April 27th, 2011 at 10:28 am 
DAVID FRUM |
Even for the small band that sustained the phony controversy until now, the birth certificate so-called issue ends today.
Any last lingering doubts that maybe, perhaps, a pregnant Stanley Ann Dunham in the summer of 1961 boarded a propeller plane from Honolulu to Los Angeles, then from Los Angeles to New York City, then from New York City to Gander, then from Gander to London, then from London to Nairobi – and then repeated the trip backward a few weeks later – all so that her baby could acquire Kenyan nationality – those doubts are definitively squelched, as they should have been three years ago.
Now the more haunting question: How did this poisonous and not very subtly racist allegation get such a grip on our conservative movement and our Republican party?
I know there will be Republican writers and conservative publicists who will now deny that birtherism ever did get a grip. Sorry, that’s just wrong. Not only did Trump surge ahead in Republican polls by flaming racial fires – not only did conservative media outlets from Fox to Drudge to the Breitbart sites indulge the birthers – but so also did every Republican candidate who said, “I take the president at his word.” Birthers did not doubt the president’s “word.” They were doubting the official records of the state of Hawaii. It’s like answering a 9/11 conspiracist by saying, “I take the 9/11 families at their word that they lost their loved ones.”
Yet even now, the racialist aspect of the anti-Obama movement has not subsided. Trump has moved from the birth certificate to questioning the president’s academic qualifications for the Harvard Law School. Trump himself was a troubled student (at one point he attended a military school) who nonetheless gained admission to Wharton. His father’s wealth and business success cannot have hurt with that application. Yet he feels himself qualified to pronounce on who is and who is not smart enough to attend Harvard Law. Barack Obama graduated magna cum laude. (And to anticipate a new line of attack – yes, Harvard Law School exams were blind-graded.) He was elected editor of the law review. And his classmates, left and right, universally admired his abilities.
I wish it were otherwise, but it does seem that these racialized attacks on Obama have exacted a toll on him. But they also have exacted a toll on the opposition to Obama. The too-faint repudiation of birtherism by regular Republicans has shaped not only the Obama brand, but also the Republican brand. It was not only white people who heard the implied message about who counts and who does not count as a “real American.”
I write as an opponent of virtually every major and minor action of this administration. Republicans should be fighting this president on policy, not winking at those who use race as a weapon. It’s worth recalling the generous words of John McCain on election night 2008:
[T]hough we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation’s reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound. A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt’s invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters. America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States. Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.
And those who imagine that they somehow enhance the value of that citizenship by belittling the American-ness of their president – they not only disgrace the politics they uphold, but they do damage that will not soon be forgotten by the voters a revived Republicanism must win.
These are just a sampling of the comments........
Houndentenor // Apr 27, 2011 at 3:57 pm
“How did this poisonous and not very subtly racist allegation get such a grip on our conservative movement and our Republican party?”
Well, David, for the answer to this you start with Nixon’s Southern Strategy and trace the steps through the Willie Horton ad and “welfare queen” references up to the present day. I don’t think the leadership of the GOP was ever racist, but they were happy to exploit racism to win elections. This is a natural (and probably inevitable) outgrowth of that racist pandering. I can’t believe anyone can even pretend to be surprised by this development in the GOP. Even Meryl Streep isn’t a good enough actor to pull that one off.
Arms Merchant // Apr 27, 2011 at 3:58 pm
Disgrace? No, David, the disgrace is His Petulanceness let a man go to jail (an arguably wacky man, but a sincere man nonetheless) rather than go to the bother of releasing his long form.
http://articles.cnn.com/2010-08-06/justice/birther.court.martial_1_army-colonel-army-officer-court-martial-proceedings?_s=PM:CRIME
I’m sure he justified it by the thought that Great Men like presidents shouldn’t have to be accountable to the serfs.
But since it became a political problem for him, he’s gone ahead and done what any reasonable man with nothing to hide would have done when the controversy first arose.
Guess it just took a guy like Trump to get under his skin. Or maybe he only pays attention to rich men. Guess you have to, if you want to raise $1B for re-election.
TerryF98 // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:04 pm
You are a disgrace.
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jakester // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:12 pm
Uhh, the crackpot military man disobeyed a legitimate order, he got what he deserved. Since when do military men get the option to decide to obey orders only when the president jumps a hoop for them? Sounds pretty “loony” to me.
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wileedog // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:29 pm
“But since it became a political problem for him”
Political problem? Are you kidding me?
This whole thing has been political gold for Obama since day 1. Now he doesn’t need to spend a dime in next year’s election painting the GOP as a lunatic fringe party of old white people pining for the days when minorities knew their place. They’ve just spent the last 2 and half years doing it for him, and today was the exclamation point.
Obama should send Trump a fruit basket or something for putting the teahadists lunacy front and center on the national media stage.
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blueshark // Apr 27, 2011 at 5:19 pm
I’m sorry, but that won’t wash. The Army officer in question disobeyed a direct order to deploy overseas that was issued by his lawfully-appointed superiors; not the President, but the Army’s chain of command. I have no sympathy.
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Slide // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:03 pm
imagine if nothinker and squeeky produced progeny?
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indy // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:07 pm
Now I need a new matrix. Damn you.
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SqueekyFromm // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:12 pm
indy:
I will say one thing about you. Your remark on “rural broadband” was hilarious!!!
Now, can you get to work on saying something else intelligent??? (Plus, how did you like my website??? Was it good???)
