This is how Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson begins his column about the so-called “birthers” — the nut-jobs who think Barack Obama was not born in the United States and therefore is not legitimately our president:
“If there’s been a more clinically insane political phenomenon in my lifetime than the ‘birthers,’ I’ve missed it.”
This raises a question: Really?
Perhaps Mr. Robinson has “Newsheimer’s” and has already forgotten about that other clinically insane political phenomenon, the one about how President Bush was behind the 9/11 attacks on America.
A few years ago, when insanity was in the air, I spoke to one lunatic face to face – a medical doctor no less – who not only believed that the federal government under President Bush put explosives in the World Trade Center Towers to blow them up, but was also convinced – ready for this? – that no plane ever hit the Pentagon. It was all made up, he told me.
“Let me guess,” I said to this moron, “Bush was behind it all.”
“Oh, no,” he said, “Bush was only the puppet.”
“Acting at whose behest,” I continued, hoping the doctor’s head would explode before he could provide more proof that he was an idiot. “The people who wanted to get us into war for oil and money,” he sputtered. Never mind that there were a lot easier ways to get us into war than to blow up two towering buildings and part of the Pentagon. But of course, to understand this, one would have to have a functioning mind, which as you can see, the doctor did not have.
This was Bush Derangement Syndrome in full bloom. The doctor hated W with an unhealthy passion. And that hatred made him truly believe – with every fiber in his body and every cell in what passed for his brain – that the neo-cons killed their own countrymen just so they could take us to war in order to fatten their bank accounts.
I bring this up not to encourage a contest over which of these two crazy ideas is crazier, the Obama thing or the Bush thing. I bring it up because there currently is an effort afoot by the Left to conflate nut-jobs on the fringe right with regular conservatives and regular Republicans. The longer the silly controversy stays alive, the better the chance, they figure, that moderates and independents will start to think that any politician with an “R” after his name is a maniac.
Here’s how Eugene Robinson stokes that fire: “There are probably people out there who think the world is flat, and they’re not worth writing about,” he says. “The ‘birthers’ wouldn’t be either unless you believe a poll released last week by Research 2000 revealing that an astounding 28% of Republicans actually think that Obama was not born in the United States and an additional 30% are ‘not sure.’ GOP officials need to order more tinfoil.”
Oh yeah, the poll was commissioned by that model of trustworthiness, The Daily Kos, which makes everything in it suspect. But even if the real number is half what is reported, it is indeed troubling.
But when left-wing professors at major American Universities banded together to proclaim that 9/11 was “an inside job” did liberals like Eugene Robinson portray these paranoids as representative of the Democratic Party? No!
And make no mistake, it wasn’t just a few nutty professors who believed W was behind the 9/11 terrorism. Robinson is making a point when he tells us that 28 percent of Republicans actually think Obama was born outside the U.S. — a point that it’s not only the fringe that’s crazy. Okay. Then what should we make of this statistic: Back during the “W was behind 9/11″ days, a poll by Scripps Howard/Ohio University found that more than a third of Americans suspected that federal officials helped in the 9/11 terrorist attacks — or took no action to stop them … so President Bush could take the country to war.
Wow! “More than a third” is more than “28 percent,” right? Who does Eugene Robinson think these conspiratorial nuts are? Conservative Republicans?
No, Mr. Robinson, they’re mostly (if not entirely) Bush-hating, left-wing Democrats like that crazy doctor I had the unfortunate experience of talking to. Gee, I don’t remember Robinson – or any other liberal media bigwig — ever writing that the Democratic Party “needs to order more tinfoil.”
I hope this nutty “birther” movement burns itself out on its own stupidity –and the sooner the better. The longer it’s out there the worse it is for ordinary Republicans who will be tarred with the nut-job brush. Be assured that elements of the mainstream media will see to that.
