The Berserk "Birthers"

Washington Post ^ | 8/4/09 | Eugene Robinson

[steve-b]

If there's been a more clinically insane political phenomenon in my lifetime than the "birthers," I've missed it. Is this what our national discourse has come to? Sheer paranoid fantasy?

I'm talking about the people who have convinced themselves that Barack Obama was not really born in the United States, and thus is ineligible to be president. Even some commentators who usually are among Obama's most rabid critics have acknowledged that this idea is simply nuts. Yet it persists, out there on the farthest fringes of the right-wing blogosphere. Oh, and also on CNN, which is usually a little closer to reality....

[thecabal]

If there's been a more clinically insane political phenomenon in my lifetime than the "birthers," I've missed it.

Willfully ignored eight years of "truthers", huh?

[Fighter@heart]

Yet another clueless “journalist,” trying to mis-lead & deflect the kool-aid drinkers from raising any cogent thought of their own, less they try to escape from the plantation of ignorance.

[sissyjane]

This article states that notice of Obama’s birth appeared in Hawaiian newspapers in 1961. Is that true?

[SpaceBar]

When the "birthers" demanded to see his birth certificate, state officials produced it.

Careful with that ax Eugene.

[Bringbackthedraft]

Forget it Birthers, it ain’t gonna happen. Its like getting the DD180 from Kerry.

[cripplecreek]

Its true but meaningless.

[Talisker]

I’ve always wanted to legitimately use the word “hyperbolic,” and now I can. These Leftist writers are truly hyperbolic in their panicked screeds, launching kitchen sinks worth of slander to avoid this blunt-simple request for a birth certificate. It’s astounding to watch - history tells us Leftists will sink to any low, but to observe it enacted so plainly, without any support whatever in even the most basic common sense, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

An utterly revolting opportunity, but war is always ugly, and the mind of the Left is nothing other than war.

[DeusExMachina05]

In my most humble opinion..even if he was born in the USA the debate over this serves to undercut Obama and deligitimize him in the same way that the left deligitimized Bush over the 2000 election results. So it serves a purpose either way.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

If there's been a more clinically insane political phenomenon in my lifetime than the "birthers," I've missed it.

Not much self-awareness going on there, eh?

[kenmcg]

On a recent O’Reilly show, O’Reilly and Ruddy (of Newsmax) agreed that two newspapers in Hawaii did report via “Birth Announcements” the birth of Obama in ‘61.

[sissyjane]

Respectfully- It’s not meaningless. If notice of his birth appeared in the paper at the time of his birth, then he obviously wasn’t born in Kenya. I’m just sayin’

What is true or not true is important.

[Salamander]

Not even *close* to the “Bush blew up the Twin Towers” lunacy.

[Bringbackthedraft]

Oh, and also on CNN, which is usually a little closer to reality.... /......................... Oh yeah,
“The most trusted name in news”.. When they use to be #1. LOL!

[Mr Ramsbotham]

In my most humble opinion..even if he was born in the USA the debate over this serves to undercut Obama and deligitimize him in the same way that the left deligitimized Bush over the 2000 election results. So it serves a purpose either way.

With one exception, perhaps. If Bush could have produced a single legal document that would have shut his critics up, do you think he would have done it?

[screaminsunshine]

Yes when his Grandmother mailed in to register the little brat it was auto posted to the paper.

[rockabyebaby]

Anyone can put a birth announcement in a newspaper. Just because the announcement was in a Hawaiian paper doesn’t mean obama was born there.

[cripplecreek]

Respectfully- It’s not meaningless. If notice of his birth appeared in the paper at the time of his birth, then he obviously wasn’t born in Kenya. I’m just sayin’

My cousin was born in Texas but the local paper here in Michigan ran an announcement that she was born here in Jackson. Yes its meaningless.

[Salamander]

I could call my local rag today and announce my Doberman puppy’s birth and they wouldn’t question it so long as I paid the small fee to insert it.

They don’t ask for “official evidence”.

[whattajoke]

Not even *close* to the “Bush blew up the Twin Towers” lunacy.

I agree. But it's lunacy nonetheless. Hell, if Orly Taitz gives the left any more ammo for their "All people who question the Chosen One are as insane as this lady" agenda, then I'm going to actually go insane.