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
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talkradiosucks.com // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:05 pm
“let a man go to jail (an arguably wacky man, but a sincere man nonetheless) rather than go to the bother of releasing his long form.”
The Constitution specifies the conditions that establish citizenship, and Obama met them. This clown deserved to go to jail.
You don’t have the right to something just because you scream and whine about it. Even toddlers learn that eventually.
The real anti-Americans in this whole thing are the birthers, and that goes ten-fold for someone in the military.
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Arms Merchant // Apr 27, 2011 at 7:47 pm
@TRS
“The Constitution specifies the conditions that establish citizenship, and Obama met them.”
Simple “citizenship” is not the point. The Constitution is unclear about what constitutes “natural-born” citizenship, and is subject to interpretation. Being “native-born” is different from being “natural-born.” When Obama’s campaign released his short form, it did nothing to clarify the issue–in fact, it just obscured it.
“This clown deserved to go to jail.”
Perhaps, but officers also have taken an oath to support and defend the Constitution (not the President), and are supposed to question illegal orders and orders not coming from properly constituted authority.
I guarantee you that there are officers struggling right now with the question of resigning rather than follow Obama’s blatantly illegal act of war against Libya, and are praying for Congress to act quickly and either approve or stop Obama’s unilateral war-making. They are officers of the Executive branch and thus are inclined to follow their leaders. But they are also citizens and have the option — no, the obligation — to refuse orders that are illegal. That some do actually knowing the personal risk involved speaks to the strength, not weakness, of our Constitution.
Yes, Lakin was wrong, but Obama just ignored him. He finally roused himself to release the long form when poked enough by Trump. But he just let some other poor sap twist in the wind. Which is just like the self-absorbed jerk. It’s all about him.
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paulflorez // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:06 pm
“Disgrace? No, David, the disgrace is His Petulanceness let a man go to jail (an arguably wacky man, but a sincere man nonetheless) rather than go to the bother of releasing his long form.”
What ever happened to the Republican mantra of “personal responsibility”? This man had no proof that the President was ineligible, while the President had sufficient proof that he was eligible, and the man still chose to commit a crime. Imagine if someone had tried to assassinate the President for the same reason. Do we blame the victim or the perpetrator?
I think Republicans only believe that others should carry personal responsibility, but when its their turn to be personally responsible they are the first ones to try to ditch responsibility, because after all their preaching it’s justified because “life’s not fair!”
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TerryF98 // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:09 pm
Conservatives like ArmsMerchant are the biggest whiners and victims around. They need to get a pair, and grow up at the same time.
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SqueekyFromm // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:25 pm
Law Professor William Jacobson of Cornell, a NON-Birther had a real good Internet Article called:
It Was His Ego
[blockquote]It was Obama’s enormous ego. Challenged, he sought to control the dialogue and the flow of information, and the harder people pushed, the more he dug in.
It was only when his reelection was threatened — which would be an even bigger blow to his ego — that he took the easy step of sending a letter requesting a certified copy of the original document.
[/blockquote]
Plus, the one before it is great, too.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
http://legalinsurrection.blogspot.com/2011/04/it-was-his-ego.html
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Arms Merchant // Apr 27, 2011 at 8:12 pm
“This man had no proof that the President was ineligible, while the President had sufficient proof that he was eligible, and the man still chose to commit a crime. Imagine if someone had tried to assassinate the President for the same reason.”
This is arguably the dumbest post I’ve ever seen on the site.
1. “The President had sufficient proof that he was eligible.”
I’ll leave you to research the arguments for what constitutes “natural-born citizenship” required for eligibility for President. It’s not nearly as clear cut as you make it sound.
2. “the man still chose to commit a crime. Imagine if someone had tried to assassinate the President for the same reason.”
This is asinine. First of all, this is not “someone,” this is an officer in the military, which means he has a different set of responsibilities and obligations than you or I. Disobeying an order that you believe to be illegal is an obligation under the UCMJ. It is an act of omission– a failure to do something (obey). It is passive.
On the contrary, assassinating a President is about as a violent act of commission possible. It is not by any stretch equivalent. An officer has no “duty” to assassinate, or harm, or even restrain or relieve a leader that he believes is issuing illegal orders–only a duty not to obey. If he tries to, he can be charged with rebellion or mutiny, a much more serious charge that failure to obey a lawful order.
It’s hilarious when clueless people make clueless analogies about things they are totally clueless about.
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SqueekyFromm // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:08 pm
Practical Girl:
I don’t call it sniping. I call it asking sensible questions. NYC replied to me: “For the mentally deranged, the racist and those looking to make a buck off the “controversy,” however, not so much.”
Sooo, I think I was pretty restrained in asking him if he re-arranged his furniture very often.
Because I don’t think we have been CRAZY to be suspicious. I mean, we are sitting in IRAQ,in a war over WMD that didn’t actually exist. We have respectable BIG BANKS just lying like dogs IN COURT on foreclosure documents, and committing forgeries.
Sooo, I don’t it’s crazy to be suspicious. And, I do re-arrange my furniture every so often.
So There!!!
Squeeky Fromm
Girl reporter
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talkradiosucks.com // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:11 pm
“Sooo, I think I was pretty restrained…”
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PracticalGirl // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:21 pm
Do you rearrange your furniture much???
If you really think that’s a sensible question, then you must be much younger than your enthusiastic overuse of punctuation marks might suggest.
