Birtherism: The monster that ate the GOP
Top Republican leaders have begun a belated effort to squash the birther theory that threatens to define their party as a bunch of lunatics, at least among those many Americans who don’t share the obsessions of the GOP base.
But I have no sympathy, because they brought this on themselves.
As far back as the 2008 campaign, the core of the Republican marketing strategy has been to discredit Barack Obama by depicting him as the much-feared “other” — an unAmerican, even anti-American, Muslim, anti-colonial socialist Kenyan, etc. The notion never really penetrated the general population, but among much of the GOP base it has grown into an article of faith, as much a sign of Republican fealty as a no-tax pledge and the adoration of Ronald Reagan. From its humble beginnings in the fertile imaginations of Orly Taitz and others, it has become the GOP’s Frankenstein, a monstrous creation that they no longer control and in fact now fear.
It has, for example, given them a nightmare called Donald Trump, who has used the birther issue to rise to near-frontrunner status among potential GOP presidential candidates. But remember, Trump did not create that sentiment; opportunist that he is, he merely tapped into what was already there. In fact, by saying outright what other GOP candidates had been coyly suggesting or hinting at, he kind of gave the game away. He made explicit what the party establishment had tried to keep implicit, and by doing so forced them to finally confront it.
But it may be too late. Just this week, a New York Times poll found that 45 percent of Republican voters profess to believe that Obama was born elsewhere; only 33 percent would admit the truth, that he was born in Hawaii. (A Fox News poll earlier this month showed similar numbers).
In Arizona, the arch-conservative governor, Jan Brewer, was forced to veto a bill this week that would have required Obama to produce his “long-form” birth certificate to get on that state’s ballot in 2012. The bill had passed the Arizona House 40-18 and the Senate 20-9.
In Louisiana, Gov. Bobby Jindal has announced he will sign such a bill if it reaches his desk. Oklahoma is about to pass such a law as well.
And here in Georgia, of course, state Rep. Mark Hatfield initially enlisted a majority of his House colleagues to sign on as cosponsors of a birther bill until saner heads prevailed. But Hatfield hasn’t given up:
“If one state passes, and the Obama administration basically ignores the requirement and does not qualify for the ballot in that state, that would send a very strong signal that we have a situation in the United States where someone who is not eligible is occupying the White House,” the Waycross Republican said this week, noting that “other states, including Georgia, have a duty to step up.” Such legislation is guaranteed to keep the issue in the political spotlight.
The point man for the GOP establishment’s effort to repudiate its illegitimate offspring has been Karl Rove, which itself is telling. Rove doesn’t have to run for anything, and he risks nothing with his unequivocal repudiation of birtherism. But party figures, including presidential hopefuls, who are dependent on the GOP base for votes don’t dare to be so blunt about the ridiculous nature of the charge.
Rove, in fact, has even tried to suggest that the whole thing is some plot against the GOP concocted by the White House, which would be very cool if true. Alas, it is not. Others on the right have demanded that the president save them from themselves by doing something, anything, that would end the debate. But why? If your opposition is self-destructing, why on earth would you come to their rescue?
Besides, nothing Obama could say or do would end this thing, as political scientist David Redlawsk of Rutgers University explains:
“The reality is that “facts” are unlikely to mean much to those who believe in their gut that Obama is not American. Political psychologists call this “motivated reasoning.” It goes something like this: I dislike someone; I learn something positive that should make me feel better about him; instead, I dislike him as much or even more. This is clearly irrational, but our feelings about people are complicated, and we tend to hold on to them even in the face of contradictory information. This is not unique to those who dislike Obama.
We are all somewhat impervious to new information, preferring the beliefs in which we are already invested. We often ignore new contradictory information, actively argue against it or discount its source, all in an effort to maintain existing evaluations. Reasoning away contradictions this way is psychologically easier than revising our feelings. In this sense, our emotions color how we perceive “facts.”….
In the case of President Obama, people who already dislike him at a gut level have little motivation to revise their beliefs, whether about his place of birth or, as we have found in other research, the persisting belief that he is Muslim. It’s not the evidence that matters. Feelings come first, and evidence is used mostly in service of those feelings. Evidence that supports what is already believed is accepted, that which contradicts it is not.
