Return of the "rookie mistake": Politico's Hearn blamed Obama for "flag flap"

On the November 9 edition of CNN's American Morning, co-host John Roberts reported on the "Obama flag flap" -- an anonymous email circulating a photo purporting to show Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) standing for the Pledge of Allegiance without his hand over his heart. The photo -- which was taken during a rendition of the national anthem, not the Pledge of Allegiance, according to CNN, which cited video it obtained -- was dismissed by Obama as a "dirty trick," which Roberts noted. Roberts went on to ask Politico congressional reporter Josephine Hearn: "Is this all ado about nothing?" Hearn responded by saying it was a "rookie mistake" on Obama's part, explaining: "He hasn't been on the national stage very long, and he's still going to make these little mistakes from time to time. The rule is, always err on the side of more reverie, right? If there's a prayer, bow your head. If there's a Pledge of Allegiance or any sort of patriotic thing, then you should put your hand on your heart." Hearn then went on to dismiss the "flag flap," saying: "I don't think it indicates any kind of broader thing about him, I just think it's a mistake."

Hearn's use of the phrase "rookie mistake," and her subsequent dismissal of the story as unimportant, echoed a March 27 article by her colleague, Politico chief political correspondent Mike Allen, headlined: "Rookie Mistakes Plague Obama." As Media Matters for America documented, the article devoted 1,200 words to alleged "inconsistencies" on Obama's part, despite Allen's acknowledgement that they were "seemingly minor," "trivial," and "small." Allen's article was cited three times in a March 27 Republican National Committee press release attacking Obama as "The Rookie," and the characterization of Obama as a "rookie" quickly spread to other media outlets, such as CNN.

According to washingtonpost.com's Fact Checker blog, the photo of Obama was taken on September 16 at a steak fry in Iowa. As CNN correspondent Brian Todd reported on the November 8 edition of CNN's The Situation Room, the "anonymous attack e-mail" accuses Obama "of not putting his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance." In fact, as Todd noted, video from the event indicates that the photo was taken during the national anthem:

TODD: An anonymous attack e-mail received by an untold number of Americans and obtained by CNN accuses Senator Obama of not putting his hand over his heart during the Pledge of Allegiance.

True or false? CNN dug up the video of the national anthem from that day and found it looks like that photo was taken during the anthem, not the pledge. Hillary Clinton, hand over heart. Bill Richardson, same. Obama, hands down.

From the November 9 edition of CNN's American Morning:

ROBERTS: Another topic -- Obama flag flap. Josephine, Obama's campaign, and he called this a dirty trick, this was -- he was seen with his hands down in front of him while other people, other candidates had their hands on their hearts. It was said that it was during the Pledge of Allegiance. Obama says no, it was during the national anthem. What do you make of this? Is this all ado about nothing?

HEARN: Well, you know, I think rookie mistake. I mean, we have to remember that four years ago, Obama was a state senator in Illinois. He hasn't been on the national stage very long, and he's still going to make these little mistakes from time to time. I mean, the rule is, always err on the side of more reverie, right? If there's a prayer, bow your head. If there's a Pledge of Allegiance or any sort of, you know, patriotic thing, then you should put your hand on your heart. So I think -- I think it really -- I don't think it indicates any kind of broader thing about him, I just think it's a mistake.

—S.S.M.