Plus, you've got to change the subject to fill the void while Sarah "spends more time with her family."

It can't be true. If they were used at a Democratic convention, they'd be green, with white crescents on them.

Laugh now -- get the email from your crazy aunt Lois later.

Is it too much to ask that the GOP realize the cognitive dissonance between this claim and the claim that the Democrats were being "overly environmentally sensitive"?

Why I Will Not Vote for John McCain
A Link to Dr. Phillip Butler's YouTube speech on John McCain at the Naval Academy and as a POW.
Personal Experience! He knows this man before and after POW!
peace,
st john

They need to respond to this aggressively. No anonymous sources. If the repubs are going to do crap like this, it has to be fought immediately, on the record and stridently.

For quite some time now it's been clear that outright lying and a refusal to engage in the realm of facts is in fact their strategy. The problem is that it works. The only way to fight it is to take it on in a straightforward, fierce and timely fashion.

You know--Jon Stewart keeps laying out arguements in a highly effective way. Watching his show, I'm reminded of the reasons I think that the Dem's primary message of McCain as "more of the same" and "McBush" is flawed. Much more message energy needs to go into calling out flip flop McCain, criticizing his temperment and being explicit about the series of McCain/Palin lies.

It's rather surreal to read this as I watch CNN's documentary on McCain, the honorable war hero, knowing he has disintegrated to this level. I hope someone asks him about Mai Van On.

They are not going to respond aggressively.

And sadly, therefore, they will lose one more time.

I heard that the Blue field with white stars on the U.S. flag were not shown in the background of the RNC convention; only the Red and white stripes. Is this accurate? I didn't watch long enough to verify this, but I don't recall seeing any Blue and white.
peace,
st john

Wow. How Rovian of them.

My prediction: Right-wing blogs will pound this one into the ground...

But will completely ignore Palin's emerging "pastor problem."

Of course. Putting the American flag into storage in the first place IS the offense.

Can you trust anyone who might store a flag, and doesn't leave it flying 24-7?

Steve, is there any way you can convince Washington Monthly to update their blogging software?

It'd be nice to have the permalink in the title and for the url in the comment to actually work...

They shouldn't be constantly defending themselves against these rediculous attacks. They need to go on the attack themselves...announce plans to investigate Karl Rove once they have the White House. Go after Palin hard on her Troopergate scandal, her book banning party and her abstinence only policy in light of her knocked up underage daughter. Its all fair game, And they need to stop referring to John McCain as a hero everytime they mention his name and call him what he is: A LIAR. They have a goldmine of material to go after these creeps, and they're not going to win this election unless they take the gloves off and hit them hard.

For a while, it was arugula. Then flag pins. Then Paris Hilton. Soon after, it was tire gauges. Now, it's convention flags.

@ Steve Benen:

You are good at remembering and listing.
For example, your McCain flip-flop list should be flying 24/7 on this site.

I know you are busy, But someone needs to keep a list of Palin's lies, half-truths, and ethical lapses. They are accruing like snow in Juneau in December.

We need a list keeper...

Anybody out there with a blog and some time?

You want to fight back? Check out this diary on DKos. It's got links to 10 factually accurate anti-McCain emails you can start circulating RIGHT NOW:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2008/9/6/174113/3085/486/589376

The Democrats might begin by demanding the immediate return of the stolen flags. And not backing down until each and every one is returned undamaged, replaced or paid for. Perhaps a criminal complaint in the local courthouse might be in order? For God's sake, show some backbone and fight back, people!

Come on now, this is past lame, this is flak, the shit don't stick.

Its dust in the eyes, non story.

They need to respond to this aggressively. No anonymous sources. If the repubs are going to do crap like this, it has to be fought immediately, on the record and stridently.
----
How much sh!t should one campaign have to shovel? It doesn't take a whole lot to put something over on an American electorate that can barely read, much less pay attention to a 29 month presidential campaign.

