Flag amendment debate

I've prepared a roundup of links about the debate over the flag amendment that has become intertwined with the debate over Senator Daschle's divisive remarks on the eve of the Iraq war.

First, there's this press release from the Thune campaign.

The Argus Leader has a story headlined "Candidates tout military backing in loyalty feud."

The Rapid City Journal has a piece headlined "Daschle supporters show military might." The story encapsulates the straw-man arguments and vitriol that is beginning to define the Daschle campaign. Excerpt:

"But somehow, John Thune has been willing to embarrass himself by suggesting that somehow Tom Daschle is not a patriot," McPeak said. "Now look, a vigorous debate is OK and is, in fact, what we expect in a political campaign. But baloney is baloney. And if you wrap it in the flag, it's still baloney, except that now you've insulted the flag."

McPeak said Thune owes the country and especially South Dakota an apology for his unfounded attack on Daschle. He also questioned Thune's standing to challenge Daschle on the issue.

"I can't stand the sunshine patriotism of a guy like Thune who's never seen the inside of a uniform to come forward and impugn the integrity and the honor and the patriotism of a guy who has served our country so long and so well as Tom Daschle," McPeak said.

Thune said in response that he wasn't criticizing Daschle's patriotism or military service record but was questioning the Democrat's judgment in one particular statement he made just before the invasion. In a speech during the days leading up to the Iraq invasion, Daschle said he was "saddened that this president failed so miserably at diplomacy that we're now forced to war."

Elsewhere in today's edition of the RCJ is a story headlined "Thune, Daschle spar over flag burning."

UPDATE: The indefatigable Q has more HERE and HERE.

UPDATE 2: Here's a link to the case of Texas v. Johnson, which held flag burning is protected speech under the First Amendment. It was a 5-4 decision and, surprisingly, Justice Scalia voted with the majority. Even more remarkably, Justice Stevens sided with the dissenters, which included Rehnquist, O'Connor, and White.