It ends not with a bang, but a whimper
Of course, it’s an obvious forgery.
Or something like that.
From the official White House statement:
“The President believed the distraction over his birth certificate wasn’t good for the country. It may have been good politics and good TV, but it was bad for the American people and distracting from the many challenges we face as a country. Therefore, the President directed his counsel to review the legal authority for seeking access to the long form certificate and to request on that basis that the Hawaii State Department of Health make an exception to release a copy of his long form birth certificate. They granted that exception in part because of the tremendous volume of requests they had been getting.”
Or as Obama himself put it this morning:
“We don’t have time for this kind of silliness. We’ve got better stuff to do.”
This changes nothing, of course. The birther nonsense was born out of a deep conviction in some quarters that Barack Obama “ain’t one of us,” that he is not merely unAmerican but anti-American, and that his presence in the White House is an insult to this nation’s heritage.
The birth-certificate controversy was merely that sentiment given literal form. Even after this, the sentiment will remain; the cynics who preached it and profited by it, and the fools who believed it, remain with us as well.
Donald Trump, for example, just took credit for forcing the release — “I’m very proud of myself,” he said — but he then doubled down on his foolishness, refusing point blank to acknowledge that this ends the controversy and instead demanding to see Obama’s academic records.
Birtherism was, and is, a symptom of something fundamentally gone awry in the national psyche. And this doesn’t fix it, not by a long shot.
– Jay Bookman
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1,135 comments Add your comment
TaxPayer
April 27th, 2011
11:07 am
As soon as Dan Rather apologizes to Bush for the fake Air Guard documents.
Well, it is not like there were ever any real ones to fall back on.
Adam
April 27th, 2011
11:07 am
Gradesters. I like that one. Very catchy.
Joe Cool
April 27th, 2011
11:07 am
Funny to see our resident Birthers deflect, deflect…..lol.
Dumb Azzes!!
Thulsa Doom
April 27th, 2011
11:07 am
Seems like Jay and the left want to keep the birther issue going along with a handful of far righties.
AmVet - A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt
April 27th, 2011
11:07 am
No one was taking Donals seriously.
Yet more exquisite dancing.
Birther nonsense over.
Nope. In a way, it’s just beginning.
It’s what you boys out there on the lunatic fringe desperately wanted and now you’ve got it.
Right smack in the face. And watching these Donaldesque ballerina moves is great entertainment.
Lots and lots of fun at you birther’s expense coming up…
Rightwing Troll
April 27th, 2011
11:08 am
Now on the “dualies”…
As I understand it you have to ask to be a “dual” citizen… I was born in france and I was told that I had to declare myself as a dual citizen when I turned 18, and by not doing so I passed on the opportunity to become one…
President Hussein
April 27th, 2011
11:08 am
OMG!!! I just put the long form under infrared light, there’s a huge background picture of the Donald smirking…
To all of the ugly white people
April 27th, 2011
11:08 am
@President Hussein April 27th, 2011 11:04 am
I bet you a dime to a doughnut that you are ugly as hell!!!!!! and also DUMB as hell. You wish you had Odumbo ears!!!!
Southern Comfort (aka The Man)
April 27th, 2011
11:08 am
Jay
I guess those jackasses don’t realize that the US does not recognize dual citizenships. If you’re an American, nothing else matters. I guess they will keep on with this crap no matter what. Obama needs to hire an angry Black man to stand in for him at a press conference and straight cuss everybody out. I’d go for either Chris Rock or Paul Mooney…..
Rightwing Troll
April 27th, 2011
11:08 am
“along with a handful of far righties.”
Like 62% of registered Republicans…
Tommy Maddox
April 27th, 2011
11:09 am
I think this stuff is a scream.
Logical Dude
April 27th, 2011
11:09 am
Irwin: Am I to assume now that EVERY candidate that plans to run in 2012 and beyond will first need to show their Birth Certificate, College Transcripts and a complete record of their travels between the age of 1 and 40?
Well, not legally, but “just in case”
USMC
April 27th, 2011
11:09 am
“Donald Trump can’t HOLD a candle to Obama. Donald ain’t cute enough or smart enough.” HCofA
Yeah, the Donalds mop is rather interesting, but he certainly just PUNKED Obama, The President of the United States. The wheels are coming off of the Obama wagon.
He let a “carnival act” with a bad ‘dew’ force his hand. Obama is weak!
