Richardson on the Lapel Pin

Gov. Bill Richardson wears the American flag lapel pin, and he thinks “it’s perfectly good to wear it.” I wonder if wearing a lapel pin on CNN’s Situation Room was a coincidence, or if he thought there was a chance someone might ask him about it…

CNN’s Don Lemon: I see you’re wearing your flag pin today. There has been some controversy about Sen. Obama who’s saying he’s not going to wear a flag pin because his patriotism is on the inside, that’s how he’s going to show it.

Gov. Richardson: Patriotism is what you do, and I don’t think anyone should — uhh — I think, if you feel good about wearing it, wear it. I wear it. It’s perfectly good to wear it. I love this flag. I love this country. I wear it. But patriotism is what you do — not what you say, it’s what you do.

Richardson has been known to wear a lapel pin, but not always the American flag: in the debate at Dartmouth and during most of his recent appearances around Iowa, he has worn the pie chart lapel pin produced by the Sensible Priorities campaigns in Iowa and New Hampshire (pictured, right). Those organizations will endorse at least one presidential candidate, and Richardson wants it badly.

Early in the video (below) of Richardson’s CNN appearance, the Governor can be heard telling Don Lemon that “I feel that it’s not going to be about how much money you raise it’s about who has the most experience, qualifications, change.” After figuring out how to quantify “change,” skip to the two-minutes-remaining mark to watch the lapel pin exchange.