And still you won’t respond to actual questions. I’ll grant you that a healthy amount of skepticism can be a good thing. But this went far beyond that. I really am interested, but I’m afraid not enough to go to your blog to ask:
“…why was it so easy for the Birthers and all the other nuts out there to believe that, in 1961, an interracial young couple with no connections could have affected the sort of fraud they accused Obama’s parents of? Why was it so easy for them to believe that US officials participated in the fraud decades ago when first issuing Obama’s passport? Why was it so easy, even logical, for them to assume that Obama (as President) would have gotten a pass from the most intense national security check an American can go through?”
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SqueekyFromm // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:43 pm
RE: Rearranging Furniture. I notice that some people who have control issues, and are tightly wound, seem to have problems with CHANGE. As a result, they seldom rearrange their furniture. They like everything neat and tidy and THE SAME. The need for CONTROL implies a deep sense of INSECURITY.
As far as a conspiracy, I don’t think one was necessary. The records could have been changed for numerous reasons outside of being a president 5o years later. Geesh, you know the right people, and you can get all kinds of things done.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
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Carney // Apr 27, 2011 at 5:36 pm
Why did you pick a nickname strongly resembling that of a deranged attempted presidential assassin? How do you think that helps your credibility?
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medinnus // Apr 27, 2011 at 7:40 pm
Given her past quotes of idiocy, its not going to hurt her non-existent credibility. Smeggy probably give up being a closet queen and adopted a new identity to troll and become his inner transvestite…
Fastball // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:20 pm
The media should demand that Trump release all of his medical records pertaining to his hair transplant. Show us the bald spot!
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blonde // Apr 27, 2011 at 5:05 pm
I’m inspired by such a funny suggestion. Thanks.
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jakester // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:22 pm
Not only are birthers the gutter of America politics, they are sore losers too.
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Slide // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:29 pm
Didn’t Trump just say recently that he would release his financial records when Obama releases his birth certificate? I think that would be both enlightening and entertaining.
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PracticalGirl // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:33 pm
Like everything the slime ball says, he equivocated.
“”Maybe I’m going to do the tax returns when Obama does his birth certificate . I’d love to give my tax returns. I may tie my tax returns into Obama’s birth certificate,” he told ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos.”
http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-04-19/news/29470064_1_tax-returns-obama-releases-birther-issue
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Deep South Populist // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:29 pm
There is no way to spin this. Obama played politics for two and a half years and won big. He withheld the long form when it worked to his advantage and then released the long form when it worked to his advantage. Every Birther should now concede defeat and move on. When you are definitively proven wrong, the best course of action is to just admit it and move on.
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PracticalGirl // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:50 pm
DSP-
I was about to ask that you consider that everybody invested in this argument played politics, but you know what? Scratch that.
Obama played, and he played beautifully. He let the Birther movement infect GOPer politics. This in turned led to the trouncing of nuts like Sharron Angle and Christine O’Donnell who may not have been loud birthers but pandered to them all the way…And exposed themselves as crazy.
He also made sure that every GOPer who has ever thought about running against him in 2012 has had to answer the question. Most of them have been slimy in their responses; a few have questioned it out right, and all of them either damaged themselves with the base today or in the future, depending on their level of stupidity. Only a couple have simply used logic and dismissed the whole issue.
So, for preventing national electoral disasters from every taking office and for exposing seemingly mainstream Republicans for the loony eyed folks they are…Mr. President, I salute you!
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Xunzi Washington // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:34 pm
I’ve been listening to Sean Hannity on the radio today — his birther callers sound totally unhinged. I mean they are really, really upset. You think they’d be happy right? No: they are ignoring the birth certificate introduction itself — now they are focused on the fact that the certificate proves that his father was not a citizen, and so Obama is not a natural born citizen, because you must be born of two citizens they argue, and thus Obama must be removed from office immediately. Hannity actually sounds like he’s beside himself, not knowing how to deal with these callers.
Birtherism 2.0. You lie with dogs, you wake up with fleas Hannity (and the rest of the right wing nutjobs). Deal with the birthers: you own em’.
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SqueekyFromm // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:56 pm
Uh, actually “Birther 2.0″ is one of my Philosophical Treatises, which specifically deals with Obama coughing up a long form.
http://birtherthinktank.wordpress.com/2011/04/12/birther-2-0-the-new-and-improved-birther/
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
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Non-Contributor // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:36 pm
Wait! I gotta make more popcorn!
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Slide // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:37 pm
To all those that keep saying, “why didn’t he release it sooner”, well maybe the law had something to do with it?
Subsection (338-18(a)) states:
`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, it shall be unlawful for any person to permit inspection of, or to disclose information contained in vital statistics records, or to copy or issue a copy of all or part of any such record, except as authorized by this part or by rules adopted by the department of health.
http://ordinary-gentlemen.com/blog/2011/04/27/thankfully-andrew-sullivan-is-not-a-lawyer/
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SqueekyFromm // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:46 pm
Nope. That was just an excuse the Obotski threw out to keep this nonsense going on for nearly three years. Look how fast The Anointed One got it when he wanted it.
I may have fallen off the turnip truck at night, but it wasn’t last night.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
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Slide // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:39 pm
DSP “There is no way to spin this. Obama played politics for two and a half years and won big. He withheld the long form when it worked to his advantage and then released the long form when it worked to his advantage.”
No, Obama was obeying the law. (see my post at 4:37) I know as a Republican that must be a foreign thought to you.
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Deep South Populist // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:52 pm
I am not a Republican and haven’t voted for a Republican for president since 1996.
On many issues, I am closer to the Democrats than to the Republicans, and on others to libertarians like Ron Paul. On foreign policy and issues of Corporate power, I am close to Noam Chomsky who many would consider a fringe leftist.