Foreshadowing???
AndBarrySaid BendOver
April 27th, 2011
11:09 am
Hurry up with this silly stuff. Chris Mathews is in the oval office ready for the daily Lewinsky. I have a 1 oclock tee time, hoops @ 4 and the daily whitehouse party starts @ 5. I don’t understand why people won’t let me get on to important stuff. Barry WORD
Harry Callahan - A liberal is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to stand on his own two feet. ~Harry Callahan
April 27th, 2011
11:10 am
“It’s what you boys out there on the lunatic fringe desperately wanted and now you’ve got it. ”
If, by “you boys out there on the lunatic fringe” you mean Republicans, we’re pretty much running this entire state.
Really chaps your backside, doesn’t it?
Finn McCool
April 27th, 2011
11:10 am
You Conservatives REALLY don’t want to run too far with the grades/transcript issue. It will, more than likely, bite you much worse than this.
Sarah Palin : “Which one you want to see? I had to go to six schools to get one degree.”
John McCain: “YEah, I’m at the bottom of my class, and what’s your point? Do you know my military history?”
W: “Grades? LOL, “
(ir)Rational
April 27th, 2011
11:10 am
So Co – I would watch that press conference. It would be hilarious.
gadem
April 27th, 2011
11:10 am
It doesn’t matter that it took him so long, because no other President or Politician had been asked to do so…why single him out? Why should he been over backwards to appease “birthers” when there were other reasons why they brought up the BC issue…he had already properly been vetted. Now Trump wants school records! It is just silliness…
USMC
April 27th, 2011
11:11 am
Trump speaks…
Obama TREMBLES!
getalife
April 27th, 2011
11:11 am
usmc is a carnival barker like trump.
No credibility and not man enough to apologize for being dead wrong.
Coldwell Banker
April 27th, 2011
11:11 am
“I have a nice mountain chalet on a ski slope in Ocala to sell you”
Just like a liberal to buy a crappy piece of real estate that no one will buy. Walk away from your your mortgage Matti – that’s what you liberals do best. The government and Obama will take care of you!
Halftrack
April 27th, 2011
11:11 am
This should end this saga on Obama. The real question now is for future candidates for President. Some entity of Government, the Congress or the Supreme Court, should be the definitive party to see that the natural born Citizenship required by the Constitution is officially checked for any candidate by a specified date prior to the election date. This basic rule of law has now become that important for future candidates.
Harry Callahan - A liberal is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to stand on his own two feet. ~Harry Callahan
April 27th, 2011
11:11 am
Clinton was revealing his long form to White House interns by his first week in office. I guess Obozo is just a slow learner.
ken
April 27th, 2011
11:12 am
Mine has a raised stamp
jm
April 27th, 2011
11:12 am
You know, it’s actually nice to see the birth certificate. Makes me proud still that this guy became President, despite my frustrations with the guy, his politics, beliefs, etc…
Southern Comfort (aka The Man)
April 27th, 2011
11:12 am
Grasshopper: So who does check these things?
The POTUS has probably one of the highest security clearances of any citizen. He’d be thoroughly vetted by security agencies to ensure he’s capable of viewing classified documents amongst other things. If you recall, when the wikileaks thing came out, the government put out directions that government workers could not view the news articles even though they were in public domain because they contained classified info.
jms
April 27th, 2011
11:12 am
yawn
Keep Up the Good Fight!
April 27th, 2011
11:12 am
Grasshopper… you don’t think the admissions departments checked? Do you know what the questions are for the application to take the bar exam for each state?
Gradesters….more buffoonery!
Thulsa Doom
April 27th, 2011
11:12 am
Hair Club of America
April 27th, 2011
11:04 am
@Thulsa Doom April 27th, 2011 10:55 am
And for the rest of you white men who are jealous of Obama. GET OVER IT.-HAIR CLUB OF AMERICA
Yeah baby! Looks like we got our 2nd race baiting hit of the day. We’re in full swing already with Democratic strategy no. 2- Scream racism!
jm
April 27th, 2011
11:13 am
Jay, you get Palin tweets????
USinUK
April 27th, 2011
11:13 am
“The wheels are coming off of the Obama Wagon”
man, someone needs to pass the popcorn
Birfer Boi (your post is awaiting moderation)
April 27th, 2011
11:13 am
Loretta Lynn was 13 when she got married, and she had her 4 children by the time she was 19
yebbut her husband wansn’t a ni*CLANG*
USMC
April 27th, 2011
11:14 am
“To all of the ugly white people”
Jay Bookman, is this the type of moniker you are allowing these days????