So the smart bet is that the birthplace issue, the Muslim issue, and any other ways in which Obama can be portrayed as outside the mainstream are not going away. And no amount of data to the contrary will change that for some people. The simple reality is people feel before they think. And when those feelings are strong enough, facts take a back seat.”
Having created a political movement around such “motivated reasoning” in which emotion substitutes for fact, the masterminds of the GOP now have to deal with its consequences.
It’s downright entertaining, don’t you think?
-- Jay Bookman
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675 comments Add your comment
Del
April 22nd, 2011
1:05 pm
“The real victims are once again, the Republicans.”
No the real victims are the American people until such time as this incompetent president can be voted out of office. Unfortunately, November 012 is still a year and a half away.
Ramguy
April 22nd, 2011
1:05 pm
It seems to me that the Dems keep bringing it up… Like its their strategy to make the Reps look bad.
You gotta love these right wingers. If “bad” Deal does something they don’t like they cry that he used to be a Dem. Then some of their looney leaders keep this birther issue going and it’s the Dem’s fault. You guys are too much. Just so you guys know, Trump is just doing his impression of PT Barnum…..There’s a sucker born every minute and the right wingers are full of them. It doesn’t matter what Obama shows these Jethro’s nad rubes won’t be satisfied.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
April 22nd, 2011
1:05 pm
Logical. Well isnt that part of the Obama plan? Make those republican state legislatures pass legislation on the birther issue? Del and others have assured us that the Republicans don’t care about the birther issue so they certainly would not be passing legislation in AZ that has to be vetoed. Obama is soooo evil he is forcing this issue in state legislatures across the country. [snark]
Dusty
April 22nd, 2011
1:05 pm
Del 12:54
You got that right. The president just “aint up to snuff”! Democrats know it too or they wouldn’t be howling so loudly about the small stuff.
—————–
Ah…off to Burger King for a fine repast! Whooppee for Whoppers!
ECB
April 22nd, 2011
1:06 pm
The concern I have with these “birther bills” is that they will give a state elections official the right to deny any candidate they want from getting on their ballots. Birth certificates are issued by states and they don’t all look alike. I can see it now: A state official in Louisiana says “maybe that’s what they issue in Hawaii (or New York or Massachusetts), but that’s not what we issue in Louisiana. Denied”. Jindal better be careful what he signs. He doesn’t look like every president before Obama either.
(ir)Rational
April 22nd, 2011
1:06 pm
Bosch – I don’t know the answer to that for sure, but I do know that McCain was forced to prove he was born in the US by showing his birth certificate during the election. It was done publicly enough that the issue was dropped and no one brought it up again after.
And Bush’s ANG records were public, and people like Alex Jones are truly crazy. There is a difference between those who think the government is out to get them period, and those who want answers to simple questions that shouldn’t be real issues.
owl
April 22nd, 2011
1:06 pm
Put Dan Rather on this story and you will be set free.
He did a real beat down on Bush’s transcripts.
BMDPD
April 22nd, 2011
1:07 pm
(ir)Rational, If you aren’t crazy then you are racist. Me I am just a crazy racist.
JohnnyReb
April 22nd, 2011
1:09 pm
Have fun with this, but keep in mind the only thing that really matters is, there are enough of us lunatics to ensure Barry is defeated in 2012.
(ir)Rational
April 22nd, 2011
1:09 pm
BMDPD – Yeah, that one is my next favorite. I always defend it jokingly by saying I’m only criticizing his white half, but that joke only works on people who already think it is funny.
Dusty
April 22nd, 2011
1:10 pm
Ramguy & Keep,
I’lll bring you something from Burger King. Obviously you need a “personality pickup”. All this juice from Dems doesn’t help a bit. You need a Whopper. The rest of us need a capable president.
Bye…
USMC
April 22nd, 2011
1:10 pm
“So, just out of curiosity, why is everyone that even questions anything about Obama immediately portrayed as “crazy” by the media and others that support him?”