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SqueekyFromm // Apr 27, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Hey, we have a lot in common!!! I was a Democrat until Obama stole the election from Hillary Clinton. When I became a Republican. But my Economy stuff is still left of center, as defined by whoever. I even have a Economy Blog!!!
http://squeekonomics.wordpress.com/
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
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talkradiosucks.com // Apr 27, 2011 at 5:30 pm
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indy // Apr 27, 2011 at 5:43 pm
OK, this one is pretty amusing.
paulflorez // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:41 pm
“Deep South Populist // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:29 pm
There is no way to spin this. Obama played politics for two and a half years and won big. He withheld the long form when it worked to his advantage and then released the long form when it worked to his advantage. Every Birther should now concede defeat and move on. When you are definitively proven wrong, the best course of action is to just admit it and move on.”
“Every Birther should now concede defeat and move on.”
“concede defeat”
Music to my ears!
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Slide // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:44 pm
This is what defeat looks like to a birther:
“Birther Queen Orly Taitz responds to release of Birth Certificate. She’s not buying it, says document should say “Negro” not “African.”"
Got that?
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PracticalGirl // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:53 pm
Ah, but be careful. Nobody ever accused the GOP of being bad reactors, and their spin is pretty good. Also supremely well coordinated. The Memo, I think, has been out for months:
Sarah Palin, former Alaska governor
@SarahPalinUSA Media: admit it, Trump forced the issue. Now, don’t let the WH distract you w/the birth crt from what Bernanke says today. Stay focused, eh?
Mitt Romney, former and likely presidential candidate
@MittRomney What President Obama should really be releasing is a jobs plan
Republican National Committee
@RNCResearch Obama’s release of his birth cert. is a nice, but temporary distraction for him from high gas prices & a terrible economy
Michael Steel, spokesman to House speaker John Boehner, in a statement:
“This has long been a settled issue. The Speaker’s focus is on cutting spending, lowering gas prices, and creating American jobs.”
Tony Fratto, former Bush press secretary
@TonyFratto So the President is playing his Trump card
Mike Murphy, GOP strategist
@murphymike Now… Do I get to see Trump’s income tax returns? Say, last ten years?
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Deep South Populist // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:48 pm
From what I can tell from scanning the Internet, the Birthers seem to be coalescing around the view that Obama lost his citizenship after being born in Hawaii. The claim is that he lost his citizenship when he moved to Indonesia and was adopted by his mother’s second husband, Lolo Soetoro.
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SqueekyFromm // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:51 pm
Well, not me. But, I have been a WHY Birther, so this release just allows me to focus on Obama’s crummy personality traits, and not have to worry about the Kenya Option.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
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TerryF98 // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:57 pm
Yep, when that tactic fails and it will fail they will move to the position that Obama was abducted by a race of Space Aliens and that he is not really the leader of the free world but the rightful ruler of the Federation of outer worlds in the constellation of Orion.
The price of tin foil has exploded today.
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wileedog // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:59 pm
Looks like Trump will have to get his “detectives” out of Hawaii and over to Indonesia pronto…
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Ana Gama // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:50 pm
Time for one of the big pharmas to start working on a Birther Control Pill.
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indy // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:51 pm
I think it’s called natural selection. Oh, the irony…
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PracticalGirl // Apr 27, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Ana’s on to something…
Without the Birther issue and the Birther’s knack for picking crazy as a candidate, how many more nuts in the House and Senate would we have today?
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Xunzi Washington // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:53 pm
“…the Birthers seem to be coalescing around the view Obama lost his citizenship after being born in Hawaii. The claim is that he lost his citizenship when he moved to Indonesia and was adopted by his mother’s second husband, Lolo Soetoro.”
In other words: it’s not that Obama _isn’t_ an American — it’s that he _can’t_ be an American. And damn it if they will give up on finding some set of reasons for that “conclusion” that they can agree on.
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PracticalGirl // Apr 27, 2011 at 4:58 pm
Lol.
It isn’t that Obama is or isn’t, can or can’t be a citizen.
It’s that the whole lot of GOPers just woke up and remembered they promised us a full plate of jobs if we’d give them their jobs back…And now they have to go back to explaining their failure and making excuses.
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blonde // Apr 27, 2011 at 5:02 pm
I had the most good fortune to listen and learn from your mother over many, but alas, too few years. Her compassion for honesty and fairness graces your writing.
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paulflorez // Apr 27, 2011 at 5:18 pm
Also a pathetic attempt to distract from the angry Americans showing up at Republican town halls to express their extreme displeasure with the Republican attempt to take away Medicare from Americans who are already paying for it in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.
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indy // Apr 27, 2011 at 5:44 pm
When does he release the paperwork that makes him white? Pretty sure that’s the one the remaining birthers are really after.
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medinnus // Apr 27, 2011 at 5:46 pm
I’ve been saying that if Obama did release the form, the idiot Birthers would scream “Conspiracy! Forgery! Not good enough!”
And sure enough…
There will never be enough evidence to convince those who drink the Birther kool-aid and wear their tin hats. Obama is a “Kenyan Marxist Muslim” – you know, an educated black man – and therefore he can’t be legitimate in their eyes. Ever.
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gmckee1985 // Apr 27, 2011 at 5:55 pm
Birthers are idiots and just serve as an embarrassment.
