Happy birthday, America! I've got a few Fourth-related items--mostly videos--worth sharing today:

• It's a couple days old now, but it bears repeating: Karl Rove's column this week is essential reading. Read this snippet, and you'll want to know what happens:



"I'm a pretty good orthopedic surgeon. When my younger son is deployed to Iraq next March, I would like to be working as a Navy medical officer, but they won't let me because I am 61 years old. Will you give me an age waiver, Mr. President?" Mr. Bush pointed to me. Dr. Krissoff and I exchanged business cards and he promised to fax me his application.

• Bob McDonnell, candidate for governor here in Virginia, released a great Fourth of July video. He talks about his dad being a World War II veteran, his own 21 years in the Army, and his daughter's tour of duty in Iraq.

• The Culture and Media Institute study, Faded Glory: How Broadcast Networks Trivialize Patriotism, is worth a look. That link is a PDF of the full report, but you can also read highlights and recommendations. One observation that should embarrass the media:

"The three networks labeled food 'patriotic' nearly twice as often as members of the armed services (20 to 11). ABC's July 4, 2008, broadcast of 'Good Morning America' featured 'patriotic' [potato] salad, 'patriotic' cobbler and 'patriotic' chicken wings. Viewers didn't see 'patriotic' soldiers, Marines, sailors or airmen in the broadcast."

• And last but not least, another video, this one a tribute from a fellow blogger, Frank Canzolino. (You can find him on Twitter: @FrankCanzolino.)

Cross-posted at CatherineFavazza.com.