Republican Inhofe Assails Obama's "Love of Country"

Senator James "Ice Age" Inhofe (R-OK), who has made a fool out of himself many times on the Senate floor by denying the existence of climate change -- calling global warming a creation of "the media, Hollywood elites and our pop culture" -- is at it again with a different kind of outrageous statement.

Speaking to Oklahoma delegates at the Republican National Convention last week, Inhofe gave his guarantee that the GOP's presidential nominee, John McCain, would win in November and said it would be because voters don't believe Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is a true patriot.

"Do you really want to have a guy as commander in chief of this country when you can question whether or not he really loves his country?" said Inhofe. "That's the big question.''

The Obama camp responded rapidly.

"Senator Obama won't let anyone question his love of this country," said Obama spokeswoman Shannon Gilson. "Challenging your opponent's patriotism to win an election is the type of cynical partisan politics Americans are tired of."

Inhofe issued a statement to clarify his position but then simply reinforced his repulsive point by saying Americans should worry that Obama has at times actually had the nerve to wear a suit without the ubiquitous American flag pin on the lapel.

The Oklahoma Republican claimed he was "not questioning Obama's patriotism" but then said "You have to question why at times he seems so obviously opposed to public displays of patriotism and national pride, like wearing an American flag lapel pin."

As a Veteran who was "patriotic" enough to serve my country in uniform, I can tell you that I have never felt the need to express my love of country by the rote action of wearing a dime-store flag pin on my chest. I'm sure Senator Obama feels the same way, preferring instead to actually help his country by volunteering to register voters and assisting Americans in need when he could easily have made ten times more money in private business.

This isn’t the first time that Inhofe has exemplified the sorriest aspects of the Republican party but he is up for reelection this year. Please visit the Act Blue page of his Democratic opponent, Andrew Rice and, if you can, throw in a few bucks to help unseat this disgrace to the U.S. Senate.