Adam
April 27th, 2011
11:14 am
USMC@11:11
AHAHHHAHHAAAHAHAAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAAHAHHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
Tommy Maddox
April 27th, 2011
11:14 am
“And for the rest of you white men who are jealous of Obama. GET OVER IT.-HAIR CLUB OF AMERICA”.
Gee, isn’t he 1/2 white? Should white men be only 1/2 jealous?
President Hussein
April 27th, 2011
11:14 am
“To all ugly white…..”
Hate much??? LOL…..
jm
April 27th, 2011
11:14 am
Wonder why on earth he fought so hard to not release it previously? Seems innocuous…
Message from Matti
April 27th, 2011
11:15 am
“If, by “you boys out there on the lunatic fringe” you mean Republicans, we’re pretty much running this entire state.”
And doing such a FABULOUS job! (*applause applause*) Being on top is so overrated. I like that y’all consistently aim for the bottom and get there every time. It’s honest. It’s real. Pat yourselves on the back a few hundred more times, please. It never gets old!
Thulsa Doom
April 27th, 2011
11:15 am
Southern Comfort,
I have to respectfully disagree. The man got into Columbia and Harvard law with allegedly poor grades and his major was freaking political science? Gimme a break. How do you not make straight As with a B.S. degree like that. I would have more respect for him if he were a C student who graduated with a degree in engineering or something equally difficult. But poly sci?
How and why did the man get into these highly competitive ivy league schools with a allegedly poor grades in a B.S. major? Its a legit question. Release the grade transcripts now Mr. Transparency!!!!
Jay
April 27th, 2011
11:15 am
Define “fought so hard,” jm.
What did he actually do in “fighting so hard”?
Irwin M. Fletcher
April 27th, 2011
11:16 am
jm – “Wonder why on earth he fought so hard to not release it previously? Seems innocuous…”
He did release it earlier, it’s just that no one liked it and demanded another one.
Hillbilly Deluxe
April 27th, 2011
11:16 am
“We don’t have time for this kind of silliness. We’ve got better stuff to do.”
Not a big fan of Obama but I have to agree with him on this.
Doggone/GA
April 27th, 2011
11:16 am
“Wonder why on earth he fought so hard to not release it previously?”
He didn’t. The reason for the delay in actually in Jay’s piece…if you’d bother to read it.
Bailey
April 27th, 2011
11:16 am
Finally, Obama is such a drama queen! This is actually wonderful news as illegal aliens will have no excuses to present real, certified legal documents in order to stay in this country. Obama has actually paved the way by caving into the birthers! It is amazing what power one can hold in seeking the truth!
getalife
April 27th, 2011
11:17 am
trump punked the cons and will not run.
He destroyed the gop because he is a lib.
To all of the ugly white people
April 27th, 2011
11:17 am
@Thulsa Doom April 27th, 2011 11:12 am
Hey, Mullet man. ARE YOU JEALOUS OF OBAMA? You need to get that Mullet hair to the HAIR CLUB immediately. Take Donald with you.
jm
April 27th, 2011
11:18 am
Jay 11:14 – well, the “rumor mill” such as it is, asserted he was spending millions preventing the B.C. from being released. I have no insight into the veracity of the allegations whatsoever.
Grasshopper
April 27th, 2011
11:18 am
‘The POTUS has probably one of the highest security clearances of any citizen. He’d be thoroughly vetted by security agencies to ensure he’s capable of viewing classified documents amongst other things. If you recall, when the wikileaks thing came out, the government put out directions that government workers could not view the news articles even though they were in public domain because they contained classified info.’
Interesting. I don’t recall a security agency ever derailing a presidential campaign over screwy documents. Boy that would be a mess if it were to ever happen.
getalife
April 27th, 2011
11:18 am
And there goes jm’s credibility.
Thulsa Doom
April 27th, 2011
11:19 am
o all of the ugly white people
April 27th, 2011
11:08 am
@President Hussein April 27th, 2011 11:04 am
“I bet you a dime to a doughnut that you are ugly as hell!!!!!! and also DUMB as hell. You wish you had Odumbo ears!!!!”
