I don't think that I have ever placed my hand over my heart for the national anthem. I do it for the recitation of the Pledge, even if I am not saying the words. I make sure that if I am wearing a hat I remove it for both. I was never urged to place my hand over my heart for the anthem.
I don't think this is a big deal except that he recently made headlines when he stopped wearing his flag lapel pin.
I'll have to give this some thought...
"I am allergic to piety, it makes me break out in rash judgements." - Penn Jillette
"I have never killed a man, but I have read many obituaries with a lot of pleasure." - Clarence Darrow
"The man who invented the telescope found out more about heaven than the closed eyes of prayer ever discovered." - Robert G. Ingersoll