Convention Notebook: King questions Obama's patriotism
ST. PAUL, Minn. — U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said Thursday that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s upbringing was devoid of patriotism or the principles that make the United States a great country.
King, who represents western Iowa and is known for making provocative statements, made a speech here asking the Iowa GOP delegation what part of Obama’s upbringing, relationships and education would be appropriate for someone who wanted to be president.
“There is no part of that that I would subject a child, a young man or woman to,” he said. “I don’t think that there’s a nurture there that shows a thread of patriotism or a sense of appreciation of free market capitalism or the destiny of America or what has made this country great.”
Republicans have been increasingly questioning Obama’s patriotism.
King also criticized Obama for not putting his hand over his heart in 2007 when the national anthem was played at U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin’s annual steak fry fundraiser. He said that stemmed from his nurturing, too.
Obama, whose grandfather was a World War II veteran, has said he was taught that you stand at attention during the national anthem and put your hand over your heart during the Pledge of
Allegiance.
Obama spokeswoman Jenni Lee called King’s claim “ridiculous.”
“As opposed to offering any real solutions to fix our economy or get working families affordable health care, the Republicans are resorting to Washington-style name calling and personal attacks,” she said.
Just words
Of course, all eyes were on John McCain Thursday night, and the political world hung on the words he spoke.
The words were crafted in large part by Mark Salter, a Davenport native and the long-time aide and close friend to the Arizona senator.
Salter, who has written five books with McCain, has been the subject of a couple profiles in this newspaper and a story in Thursday’s Wall Street Journal, said he holed up at a family home in Maine to write the speech.
In case you missed it
It happened outside prime time, but the roll call of the states took place after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin’s acceptance speech Wednesday night.
U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, delivered Iowa’s results — all its delegates in support of John McCain.
Grassley was given the honor that normally would have gone to the delegation chairman, Steve Scheffler, the chairman of the Iowa Christian Alliance.
Grassley, recall, was denied a delegate slot this year, the first time in memory. Some reports chalked it up to a falling out with the religious right over his investigation of television ministries and their tax practices.
All involved denied that.
Noticeably, Grassley did not speak at any of the daily delegation breakfasts. He did, however, sponsor an ice cream social for the delegation on the last day of the convention here.
Lincoln visits
After all the speeches delivered this week and last, I couldn’t help but marvel at the words of Abraham Lincoln, who visited the Iowa delegation Thursday.
OK, not the real one, of course. A Lincoln impersonator named Lance Mack, of Cedar Rapids, made a presentation and part of it was a rendition of the Gettysburg Address.
“The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced ...”
Ed Tibbetts can be contacted at (563) 383-2327 or etibbetts@qctimes.com.