Somebody at CNN.com should have his/her tail kicked for being dumb enough to launch an online poll asking: "Does Barack Obama show the proper patriotism for someone who wants to be president of the United States?" Ben Smith at Politico.com is reporting that CNN ran that poll.
I can't find it online right now. Perhaps someone woke up over there.
We all know online polls are junk entertainment at best and should never be positioned as real results. But that's not the issue here. The issue is having enough sensitivity to recognize what an inappropriate topic this is in the context of a highly charged political environment. It places CNN in the position of serving as echo chamber for the ongoing wingnut whispering campaign against Obama.
We need journalism that focuses on reality. Here's the reality: All the candidates for president are men and women of good will who love their country and are running because they believe they have the right answers. That's true of every single one of them including Ron Paul, Mitt Romney, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich and Ralph Nader. CNN should be ashamed for playing into this fake patriotism crap.