"The lady doth protest too much, methinks." --William Shakespeare, Hamlet

"I don't need any lessons in patriotism or caring about America from the likes of Tom DeLay and the right wing, whose motivations can be questioned ... " - April 3, 2003.

" The Republican leadership has attacked our freedom to speak and even our very patriotism.

"Recently Tom Delay tried to make a political issue of my call for new leadership. Well, I refuse to have my patriotism questioned by him or anyone else." - April 9, 2003.

"Why not have a military that is strong but at the same time advances our ideals around the globe? And why not have a president who understands the truth that the flag and patriotism do not belong to any one party; they belong to all Americans?" - May 3, 2003

"It is time to renew the spirit of service and citizenship, of duty and the patriotism that belongs to no one President and no one party, but should enlist all our people to do their part, in many different ways, to make our country better. " May 19, 2003.

"We're going to remind this president that the American flag and patriotism doesn't belong to any political party - it belongs to all of us as Americans." - June 5, 2003.

"I'm running for President to remind this president that the American flag and patriotism doesn't belong to any political party - it belongs to all of us as Americans." - June 7, 2003.

"We are going to lead this country of ours to a better place, and we are going to prove to the world that the real definition of patriotism is not going to be stolen by those who believe the flag or patriotism belongs to them.

The real definition of patriotism is how we make our country stronger for our children. The environment—

WARREN OLNEY: We're out of time, Senator." - June 26, 2003.

"I want our government to keep faith with people like Eric Alva. Days after he graduated from high school, Eric Alva walked into a Marine recruiting station in San Antonio. He was five foot one and weighed ninety pounds. The recruiters told him the minimum weight requirement was 102 pounds. But Eric was determined. His father had served in the Army in Vietnam – and Eric wanted to do his part for his country. He worked out, bulked up and joined the Marines. He became a leader.
And he returned from Iraq a hero – a recipient of the Purple Heart. Eric Alva helped write the newest chapter in a tradition of service: he did his duty when his country called. And now we have a duty to him – to keep the promise of a society equal to his bravery, an American of opportunity for all.

But on issue after issue this Administration has not kept faith with that promise; it has betrayed his patriotism and all those whose gifts and faith and sacrifice are what makes this nation great." - July 13, 2003.

"Let me just close by saying to all of you that I will also not allow this president and this administration to define patriotism. The flag of the United States does not belong to any party or to any president or to any ideology. He belongs to all of us as Americans --

MR. DONALDSON: Thank you, senator." - July 15, 2003.

"I just want to take one minute, if I can, to divert, because I learned on the way over here of a plan in the Pentagon that was made public today to cut the pay of 148,000 troops who are serving in Iraq, to cut their pay, because they say they can't afford to pay them the $75 of imminent-danger pay and $150 of family-separation pay.

And I call on the president, by the end of today, to make it clear that not only is that not an option, not only is that not a definition of patriotism or support for these troops, but this administration should apologize for even giving the families and those troops the anxiety of thinking that that might be the regard in which they are held in 120-degree heat while they are taking fire on all sides and standing for our country. I'm sure you will join me in that." - Aug. 14, 2003.

"And many of us who served in the military have a sense of patriotism that doesn't belong to either party, it belongs to the country. The flag doesn't belong to either party, it belongs to the country. And I think that President Bush, frankly, right now, is letting down a lot of veterans, because veterans across the country are having a harder time getting into the VA." - Sept. 2, 2003.

"This president lives out a creed of greed for he and his friends. I'm tired of seeing chief executives be permitted to take the millions or billions to Bermuda and leave the average American here at home stuck with the tax bill. You know what I call that? Unpatriotic. And we're going to define patriotism for this country." - Sept. 8, 2003.

"And when it comes to patriotism, when I hear the Vice President and others talk about it or Tom Delay, let me remind them about patriotism. In America, there are 135,000 veterans waiting six months to see a doctor for the first time at the VA.

"There are over 400,000 veterans who have been denied access to the VA because they're told they don't have the money.

"Well, they had the money to give a tax cut to people earning more than $400,000 a year and I say to you, my definition of patriotism, and I say to them, my definition of patriotism is you don't ever forget your obligations to those who've wore the uniform of your country. " - Sept. 5, 2003.