It is amazing though that anyone who catches a whiff of republicanism would ever consider a vote for them.

Take the last night of the convention, anyone paying attention to the campaign before the last night of the convention should be shot for voting republican.

McCain is the most disingenuous politician there is. Not only will he lie and cheat, but he will say proudly that he is a man of honor. The least he could do would be to stand by his actions and not pretend he is someone he isn't. But that's politics for you.

The very statement, "This election is not about issues," should disqualify a Ticket from the field. BO-Joe need to hammer that home.
Down with McBushlin!

12,000 stolen American flags. what would the value of those 12,000 stolen American flags be? Probably enough to make it a felony theft charge.

And everyone possessing one of those stolen flags at that rally in Colorado Springs is guilty of receiving stolen property. Imagine the possibilities here---thousands of Colorado Republicans hauled into court on criminal charges, and they all get 30 days in jail---20 days before Election Day.

The cruel twist of irony one can find in this election cycle--- caging the vote-cagers.

Pass the popcorn, s'il vous plait....

Wait a minute. Am I getting this right: While the Democrats were not going to throw the flags out, the Republicans did, in fact, take them?

The Republicans just stole hundreds if not thousands of American flags?

Is that correct?

Hell, they've stolen a whole damned country. What're a few flags?

Gee, a story from Faux Noise?

Sounds like the Repubs stole a whole bunch of property.

I'm SHOCKED, SHOCKED, that the Repubs would steal!

That must be McPOW's excuse for ripping off all of those songs.

The artist wasn't using them right that very second so naturally he assumed they were going to be thrown out.

Feeling down because almost half the country believes the McCain/Palin lies?

This will help:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iA_oPtsX2ew

Enjoy!

The very statement, "This election is not about issues," should disqualify a Ticket from the field. BO-Joe need to hammer that home.

Only true if you plan to, you know, govern.

The GOP has long since abandoned the notion of 'governing'. Government-by-goombah. "I gotcha purpose of government right here". Loot-and-scoot. The bust-out. Last guy out the door throws his cigar in the pile of oil-soaked rags, and files the insurance claim.

They have no more interest in government, or even politics, when the come to power than the Mafia have of ergonomics, sound accounting practice and customer service when they take over a dry-cleaners.

The question the GOP now ask when they come to a fork in the road is not 'What's the right thing to do?'. It's not 'What course do conservative principles suggest?' By this point, it's not even 'What do we do to win?'

It's down to 'What will piss the liberals off?' and/or 'What will amuse the press?'

Any bank robber knows why the endless stream of bright shiny things and middle fingers coming from the GOP -- the first thing you need to knock off a bank is a really good diversion on the other side of town.

Maybe this makes me a horrible American, but I really don't see anything wrong with throwing away convention flags besides the fact that it is wasteful.

Well, we still manufacture oine thing in this country...outrage.

I have two flags in their display boxes. One covered my fathers casket and one covered my cousins. There is as much difference between those little parade flags - that were apparently stolen - and the flags that sit on my mantle as there is between a foundered Shetland pony and Secretariat.

In other words, consider the source.

In other words Fox News Viewers won't.

The most ill-informed viewers of cable news. Period. Not sure why CNN doesn't pick up on this.

Little flags and little fetuses, and the rest of the world can go to hell.

My guess is that the Replicants threw out all the flags after THEIR convention and just assumed the Party of Real Americans did the same.

Step 1. Make up some outrageous claim ("Democrats aborted 12,000 babies during their convention!")

Step 2. Right wing noise machine goes to work repeating the claims, maybe adding to them ("Democrats ate 12,000 fetuses during the convention!")

Step 3. Mainstream media covers the story in the interest of fairness and balance.

Step 4. Dems and libs spend a lot of time and energy trying to refute the outrageous charges instead of focusing on real campaigning.

Step 5. Repeat Step 1 until election day.

