Biden, Palin, Pelosi and Patriotism

CNN reports on a back-and-forth involving Gov. Palin and Sen. Biden. Give it a look and then look also below the star line where Speaker Nancy Pelosi and I say a few things.

CNN begins - - -

Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden ripped into recent comments by his Republican counterpart that suggested that some places in the U.S. are more "pro-America" than others.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told a fundraiser in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Thursday night:

"We believe that the best of America is in the small towns that we get to visit, and in the wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard-working, very patriotic, very pro-America areas of this great nation," she said.

"This is where we find the kindness and the goodness and the courage of everyday Americans," Palin added.

On Friday, Palin clarified her comments.

"It's all pro-America. I was just reinforcing the fact that there, where I was, there's good patriotic people there in these rallies, so excited about positive change and reform of government that's coming that they are so appreciative of hearing our message, hearing our plan. Not any one area of America is more pro-America patriotically than others," she said.

At a rally in Mesilla, New Mexico, on Friday, Biden responded to those comments in a vociferous tone.

"I hope it was just a slip on her part and she doesn't really mean it. But she said, it was reported she said, that she likes to visit, 'pro-American' parts of the country," he said to loud boos.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin told a fundraiser in Greensboro, North Carolina, on Thursday night:

"We believe that the best of America is in the small towns that we get to visit, and in the wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard-working, very patriotic, very pro-America areas of this great nation," she said.

"This is where we find the kindness and the goodness and the courage of everyday Americans," Palin added.

On Friday, Palin clarified her comments.

"It's all pro-America. I was just reinforcing the fact that there, where I was, there's good patriotic people there in these rallies, so excited about positive change and reform of government that's coming that they are so appreciative of hearing our message, hearing our plan. Not any one area of America is more pro-America patriotically than others," she said.

At a rally in Mesilla, New Mexico, on Friday, Biden responded to those comments in a vociferous tone.

"I hope it was just a slip on her part and she doesn't really mean it. But she said, it was reported she said, that she likes to visit, 'pro-American' parts of the country," he said to loud boos.

"It doesn't matter where you live, we all love this country, and I hope it gets through. We all love this country," he said. "We are one nation, under God, indivisible. We are all patriotic. We all love our country in every part of this nation! And I'm tired. I am tired, tired, tired, tired of the implications about patriotism." "It doesn't matter where you live, we all love this country, and I hope it gets through. We all love this country," he said. "We are one nation, under God, indivisible. We are all patriotic. We all love our country in every part of this nation! And I'm tired. I am tired, tired, tired, tired of the implications about patriotism." ...

The entire CNN story's here.

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Comments:

Let’s hope CNN got the Palin-Biden exchanges right.

Now to Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi who recently said House Republicans were “unpatriotic” for not attending a meeting on the $700 billion bailout package.

Turns out they hadn’t even been invited. (You can read more and view a video clip of the news conference at which Pelosi called the Republicans “unpatriotic” here.)

Even if the Republicans had been invited and boycotted the meeting for some reason, say lack of proper notice or failure to agree beforehand on an agenda, would Pelosi have been justified in calling the Republicans “unpatriotic?”

I don’t think so.

I'm sorry I can’t tell you what Sen. Biden or any other top Democrat, including Sen. Obama, thought of Pelosi's “unpatriotic” remark because I can't find any news report of any top Dem speaking out and criticizing Pelosi.

And, of course, the Dem news organizations such as the NY and LA Times, NPR, WaPo and the Raleigh N&O have said nothing I could find either, although they’ve all reported often on anything President-presumptive Barack Obama perceives to be an aspersion of his patriotism.

It’s the old double standard, folks.

Last thought: Biden was blathering when he said, "We all love this country."

I wish that was true, but it's not.

There isn't much point pretending it is unless you're hustling voters.

Hat tip: BN