Holy cow! The bigots are on full throttle today! 3rd example of left wing bigotry on the blogs an its still early. HA! When in doubt employ Dem strategy no. 2 – SCREAM RACISM!
Paul
April 27th, 2011
11:20 am
Nice thread, Jay. The group needed a bit of play time.
getalife
Didn’t review all of this thread or the prior.
Did any of the birthers apologize?
Doggone/GA
April 27th, 2011
11:20 am
“I have no insight into the veracity of the allegations whatsoever.”
and, apparently, no problem believing and repeating them either.
Logical Dude
April 27th, 2011
11:21 am
Grasshopper: I don’t recall a security agency ever derailing a presidential campaign over screwy documents
that’s because it’s done early enough that it’s not noticeable. For instance. Haley Barbour just announced he’s not running. Was this a surprise? Could it be because “something” in the documents was found that would prevent him being president?
I doubt it, but errors in documents would pop up early enough in most cases that the person would just drop out of the race.
jm
April 27th, 2011
11:21 am
Jay, I’m anything but a conspiracy theorist (aside from abusing the use of the blog moniker for the purposes of making fun of conspiracy theorists). I just wonder why he didn’t just release it earlier? Would’ve ended the spectacle sooner. I guess he can have his own personal reasons and that’s his business….
TaxPayer
April 27th, 2011
11:21 am
If, by “you boys out there on the lunatic fringe” you mean Republicans, we’re pretty much running this entire state.
As though we are not aware of that given the higher than the national average unemployment rate and the lack of ethics amongst elected GOPers and the highest number of bank failures, etc. Duh.
Adam
April 27th, 2011
11:21 am
Grasshopper: Schwarzenegger.
CaldeRON
April 27th, 2011
11:21 am
“We don’t have time for this kind of silliness. We’ve got better stuff to do.”
This has been Obama’s excuse all along. Now there are none, and all bets are President Obama will continue to fail. He has already blammed the Tea Party, now the “birthers”, who is next? Maybe he’ll blame his girlfriend Oprah for being a distraction, since she is so needy as her talk show is ending and her new network is failing.
Joe Cool
April 27th, 2011
11:22 am
2 days ago, our resident birthers were all abuzz and loving Trump. Prez O, owned him. Showed him why hes the Prez and not him. Trump has lost all credibility with this. Mr. “I have ppl on the ground in Hawaii” just got owned.
Doggone/GA
April 27th, 2011
11:22 am
“I just wonder why he didn’t just release it earlier?”
I see you STILL haven’t read what Jay wrote.
AmVet - A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt
April 27th, 2011
11:22 am
Only in the mind of a delusional con, can Trump publicly say “there is no birth certificate”, and then when it is produced, they say Trump, ala Charlie Sheen, “won”.
No wonder they don’t think W was the worst ever…
Keep Up the Good Fight!
April 27th, 2011
11:22 am
Paul….. did you need to ask?
Thulsa Doom
April 27th, 2011
11:23 am
To all of the ugly white people
April 27th, 2011
11:17 am
@Thulsa Doom April 27th, 2011 11:12 am
“Hey, Mullet man. ARE YOU JEALOUS OF OBAMA? You need to get that Mullet hair to the HAIR CLUB immediately. Take Donald with you.”
The gift that keeps on giving. Example no. 4 today of left wing racial bigotry. When in doubt scream racism!
Lil' Barry Bailout
April 27th, 2011
11:23 am
A new Gallup/USA Today poll contains a counterintuitive finding: the age group most receptive to House Budget Chair Paul Ryan’s plan to deal with the budget – seniors.
The poll finds 48 percent of seniors (those 65 and over) support Ryan’s plan over President Obama’s plan, while 42 percent back the president.
———-
Well, old people do tend to be more intelligent and more America-loving.
getalife
April 27th, 2011
11:23 am
Paul,
They are not man enough and have zero credibility.
Nobody believes a word they type so not sure why they are still here.
They should get a job and stop living off the government.
Old Dawg
April 27th, 2011
11:23 am
Here’s the thing that I’ve never understood: Mitt Romney was born in Mexico. Where’s the angst about that?
John McCain was born in Panama. Granted, it was on a U.S. Military base, but he was born out of the country. Where’s all the hullabaloo about that?
The law’s pretty simple: regardless of where you’re born and one of your parents are naturalized American citizens, you’re an American. No if ands or buts.
How simple can it be?
