Flagging Enthusiasm

By Amanda Bower, Val Castronovo, Ling Minhua, Ellin Martens, Julie Rawe, Sora Song, Joel Stein and Josh Tyrangiel

Posing with, praising or appropriating the American flag is a surefire way to signify patriotism, as we have learned in this postpresidential campaign, but the current candidates are not the first politicians to seize on the symbolism of Old Glory.

May 1776 George Washington asks Betsy Ross to sew the first American flag

Aug. 1949 President Harry S Truman designates June 14 National Flag Day

June 1966 President Lyndon Johnson declares the week of June 14 National Flag Week

Sept. 1970 President Richard Nixon begins to fly the flag 24 hours a day over the White House

Nov. 2000 Al Gore and George Bush stake claims before a proliferating number of flags