Sorry to interupt this little flag story, but the numbers for tomorrow are starting to come in and its not pretty. The boys at 538 are a little down. The question is, are there more of us than them. This is going to be a 51/49 election with a narrow electoral win. Who it is depends on who turns out. I remember Kerry's campaign claiming that there were all these young voters that were going to make the polls meaningless. Didn't happen. Don't suspect it is going to happen this time, but I would love to be wrong. The evangelicals have their woman, they will be there, regardless of her performance or McCains. Dems must respond in kind. Donate. Take a week (day) off from work and go to a battleground state. If you live in a battleground state, yes you PA, get out and make sure everyone that is registered gets to the polls. Work the phones. We need to start the drive to the polls, now. There can be no let down. Fired up, ready to go.

Dueling spokesmen with opposing claims and it's assumed automatically that one is lying despite photographic evidence contradicting the claim. Doesn't matter which side you're on. You have to at least consider the possibility that McCain's camp is telling the truth.

The sadder part is that people would let something like this be the deciding factor in the election.

That said, I sure am not motivated by either of these candidates. I am almost to the point where I'm going to pick which third party would make the best protest vote.

It would make a pretty good commercial:

Voiceover:
For a while, it was arugula. Then flag pins. Then Paris Hilton. Soon after, it was tire gauges.
(Big Sigh)
When will they start talking about something that I actually care about? Like the economy? Or healthcare? Oh that's right! McCain's campaign says it's not about issues. Does that sound like someone who is seriuos about change?

Or something to that effect anyways...

Oh lord, what I wouldn't give for an ad that goes like this:

"In another desperate attempt to make an election of small ideas, John McCain falsely accused Democrats of throwing away flags. It never happened."

"But this did happen (show photo of Bush defacing flags with his signature), on at least several different occasions. You remember this guy, right? (Photo of Bush from front) He's the current president and a member of McCain's party. He's the cause of a lot of our problems. And McCain has voted with this proven flag defacer over 90% of the time."

It really needs a punchy line for an ending, though.

Is this what you call a false flag (story)?

While watching the RNC I couldn't help but notice how many folks desecrated the flag in all manner of chintzy (spelling?) ways, like dresses, hats, decorations etc. As if the way to show your patriotism meant to be as hokey as possible with the flag decor.

In a way.... that should offend REAL Americans, because what we saw on TV happened, right B4 our eyes, not in the dim recesses of the brain of a less than savory/savvy reporter!

Issues are for wimps. Flatulence and flag outrage are the winds of change that the RNC believes in!

The family value party sure doe lie alot, who knew lying was a family value?

Reply to Tom Nicholson:
"chintzy" is the correct spelling. And what's wrong with flatulence?
Reply to Jet:
You ever been in a family? Of COURSE lying is a family value; it's the only thing thaqt keeps most families from flying apart. But that doesn't make it a political virtue.

Everything I need to know about Democrats: How they view America and its flag...

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/August-2001/features_ayers1.jpg

If the flags were going to be donated then the "vendor" who turned them over to the McCain campaign stole them. Time to press charges, methinks...

Reply to Jet:
You ever been in a family? Of COURSE lying is a family value; it's the only thing thaqt keeps most families from flying apart.

Lying wasnt a value in our rather large family.

The Republicans shouldn't go there. I just watched four days of ghoulish delegates wearing our American flag butchered into all kinds of hideous cowboy hats, ties, beanies, wigs, and smeared face tattoos applied over pasty, warty skin.

Hey, Lucky, you don't mean to suggest that my local car dealer flying a flag as big as God in a thunderstorm is somehow unpatriotic, do you?

CNN is now flogging the story as well, mendaciously IMO. They repeat the McCain talking points breathlessly, then sceptically give the Obama rejoinder with barely restrained "yeah right" eye rolls. In the meantime, the flags are coming out of the garbage bags neatly rolled on the sticks and bundled in bunches.