One last thing: Donald Trump is a thug. He treats his employees like dirt, has created an image of third world dictator and now he’s pretending to be our country’s savior – what a joke.
If there’s ever a loser in the room, it’s the Donald – and he’s long been fired!!
jm
April 27th, 2011
11:23 am
Doggone / getalife – the issue has been hanging out there for some time. Whether he was spending legal money or not is irrelevant. Whatever. I was never a birther, never will be.
Rejoice in the triumphant debunking of the birthers if you so choose. But direct your aim elsewhere.
TaxPayer
April 27th, 2011
11:23 am
rumor mill, jm. Still haven’t found a job, have ya. And what will you do without daytime soaps.
Grasshopper
April 27th, 2011
11:24 am
Grasshopper: Schwarzenegger
?? Why him? No question about where he was born. Was there something else?
Adam
April 27th, 2011
11:24 am
i’m: even though most of US paid attention to the debacle, it really wasn’t mainstream until recently. And I think Obama can be forgiven for thinking the only birth certificate a regular citizen can get a copy of, the short form, was enough.
getalife
April 27th, 2011
11:24 am
Attention Seniors:
The gop will end your Medicare.
Get the word out.
President Hussein
April 27th, 2011
11:25 am
I love it. Today is X-mas in May. Mark this day folks. May 27, 2011….the day Pres Barry stooped down to the level of the Donald!!! Hilarious…you just can’t make this stuff up!!!
USMC
April 27th, 2011
11:25 am
I guess Chris “I feel a tingle up my leg” Matthews was asking the same questions about the birth certificate. Why not just show the birth certificate:
Chris Matthews Snap To It Obama And Release The Birth Certificate
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsXyfS65frg
to all the ugly white people
April 27th, 2011
11:26 am
… you are really gorgeous and I am jealous of everything you do!
Grasshopper
April 27th, 2011
11:26 am
‘that’s because it’s done early enough that it’s not noticeable. For instance. Haley Barbour just announced he’s not running. Was this a surprise? Could it be because “something” in the documents was found that would prevent him being president?
I doubt it, but errors in documents would pop up early enough in most cases that the person would just drop out of the race.’
Maybe, sounds like a great movie!
To All of the Ugly Black People
April 27th, 2011
11:26 am
I bet you a dime to a doughnut that you are ugly as hell!!!!!! and also DUMB as hell.
Grasshopper
April 27th, 2011
11:27 am
Maybe, sounds like a great movie!
A la ‘Manchurian Candidate.’
larry
April 27th, 2011
11:27 am
May 27, 2011 ? I thought it was April 27, 2011 President Hussein .
Dang, where did the time go ?
(ir)Rational
April 27th, 2011
11:27 am
President Hussein – Did I miss an entire month?!?!?!?!
AmVet - A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward. ~Franklin D. Roosevelt
April 27th, 2011
11:28 am
Mission Accomplished, birthers?
There goes another of those unknown unknowns…
Adam
April 27th, 2011
11:28 am
Grasshopper: his campaign was totally derailed due to documents. That is my point.
Joe Cool
April 27th, 2011
11:28 am
“Jay, I’m anything but a conspiracy theorist (aside from abusing the use of the blog moniker for the purposes of making fun of conspiracy theorists). I just wonder why he didn’t just release it earlier? Would’ve ended the spectacle sooner. I guess he can have his own personal reasons and that’s his business….”
Because If you think that you can run for Persident and WIN without having being proved a natural born citizen, then you my friend are STOOPID! Thats why he didnt release it. He played you Rebubs and right when you thought you had momentum in that fool Trump, he took the sail out of those wings. Now your top polled man, has no credibility. Shows what his “ppl on the ground” found….NOTHING.
Obama's Blue Lips
April 27th, 2011
11:28 am
Attention Senor & Senorita:
The gop will end your Medicare and sent you back home
Get the word out.
TaxPayer
April 27th, 2011
11:29 am
Seniors don’t need no Medicare. All they need is a voucher to give to the insurance company of their own choosing. Of course, the laughter from the insurance company representative, when asked by the senior how much health insurance the voucher will buy, can be squelched by turning down the volume on the hearing aid.
USMC
April 27th, 2011
11:29 am
“I bet you a dime to a doughnut that you are ugly as hell!!!!!! and also DUMB as hell.”
–To All of the Ugly Black People
Do you see my point, Jay. Are you going to let these kinds of monikers pass?
