Obama: A 'deep and abiding love' for America

Barack Obama has long claimed to be able to unite white and black, liberal and conservative, red states and blue states. Now he's proving adept at merging geography and campaign messaging.

There was unity in Unity last week, and this week brings us independence in Independence, Mo. Perhaps next week we'll see an address on good cheer in Happyland, Okla. (Yeah, it exists.) Can a joint appearance with Bill Clinton in Hope, Ark. be far behind?

But we digress. The focus of Obama's address today is, in the spirit of Independence Day, patriotism. This was more, however, than a mere celebration of the nation's birth and ideals.

As Obama acknowledged in his speech, he has seen damaging attacks on his patriotism throughout the campaign, including over his decision after 9/11 not to wear a flag pin, believing it was little more than a cosmetic expression of one's love for America. The deeply critical views of the US government expressed by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr., didn't help, either.

So Obama today took the issue head on.

"Throughout my life, I have always taken my deep and abiding love for this country as a given. It was how I was raised; it is what propelled me into public service; it is why I am running for President," he said, according to his prepared remarks. "And yet, at certain times over the last sixteen months, I have found, for the first time, my patriotism challenged – at times as a result of my own carelessness, more often as a result of the desire by some to score political points and raise fears about who I am and what I stand for."

He continued, "So let me say at this at outset of my remarks. I will never question the patriotism of others in this campaign. And I will not stand idly by when I hear others question mine."

Obama also implicitly rebuked one of his supporters, General Wesley Clark, who over the weekend boldly questioned whether John McCain's experience being shot down over Vietnam gives him any claim on being a better commander-in-chief. "Let me also add that no one should ever devalue that service, especially for the sake of a political campaign, and that goes for supporters on both sides," Obama said.