EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about it! Senator Barack Obama no longer wears a flag pin! This shocking story about the 2008 presidential candidate comes to you courtesy of every major news organization in the country!

Seriously? You really want to talk to me about the centimeter-wide metal thing that̢۪s not on one man̢۪s lapel? Obama is running for president of the United States. Isn̢۪t that patriotic enough?

The next president of the United States will be facing, among other things, a war in which more than 3,800 American soldiers have died, a rapidly deteriorating Social Security system and increasing concern about global warming.

But Obama̢۪s stances on any of these issues aren̢۪t what̢۪s making the headlines.

Instead, the American public has been thoroughly educated on Obama̢۪s views regarding flag pins.

He said he no longer wears one because he̢۪d rather show his patriotism through actions rather than accessories.

There are many examples of the media’s concern for the little campaign details. In July, The Washington Post ran an article regarding another presidential candidate, under the headline “Hillary Clinton’s Tentative Dip Into New Neckline Territory.â€Â

The article was about a little bit of cleavage that Clinton flashed under her black v-neck shirt and rose-colored suit jacket while speaking on the Senate floor.

The article went on to tell us the last time Clinton “wore anything that was remotely sexyâ€Â and detail her fashion history through her husband’s White House years. No, it was not a joke.

The media was also in an uproar in September when Clinton likened Vice President Dick Cheney to the “Star Warsâ€Â character Darth Vader while speaking at a fundraiser in New York.

She was, in fact, joking.

That didn̢۪t stop all of the networks from running the story and replaying the clip of her speech for days.

In case you think the problem is limited to Democrats only, The Washington Post also featured a discussion of Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani last month. Apparently, in the middle of a speech to the National Rifle Association, Giuliani answered a cell phone call from his wife, eliciting laughter from the crowd.

The Washington Post outlined other instances in which Giuliani answered phone calls during public appearances. Apparently this practice of Giuliani̢۪s seems like a stunt designed to humanize him.

Personally, I think it̢۪s just bad manners.

It disturbs me to think that every time a newspaper or television news show runs a story about “issuesâ€Â such as the flag pin, time is wasted. Campaign advisors have to craft responses and presidential candidates have to answer the question of “to wear or not to wearâ€Â rather than discuss their plan regarding the war in Iraq.

I wish that the media would stop sensationalizing trivial details and get back to reporting the real issues. I know that Social Security and health care aren̢۪t as sexy as Clinton̢۪s cleavage, but her neckline isn̢۪t going to affect my quality of life in 30 years.

By the way, did you know that Clinton wants to give $5,000 in a trust fund to each child born in America?

She hasn̢۪t outlined how she̢۪s going to pay for this plan yet, but I̢۪m going to guess it will involve taxes. There̢۪s something interesting and issue-oriented.

How about you discuss that one for awhile, Washington Post?

Joanne Lui is a senior at Fresno State majoring in mass communication and journalism with an emphasis in print journalism. Her favorite television show is “The West Wing,â€Â where, oddly enough, lapel pins and necklines were rarely major plot points.