In the end, this election must not be about which presidential candidate can better wrap himself in the flag than the other. The issues are simply too important to be clouded by such unworthy campaign rhetoric.

John McCain is practically the definition of an American hero. He spent years in an enemy prison during the Vietnam War and his military experience and savvy on such issues is one of his most significant strengths as he attempts to become our next president. Patriotic? You bet.

Barack Obama offers an alternative standard for patriotism: "It is a also loyalty to America's ideals -- ideals for which anyone can sacrifice or defend or give their last full measure of devotion."

In the same speech last week in Independence, Mo., Obama also said, "I have always taken my deep and abiding love for this country as a given."

We believe the same to be true for McCain.

Their patriotism is a given.

So potshots from the sidelines suggesting otherwise should be ignored.

There are those, for example, who suggest that military heroism, or even significant military service, must be a prerequisite to be a patriotic commander in chief.

To them we will point out that while Ronald Reagan spent much of World War II in uniform, he was making military motion pictures and selling war bonds for most of the time. Neither of our two most recent presidents, Bill Clinton or George W. Bush, spent any time on active duty.

Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower did go on to become president, of course -- but the commander in chief under whom he served, the "war president" Franklin D. Roosevelt, had no military experience.

So retired Gen. Wesley Clark, a newly vocal Obama supporter, was just plain silly when he dismissed the significance McCain's military time by saying, "I don't think riding a fighter plane and getting shot down is a qualification to be president."

Well, of course it isn't, nor did McCain or his supporters ever claim it was. But it is a piece of his qualifications, just as Obama's life experiences are a piece of his.

From where we sit, both men are good, patriotic Americans. We'll spend our time listening to their answers to more tangible questions, like the future of our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, how gasoline prices can be brought under control and who's going to have the best shot at improving the national economy or solving the health care crisis.

And we believe most Americans are smart enough to disregard this shallow back-and-forth over flag pins and the like, and to focus on what each candidate will do if elected.

* Members of the Yakima Herald-Republic editorial board are Michael Shepard, Sarah Jenkins, Bill Lee and Karen Troianello.