Story Created:
May 5, 2008 at 6:43 PM CDT
Story Updated:
May 5, 2008 at 10:46 PM CDT
As candidates make campaign stops ahead of tomorrow's primaries, some veterans are speaking out against Senator Barack Obama. They're not upset about something he said on the campaign trail... it's about what he wore.
They're angry because he wore a United State's Marine Corps shirt during a campaign stop.
"He's not a very strong candidate as far as the military goes and he's going to do everything he can to get the extra votes," A.J. Hixenbaugh said.
He was seen April 26th, wearing a grey USMC shirt playing basketball in Indiana.
"That shirt says I am a Marine. I'm a retired Marine or I'm an honorably discharged Marine," Hixenbaugh said.
He said ultimately what you wear does fall under the First Amendment---
"However people like me and other Marines earn the right to wear that," Hixenbaugh said.
Another local woman agrees and said her son was in the service and that shirt should be reserved for people in the service and not for people that were never enlisted.
Hixenbaugh feels the presidential hopeful wearing the shirt was definitely a campaign photo op.
Channel Six News received many emails feeling the same way. Some wrote it doesn't matter if it's an unofficial shirt, it still represents the organization... and "no one is just allowed to use MD or Dr. with their name."
The Marine Corp name should be protected in that same manner.
Still some, don't understand what's making people so upset and feel it's just a shirt.
Another local woman who said she doesn't support Senator Obama said, "I think it's just being blown out of proportion because he's in the forefront."
The Associated Press reported the USMC T-shirt Obama was wearing, was a gift given to him by one of his security agents.
KAUZ Channel 6 News contacted Obama's Campaign headquarters. On Friday we were able to talk to one person who promised to get back to us today... however today when we called, all we got was an answering machine, where we left our message again.
Wednesday, May 7 at 4:41 PM Sue wrote ...
He can wear the shirt- it does not make a man, but he is not president material - he is arrogant and we need someone else.
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