I haven’t studied the just released PDF of Obama’s birth certificate. But assuming there’s nothing in there about a birthmark that resembles the numbers “666” or about how his father worked for the KGB and — of course — assuming that the font in question matches typewriters of the time (Let’s get Dan Rather on that): I figure this puts the birther thing to bed once and for all. Good.
But it does raise the perplexing question: If this was possible all along, why did the WH take such sweet time releasing it? Could it be that this White House, continuing a tactic used by Democrats for years, actually liked being able to cast their opponents — often through guilt by association — as paranoid nuts? No, that couldn’t possibly be it.
Update: For the record, I don’t actually think this is the “new burning question” in the sense that it must rise to the top of the national conversation. I just think it’s odd. Call it a low simmering question if you must.
"Could it be that this White House, continuing a tactic used by Democrats for years, actually liked being able to cast their opponents — often through guilt by association — as paranoid nuts? No that couldn’t possibly be it."
Ha! Like calling the President a marxist, close Muslim, etc. NOT indicative of paranoia or insanity?
Please, Jonah, bear the cross more gracefully.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCould it be that this White House, continuing a tactic used by Democrats for years, actually liked being able to cast their opponents — often through guilt by association — as paranoid nuts?
That's what I've been thinking. But maybe that makes me a paranoiac about paranoia, a metaparanoiac. Well, if Jonah is one too, at least I'm in good company.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseProblem with this post is that the birthers are paranoid idiots. If the situation were reversed do you honestly think a Republican administration wouldn't let Democrats spin themselves into such a ridiculous position?
I also find it fascinating that Obama acted irresponsibly by not releasing the certificate through official White House channels until now. The same logic would say that it's the duty of the person who is subject to ludicrous accusations to exonerate himself.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseTurning the question around, why did they finally think it necessary to comply with the law NOW? Clearly the crazification technique was working perfectly on "both" of the party establishments.
Could it be that somebody who poses a real political threat to "both" party establishments has gained mileage on the issue? Hmm. Wonder who that might be?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Could it be that this White House, continuing a tactic used by Democrats for years, actually liked being able to cast their opponents — often through guilt by association — as paranoid nuts?"
This is the only explanation that makes sense, of course. After all, there are people in the other thread employing this same tactic, claiming that all Republicans can be colored by the birther brush. Releasing the birth certificate actually deprives Obama's campaign of this tactic, and far enough in advance of the campaign season that it will be a distant memory by November 2012. I don't care for Trump, but my guess is that his hammering this point forced their hand in a way that makes this issue go away sooner than they would have liked.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSo I wonder what this revelation/release will do to Jerome Corsi's new book coming out next month?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMore birthdays was my captcha...weird. Anyway, I think his plan backfired, because too many started to believe he wasn't legitimate. It's why he had to respond now and not closer to elections.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseSeriously, you think this birth certificate will lay the issue to rest? Have you ever watched any of those programs where people investigate UFO sightings and alien abductions?
Regardless of the truth of an idea, people will believe what they can support believing. For example, has anyone cross-matched the DNA of the President to the DNA of the child born in Hawaii? Hmmm?
I thought not.
But seriously, the issue is a huge distraction. Even if it is eventually proven true, I'd like to quit hearing about it for awhile and focus on other things.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseObviously we've known that was their real reason all along. The issue got to be so big though, that they obviously perceived this as finally hurting THEM. So they released it.
It's no surprise that this white house likes to play political games. It's really what they are best at.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseCould they also be tryiing to give Trump some cred? He's certainly better for them to run against than some of the other potential candidates. Let Trump have a little traction with people - "Hey, he gets results. People complained for years about the birther thing, but he got them to release it within weeks."
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseIt will be interesting to see the fate of the various birther bills out there. It seems prudent for states to require presidential candidates to prove that they satisfy constitutional requirements in order to be on the ballot just as a general matter (regardless of how that would or would not affect Obama).
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseNow the Donald can focus on John Kerry's military records. Still waiting...
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseAs others have mentioned, this post makes no sense. The birthers ARE paranoid nuts; the WH didn't "cast" them that way. And why should Obama have to provide evidence to defend himself again every nutty conspiracy theory? No other president has had his legitimacy threatened in this way, through what I believe was closeted racism, and frankly it was sickening to watch so many Republicans -- Palin, Trump, Huckabee, to name a few -- dance around the issue instead of refuting it.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseWhat I don't understand is why they're releasing it. I was quite fearful of a third party birther candidate in the upcoming election drawing enough anti-Obama votes to get Obama re-elected. Why give up one of the issues that polls the best for you like this?
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"After all, there are people in the other thread employing this same tactic, claiming that all Republicans can be colored by the birther brush"
Nope, it is not "all" Reps, it is "only" half of them. And a clown taking the pol position on the road to the nomination by threading on this.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseGiven that there is nothing obviously worth hiding in the contents of the document, the only question remaining is the provenance. If it is the valid birth certificate issued at the time of Obama's birth, the only interesting question remaining is Jonah's.
People don't spend millions of dollars for a talking point that may or may not be useful in a campaign, particularly one which most of the GOP and all of its prospective candidates never bit on anyway. So why do it?
Obama spends other people's money, not his own.
Reply to this commentLinkReport Abuse"Seriously, you think this birth certificate will lay the issue to rest?"
For all but the most hardcore conspiracy theorists--yes.
Committed birthers will not give up the charge, because in true conspiratorial form they are convinced of what they think is the truth despite the facts.
People who just thought it was really weird that Obama had not released his birth certificate, however, and thus wondered whether the birthers had a point will likely move on now that the demand has been met.
The birther movement has not gone away--but starting today it gets a lot smaller and more fringe.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseThis is Trump-boosterism. Brilliantly played by Obama. Trump gets more cred among the birthers (do you think they just go away?). And even those who are satisfied will think Trump was the man who got the results.
Well played, Team Obama.
Now, will Boehner stop saying he "Takes the President at his word" and "believes" he was born in the US, a much more insidious form of birtherism practiced by the GOP elite?
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseYes, Jonah. I does raise some perplexing questions, doesn't it? I still don't see much in the way of answers. I wonder if we all asked as insistently and constantly as that nutjob Trump (keep in mind that he doesn't mind looking stupid as long as we're looking at HIM!) whether more might be forthcoming.
Reply to this commentLinkReport AbuseMr Transparency is anything but, so if we stop accepting every lie at face value, maybe the truth will begin to peek through.
Stan D : it's obvious to me, if not you, why people were questioning his background. After all, his father was a foreign student(radical too). And Obama chose to be shady about it and his education. Nothing creates controversy more than playing games like Obama chose to do. The question, is not why he released it now, but why did he let it get this far if it was so easily proved? Pitiful that the president chose to play games instead of putting this to bed.
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