The GOP's affinity for loyalty oaths

http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/06/26/12417902-the-gops-affinity-for-loyalty-oaths?lite

<snip>
In August 2004, however, then-Vice President Cheney spoke at an event in Albuquerque, but locals were only allowed to get a ticket to attend if they first signed a loyalty oath swearing they "endorse George W. Bush for reelection of the United States [sic]."

A couple of months later, at a Bush event in Florida, a Republican asked those in attendance to stand, raise their right hands, and recite a Pledge of Allegiance ... to George W. Bush. As part of the oath, attendees were told to say: "Because I care, I promise to work hard to re-elect, re-elect George W. Bush as president of the United States."

I'm trying to imagine what Republicans would say in 2012 if Democrats pushed voters to stand, raise their right hands, and pledge their allegiance to President Obama.

In any case, Bush and Cheney are no longer in office, but Republicans' affinity for loyalty oaths hasn't gone away. In recent months, we've seen GOP loyalty oaths pop up in Virginia and Kansas, for example, and in April, members of the Republican National Committee were invited to a private meeting with Mitt Romney -- before he'd secured the nomination -- but in order to attend, they had to, you guessed it, pledge their loyalty to Romney in writing

....more