Because Democrats/Media are merely trying to divert the attention away from Obama’s obvious lack of experience, leadership, and logic, etc. and his naive socialist mentality.
Liberals, like Jay, use this tactic all of the time. Instead of addressing the issue, they start to sling mud and make “fun” of ordinary people asking legitimate questions.
(ir)Rational
April 22nd, 2011
1:11 pm
Well, this was short, and somewhat fun. I just found out my office is closing early today. Time to go home and enjoy my family. Y’all have fun now.
Captain Comet
April 22nd, 2011
1:12 pm
Yep, the Birthers are right up there with the “Bush lied about WMD’s” idiots.
willie lynch
April 22nd, 2011
1:13 pm
The first step to recovery is recognising you have a problem. Good first step BMDPD.
Trump, Huckabee tied at top of GOP presidential field – USA Today | DavnecNews
April 22nd, 2011
1:13 pm
[...] Approval ratings for Obama, Congress dipCBS NewsPoll: Only 26% Think US Is on Right TrackNewsMax.comAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog) -Politico -Los Angeles Timesall 296 news [...]
David
April 22nd, 2011
1:14 pm
Tommy Maddox, foreign citizenship has no bearing on birthplace. You can be born in the US and still have dual citizenship if a parent was born in another country. No wonder it took you like 10 yeasr to finally figure out the NFL. Not so good with the knowledge.
Tommy Maddox
April 22nd, 2011
1:16 pm
Missed my follow-up eh?
Senior Citizen Kane
April 22nd, 2011
1:16 pm
(ir)Rational is correct, the Birther movement actually started with the Democrats questioning McCain’s eligibility. Google ‘McCain birth certificate’ for a glimpse.
Logical Dude
April 22nd, 2011
1:16 pm
ECB says: “The concern I have with these “birther bills” is that they will give a state elections official the right to deny any candidate they want from getting on their ballots.”
I heard this was part of the Arizona bill, but is this a feature on all of the bills? Otherwise, doesn’t the state election official already have the right to deny unqualified candidates?
I know that here in Georgia, there’s that rule that people serving have to live in whatever region they are supposed to cover, and headlines over the past couple of years have hammered a few candidates who lived elsewhere.
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:16 pm
Jay….with everything going on in the economy….is this the best you can do?
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:18 pm
Rational…..typical the left starts a fight and when it comes full circle about one of their candidates that call it birther, racist and biggoted.
Fools.
BMDPD
April 22nd, 2011
1:19 pm
UGA see my 1:05!
getalife
April 22nd, 2011
1:19 pm
Another radical position.
They should have listened to rove.
Left wing management
April 22nd, 2011
1:19 pm
Thanks for that stroll down memory lane, AmVet. You know what strikes me on looking at that clip again is the smile Bentsen directs at the hapless fuming Quayle. It’s like the knowing smile of a teacher to a brat pupil who’s just been smacked down and seems to say: “and you know I’m right!”
On a more somber note, the ease with which Bentsen delivers that devastating smackdown by merely invoking the name of a previous and fondly remembered Democratic president prompts me to wonder whether such a moment would even be possible today. That was a high water mark for liberalism and the mere mention of a Democratic icon (or in this case, the invoking of the quasi-sacred status of such a figure) was enough to virtually destroy an opponent. I doubt such a gesture would be possible today, 23 yrs later.
USMC
April 22nd, 2011
1:20 pm
“Pizzaman, I know pizza delivery people. And you, my friend, are making all Gator fans look bad!”
Now that was freakin hilarious! Thanks!
Logical Dude
April 22nd, 2011
1:20 pm
Senior says:” the Birther movement actually started with the Democrats questioning McCain’s eligibility”
I actually do not remember that at all. Do you have a link for verification? My recollection is that Orly Taitz defended a soldier for not following his orders because President Obama was “not the real president since he wasn’t born in the US”.
I mean, I may not follow every headline, but really, don’t try to tell me that it’s because of McCain’s birth certificate.
GrammarKing
April 22nd, 2011
1:21 pm
It’s obviously a silly topic to any thinking individual. President Obama doesn’t need to release his long form birth certificate for a few reasons:
1. The State of Hawaii has already confirmed, multiple times, that he was born there and has provided electronic documentation demonstrating such. (I believe someone made the link available earlier in the discussion).
