were the hallmarks of US enemies during WW2. In contrast, Americans like to think of themselves as not being so easily manipulated by charlatans wrapping themselves in the flag.

Yet in 2002, Republican candidate Saxby Chambliss beat Senator Max Cleland over the head with the flag in the Georgia senatorial race. Despite having lost his limbs in Vietnam, Cleland was smeared by the Rovians as a buddy of bin Laden and Saddam Hussein.

Relying on what Scott Mclellan now calls "propaganda", the Bush admin sold the Iraq war to the American people by manipulating fear and feelings of patriotism. War critics were shouted down by the patriotically correct.

Liberals have to maintain a critical distance from this type of mob mentality, even at the risk of being called unpatriotic. Part of the success that Democrats have enjoyed since 2006 is that the American people have finally woke up to the fact that they were lied to and their patriotism was scammed. Tempest-in-a-teapot controversies over flag pins will not obscure this underlying fact.

Tempest-in-a-teapot controversies over flag pins will not obscure this underlying fact.

This is why he started wearing the flag pins again.