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For a “post-political” president who will unite the country, he seems to be doing the Clintonesque (Olinskyesque?) Republican-baiting specifically designed to leave Repubs frothing at the mouth. “Listening” to Republican ideas for the Stimulus Bill – then incorporating none of them. Placing into every bill a few provisions that Republicans – at least conservative ones – could obviously never accept, and then chiding them for being the “Party of No”. Discounting Tea Parties and those who attend them (remember the scatological teabaggers designation?). Stating that Republicans have no plan of their own within a couple of days of the release a Republican 12-Point Plan. Laughing at Birthers, while being unforthcoming with school records and other items presidents typically release. Aiming derision at those who believe a “Public Option” would lead eventually to rationing with hedging political double-speak (”This is simply not true. There is no rationing IN THIS BILL.”). Holding angry demonstrators up as Brooks-Brothers-wearing Astroturf Rent-A-Mobs.
If I wouldn’t know better, I would say that Obama wants to wave a red cape in front of the bull – a cape which has a white side that faces the spectators. The bull gets madder and madder, as the spectators assume the bull is simply deranged.
It’s working on me for one – Obama is making me paranoid. I fear a fascist takeover, a concern I never had under Carter or Clinton.
Bernie,
Thanks for the commentary. I agree that, if he has nothing to hide, then reveal the birth certificate already. When you do things that make you look guilty, even if you’re not, it still colors people’s perception.
And I’d look into possibly removing Google Ads from your site if I were you – there was one on your home page that asked people to “help Barbara Boxer congratulate Sonia Sotomayor” for her confirmation as Supreme Court justice. I removed them from my blog for a similar reason. They don’t accurately reflect the content of your site, they just pick key words and throw up ads relating to them. I wouldn’t be surprised to see an “OFA” ad next.
Hi Bernie. I am a “Birther” – a newspaper notice published by who knows that has the wrong address listed is hardly documentation enough to prove citizenship. It is more likely laying the groundwork for receiving US benefits when combined with pseudo official COLB. I think the word of his grandmother (and others) that she was there in Kenya when he was born is more meaningful. Regarding the “Certification of Live Birth” (NOT “Certificate”), Obama’s Kenyan born sister also has one so it too is not enough to prove citizenship. The one document that CAN PROVE his citizenship is hidden from us, while several documents that could disprove citizenship (school records, passports, etc.) are also hidden from us. He’s never even cleared up the fact that TWO hospitals in Hawaii take credit for his birth, one on fundraising letters. The list of evidence FOR birthers far outweighs the “evidence” against – a meaningless document and an incorrect newspaper announcement.
I can accept that you are a “Birther Denier”, but what I would hope you would do is what you do so well – challenge the media on this. Would they EVER allow a Republican to get away with the same evasiveness on a constitutional requirement??
CNN Prez Joel Klein said the issue was dead when he first ordered Dobbs to stop reporting on it because he had it investigated and Obama’s birth records were conveniently destroyed but the state denies that – WHICH reporter said that, what was his source and isn’t it news that the State denies it? Annenberg outlet FactCheck.org continues to show the meaningless COLB as “proof” and yet the COLB is NOT proof, and yet no one calls them on that.
It is simply wrong to say that Birthers are insane unless there’s some evidence out there that we’ve missed – and yet no one can tell us what it is.
Thank you for your take-down of the lunatic ‘birthers’. I not only compare them to the 9/11 troofers, but to the Andrew Sullivan “Trig troofers” whose mantra goes like this: “I am not saying that Trig is not Sarah Palin’s biological son, I am only posing the question that others are asking that maybe Bristol is the child’s real mother”.
We are now more afraid of Oboma than we are of Osoma. He is the president of a country that is two thirds opposite of him. If all this wasn’t upsetting enough, now we hear one of his people say that doctos take their oath too seriously.
It feels like our Whitwhouse is having a nervous breakdown!
How many people against the healthcare take over cannot get to the Whitehouse? Lots! They can however get to their own state houses. We should call for a protest at the same hour on the same day at every state house in every state in this country. Two o’clock eastern standard time. That way even on the west coast it will still be at least 11.
Bernie you can get this done. You are so well connected.
They could never get past that visual.
I humbly apologize for putting on a post that you felt needed to be taken down.
I truly respect you.
My face book page has been shut down and I have been shut out of all facebooks. I’m always respectful. I wonder if thee are more people that this is happing to?
Good Job, Bernard!!
The mainstream liberal media are champions of one-eyed selective outrage.