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Non-Contributor // Apr 27, 2011 at 5:56 pm
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jg bennet // Apr 27, 2011 at 6:03 pm
so where did all of the anti war protesters go?
in a few years you can ask the same question about the birthers.
birtherism it is a hate/fear thing fueled by propaganda and like all propaganda campaigns will fade.
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TerryF98 // Apr 27, 2011 at 6:32 pm
And Donald Trump is the propagandist.
Your hero’s signature clothing line is made in……………….. C…..H…….I……N……A.
There is a surprise. Donald Trump the anti free trade anti China guy has his merchandise made in CHINA.
Xunzi Washington // Apr 27, 2011 at 6:08 pm
Practical Girl said: “It’s that the whole lot of GOPers just woke up and remembered they promised us a full plate of jobs if we’d give them their jobs back…And now they have to go back to explaining their failure and making excuses.”
Perhaps that more politically minded, sure. But for the run of the mill birther, this is about how Obama is “other”. They’d been arguing that since Inauguration Day. Basically, he can’t be a citizen — they won’t allow it. If it means they will move from one reason to the next for doubting his citizenship, that’s fine with them. As long as his legitimacy remains — for them — in question, it’s all good.
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PracticalGirl // Apr 27, 2011 at 7:15 pm
Depressing, but to the letter correct.
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Gramps // Apr 27, 2011 at 6:12 pm
Talking about neurotic responses…
“el Rushbo” had his girlie, cat fight, face on today…
Not to be out done by “The Donald” he recounted how HE HAD managed to get Bill Clinton to mention “HIS NAME” to a couple of St. Louis talk show hosts waaaaay back in the sixty’s…it was pathetic…
What really,really pissed him off was the fact, that; neither he, nor any legitimate Republican politician or member of congress, had been able to move the President to produce his “long form certificate”. It just had to be, “prince fancy pants”… supposedly, a guye, who is actually, maybe, supposedly, richer than he is…
“The Donald” pulled off this coup…!
DAMMIT DONALD, you really, really suck…”el Rushbo” sends…
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Non-Contributor // Apr 27, 2011 at 6:15 pm
Teabaggers want more..
http://news.yahoo.com/s/dailycaller/20110427/pl_dailycaller/teapartiersconservativestoobamawewantmorenowthatyougaveusthebirthcertificate
GOP was disappointed;
http://news.yahoo.com/s/dailycaller/20110427/pl_dailycaller/housegopleadersknockobamaforreleasingbirthcertificate
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Gramps // Apr 27, 2011 at 6:36 pm
Yah just gotta know the editorial staff over at FAUX NEWS…is in one hellluva funk today…!
http://mediamatters.org/research/201104270009
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Grace // Apr 27, 2011 at 6:26 pm
Enough with the birth certificate talk! And the college transcripts too. No document is going to make Obama white and that’s the only thing that would make him legitimate in the eyes of these loons.
Do any of you rapturously follow and discuss the rantings of the guy who shouts at traffic at the freeway on-ramp? No? Well then why are we giving any thought to the rantings of the birthers, who are the functional equivalent of on-ramp guy?
Meanwhile, back at the ranch, millions of people are living the agony of long-term unemployment, we’re mired in two and a half dead-end military actions that bleed millions a day from the treasury, we have no rational plan to deal with our energy needs, the GOP is trying to dismantle Medicare and Social Security, we’re facing a crisis over the debt ceiling, etc etc etc. And what are we talking about? The freak show that is the GOP clown car of birtherism. What’s wrong with this picture, whether you’re liberal or conservative?
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TerryF98 // Apr 27, 2011 at 6:28 pm
You are 100% correct.
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PracticalGirl // Apr 27, 2011 at 7:09 pm
Grace:
You’re right, and I’m certain that we all get back to it tomorrow. Three years of pent-up incredulity, though…I’m surprised there aren’t 2000 posts.
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SqueekyFromm // Apr 27, 2011 at 6:29 pm
Well, I have adjusted my KISS Matrix to remove “Kenya” from the matrix. Now I have The KISS Matrix 2.0!!!
1. KICKS. Obama just gets his KICKS over all the attention and drama.
2. IGNORANT. Obama is too ignorant to think of the simple answer.
3. SNOBBY. Obama thinks Americans are too stupid to believe the REAL THING!
4. SLIMY. Obama thinks it is OK to make some Americans look crazy if it gets him votes.
http://birtherthinktank.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/the-kiss-matrix-2-0-getting-closer-to-the-truth/
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
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TerryF98 // Apr 27, 2011 at 6:40 pm
Please stop trolling this blog by posting the same shit time after time. It was total bullshit the first time you posted it. Please grow up and get a life.
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SqueekyFromm // Apr 27, 2011 at 7:18 pm
And here I thought you would be happy to learn that the “Kenya” Option was taken off the Menu. Oh my. You are hard to please.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
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Gramps // Apr 27, 2011 at 6:50 pm
Squeeky, Squeeky, Squeeky…you all, attempted to turn an enigma into a riddle and now yer faced with a conundrum you don’t know how to cope with, honey…
I’ve always luved… but never believed or have excepted, some lame second hand excuse[s]…
Hugs babe…!
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talkradiosucks.com // Apr 27, 2011 at 7:54 pm
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Rob_654 // Apr 27, 2011 at 8:05 pm
So, is it is a pretty safe bet that you won’t be voting for Obama in 2012?
Unless you are really someone “on the fence” and would actually vote for Obama, then as a politician he has no reason to care what you think, want or say? Just like a Conservative politician isn’t going to care what some person on the Far Left thinks or wants because they will not get their vote no matter what they do.
