Classic Eugene Robinson -The Berserk 'Birthers'

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/03/AR2009080302219.html

<snip>
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.

That's what the less crazy birthers have to contend. The alternative scenario -- for those who really ought to put their tinfoil hats back on -- is that somehow this was all planned back in 1961: "They" diabolically planted these birth announcements 48 years ago, establishing a false record, so that a chosen infant who was actually born in some foreign land -- Kenya? Indonesia? Manchuria? -- could be groomed, perhaps programmed, and someday installed in the Oval Office. Cue evil-genius laughter.

The "birther" thing is only Dobbs's latest detour from objective reality. For years, he has crusaded against illegal immigration by citing facts and figures that often turn out to be wrong. Television can confer a kind of pseudo-reality on any manner of nonsense.

Is this an orchestrated campaign to somehow delegitimize Obama's presidency? Is the fact that he is the first African American president a factor? Is it that some people can't or won't accept that he won the election and serves as commander in chief?

Maybe, maybe not. Trying to analyze the "birther" phenomenon would mean taking it seriously, and taking it seriously would be like arguing about the color of unicorns. About all that can be said is that a bunch of lost, confused and frightened people have decided to seek refuge in conspiratorial make-believe. I hope they're harmless. And I hope they seek help.

...that they could really, truly believe this conspiracy started in 1961. Nice article...thanks! :hi:

Now they cling to this birther delusion as a rationale for not accepting as legitimate our first black president.

They'll soon find something else

different thread trying to water the phenomenon down as a case of sore losers-ness. Thanks for taking it back even further.

:loveya:

Great column! Thanks for posting. :-)

Scar read a laundry list of left wing "crazies" (like people who believe GHWB stretched out the Iranian hostage crisis, LIHOPers, etc.) and got Robinson to agree there are 'nuts' on both sides. Completely sidestepped how these particular birther nuts are organized and underwritten specifically to disrupt political processes.

He mentioned how he didn't run for re-election because his wife didn't want him putting the family through all the media furror. Of course he left out exactly what the media was buzzing about... :eyes:

Thanks for the info. :hi:

heads on TV or radio who gave credibility to the loonier leftwing conspiracy stories, unlike Dobbs or Beck. Plus, Joe failed to acknowledge the many GOP members of Congress who were asked specifically if Obama is a citizen and answered with "I don't know." Or "I believe questions need to be answered."
The bottom line on Joe Scarborough is that he is very lazy. He comes out with a few quips on any subject but his depth is strictly kiddie wading pool.

Did he forget already? That's a huge thing to just forget to mention in response to Joe's stupid distractions. x(

:rofl:

What's there to argue about?

They come in all colors, including plaid...




:smoke:

Unicorns are pink -- or at least the invisible ones are.

I wonder if Robinson was deliberately invoking the (bbhhh), or if he read about it somewhere and was subconsciously influenced, or if this is just a new and independent revelation.

:rofl:

That's flipping priceless. The evidence for this has been pouring in from every facet of the M$M for decades now. Perhaps a good percentage of the public is finally catching on.



I love this guy!

I've seen polls that show it's mostly the republican base in the south but I've also heard it in PA on talk shows (well, part of PA is in the Appalachians).