Obama's Patriotism
It seems to me that Obama interprets patriotism not that differently from Joe Klein--or perhaps Klein has created a new definition of patriotism that better suits this particular Democratic candidate. Either way, in this view patriotism hinges on a general optimism about the power of government to fix all of our problems. From a speech Obama gave in Montana this weekend:
That is the country I love. That is the promise of America. And in this election, if we can shed our cynicism and our doubts and our fears; if we remember that we rise or fall as one people, and that we can meet any challenge that comes our way if we meet it together, then I believe that this generation will do its part to perfect our union and keep our promise alive in the twenty-first century. Good night, God Bless, and as they say here in Butte, “tap ‘er light.â€
Again, Obama believes government can do anything...except secure victory, stability, and democracy in Iraq. To believe that the government could do that is false patriotism, like wearing a lapel pin.