But hey, I’m not a politician so let’s look at the 4 points you mentioned – just for fun of course – because if either one of us had any real power we wouldn’t be typing our thoughts on some website – we’d actually be meeting with people in power and shaping the actual course of the country – so here goes:
1. KICKS. Obama just gets his KICKS over all the attention and drama.
— Um, I hate to break this to you but this is the nature of politics – all politicians love attention and some drama – on the Left, Right and Middle – if you they didn’t like attention and a little drama they would never put themselves out to run for a public office.
2. IGNORANT. Obama is too ignorant to think of the simple answer.
— Um, why would you say that? Obama took the politically correct answer. Obama was under no obligation to answer your or any birther’s question – he released the legal form from Hawaii (the short form) and he just let you birthers hang out there ready to whack you down at a time and place of his choosing – that’s just smart politics – all politicians look for this advantage (well the more effective ones anyway).
3. SNOBBY. Obama thinks Americans are too stupid to believe the REAL THING!
— I would never seek to over-estimate the intelligence of many Americans – but he did release THE REAL THING – the short form which is what Hawaii give people when they request a Birth Certificate – and is the form that is used to prove yourself for legal requirements. Most people did believe the REAL THING – its only the birthers who were too stupid to accept the real thing
4. SLIMY. Obama thinks it is OK to make some Americans look crazy if it gets him votes.
— Oh, the Birthers did not need Obama to make them look crazy – the Birthers looked crazy all by themselves – but that is your right as an American – you can look as crazy as you like – oh and by the way – NO ONE can make you look crazy – only YOU can make yourself look crazy – please assume and accept some PERSONAL responsibility for how crazy you look.
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msmilack // Apr 27, 2011 at 6:35 pm
Very well written and thoughtful, David.
Interestingly, Trump’s son-in-law got into Harvard only after his own father made a 2.5 million dollar contribution to the school (detailed in a book several years ago about such examples of quid quo pro) so perhaps that is where Trump got such an idea: if his only experience with the Ivy League is through people who buy their way into the Ivies without being qualified, he simply doesn’t know anyone who gets in on merit.
That aside, his recent attack is clearly racial. When has a white candidate much less an elected president ever had to prove he got good grades in college and law school?
Trump will continue repeating slanderous remarks because the media in general does not call him on it and once he says these things they are just “out there” as he knows they will be. His behavior is shameful.
And then I remember who Trump is: a braggart and a bully. He’s a poor man’s Don Rickles.
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Non-Contributor // Apr 27, 2011 at 7:02 pm
Just to let you know it’s Squeaky Fromme But I am guessing you are trying to be ironic? Really nothing ironic about it but anyways.
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TerryF98 // Apr 27, 2011 at 7:04 pm
The fool is/was a PUMA so lunacy started early and will never go away.
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Gramps // Apr 27, 2011 at 7:10 pm
She signed…
[blockquote] “Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter” [/blockquote]
Is there a difference or has she been on the sauce…?
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pnwguy // Apr 27, 2011 at 8:06 pm
TRS:
I must admit, your series of pictures today have been keeping me laughing all day long, about as much as the frothing at the mouth of some of the “birthers”. Thanks for taking an original approach here at understated humor.
But couldn’t you find a picture of Ms. Squeeky herself, fawning over Mr. Helter Skelter? I was having trouble myself a pic of them together. Maybe you could photoshop these two.
http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/images/2009/08/05/image5217504x.jpg
http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2011/04/19/420×316-alg_charles_manson.jpg
In case you need it, here’s a useful one for later:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlNloZLwkIxdExa05UhjALesKQQomrrJp4Q4bH8caSySCD657XRZhblqwVNvBTrrLVLTDDtT2foxpuYi_9aPLM6bm-bZwpo_Wo1XpKKfeQvbTHT9UQUu-v4dt8QFpJc5flwstHaOkZY1Y9/s320/lobotomy.png
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Juggernauzt // Apr 27, 2011 at 8:28 pm
Frum you are a lying coward, this is not about racial anything. You cowards whine race while hoping to sucker the masses, you are a dumb tool of liberalism. Fox hasn’t fanned the flames either, perhaps they should sue you for libel???
Obama has been weakened by Trump and its hilarious that Obama would even address the matter. Its all Obama’s fault for refusing to show the BC in front of the media over 2 years ago.
Hilliary Clinton supporters and campaigners called out Senator Obama and he refused to show the birth certificate.
George W. Bush was called out because accusers said he was a draft dodger and the issue was settled long before the election. Bush was called out by 9/11 Truthers and today lying liberal morons on the left still call Bush a war criminal despite all the evidence to the contrary.
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Blue Grit // Apr 27, 2011 at 8:37 pm
Juggernuts:
Nobody said George W. Bush was a draft dodger, they said that he used his family connections to avoid going to Vietnam. Oh yeah he kept Texas safe from the Cubans.
Get your facts straight. But of course, you will tell us that the facts have a liberal bias.
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Gramps // Apr 27, 2011 at 9:12 pm
Juggernauzt…say it ain’t so…
“Fox Promotes Birther Myth In At Least 52 Segments…” ~~~http://mediamatters.org/research/201104270009”
Blue Grit…Dubyah, used his daddy’s chops and political connections to get assigned to the Texas Air National Guard…where at the time… there were no openings, due to the fact that all the “good old boyes” from Texas had all their brave “yellow roses from Texas” enlisted before Dubyah tried to get his sorry, bony, arse covered…
Them’s facts…bank on it Juggernauzt…!