2. The President, any President, should not have to stoop to the level of paranoid conspiracy theorists. President (W.) Bush didn’t give the extreme far-left any of his time when there were claims that his White House had something to do with 9/11…because it was crazy nonsense that no thinking person gave any credence to.
3. It keeps the Right, or a significant portion of the political Right, occupied and looking dumb in the eyes of the majority of Americans.
So, keep debating a pointless issue. Obviously, neither major political party has all of the answers to all of the questions. Our society would be a much better place, or, at the very least, on the path to a better place, if we could abandon strict adherence to the “party line” and give each issue the care it deserves.
AmVet - A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt
April 22nd, 2011
1:22 pm
LWM, it’s pretty classic, huh?
JFK was everything Dan Quayle wasn’t.
Which really became the model for future comparisons.
Which culminated in George W. “All hat, no cattle” Bush…
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:23 pm
Logical….how could you not remember that?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Born_Citizen_Clause
udsf
April 22nd, 2011
1:23 pm
if one of obama’s parents was a us citizen, does it matter where on earth he was born?
JP
April 22nd, 2011
1:23 pm
Why would Obama want to stop the Birther nonsense? Even if he did show his actual, original birth certificate, at least 25% of the Bithers still wouldn’t believe him. The crazier the Rs look the better for the Dems. Most R’s are going to vote against him in ‘12 anyway. Most Dems will vote for him. So it’s the independents he is going to worry about. That said, if 50% of independents think he was born somewhere else, then he has a problem
I am a DEM and think Obama can be challenged on real issues, I think the R talent pool is smart enough to do this, they just don’t this nonsense……
getalife
April 22nd, 2011
1:24 pm
Half of the uneducated radical cons are birthers.
Pizzaman
April 22nd, 2011
1:25 pm
Any Constitutional lawyers out there. Is it legal for any entity, state, county or city, to add requirements to the Constitution. I can’t see how any candidate can be required to meet any requirement on a state or local level if it’s not in the Constitution. It’d for a Federal Office.
Peadawg
April 22nd, 2011
1:25 pm
Logical Dude,
Read all about the articles here: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.printable&pageId=127362
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:25 pm
Getalife….but all of the leftist are uneducated!
Peter
April 22nd, 2011
1:25 pm
Ok if you say it often enough it becomes fact…….. Cheney said Bin Laden and Obama plotted together on 911.
How many Republican’s still believe that ? Lot’s for sure…..I would bet 10 to 15% today ?
So they will believe anything their party said ! Like “Deficits don’t matter”, or say War is good abortion bad !
JP
April 22nd, 2011
1:26 pm
UDSF – even though Obama is a US citizen by birth, I think it’s the “natural born” thing people are worried about – need to boen on US soil (?)
I would be interesting to see how the “natural born” thing would play out in court….
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:26 pm
Peter….Ok if you say it often enough it becomes fact…….. Cheney said Bin Laden and Obama plotted together on 911.
Where did you hear this or is this some nonsense BS that you made up?
GOP Monster
April 22nd, 2011
1:26 pm
Yumyum. Tastes like vanilla flavored mud….
Gm
April 22nd, 2011
1:27 pm
Thank you Trump and low life white trash birthers: You have alienated every minority in this country from Mexicans to Korans they are going to come in droves now for Obama in 2012, because if trash like birthers and expolit low middle class whites trump can do this to the President of the United States imagine what these idiots would do to other minorities in America.
Thanks Trump and birthers please keep this up tuill 2012.
RB from Gwinnett
April 22nd, 2011
1:27 pm
“only 33 percent would admit the truth, that he was born in Hawaii.”
There you have it folks!! It must be the ‘truth’ because Jay believes it. Jay has no more evidence it’s true than Orly Taitz has it isn’t, but if Jay says it, it must be true and everybody else must be wrong.
How much money would you spend to hide your birth certificate if you had nothing to hide?