Grasshopper
April 27th, 2011
11:29 am
Campaign for what Adam? There was never a question that he was disqualified due to birth. No need for any other documents on Ahnold.
jconservative
April 27th, 2011
11:30 am
The State of Hawaii certified his birth certificate decades ago. That should have been the end of the story.
He has had US Passports since he was 4 years old. That should have been the end of the story.
The Supreme Court has refused to hear the case 5 times. That should have been the end of the story.
It was not the end of the story because Obama is the first black president.
And that my friends is the end of the story.
joe suggs
April 27th, 2011
11:30 am
We need to get on to important issues now ! More welfare,citizenship for all illegals ( more welfare) and more gay rights for the perverts .
USMC
April 27th, 2011
11:30 am
As usual, Trump wins:
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2011/04/27/trump_takes_credit_for_obama_releasing_a_birth_certificate.html
larry
April 27th, 2011
11:30 am
Did I miss an entire month?!?!?!?!
I knew i shouldn’t have gotten in that DeLauren!!
getalife
April 27th, 2011
11:31 am
usmc,
Leave.
Oprah's Boyfriend in DC
April 27th, 2011
11:31 am
Mark this day folks. May 27, 2011 … the day the “Birthers” WON
Robert
April 27th, 2011
11:32 am
To clarify the word “birther” is the new code word for “white racist”
stands for decibels
April 27th, 2011
11:32 am
Practical question: So what becomes of all the Birther bills making their way through GOP-dominated state houses? I seem to recall that LA, TX, and FL had them (AZ’s gov. vetoed theirs), probably missing more than a few states here, though.
Adam
April 27th, 2011
11:33 am
USMC@11:30
AHAAHAAAHHAHAHAHHAAHHAHHAHAHHAHAHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!
USMC
April 27th, 2011
11:33 am
“usmc, Leave.”–getalife
Sounds pretty tough from behind a keyboard there, Crazy:-)
larry
April 27th, 2011
11:33 am
Mark this day folks. May 27, 2011 … the day the “Birthers” WON
LMAO!! They cant even get the day right!!
getalife
April 27th, 2011
11:33 am
usmc,
Nobody believes you.
Get lost.
Joe Cool-President Obama Tells Birthers, "Thanks For Playing B!+ches"
April 27th, 2011
11:34 am
USMC, give it up dude…lol.
Prez. O owned ya’ll birthers. lol
I still have your picture.
http://cdn.crooksandliars.com/files/uploads/2009/07/BIRTHER_74b39.jpg
Adam
April 27th, 2011
11:34 am
Please stop. You Trumpers are making me laugh so hard that my coworkers want to know why I’m crying!
Left wing management
April 27th, 2011
11:34 am
Thulsa: “Translation- liberal gobbledeegook with some nice big words like tautological thrown in to give the deceptive appearance of reason and rationale.
I thought you might react that way. Are you saying you reject my assertion about a tautological loop that characterizes symbolic authority (and therefore all authority, since all authority is symbolic ultimately)?
We do not live in a traditional monarchy where for example the word of a king closes a debate simply by being pronounced. In our modern society we transfer that authority to symbolic institutions, represented ultimately by a courtroom judge. The only way those institutions work is for their WORD to be accepted at face value (prima facie) as tantamount to the final word on a given matter.
Seriously, of course it was a sideshow by Trump but for some people was a legitimate question. If anybody was keeping the sideshow going it was Obama by refusing to release his birth certificate.
Wrong. The debate was kept going by the refusal of some to accept as FINAL the word given by the document provided, the short-form birth certificate, which is as official as any existing document provided by the current government.
He could have shut down this nonsensical question a long time ago.
False. By that logic, the debate should have been closed when the short form certificate was presented, since, again, that document is official. Period. But if you’re right, then this latest action should well and truly shut down the debate at last. But it won’t. Because what’s been weakened is the very ability of our public to accept an official document as having the ability to close a debate simply by its very presence, NO MATTER WHO likes it or doesn’t like it, just simply because it exists.
It took Mr. Trump intimidating Obama to get it done. No doubt about it. Obama is a weak man.
False. Obama may have appeared weak by capitulating to the demands of Mr. Trump, and he may in fact weaken himself, and all the rest of us, by capitulating. But what is truly weakened in the end is the symbolic authority of the institutions of authority themselves. Nothing more, nothing less.