At the big Iowa Democrats Hall of Fame celebration yesterday in Cedar Rapids, reporter David Martosko caught a bunch of journos and staffers blowing off the national anthem at the start of the festivities:
I'm amazed at how some reporters & political aides blow off the national anthem at campaign events. Just now, a Sanders aide wearing his hat during it, Warren aides sitting on the floor, a guy with a Corey Booker staff credential lying on the floor. A dozen reporters in chairs.
— David Martosko (@dmartosko) June 9, 2019
Snitches get stitches when you embarrass other journos?
nobody likes a tattletale
— andrew kaczynski (@KFILE) June 9, 2019
He’s not naming names though:
Did I name names?
— David Martosko (@dmartosko) June 9, 2019
Other reporters were angry at him, too:
Reporters are there to work, not participate
— Sarah McCammon (@sarahmccammon) June 10, 2019
Standing for the national anthem is NOT participating in a campaign event. It's acknowledging the country whose First Amendment allows us to be there.
— David Martosko (@dmartosko) June 10, 2019
We should be respectful of what’s going on around us, whether that’s a prayer or the anthem etc. Be unobtrusive and quiet. Stand if you choose and are able. But when I’m working my first priority must be work: taking notes, looking, listening, making sure my recorder is working.
— Sarah McCammon (@sarahmccammon) June 10, 2019
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Sorry but it's 60 seconds at a public event, when nothing else of consequence is going on at that moment. Surely we can agree to do this at a political event that bears on the future custodianship of the constitution that allows us to do our jobs.
— David Martosko (@dmartosko) June 10, 2019
Martosko is also being accused of sitting for the anthem himself:
Strange, perhaps my memory is off: But I distinctly remember you expressing a similar sentiment in 2016, and I thought I noticed at least a couple rallies that you didn't stand for the anthem. The reason I remember is that it stood out because you said the same thing then.
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) June 10, 2019
Pictures or it didn't happen. That's not in my makeup. If I ever, ever did that, I was wrong to.
— David Martosko (@dmartosko) June 10, 2019
David, I'm not going to take pictures of you sitting down during the anthem. How would that even prove anything? I could've taken video, but I also didn't care whether you stand or not during anthem in the press pen. It doesn't make you any more or less an American or whatever.
— Sopan Deb (@SopanDeb) June 10, 2019
No, but it would have made me disrespectful. Also would have made me a hypocrite if I were to complain about infringements on the First Amendment. You don't have to sing. Just stand up, remove your hat and be quiet for 60 seconds.
— David Martosko (@dmartosko) June 10, 2019
In summary:
Don’t whine about threats to the First Amendment if you won’t get your tail out of your seat for the Star Spangled Banner. https://t.co/BrdOAZT1uh
— Vince Coglianese (@VinceCoglianese) June 9, 2019
Well, at least they didn’t take a knee.
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