On the October 15 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, Bob Grant said: "[W]hat is that flag that Obama's been standing in front of that looks like an American flag, but instead of having the field of 50 stars representing the 50 states, there's a circle?" He then said: “Is the circle the 'O' for Obama? Is that what it is?” Grant later said: "[D]id you notice Obama is not content with just having several American flags, plain old American flags with the 50 states represented by 50 stars? He has the 'O' flag. And that's what that 'O' is. That's what that 'O' is. Just like he did with the plane he was using. He had the flag painted over, and the 'O' for Obama. Now, these are symptom -- these things are symptomatic of a person who would like to be a potentate -- a dictator." '

Grant did not further elaborate on what he meant by the " 'O' flag." However, conservative blogger Michelle Malkin stated on October 13 that she had “received several e-mails today from readers complaining about Barack Obama's backdrop in Toledo today. Apparently, some talk show hosts have also gone ballistic over what they think is an 'Obama flag.' ” But, as Malkin noted, the flag appearing behind Obama during his October 13 speech was actually the Ohio state flag.

From Malkin's blog post:

I received several e-mails today from readers complaining about Barack Obama's backdrop in Toledo today. Apparently, some talk show hosts have also gone ballistic over what they think is an “Obama flag:”

Relax, folks.

That's not an “Obama flag.”

It's the state flag of Ohio:

Additionally, as the blog Sadly, No! noted, a commenter on Townhall.com claimed that Obama had spoken in front of a flag in which "[t]he blue field has been changed to show an Obama seal":

From the October 15 edition of WABC Radio's Bob Grant Show:

GRANT: Let me ask you this question, since you are aware of patriotic symbols. Maybe you don't know the answer. I'll be frank. I don't know the answer to this one, but what is that flag that Obama's been standing in front of that looks like an American flag, but instead of having the field of 50 stars representing the 50 states, there's a circle? Would someone please tell me what that is? Is the circle --

CALLER: Well, I thought it was our new flag.

GRANT: -- the “O” for Obama? Is that what it is?

CALLER: I thought it was our new flag. I thought we now instituted a new one under Obama, because we're going to change everything, and none of it is gonna be positive. And do people's mindset that Palin would be any kind of an adverse person around nuclear weapons, when you have somebody who has absolute deceived everybody from his onset of his life --

GRANT: All right, Sue. I want to thank you very much for your call. It's a pleasure to hear from someone who's paying attention to what's going on out there.

But really folks, did you notice Obama is not content with just having several American flags, plain old American flags with the 50 states represented by 50 stars? He has the “O” flag. And that's what that “O” is. That's what that “O” is. Just like he did with the plane he was using. He had the flag painted over, and the “O” for Obama. Now, these are symptom -- these things are symptomatic of a person who would like to be a potentate -- a dictator. And I really see this in this man.

Hey, I could be wrong. But I wouldn't say this on this great radio station if I didn't think there was some merit in this conjecture. And I stress conjecture. And so much of what we talk about is conjecture, is theory, is opinion based on intuition, based on some facts, based on some history.

I don't want to overdramatize this. Being dramatic, I must confess, does come easy to some of us, because, maybe that's why we're in this business. It is show business, is it not? I know some of my colleagues don't want to admit that, but they are the greatest showmen in the world. And I tell you this. I tell you this quite seriously. I am alarmed at the prospect of his election. I -- I would hope that if he is elected, that I could come before you one day and say, “Hey, there was no need to be alarmed, I was wrong.”

Because I care about the United States of America and what future we may have much more than I care about being right or being wrong, having my candidate win or having my candidate lose. I want to know how many of you people think about the significance of the election.

Rebecca Sivy is an intern with Media Matters for America