Halftrack
April 22nd, 2011
1:27 pm
Jay; It’s time that some entity in the Federal Government takes the responsibility to adequately vette all candidates for President as the Constitution requires. The documents that Obummer has given would not pass acceptance for a lot of things that you would have to pass with your birth certificate (ie: Passport, Social Security, Medicare, Military service, Security Clearance, Drivers License, etc.) Just because one gives you an official looking document does not make it true. Illegal immigrants do this everyday with forged documents or Social Security cards. Please wake up and smell the coffee.
GOP Monster
April 22nd, 2011
1:28 pm
Have you seen a photo of my cousin?
http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&source=hp&biw=1792&bih=966&q=shrek&gbv=2&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:29 pm
Gm….YEP hahaha just like they did in the November elections! hahaha good luck with that one.
Logical Dude
April 22nd, 2011
1:29 pm
Hi UGA, I’m familiar with the clause, but have little recollection of it having to do with McCain. He was a Senator for how many years? I heard he was born in Panama, but to military parents. It’s a non-issue in my book (for McCain) and I guess that’s why I didn’t pay attention to that, and it died down quick so evidently not many others paid attention to it either.
I remember hearing about it AFTER the birthers questioned Obama. So I questioned the timing, not the fact that there were questions about McCain’s birthplace and presidential potential.
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:30 pm
Logical….question the timing all you want. The fact is that the left brought up the birther issue first.
getalife
April 22nd, 2011
1:30 pm
He was born in Hawaii cons but you can’t let it go.
ODS.
mm
April 22nd, 2011
1:31 pm
Obama is just feeding more rope to the suicidal republican party.
I think the entire bunch of GOP hopefuls should prove they were born on this planet.
BMDPD
April 22nd, 2011
1:31 pm
Gm, please see Jay’s 12:57. Thanks!
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:32 pm
mm….have you seen the latest polls? In all of the Obama is losing ground quickly. Have fun riding that sinking ship! hahah Hope you have a life vest.
getalife
April 22nd, 2011
1:32 pm
No, you can’t have your country back because you are crazy cons.
Del
April 22nd, 2011
1:32 pm
The only Republican candidate that’s making Obama’s place of birth an issue is Donald Trump and Trump isn’t really a Republican. Trump will not be the Republican nominee in 012.
AmVet - A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt
April 22nd, 2011
1:32 pm
I’m alarmed at how all of the responsible intelligence gathering agencies in the United States government overlooked this unconstitutional president, yet bloggers on the AJC have uncovered this oversight.
It truly boggles the mind.
udsf
April 22nd, 2011
1:33 pm
the us supreme court should vette all prez candidates. they only work a couple of months a year anyway.
buck@gon
April 22nd, 2011
1:33 pm
Living
Obama’s
Vision for
Everyone
Dear Mr. Bookman,
We don’t recall seeing but one birther column this week. Since it is very late in the game, we expect that yet another column between now and rush hour would be unseemly, but as always, do as you will. The guideline is for our protection and yours. Please remember that your assigned quota is two birther columns per week. We all agreed to this.
Writing about trump counts, but only if you included the word “birther” or derivation thereof in the column–or if you posted a picture of Trump or Newt Gingrich. If you can’t trouble yourself to write two next week, please have your son write one. He has been hanging around here lately looking for something to do and a place to stay.
We thought that tough love is a very Republican thing, indicating that you are really a closet conservative. We regret to think this, but given your proclivity to be disloyal to LOVE and neglect your assigned quota of birther columns, well, we can only wonder. Remember we are here to please everyone and to see that everyone has their fair share. Hopefully, someone else will pick up rent for your son and give him his. We’re just sorry it’s not you.
Sincerely,
Imelda Soros
LOVE staff director
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:33 pm
BMDPD….it is no use both GM and getalife are racists and biggots. But Jay will not ban them.
Jack
April 22nd, 2011
1:33 pm
The GOP candidate in 2012 gets my vote.
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:33 pm
Del….seen the recent polls?
mm
April 22nd, 2011
1:33 pm
” The fact is that the left brought up the birther issue first.”
Uh, no. If you wingers can’t be honest with us, you could at least be honest with yourselves.
