Barack either loves the flag or he hates it. Which is it?

In case you missed it, Barack Obama is taking heat over a comment he made this week to an Iowa television station:

I decided I won't wear that pin on my chest. Instead, I'm going to try to tell the American people what I believe will make this country great, and hopefully that will be a testament to my patriotism.'' 

He's talking about the American flag lapel pins that are now ubiquitous among American politicians. In an editorial this morning, the Chicago Sun-Times throws Obama a low punch, declaring that the comment "undermines his whole campaign." And Real Clear Politics is already calling it "Pin Gate" (though they qualify it with a question mark). Both reactions seem like a bit much.

But there does seem to be either a lapse in judgment here, or a touch of hypocrisy. Sen. Obama has a problem with wearing one tiny little flag on his chest. But he has no problem using seven gigantic American flags as a podium backdrop during his stump speeches. Notice Obama's backdrop here:

So Obama objects to wearing the flag, but not speaking in front of it? Care to explain, Sen. Obama? When do you believe it's appropriate to use the flag for political purposes and when do you believe it is not?