posted September 06, 2008 07:39 PM            

Photo courtesy Denver Post blog page

Following their national convention in Denver last week, Democratic organizers heaped up thousands of unused U.S. flags, allegedly to throw them away, but the McCain campaign has since salvaged the Star-Spangled Banners for reuse at a rally in Colorado Springs.

A Denver Post blog reports that a vendor at Denver's Invesco Field discovered the discarded flags following Barack Obama's nomination speech at the mile-high stadium last week.

Democratic organizers have claimed that the flags were not meant to be thrown in the trash, but according to a Fox News report, McCain supporters claim the vendor found the bagged flags in and around garbage bins following the Democratic National Convention.

A group of Boy Scouts brought 84 garbage bags full of the discarded flags to the site of a Republican rally in Colorado Springs today, where veterans distributed them throughout the assembled crowd. McCain supporters waved the recycled flags and chanted "U.S.A." as they welcomed Republican candidate John McCain and his running mate, Sarah Palin.

The Post blog reports an estimated total of 12,000 small flags and one, full-size 3'x5' flag were discarded.

Damon Jones, spokesman for the Democratic National Convention Committee, released a statement claiming that McCain supporters has swiped leftover bundles of flags from the stadium "to play out a cheap political stunt" calling into question Democrat patriotism.

Patriotic symbolism has been a thorn in the side of the DNC and Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama throughout the campaign. As WND reported earlier, credentials for the national convention drew attention for portraying the elements of the U.S. flag upside down.

Earlier in the campaign, Sen. Obama was photographed with Gov. Bill Richardson, Sen. Hillary Clinton and Ruth Harkin at a steak fry for Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin during the playing of the national anthem. Richardson, Clinton and Harkin placed their hands over their hearts, but Obama is standing casually with his fingers laced in front of him.

He also previously said he doesn't wear an American flag lapel pin because it has become a substitute for "true patriotism."

To an Iowa television station, the Illinois senator explained he stopped wearing a flag pin following the 9/11 attacks.

"I decided I won't wear that pin on my chest," he told the station. "Instead, I'm going to try to tell the American people what I believe will make this country great."

http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=74563

posted September 06, 2008 11:11 PM            

Actions do speak louder than words. Democrats tossed 12,000 American flags in the garbage following their convention. This sort of thing takes the breath away. How much do you have to hate America to do such a thing? Have they never heard of the fine people of the VFW and American Legion who proudly help dispose of worn and otherwise useless flags with dignity?

David Harsanyi of the Denver Post caught wind of the story:

This morning, Republicans tell me that a worker at Invesco Field in Denver saved thousands of unused flags from the Democratic National Convention that were headed for the garbage. Guerrilla campaigning. They will use these flags at their own event today in Colorado Springs with John McCain and Sarah Palin.

Picture via DenverPost.com

As well they should. All Americans need to understand the kind of people running the Democratic Party.

Hat tip: All-American Blogger, Susan L.

Update -- Russ Vaughn adds:

The callous, disrespectful disposal of some 12,000 handheld American flags left behind at Invesco Field following the Barackopolis speech is being skillfully manipulated by the McCain campaign, which rescued them before they could be dumped at a landfill and is now in the process of redistributing them to attendees at a McCain/Palin rally in Colorado Springs.

There are federal rules for the disposal of flags, rules which do not include hauling 12,000 of them off to a landfill in plastic garbage bags. But then, isn't that just so Liberal, waving thousands of flags for the network cameras then tossing them as soon as the lights go down?

One thing to be alert for here is how Barack Obama will respond to this colossal blunder. If history is any guide, Obama will try to divert responsibility to his staff, but then wasn't it Barry who just this week has been reminding the world that he is the executive responsible for running his giant campaign organization?

Update: The Democrats' response, and more, via Fox News:

"The vendor supposedly found trash bags full of flags in and near garbage bins, and turned them over to the McCain campaign.

"Boy Scouts were sorting through 84 bags of flags in Colorado on Saturday, before a McCain supporter had veterans distribute them to the audience.

"Damon Jones, spokesman for the Democratic National Convention Committee, released a statement saying McCain should applaud the fact that thousands of American flags were 'proudly waved' at their convention.

“'But instead his supporters wrongfully took leftover bundles of our flags from the stadium to play out a cheap political stunt calling into question our patriotism,' he said."

Right. To paraphrase Monty Python:

Those flags weren't in garbage bags because they were garbage. They were just resting..."