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:35 pm
Jack….Amen…it could be Mickey Mouse and he would do a better job than this clown we have in office now.
mm
April 22nd, 2011
1:35 pm
Polls? I believe the polls had McCain winning the week before the election.
Moderate Line
April 22nd, 2011
1:35 pm
Democrats in America are evenly divided on the question of whether George W. Bush knew about the 9/11 terrorist attacks in advance. Thirty-five percent (35%) of Democrats believe he did know, 39% say he did not know, and 26% are not sure. Republicans reject that view and, by a 7-to-1 margin, say the President did not know in advance about the attacks.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/bush_administration/22_believe_bush_knew_about_9_11_attacks_in_advance
The problem is that both Democrats and Republicans are willing to believe the worse in the other party as represented by the number of Democrats who believed Bush had prior knowledge of the 911 attacks. All Jay is doing repeating a Democrat talking point which is aim making the Republicans look like wacko’s. Another thing is what would happen if a state passes a law which required Obama to prove he was a naturalize citizen? As long as Obama is a naturalize citizen he should not have a problem.
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:35 pm
mm….really try to remember what you guys attempted to do to McCain in the last election and the fact that he was born in Panama. Come on man, keep up, it is not that hard.
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:35 pm
mm….really try to remember what you guys attempted to do to McCain in the last election and the fact that he was born in Panama. Come on man, keep up, it is not that hard.
GOP Monster
April 22nd, 2011
1:35 pm
getalife 1:30. No he was not. Fact.
getalife
April 22nd, 2011
1:35 pm
“getalife are racists and biggots”
Show me the proof liar.
Jay
April 22nd, 2011
1:36 pm
GM, I’ve already had to pull some of your comments from earlier post, and I’m running out of patience. Please dial your rhetoric back considerably or post elsewhere.
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:36 pm
Getalife….you proved my point with past alone…..thank you.
Libertarian
April 22nd, 2011
1:36 pm
I know this hasn’t ever been an issue before Obama. But, then again, we’ve never had a president before who lived in Indonesia for a while and had a father/stepfather who were kenyan/muslim. That said, I always just assumed there was someone in America checking people’s credentials when they went to run for president. I guess not..
BMDPD
April 22nd, 2011
1:36 pm
UGA, If I have to go without calling people names, then it is only fair that Gm has to also. This is a liberal blog and liberalism is all about equality and fairness. Thus, I expect them to conform. It would not be fair if they did not.
buck@gon
April 22nd, 2011
1:37 pm
Living
Obama’s
Vision for
Everyone
Mr. Bookman,
I wanted to just let you know that while we are tired of refusing your son for pocket change when he begs in front of our building, we are glad that you are decidedly talking about birthers, republican kooks and conservative crazies.
Lord knows there are plenty of new stories out there about how bad the economy is. Imagine what would happen if the American people were focused on how the American dream is crumbling before their eyes!
Keep up the good work,
Imelda Soros
LOVE staff director
Jay
April 22nd, 2011
1:37 pm
And UGA1999, that McCain attempt is just so lame….
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:37 pm
Libertarian…..nope.
Yahtzee
April 22nd, 2011
1:37 pm
Any person with a brain should be able to figure out that the left has lost touch with reality, that the majority of media outlets in this country are nothing more than a cheerleading squad for the administration and have no intention on reporting whats actually taking place.
I really hope that the left’s plan for the next election is to frame the GOP as radicals because some percentage thinks the POTUS was not born in this country, instead of focusing on the +9% unemployment figure, the 3 wars that we shouldn’t be fighting, why we aren’t tapping our own fuel sources, cutting spending, and reforming entitlements.
BMDPD
April 22nd, 2011
1:37 pm
Jay, thank you!
RB from Gwinnett
April 22nd, 2011
1:38 pm
“Any Constitutional lawyers out there. Is it legal for any entity, state, county or city, to add requirements to the Constitution”
Nobody is adding anything to the constitution pizzaman. They’re merely trying to verify the constitutional requirement is met. You do understand the diff…… oh, nevermind…
GOP Monster
April 22nd, 2011
1:38 pm
Obama was born in Kenya to a marxist father and socialist mother. I have a team working on finding his Kenyan birth certificate as we speak….
