In the last minute or two of his visit at DYI this morning, Patrick mentioned something about a loyalty oath to Obama by some group.

I find this interesting.

In 1688, the English Bill of Rights was penned.  Subjects vowed their loyalty to the person of the King and/or Queen. 

About 100 years later, the Constitution for the USoA was penned.  Its oaths are to the document itself (and any embodied principles), NOT to a person.  All the complaints in the Declaration of Independence are about actions of a King - a person.  Framers apparently saw no need to place hope/loyalty in a person.

Whatever effect an oath may actually have, to whatever allegiance is sworn, I think Byrne must have at least picked up on the fact that an oath to a person sounded odd.  To American ears it should.

DC Treybil