Who owns patriotism?

While the Pepsi Center in Denver echoes with phrases like “love of country” and “only in America,” and a liberal group claims 75 percent of respondents objecting to “cheap and empty” displays of patriotism, Washington Independent blogger Ari Melber points out that the Republican tactics questioning Barack Obama’s patriotism have largely succeeded. His conclusion:

Obama could drape himself in an American flag like Rocky and change his middle name to “America,” but as long as the media faithfully repeats and seriously covers Republican lies about his patriotic credentials, you can bet manipulative patriotism tricks will remain a big part of modern campaigns.

Jefferson Morley is the national editorial director of the Center for Independent Media. A veteran Washington journalist, he wrote the World Opinion Roundup column for washingtonpost.com from 2001-2006. He also worked as an editor and reporter at The Washington Post from 1992 to 2000. He is the author of "Our Man in Mexico: Winston Scott and the Hidden History of the CIA" published in 2008 by the University Press of Kansas.

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