We’ve narrowed it down to either Nairobi or Nakuru, not sure which yet. Documentation in that part of the world is less than ideal….
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:39 pm
Jay….I can prove it and already did. Read previous posts..
mm
April 22nd, 2011
1:39 pm
“it could be Mickey Mouse and he would do a better job than this clown we have in office now.”
Again, honesty.
Obama has done more good for this country in 2 years than Bush did in 8. He’s already created more jobs. If not for the do nothing GOP in the Senate, unemployment would probably be 6%. They killed every jobs bill. They added half a trillion to the deficit this year with the tax cuts.
Logical Dude
April 22nd, 2011
1:39 pm
Hi Peadawg,
Thanks for the link to the articles. From what it looks, both questions about the birth situations came up about the same time, in the run-up to the elections in 2008.
I’ll go ahead and say it was my lack of paying attention at the time to see “which came first”.
Now, the McCain question died down and there is no issue or doubt about his eligibility. For SOME reason, the same cannot be said about Obama and the people who don’t think he was born in Hawaii.
Del
April 22nd, 2011
1:39 pm
UGA1999, which ones?
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:40 pm
mm….ok, please tell me what you feel Obama has done to help the country?
BMDPD
April 22nd, 2011
1:40 pm
Hey, I am all for not tapping all of our fuel resources. Let’s use up the rest of the world’s first! Let’s use up the Middle East’s very first. Then we can leave that desert and let them kill each other in the name of Shiite and Sunni.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
April 22nd, 2011
1:41 pm
Just because one gives you an official looking document does not make it true. Illegal immigrants do this everyday with forged documents or Social Security cards. Please wake up and smell the coffee
First not an “official looking document.” An official document issued by the State of Hawaii and certified by it as official. Also confirmed by Hawaiian officials. Please do tell me how many of those “forged documents” are later verified by state officials after checking their own records twice.
Me thinks you do not know what you are talking about.
Left wing management
April 22nd, 2011
1:41 pm
Halftrack, why do we need to vet the candidates for the presidency any more than we already do?
Why on earth do we need to vet people any more to be president? From where does such a need come from? I see no evidence for it.
Jiminy
April 22nd, 2011
1:41 pm
chirp
kevin
April 22nd, 2011
1:41 pm
RB from Gwinnett,
Are you serious? In Hawaii, when you request a copy of your birth certificate you get a certificate of live birth–which has been produced. Additionally, the health director of Hawaii has verified and stated publilcly that the original birth certificate of Obama exists. Finally, on his birthday, 2 independent papers in Hawaii had announcements of his birth. Are you suggesting that this conspiracy to show Barack Obama was born in Hawaii dates back to 1941 and 2 local papers, in conjunction with the state government were part of it? Here’s some information from the state of Hawaii website that you should read.
http://hawaii.gov/health/vital-records/obama.html
Index data referred to in HRS §338-18 from vital records in the State of Hawaii is available for inspection at the Department of Health’s Office of Health Status Monitoring at 1250 Punchbowl Street in Honolulu. The public will be asked to provide identification and sign in to inspect the names and sex of all births, deaths and marriages that occurred in the state. Data are maintained in bound copies by type of event with names listed alphabetically by last name.
The index data regarding President Obama is:
Birth Index
Obama II, Barack Hussein
Male
To request a search for index data, provide a first and last name of the individual, and the type of event along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Requests must be sent in writing to:
State Department of Health
Office of Health Status Monitoring
Issuance/Vital Statistics Section
P.O. Box 3378
Honolulu, HI 96801
There may be a cost for search, segregation and copying based on the request. If prepayment is required, the DOH will send a Notice to Requestor form with the amount required for prepayment. Only a money order, certified check, or cashier’s check (make money order and checks payable to the State Department of Health) will be accepted. Personal checks will not be accepted. All fees are non-refundable; if no data is found after a search is conducted, the fees are retained to cover the cost of the search. Requests for index data will be sent out within 2-3 weeks after receipt of payment.
