Tonight’s presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama will be heavy on serious, significant topics. A very small, quite insignificant piece of the patriotic puzzle is the ongoing squabble over flag lapel pins.

Much has been made about the little bits of jacket jewelry - an old-school political tradition - during the campaigns. Obama wore a flag pin, then stopped, saying it was a hollow political statement. Then a veteran gave him a pin and he started wearing them again and was accused of flip-flopping. McCain has gotten attention also for not wearing a pin and the blog-o-sphere has railed against him. (Hillary Clinton sometimes skips the pin, Joe Biden usually has one on, and Rudy Guiliani never goes out without one.)

(more…)