'I Decided I Won't Wear That Pin On My Chest'

That pin, of course, is the American flag.

"The truth is that right after 9/11 I had a pin," Obama said. "Shortly after 9/11, particularly because as we're talking about the Iraq war, that became a substitute for I think true patriotism, which is speaking out on issues that are of importance to our national security.

"I decided I won't wear that pin on my chest," he said in the interview. "Instead, I'm going to try to tell the American people what I believe will make this country great, and hopefully that will be a testament to my patriotism."

That was last October. So, Messiah, what's changed between then and now?

Probably the exposure of his cadre of anti-American pals (see Wright, Jeremiah and Ayers, William).

So now seemingly every photo op has him surrounded by that same flag he disdained nine months ago and he's busy shedding every anti-American group that's supported him.

Barack Obama yesterday landed a right hook on one of his biggest left-wing supporters yesterday - blasting MoveOn.org for labeling Gen. David Petraeus "General Betray Us."

Obama, in a patriotism speech in Independence, Mo., hit the Web site for taking out an ad in The New York Times last year that targeted Petraeus, then the top US commander in Iraq.

While not naming names, the Democratic presidential candidate - who had been heavily supported by the Web site in his primary race - said, "A general providing his best counsel on how to move forward in Iraq was accused of betrayal.

"We can no longer afford these sorts of divisions."

But when it came time to condemn MoveOn last fall, Mr. Flag was nowhere to be found.

"Throughout my life, I have always taken my deep and abiding love for this country as a given," said Obama, sporting a shiny flag pin on his lapel.

One recent poll found only 61 percent of Americans believe Obama loves his country.

I'm surprised it's that high.

Meanwhile, Flagman is really going to test his nutroots base by announcing he'll be expanding President Bush's faith-based programs. I'm sure the kids will take it well. This will become what, his third or fourth Sister Souljah moment?

David Kuo, a conservative Christian who was deputy director of Bush's Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives until 2003 and later became a critic of Bush's commitment to the cause, said Obama's position has the potential to be a major "Sister Souljah moment" for his campaign.

This is a reference to Bill Clinton's accusation in his 1992 presidential campaign that the hip hop artist incited violence against whites. Because Clinton said this before a black audience, it fed into an image of him as a bold politician who was willing to take risks and refused to pander.

I thought this was his Sister Souljah moment? No wait, was this it?

Geez, at the rate this guy keeps moving right, by November he'll make Ronald Reagan look like a squishy liberal.

Meanwhile, another flip-flop. Must have gotten some fresh focus group results.

Nothing like having solid core beliefs.