Last fall in Iowa on why he would not wear a flag pin of "Old Glory":
"You know, the truth is that right after 9/11, I had a pin. Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we’re talking about the Iraq war, that became a substitute for, I think, true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security, I decided I won’t wear that pin on my chest; instead I’m gonna try to tell the American people what I believe will make this country great, and hopefully that will be a testimony to my patriotism.”
On ABC's Nightline in March of 2008:
"The African-American community is much more familiar with some of the darker aspects of American life and American history. I think that they understand America much less as a marching band playing, you know, John Philip Sousa. They understand America much more as a jazz composition with blue notes, and I think those are different things"
( I Love the Boston Pops playing John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Striped Forever" on the 4th of July)June 30, 2008:
One of my earliest memories is of sitting on my grandfather’s shoulders and watching the astronauts come to shore in Hawaii. I remember the cheers and small flags that people waved, and my grandfather explaining how we Americans could do anything we set our minds to do. That’s my idea of America."
(Flag pin appears)************WHAT DOES HE REALLY BELIEVE?***********
UPDATE: Check out Jonah Goldberg's column about Obama and patriotism and Obama's belief the when talking about America the cup is half empty by clicking on the title above for a link. A short quote from the column:
"
Obama went on to say that he will "remake" the country. Well, what if you don't want it remade? And Michelle Obama — who believes America is "downright mean" and is proud of America for the first time because of her husband's success — insists that Barack will make you "work" for change and that he will "demand that you, too, be different." What if you don't want to work for Obama's change? What if you don't want to be "different"?"