They strain at a knat and swallow a bull elephant. They didn’t even blink
over Obama’s recent praise of the “tolerance and justice” of Islam. They ignored the Stanford study that said that the George Bush aid to Africa saved more lives than any other government action in world history!! BLACK lives.
THEY DON’T WANT TO BRING UP THE FACT THAT BARNEY FRANKS DEFENSE
OF FANNIE MAE AND CHUCK SCHUMERS DEFENSE OF CORRUPT WALL ST PROTECTED THE PEOPLE WHO DESTROYED OUR ECONOMY!! No outrage over
the utter illogic of Obama cutting our Missile defense at a time when we can’t
even defend our cities against vintage 1940s missile technology.
Both when I was married and when my children were born, my mother had announcements put in her local paper. We didn’t live there, we lived in another state. I’m not saying, necessarily, that I believe that he wasn’t born in the US, but a birth announcement in the newspaper proves nothing.
You are correct – an announcement can be placed by anyone without regard to location. I have done a good deal of research on this matter – and I hold that the main question is WHY would Obama pay attorneys a ton of money to fight lawsuits around the country, and to keep ALL his records sealed? Why if he had nothing to hide? Makes NO SENSE. I believe that his Occidental records would show that he was given financial aid as a foreign student; I believe he traveled to the Middle East in the 80s on a foreign passport (since the area he went to was closed to Americans). Further, I found 2 missionaries in Africa who told me that it is general knowledge Obama was born in Kenya, and warned me to be very careful because Obama was a dangerous man. I still have those emails – and I have seen the ‘certification’ – it proves NOTHING. so the question is – where is your birth certificate Obama?
I had to submit a birth certificate to work for the same government for which President Obama works. Birth certificate, not birth announcement from the local paper.
I don’t believe that Obama was born in Kenya. The key to ending the “birther” movement (quickly or otherwise) lies with the President. All he needs to do is release his birth certificate. I had to furnish a birth certificate to join the Army; I don’t see what is so difficult about that concept.
Bernie Goldberg’s latest appearance on O’Reilly only underscores his bias. He attributes problems with the media to one source: Dan Rather.
So tell me, Bernie, the faulty, anachronistic business models for the TV networks and newspapers have nothing to do with their current problems; it’s all Dan Rather?
And if bias were such a problem, why is NewsCorp in as much trouble as say, Gannett?
In terms of TV, Fox and MSNBC are made for people who have their minds made up and only want confirmation from the shows’ guests. That’s okay, but how does the public really get informed through such prisms?
So much has been made of the healthcare “debate.” How many of the comments shouted out by angry attendees (from either side) at the debates have been accurate?
People are yelling stuff based on what they know which often isn’t much. It would behoove them to be informed, prior to providing histrionics for the great media machine…And TV especially ain’t exactly helping…
Bernie had a great line on O’ Reilly that resonated with me.
“People want to see their values, if not reflected in the media at least respected in the media…”
Take it one step further and you capture the essence of this town hall and Tea Party phenomenon. People like me want to see our values reflected and respected by our government. Instead my leaders are mocking my values and opinions… Now add in Obama’s duplicitous character, and the media’s total buy in and you have a powder keg.
During the election we saw Obama tell audiences what they wanted to hear, and on a regular basis, gays thought he would be changing laws in the first weeks. In Iraq and Iran he is following timelines and troop strategies similar to Bush’s policies, contrary to the picture he painted to his electorate. Then there is the reverend Wright. Will Obama lead us to MLK’s dreamland or Reverend Wright’s? Did we get our answer with the recent professor and the cop incident. With healthcare a few years ago he tells his followers he wants a single payer system, but it will take a while to get there. Others in his administration explain how government healthcare, will allow them to get to single payer in time it is just a step.
Are Americans (Can I still use that word?) supposed to believe somone who has lied so many times you can fill hardback books with plenty of material and we can view the same duplicity in full (those sometimes fuzzy) color on the Internet.
Unlike Obama and the media, I’ve read most of the heathcare bill as have many of the people attending the townhalls. Any teenager who has followed the history of government programs can connect the dots from a government option to a single payer system, yet the traditional media won’t even look into it? They are still taking Obama at face value. The bill is ripe with his nearly criminal paybacks to Unions, and community organizations, and reestablishing affirmative action as if the past 10 years never existed. And finally, one question exposes his hiprocracy with regard to healthcare reform. “If Obama and the Dem’s are truly interested in reducing healthcare costs, why is tort reform or “litigation caps” not on the table.”