"We deserve a president of the United States who will write laws for all Americans, not for campaign contributors. And I intend to be a president for all Americans who takes back the flag of our country because it doesn't belong to any party, doesn't belong to any president. It belongs to all of us as Americans. And we deserve a president who stands up for patriotism and its real definition, which is doing what makes our country stronger and safer and more secure." - Sept. 9, 2003.

"The Reserves are losing their health care when they come back, they may lose their job. There's a disparity in pay between them, and I think it is clear that every single one of us up here would believe that we're tired of hearing Tom DeLay and Dick Cheney and others throw patriotism at us.

"We're taking back the flag for the United States of America, and we're going to make it clear the real definition of patriotism is keeping faith with those who wore the uniform of their country. And we are going to do that." - Oct. 9, 2003.

"When the President runs attack ads claiming Democrats are opposed to the War on Terror it is an assault on our very patriotism." - Dec. 1, 2003.

"And what's this President going to find when he brings it on? When he brings on every tool in his right-wing arsenal to stop us from taking back our democracy? When he brings on the attack ads that question our patriotism? When he brings on the right-wing talking heads-the Ann Coulters, the Sean Hannitys, the Rush Limbaughs-to try and stifle dissent and shut us up?" - Dec. 2, 2003.

"But I know from my own service to country that the flag of the United States does not belong to any president or to any political party or to any ideology. I believe it is the essence of patriotism-and it is the essence of patriotism to hold our country to a higher standard of behavior. " - Dec. 3, 2003.

“I can't wait to stand up when Donald Rumsfeld and George W. Bush question the patriotism of Democrats, I'm going to remind them that the real definition of patriotism begins with keeping faith with those who wear the uniform of our country." - Jan. 2, 2004.

"I will not stand for Tom DeLay, Dick Cheney, President Bush or others challenging the patriotism or the ability of Democrats to question the direction of our country.

"And I'll use everything in my power to stand up to them to present what I think is the real definition of patriotism in our country." - Jan. 4, 2004.

"We saw what they did to challenge the patriotism of Max Cleland, a triple amputee, a man who left three of his limbs on the ground in Vietnam. They challenged his patriotism. His regret is he didn't stand up and fight back. I'm going to fight back, and I'm going to fight back with Max Cleland at my side and with a lot of other veterans who understand that this war is a war that they rushed into, that they have put our troops at greater exposure of risk than we had to." - Jan. 11, 2004.

"I also intend to expose the despicable tactics George Bush, Karl Rove and their disciples on the radical right. They do not really defend their politics of privilege on its own terms; instead, they take refuge in false appeals to patriotism. We do not need - and we will not accept - lectures on patriotism from the likes of Steve King and Tom DeLay. " - Jan. 14, 2004.

"And I'm not going to listen to Tom DeLay or the president or anybody else lecture the Democratic Party about patriotism, when the first act of patriotism is keeping faith with people who wore the uniform of our country." - Jan. 22, 2004.

"I am determined to run a campaign on the great challenges facing this country-from creating jobs, to solving our health care crisis to getting our nation's ballooning deficit under control. But I will not sit back and allow my patriotism to be challenged." - Feb. 21, 2004.

"And you know, it's curious to me, George, how angry they get and how-sort of, they throw patriotism around and so forth. I don't know what it is that all these Republicans who didn't serve in Vietnam or fight in a war have against those of us who did. And I look forward to having a great debate with them about how you make America secure." - Feb. 23, 2004.

"PRESSMAN: Do you think they're challenging your patriotism?

Sen. KERRY: When you question somebody's commitment to the defense of your nation, you're questioning their commitment to the country." - Feb. 29, 2004.

"They challenged John McCain's record as a prisoner of war. There were people out there calling him the most unbelievable things. They did the same thing to our colleague and friend, Max Cleland, who left three limbs on the battlefield in Vietnam, and they challenged his patriotism. There is a Republican attack squad that specializes in trying to destroy people and be negative. I think the president needs to talk about the real priorities of our country. And that's what we're looking forward to." - March 11, 2004.

"But in South Carolina, John McCain's sacrifice as a POW was used to attack his fitness to serve as Commander-in-Chief. In 2002, an America hero, Max Cleland - who lost three limbs in Vietnam - was defeated for reelection to the Senate with ads that questioned his patriotism and his commitment to our national security. " - March 13, 2004.

"I'm not going to listen to them talk to me about patriotism and defense of country." - April 18, 2004.