Hooray for the Red, White, and Blue!

With the end of the Democratic primary (at last), Barak Obama can turn his full attention to a mission of several parts. First, he must bring as many of the Hillary supporters into his column as possible because he will need every one of them. He must also make clear and distinct his agenda regarding Iraq, energy costs, the economy, and domestic policy. He must screen and select, very carefully, a running mate. Among his other missions will be to carefully coat himself with Teflon so that the tar about to be hurled at him does not stick.

It is now a standard weapon in the Republican political arsenal to smear and belittle opponents, and always and everywhere to question their patriotism. The slander thrown at John Kerry four years ago was so beyond the pale that it now gives its name to the tactic: "swift-boating." I am aware as all Americans surely must be that John McCain served his country and loves it deeply. I respect McCain for his courage in acting as the leader of American POW's in the infamous "Hanoi Hilton," during which time he was brutalized, injured, and half-starved.

I am the proud son-in-law of a former POW. So, I admire this part of McCain's service more than I can adequately express. But even so, this aspect of John McCain's resume does not make him more qualified to be President than anyone else. One could even argue - albeit somewhat cynically - that psychologically McCain could never keep those POW years from severely clouding his judgment on other similar matters in the future.

Obama isn't a service veteran. Neither was Franklin D. Roosevelt. The test in the election ought to be presence of one's vision for the nation -- a vision of decency and progress that has been virtually non-existent for the past eight long and sad years.

But rest assured that every Republican speech shown on CNN will be cast in front of that "wall" of American flags first displayed in such gaudy abundance during the Reagan years. Flag lapel pins will be made an issue. Whether one sings the anthem well or with hand over heart will receive more than its due attention. Whether one owns a gun or not will be turned into yet another idiotic "test" as to whether, not how, a citizen loves the country or not. The Republicans will once again wrap themselves in the flag as they did four years ago; they will hope that Americans will simply be too distracted, or stupid, to notice the ruse.