & focus on a totally inconsequential dress code, a code which, by the way, neither Obama's primary opponent nor his inquisitors abided by either.

Nobody knows if Obama will really be able to deliver for people like Mrs. McCabe, but one thing experience has taught us: McCain & Clinton definitely will not. Both McCain & Clinton have proved they forget all about the Mrs. McCabes after the election is over. (Clinton's record for 'helping' New York state is abysmal.)

Mrs. McCabe's fears have turned her into a catatonic voter -- one who knows the old guard won't work for her but is afraid to try a new one that might. I hope her friends & neighbors can explain this to her, because she needs help, not snide or belittling remarks.

Obama is making fun of a voter when she asked her question. I guess he makes fun of all voters that might question him, if he does not like the question. Reminds me of Georgie Bushie.

As a Pennsylvania tax payer who has been bank-rolling this woman and her husband's life since neither hold down jobs, I have to tell you I am thrilled to have her asking about the pin.

Because why would someone who is no doubt deep in debt because of medical bills, who is unemployed, and who has no hope of a better life care about things like health care or jobs.

She doesn't care because she is making me pay for it all.

And ABC actively sought her out for the "random question" since she has been featured in other media commenting on this same issue. I guess she has plenty of time to comment on nonsense since she doesn't work.

Ya gotta have pride to be a Republican!

Nobody has explained how the wearing of an artifact, a piece of jewelry, provides insight into how someone will govern this country. I'm not attacking this lady because I'm an Obama supporter, I'm attacking her because I'm a supporter for rational intelligence and I want America to be a country of rational and intelligent people. We seem determined to NOT be that. As I said, her question provided NO illumination about how HER life would be impacted by an Obama presidency. Patriotism is about acts, not symbols. She could've asked: "Senator Obama, can you explain the actions you've taken over your career that demonstrate your love of this country and your patriotism?" That is clearly a more intelligent question that would yield more useful information.

Flag pin? Why is this a salient question in a presidential debate? Why are we distracted by a fashion accessory when there are substantive issues that go begging? Indeed, whence the criteria for a flag pin determining one's patriotism?

In that first 40 minutes ABC reached a new nadir in presidential debates.

It was Senator Obama that started this issue. This lady, a citizen wanted to know why.
Some people deserve to wear flag pins, some do not.