The Obama campaign ought to send somebody a bill. That many American made flags can't have been cheap, as they weren't the little tiny ones you normally see waved around at parades. They were the size you see put on the graves of veterans on Memorial Day.

why do you have McCain-Palin ads here? They're kind of out of place next to the cute polar bears who need to be saved from big oil and Palin's hunting rifle.

[Knock it off, Mike. --Mod]

Everything I need to know about Democrats: How they view America and its flag. -James

Dont believe those that try to paint people into convenient groups of their choosing, its physically impossible to do such a thing.

Admittedly looking for any optimism tonight. But watching Showbiz weekly, and they were treating Sara Palin like Britney Spears. I don't watch this stuff much, but the thought occurred to me that the McCain camp might have lost control of this story. They were raising the baby issue, the pregnancy, the rumor of the affair, zero related to her political positions. The overall effect seemed to cheapen her. Maybe it won't have any effect, but how many independents aren't watching CNN but are watching Showbiz weekly. If they are, its not positive for Sara Palin. How long before we begin to hear the term "Sara fatigue."

Anyone wanna predict when McCain/Palin call for a night of broken glass?

This would be funny if it weren't so scary.

We need to reach out to low information voters on a person to person basis as much as possible and refute these lies.

If the flags were stolen, then the Obama campaign will be filing a police report.

Where is the police report?

anyone see this article from Rushkoff?

http://rushkoff.com/

Paints a bleak portrait if they win. By cranking up the hate machine so high it's going to explode if McCain and Palin get in the White House.

::12,000 stolen American flags. what would the value of those 12,000 stolen American flags be? Probably enough to make it a felony theft charge.::

Maybe this calls for some sort of e-mail or letter-writing campaign to the Denver police department demanding that they investigate and prosecute the theft. Plus an e-mail campaign to CNN and the other news outlets demanding that they point that little fact out.

Just saying...

Why would you roll up the flags and place them in individual bags (as the picture shows) if you planned to throw them away. Does McCain think we're stupid?

I hope the DNC sues the hell out of McCain for stealing these flags.

Jesus, did Kevin take all the good trolls with him?

Better trolls please, these aren't worth even the standard nickel/post.

Since this has happened this year and in 2004, why doesn't Carl Cameron get the "Dan Rather" treatment?

And everyone possessing one of those stolen flags at that rally in Colorado Springs is guilty of receiving stolen property. Imagine the possibilities here---thousands of Colorado Republicans [...] -- Steve, @20:52

What the hell are you talking about? "Thousands of Colorado Republicans"? This is a *McCain* rally, not an Obama one. It'll take them at least 6-8 events to get rid of their 12K stolen flags.

And I have no doubt that, if they have them, *and* if they got them in Denver post-Convention (instead of buying them and peddling just a story) they were stolen.

When we walked for Mark Warner last week at the Labor Day parade, we were given flags too; the cheap-o ones -- ca 6x8" piece of loosely-woven fabric starched into obedience and printed with stars and stripes, stapled to a piece of rough dowel. And every person who was handed out one was told "after the speeches, drop it off in the truck". I expect some people didn't and took theirs home but none were left just lying about to be picked up like trash.

Sorry to get all preachy but I echo the previous poster who suggested getting involved on the ground. It's the only way. Print things out, volunteer to go to battleground states, call friends that are in battleground states. Grind it out by hitting the streets.

"You can hang back or fight your best on the front line."

I was at Invesco and I sat and watched the campaign staffers distribute the flags. The photo I saw that is being circulated looks like the bags of neatly rolled flags *before* they were distributed, not after! I watched the workers pack up the bags after they had distributed them, and I saw no flags anywhere on the ground as I left the stadium. My husband and I kept our flags, and I suspect lots of people also kept theirs. Someone got hold of a 'before' picture and is trying to portray it as an 'after' photo. Furthermore, the stadium seats have built in flag holders on each side of the cup holders, so the flags were neatly placed in the holders on each seat. I saw no evidence of any flag being mistreated.