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pearlrt // Apr 27, 2011 at 9:10 pm
Lawrence O’Donnell’s handling of Orly Taitz was fantastic. I’m horrified to find out she is a Jew….Mr. Frum-keep writing these spot on colums…
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talkradiosucks.com // Apr 27, 2011 at 9:12 pm
pnwguy: Thanks.
Guess what? The morons are at it again! http://gaw.kr/jzNyIO
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Gramps // Apr 27, 2011 at 9:35 pm
pnwguy, dittos times two… trs…
A graphic plus a real sense of humor are worth a 100,000+ words…!
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BMcC724 // Apr 27, 2011 at 9:22 pm
Dear Mr. Frum,
I want to thank you for writing this. In a sea of crazy, you and your supporters give me hope that there are 2 groups of people in this country who want to have a civil dialogue, leading to collaborative solutions to right the ship & get our priorities in order. This is such a tragic waste of time & is alienating voters in droves.
Again, thank you so much.
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Sinan // Apr 27, 2011 at 9:26 pm
The President who actually believed that he could transcend race has been taught a valuable lesson. That lesson was taught to my generation by a simple song by Rogers and Hammerstein.
You’ve got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught
From year to year,
It’s got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You’ve got to be carefully taught.
You’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff’rent shade,
You’ve got to be carefully taught.
You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You’ve got to be carefully taught!
This man will not give up on us despite having more than enough evidence that a vast majority of right wing Americans are full blown racists. Let us hope he realizes that he must perservere if not for his own future but for our children as well. I for one am disgusted that we forced a former POTUS to watch his penis described in public and another sitting POTUS to prove his birth all because right wing activists cannot tolerate a liberal President. The modern GOP is a complete joke. Frum, please wake them up before they destroy us from within.
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nhthinker // Apr 27, 2011 at 9:37 pm
So we are to believe a significant portion of the Right’s incredulousness of a long line of Democrats has turned racist?
Clinton?
Barney Frank?
Kerry?
Clinton?
Edwards?
Rangel?
Some of the Republicans play hardball. So does Trump.
Act indignant…
No one here taking offense called Bush nor Cheney a war criminal, right?
Got a conviction?
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talkradiosucks.com // Apr 27, 2011 at 10:04 pm
“Some of the Republicans play hardball. So does Trump.”
Some of the Republicans are moronic, racist assholes. So is Trump.
Seen his ratings lately? Very impressive.
I hope he runs. I will enjoy watching his ass get kicked. And I say that as someone who was actually interested in him before most of you even knew he was running — I wrote about his appearances on Savage’s show in early January. But that was before he revealed his true colors.
“No one here taking offense called Bush nor Cheney a war criminal, right?”
I take offense at the damage your moniker does to the reputation of the greater New England region. Actually, scratch that — I take offense at the damage you do the reputation of the species.
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nhthinker // Apr 27, 2011 at 10:15 pm
So far you have been able to pin me with the same “UNSURE” context as the UPI uses.
Are you saying the UPI “100 years of journalistic excellence” journalists and editors are just a bunch of distorting liars?
You give bad reputation to Vermont and FF bloggers.
What ever happened to your “total fucking idiot” comment?
Were you silently reprimanded by Frum and don’t feel you need to apologize honestly and publicly?
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TerryF98 // Apr 27, 2011 at 10:36 pm
You are a total fucking idiot, so whoever said that was just telling the truth.
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SteveT // Apr 27, 2011 at 10:04 pm
I couldn’t stand Ronald Reagan’s policies as President. What he started is what’s gotten us into this mess.
As a person however he was decent, civil, polite and unwilling to stoop to hatred. His nature was positive and that’s what got him elected twice.
He’d be ashamed.
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lyhunt56 // Apr 27, 2011 at 10:23 pm
I suppose Trump’s concern about how the President got into Columbia and Harvard is some sort of reference to affirmative action admittance? But if Obama got an extra point on his applications because of race, would not his quite measurable success at Harvard and in his career be an argument to support affirmative action?
I don’t get it.
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anniemargret // Apr 27, 2011 at 10:25 pm
lyhunt56: It was reported on TV network news that Obama’s SAT scores were sky-high. What were Trump’s?
There appears to be a lot of jealousy about Obama over at the GOP place of things .
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lyhunt56 // Apr 27, 2011 at 11:46 pm
I guess more than jealousy I see it as indigence over a black man being the authority figure for the nation. Maybe jealousy as well — why does he have all this and not me.
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anniemargret // Apr 27, 2011 at 10:24 pm
SteveT. Reagan was the last Republican I voted for, when I was a Republican. I will NEVER be a Republican again. I saw where the party was going during the early years of Bush/Cheney. It is now completely a biased, hate/fear-filled party, deserving of all the kicks they are going to get in the coming months.
Trump put the icing on the cake. Now the other sorry fools are jumping on the bandwagon… Joseph Farrah, Limbaugh, Palin, Gringrich….all sold their souls for some attention and filling their need to assuage their hate of minorities.
The hatred for Obama is their hatred for all black men or women who rise to positions of power. What a sorry spectacle it has become.
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talkradiosucks.com // Apr 27, 2011 at 10:24 pm
“So far you have been able to pin me with the same “UNSURE” context as the UPI uses.”
I’m unsure that you’re actually human. Does that count?
“Are you saying the UPI “100 years of journalistic excellence” journalists and editors are just a bunch of distorting liars?”
(Looks up a few posts.)
Nope, didn’t say that.