All past statements by the Health Director are available at:
http://hawaii.gov/health/about/pr/2008/08-93.pdf
http://hawaii.gov/health/about/pr/2009/09-063.pdf
The statements speak for themselves and there are no other public records maintained by the department related to these statements that are available to the public
Records pertaining to the Department of Health database for vital statistics information:
Records pertaining to the Department of Health database for vital statistics information are not required to be disclosed by the Uniform Information Practices Act because those records, by their very nature, must be confidential in order for the government to avoid the frustration of a legitimate government function (see HRS §92F-13(3)). Disclosing such information compromises the department’s ability to protect the integrity of vital statistics records, to ensure their proper use, and to ensure the efficient and proper administration of the vital statistics system as is required by HRS §338-18.
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:41 pm
mm…..if you notice polling of unemployment DID decrease right after he extended the Bush taxation plan (now the Obama taxation model). Thank you GOP. Unemployment has risen sharply under his supervision. Man look at the actual numbers before you make a post.
Paul
April 22nd, 2011
1:42 pm
“The reality is that “facts” are unlikely to mean much to those who believe in their gut that Obama is not American. Political psychologists call this “motivated reasoning.” It goes something like this: I dislike someone; I learn something positive that should make me feel better about him; instead, I dislike him as much or even more. This is clearly irrational…we tend to hold on to them even in the face of contradictory information’. This is not unique to those who dislike Obama.”
Oh… my…. gosh…..
And here I thought that many of the ‘personalities’ I read on this blog were unique to the blogosphere. Now I read that they are representative of much of the population.
Heaven help us.
GOP Monster
April 22nd, 2011
1:42 pm
Our OBC team (Obama Birth Certificate Team) includes a forgery expert, a descendant of Ayn Rand, a geneticist (we’ve placed a request with the White House and his Harvard roommates for a piece of Obama’s hair).
The Truth Will Prevail!
mm
April 22nd, 2011
1:42 pm
“Any person with a brain should be able to figure out that the left has lost touch with reality, that the majority of media outlets in this country are nothing more than a cheerleading squad for the administration and have no intention on reporting whats actually taking place. ”
Oh please. Just because the other media outlets don’t make sh*t up like Fox News doesn’t mean they are liberal. They actually go out of their way to let the GOP crazies lie over the air.
Misty Fyed
April 22nd, 2011
1:43 pm
Would one of you vastly superior liberals please explain the objection over states verifying the qualifications of candidates running in that state?
I mean how does that discriminate against anyone? Obama won the last presidential election… He is President. Nobody is taking that from him. If Hawaii says he was born there; no problem. He’s eligible and shouldn’t have a problem providing the same information every other candidate offers.
Harry Callahan
April 22nd, 2011
1:43 pm
“Birtherism: The monster that ate the GOP”
Bookman, what’s your definition of “ate the GOP?” I guess if it weren’t for birtherism, the GOP would have gained 50 more house seats AND won the senate back in November?
Liberals are so funny…
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:43 pm
mm……please tell us a lie told by Foxnews. Come on you can do it.
HDB
April 22nd, 2011
1:43 pm
The problem is that PRIOR to president Obama, NO President/Presidential candidate had to authenticate his American citizenship; now, a dual standard has occurred: one for Obama, another for everyone else! Seems as though we’re reverting to the 60s again…..dual standards for the majority vs. the minority!!
This is FAR from being a post-racial society; it’s a more POLARIZED racial society than before…..
UGA1999
April 22nd, 2011
1:44 pm
Harry….>Amen, they cant stand the truth.
Yahtzee
April 22nd, 2011
1:44 pm
mm – how has obama created 1 job? he hasn’t created one job in his entire life. please explain to me how unemployment continues to rise and stay above 9 %..what was it when he became president, like 5.5-6%? so he’s created jobs and raised the unemployment figures by at least 3 percentage points
GOP Monster
April 22nd, 2011
1:44 pm
Harry 1:43, I’ve tried a bite or two. Not always tasty. Depends on which parts of the GOP you’re dining on.
Gm
April 22nd, 2011
1:45 pm
Jay
Please tell me what part of my coments are not truth?
BMDPD
The truth cuts like a knife