Barack e-mailed me this morning...

Well, as most of you know, occasionally I am prone to hop up on my political high horse. This is one of those times. If you're not feeling political, you might want to skip this blog entry.

Now, let me start by saying that I do NOT know who I am supporting for President next year. I have absolutely no idea. I'm completely stumped. I am fairly sure, however, of whom I will NOT be supporting. This category is pretty much the entire list of candidates for the Republican party.

Recently I received an e-mail from a VERY Republican friend of the family. I love her to death, but I did NOT like this e-mail.

First of all, am I really supposed to be influenced by an e-mail with this in the subject line? I'm just not sure I can get behind the campaign of an illiterate. Have we all forgotten Dan Quayle?

Subject: Candicates for Commander-in-Chief....

Second of all, I am not a fan of people who take pictures out of context and without reference to a legitimate source, then add their own narrative as propaganda. This (in italics below) is what the e-mail said:

I had heard about this but a picture is definitely worth 1000 words! God save us!!!

Senator Barack Obama, Governor Bill Richardson, Senator Hillary Clinton and Ruth Harkin stand during the national anthem.

Barack Hussein Obama's photo (that's his real name)......the article said he REFUSED TO NOT ONLY PUT HIS HAND ON HIS HEART DURING THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, BUT REFUSED TO SAY THE PLEDGE.....how in the world can a manlike this expect to be our next Commander-in-Chief????

Please also note the spelling of "manlike."

So I decided to forward the e-mail to the Barack Obama campaign to see if they had a rebuttal. Guess what? I got a reply! I told him I would reply with his response to the original e-mail, which I did. I thought I'd also post this on my blog, in case others of you have received the baseless e-mail:

11/03/2007 06:34 PM

Subject Response to Your Message to Senator Obama

Dear Anne,

Thank you for inquiring about the false accusation that I have refused to sing the National Anthem or say the Pledge of Allegiance. I knew when I decided to run for President that I would not be immune from the "anything goes" form of attack politics that has been so prominent in our elections in recent years. And this outrageous charge is just another example of the kind of mean spirited, "shock" politics I will move beyond as President.

I am honored to lead a life of public service, and it is inconceivable that I would ever refuse to say the Pledge or sing the National Anthem. In fact, as a U.S. senator, I am sometimes called upon to preside over the opening of the Senate in the morning, at which time I am proud to lead my colleagues in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance, with my right hand over my heart. Anybody who doesn't believe in the Pledge shouldn’t be running for President.

Every time I have been elected or reelected to the Illinois Senate and the United States Senate, I have proudly raised my right hand, placed my left hand on the Bible and sworn to "support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic." And I will be proud to take the Presidential Oath of office on January 20, 2009.

Thank you again for contacting me. Please share this message with anyone you know who has been misled by this baseless and particularly hurtful political attack.

Sincerely, Barack Obama
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Paid for by Obama for America

Mr. Obama, if you are reading this, thank you for your timely and professional response.

Sincerely,

Aunt Crazy