“What ever happened to your “total fucking idiot” comment?”
I have no idea what you are on about here, but if you really want me to call you that, consider it done. I certainly wouldn’t be the only one.
“Were you silently reprimanded by Frum and don’t feel you need to apologize honestly and publicly?”
He was going to reprimand me, but first he demanded to see my birth certificate. I showed him the long form but he cleverly determined that it was a forgery (layers!) and so instead, Noah took me out to the woodshed and gave me a good spanking. I believe Tim Mak captured it with his cellphone, and they are threatening to release the pictures to the public unless I behave from now on.
Of course, I’m not very good at behaving, so it will probably happen sooner or later. When it does, you can send these pictures to your lawyer to use in your libel lawsuit. He’ll thank you profusely.
P.S. Now we know why you were unable to find any evidence of Obama being born outside the US, kook.
P.P.S. Did you know that a huge percentage of Americans have “doubts” about where Donald Trump was born? It’s almost like… people have doubts about where *anyone* they don’t know was born. Sort of like I’ve been saying for the last two weeks. Imagine that.
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nhthinker // Apr 27, 2011 at 11:07 pm
Total dishonesty on your part.
I added the percentage that were doubters with the percentage that were “sure” Obama was born outside the US to come up with “UNSURE or worse” phraseology. UPI adds the same numbers but for Trump and says “Poll: Most unsure where Trump was born”.
You spent many posts calling me a liar for it, but you won’t call the UPI liars. Why is that?
You’ve been exposed as an illogical propagandist.
“Illogical” assessment is sort of reenforced with your claims to liking Obama’s policies and claiming you are a libertarian.
It also doesn’t surprise me that you claim no knowledge of your profane posting that has been removed.
FF calls Kobe on profanity but just hides the stuff that their contributors use.
Then they can pretend they never did it.
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anniemargret // Apr 27, 2011 at 10:31 pm
And what’s really hilarious is that the ‘birthers’ are not even paying attention.
While they are salivating at delegitimizing the duly elected POTUS, this next generation is watching closely. Because this next generation is going to be the leaders of tomorrow and they are not going to ally themselves with the bigots of the GOP.
They’ve forgotten to woo the younger generation to their side. The younger gen already thought the GOP was an aging out of touch bigoted party, now with Trump putting the icing on the cake, there’s no mistaking it….they are an out-of-touch, aging, ineffectual, non-intellectual, biased, prejudiced party….not even a national one by the time Obama cleans their clock in 2012.
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anniemargret // Apr 27, 2011 at 10:33 pm
“Carnival barker” – Obama puts an apt name to it.
Trump is furious. Bested by a black guy who went to Harvard! Imagine that! And he couldn’t even get into Wharton without going to another college for two years prior. Trump is digging his own grave.
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talkradiosucks.com // Apr 27, 2011 at 10:34 pm
“They’ve forgotten to woo the younger generation to their side.”
Fortunately for the GOP, they compensated for this by crafting policies that will appeal to older voters.
Er…
Never mind.
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anniemargret // Apr 27, 2011 at 11:14 pm
Just who are those idiots that think Republicans care about them anyway?
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pnumi2 // Apr 27, 2011 at 10:35 pm
It will all be worth it when his hair-do collapses on national television and his stylist can’t get to him and he has to re-position it himself, 5 or 6 hairs at a time.
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anniemargret // Apr 27, 2011 at 11:15 pm
oh, please…..God…. I want to see that happen! Or maybe it’s a wig?
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Emmett Moore // Apr 27, 2011 at 11:13 pm
Well written and honest. However, I called my mother this evening (66 year old Foxs News junkie) and asked her if this silly issue is now settled? Her response, “this proves nothing! anyone can create something on a computer”. Should I of expected any other response? I cannot understand how she can hate the government so badly, and yet depend upon it for her very survival (medicare, SSI).
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Blue Grit // Apr 27, 2011 at 11:18 pm
I hate to break it to you Emmett. It is called insanity.
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Gramps // Apr 27, 2011 at 11:15 pm
There is method to his madness…
Only yer hunky hair dresser will know…!
anniemargret // Apr 27, 2011 at 11:19 pm
Emmett. I have an idea. There are a lot of older folks now in this nation (thankfully my mother who is 87 is a proud Obama voter and Democrat), who were frightened by change. Their generation was being ousted by the newcomers. The immigrants from western Europe (most of their generation) is now being joined by the new wave of minorities to positions of power.
Their generation was used to whites being in power. Some of this threatens them, thinking – erroneously of course – that somehow it will play out in hurting their lifestyle. But their stupidity (sorry) is apparent. They don’t have the discipline to ferret out the truth for themselves, so Fox News does it for them, playing up the cultural/racial resentment and fear.
Many of them have no idea how to use the ‘Net to seek out information and the truth, or at least, gain to understand both sides of an issue. They rely on local news or Fox…
I am sorry to say that many older folks in this nation are not doing their civic job as informed citizens…which is to become aware of the issues, and talk about them rationally and intelligently. The GOP took advantage of their naivete and their ignorance…and ran with it.
That pretty much sums it up, I think.
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anniemargret // Apr 27, 2011 at 11:30 pm
gramps. Hilarious photo! No man who has to go to this much trouble just to comb his hair, has no business near the nuclear codes! The ‘hair plan’ looks like complex instructions on how to put a blender together.
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jakester // Apr 27, 2011 at 11:36 pm
The rest of the world thinks we are stupid arseheads thanks to these birthers and the deep thinkers here trying to rationalize their crap.