And let us not forget Mr. Cameron's fair and balanced reportage in interviewing the shrub during the 200 election campaign.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huf-4XVUwkY

Cameron is still working for Fox. Not a single suggestion that he might in any way be partial or biased that I can see. How about you?

The ignorance is that anyone would try to pull this sort of transparent stunt when there were 84,000 potential witnesses at the Convention. The photo that is being distributed looks to be a picture of the flags as they were neatly and uniformly bundled from the manufacturer--BEFORE they had been distributed at the Convention. That's what they looked like when the campaign staffers first brought them to the seats. Someone took that picture and it's being portrayed as an 'after' photo.

"Someone made an assumption, took the flags,...."

No, they stole the flags.

Because unless the person who "took the flags" had been given permission to "take" the flags, then they must have stolen the flags, removing them without permission from the event organizers.

Unless, of course, the person who "took the flags" completely made up the story and the flags were never in Denver to begin with, but were Republican Party-supplied flags used in an attempt to smear patriotic Democrats.

I don't believe anything the Republicans, and their puppet proxies, say anymore.

maybe obama will remember this episode, scant days after he sucked up to oreilly, and news came of his meeting with ailes.

guess what barack ? no matter what they say to your face, fox is going to viciously swift boat you between now and election day.

any lies they said about being fair and balanced towards you are about as credible as a sarah palin speech.

if you find this surprising, you're not as smart as i thought. go with your originial (gut) instinct, and freeze those idiots out.

their audience is a collection of mouth-breathing knuckleheads; and if you went onto hannity and revealed your own cure for cancer you wouldn't penetrate their ignorant skulls. treat them the same way they treat you ---- like an ignorant little pariah.

Ooops, I just read some of the eyewitness statements that these photos were of flags at the convention that hadn't even been handed out yet.

Which makes my second supposition much more likely...that the Republicans distributed flags at their convention that came from a Republican stockpile/source, while claiming that the flags came from the Democratic Party convention in Denver.

Which just proves that the culture of corruption Republicans can neither be trusted nor believed...but we all knew that.

The thing is that the alleged photo of 'the flags' is in a very ambiguous, unidentified context, looks like an office. If they had really been found in the trash, would not the 'discoverer' have taken a picture of *that,* rather than the ambiguous photo that is being distributed? Whatever the case, there is something obviously contrived about the whole story.

Remember Obama's observation from the convention:

"If you don't have a record to run on, then you paint your opponent as someone people should run from.

You make a big election about small things."

Unfortunately, that doesn't mean such tactics aren't effective. If this gains traction (and only if it does), the dems have got to forcefully call bull$hit on this story.

In what country were the flags manufactured?

Our 2 flags aren't marked. There is no way I can tell where they were made.

I remember Dems being portrayed as desecrators of vets' graves too.
The best pushback I ever saw was that done by Jurassic Pork where Fox News clips with misleading titles were shown all in a column : very little clarification was necessary.
He is still around. I didn't get the story why the old site was pulled, but JP can be found at
http://welcomebacktopottersville.blogspot.com/

We all know this story isn't true because Democrats wouldn't throw out flags...

They would BURN them!

That's what kind of traitorous pinko commie blasphemers they are!
They would BURN flags that they didn't need anymore!

They would..

What's that?

REALLY?

Are you SURE???

Well, crap. Nevermind.

It seems like there's more than just lying going on here. Isn't there a theft angle to this story as well? The Democrats were planning on donating them, but then they disappeared. Stealing American flags from fellow Americans, and then lying about it to make them look unpatriotic. If I were CNN, that might just sound like a story. But if I ran it, I might just find myself on the wrong end of un-American charges one of these days. Hey, I've got a story. Palin's rimless glasses have started a fashion craze! Remember Ollie's gap-tooth grin?