Foreign Phrase on Bill Clinton’s Lapel Pin Sparks Speculation
With the national media’s attention fixated on the Democratic National Convention being held this week, reports from Philadelphia touched on virtually every aspect of the quadrennial party gathering. While an overarching theme of disunity — punctuated by Tuesday’s mass walkout by Bernie Sanders supporters — dominated most of the coverage, less-consequential topics also received some attention. One subject addressed by multiple outlets and regarding at least two prominent DNC attendees is the meaning behind unusual lapel pins.
Lapel pins, often of the U.S. flag variety, have long been a staple of the American politician’s wardrobe. In 2007, then-candidate Barack Obama’s refusal to wear a flag pin led to one of the first controversies of his presidential campaign.
Ahead of the 2016 election, straying too far from the norm on this issue is clearly still cause for media scrutiny.
Former President Bill Clinton on Wednesday was subject to inquiries about his pin shortly after he arrived to watch Vice President Joe Biden’s address. The Forward’s Nathan Guttman shared a Twitter photo of the blue and white pin, which sparked some discussion regarding its potential significance.
Look at Bill Clinton’s lapel pin pic.twitter.com/invnebgh6Y
— Nathan Guttman (@nathanguttman) July 28, 2016
“I know it’s Hebrew,” one commenter wrote, “but I can’t make out the letters. Tovah?”
A short time later, a representative of the National Jewish Democratic Council offered some clarity. Steve Rabinowitz explained both he and NJDC Chairman Marc Stanley gave Clinton one of the pins prior to Wednesday evening’s scheduled events. The lapel embellishment reads “Hillary” in Hebrew.
“He said he’d wear it,” Rabinowitz recalled of his encounter with the former president, “but I didn’t know whether or not to believe him and certainly didn’t think he’d do it tonight.”
Hillary Clinton’s running mate also received some interest in his choice in lapel pin. Though some critics initially suggested Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine’s adornment depicted the Honduran flag, it was actually the Blue Star service flag to honor his deployed son, Nat, who is currently serving in the Marine Corps. (For more from the author of “Foreign Phrase on Bill Clinton’s Lapel Pin Sparks Speculation” please click HERE)
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