O excuse me, Sunshine.
Who cares if "Obama won't wear a flag pin"?
When did a cheap piece of enameled metal, probably made in China, become the shibboleth of political correctness? When did such a jingoistic bit of nonsense become a talking point, obscuring real and vital issues that our countryfolk need to be discussing and our leaders need to be working on?
And, how do YOU know that "Obama won't recite the Pledge"? And, whether he does or doesn't, again - how did that become another shibboleth of American loyalty? I can remember when the Pledge was changed in the 1950s. It's not part of the Constitution; it's not part of the Declaration of Independence; there's nothing particularly holy or patriotic about its use, except as a ceremonial statement. Demonstrated and real allegiance to the United States comes by acting out loyalty to the deep ideals of our nation, not by mouthing a handful of words. We have had in the past years, including with Senator McCain's 25 years in the Senate, any number of so-called leaders who mouth the words but whose real allegiance is to the lobbyists and special interests who bought their election, who smeared the opposition with exactly the same sorts of irrelevancies that you have been propagandized into repeating, and who spent most of their energies in gaining wealth and power for themselves.

On to the preaching of one person: if you are going to take Obama to task for attending a predominantly Black church, you are going to have to acknowledge the unpleasant truth spoken by Martin Luther King, Jr., who correctly said that "11:00 on Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in America." Truth: most American Christians worship in churches that reflect in their membership folks who look most like themselves. Preachers say a lot of things that individuals in their congregations take or leave; and if a question is raised about how much Obama might be influenced by Jeremiah Wright, then certainly the same question must be raised about John McCain's long association with John Hagee and Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell and the hate messages they spew against loyal Americans who happen to be homosexual or happen not to be Christian of the 'right' kind. Questions will also need to be raised about the pastors' teaching and preaching in Sarah Palin's church and the partisan praying done that demonizes any American who disagrees with that teaching.

On the issues of foreign negotiation with tyrants and 'terrorists':
It was United States presidents and United States Congresses, including in the 25 years of Senator McCain's tenure in the Senate, who were the undergirding for such tyrants as the Shah of Iran, Fernando and Imelda Marcos, Batista, Saddam Hussein, and many others. Before the US turned against Fidel Castro, the US deep-pocket supported him in the 1950s. The United States has been involved in the negotiations and support of many a dictatorship, covertly or overtly. Both Republican and Democratic presidents sat down and face-to-face negotiated with various leaders of the USSR when that political entity was at its zenith of power; no one then or now believes that to do so meant that anyone in United States leadership agreed with the philosophy or goals of the USSR.
Further, and more positively, diplomacy and negotiation and necessary sanctions work: the relatively bloodless transformation of South Africa, and the transfer of power from British colonialism to independence in India are two demonstrations of the power of diplomacy over the power of military arms.

What is not right is that Senator McCain promised a campaign that would address real issues. He himself has been the subject of smear tactics and should not only eschew their use himself but be a strong enough leader to effectively forbid their use by any of his campaign staff and volunteers. Such strength would go far to demonstrate his real leadership abilities, and that he has not been able to do so is practical demonstration of a fundamental weakness in his leadership.