If I have learned anything in my career, it is that disingenuous leaders will eventually fail. The question is will he and his czars get desperate enough to try to silence the formerly silent majority, which they now refer to as Un-American mobs? I think Bernie’s voice could be as strong as anyone’s in determining the outcome.
Until the press resumes its role as watchdog, exposing Obama’s lack of integrity (rather than acting as a “state run” media), Dan Rather’s friends will contue to lose market share and people like me will find alternative ways to have our voices heard.
Thank you Bernie.. You are one a true hero for taking a stand and blowing the whistle on your industry…
Sorry, my friend, but I never attributed “problems with the media to one source: Dan Rather.” I said that Dan’s use of either bogus documents, or at absolute least unverified documents, erodes public trust in the media. On many other occassions on The Factor, I have said flat out that the biggest single reason for the media’s bad economic shape is technology — the Internet; they haven’t figured out ways to “monetize” the Internet. I welcome your comments, but don’t jump to conclusions that aren’t warranted.
Read MR. GOLDBERG’S books.
His statements of media bias are backed up by facts.
As to people being uninformed, 58% of people who said they voted for the current administration didn’t know that the Dems controlled both House and Senate.
If we are uninformed on health care, thank the Administration. Look at the facts of the British system, of people diagnosed with treatable (almost 100% cure rate) colon cancer, 1 in 5 progresses to terminal (100% mortality rate) before they can be treated.
The 47 million uninsured figure includes illegals, non citizens, people who chose not to be insured (as they can more than afford it) and people who are eligible for many programs they don’t take advantage of. That brings the figure down by three-quarters.
Our health care system needs work, but it’s still the best. Fix insurance and call for tort reform and that will go a long way. Don’t destroy the whole system for those who don’t have, find a way to help them.
You want to have real debate, talk about the health care facilities CLOSED in poor areas by illegals who don’t pay bills.
Where is the Administration and media on that one.
I did not hear Bernie attribute blame to Rather – I believe he is questioning what Rather knew and when did he know it! There is a huge amount of blame to be passed among most media outlets – for outright lies, distortions, misrepresentation, or utter avoidance of a hot topic that would bring bright lights on Obama.
If you want to know facts, then you have to get off your ass and dig – dig deep. There is a ton of information available from a myriad of sources, and ways to double check. You seem to want to be handed neatly packaged news without controversy – and you can get that on any major network. But to find out for sure what is what, you have to do your own digging – something I have done exhaustively for over 1.5 years. What I have found has been illuminating, causing me to switch candidates in mid stream, and to keep digging. It still shocks me how much I have found out and how convoluted a web there is out there that 99.999% of people are totally unaware of -
DID IT EVER OCURR TO YOU AND OREILLY THAT THE REASON FOX’S RATINGS ARE BETTER THEN THE OTHER LIBERAL AND MAINSTREAMNETWORKS IS THAT FOX IS THE ONLY CONSERVATIVE NETWORK IN TOWN HENCE THE LARGER CONCENTRATED AUDIENCE YOU MORONS!!!!LOLOLOL
Dobbs is a conservative and his ratings are not that great. In many cases Fox numbers are more than CNN, MSNBC, HLN combined. Oreilly numbers are exeeding Katie Couric’s numbers for the evening news. It’s just the facts. Who’s the moran?
When I see posts in all caps, I reflexively go for the “delete this message” key. I held off, this time, in your case. But be assured that I won’t allow this site to become a sewer like so many others. Keep it civil or go someplace else.
WRONG – BOZO – Fox is highly rated because it has a larger audience than any other cable channel, and larger than CBS news – and it is because they honor their motto “fair and balanced” – for those in NEWS, you get both sides of any issue, with the conclusion – “We report, you decide” – that is about as honest as it gets on TV anymore. Commentators are not bound by the credo – they commentate, so they give their personal opinions. But even they do a lot of research and uncover stuff that MSM is not reporting. I never watched Fox before because I believed them to be biased. I then caught CBS, MSNBC AND NBC in outright lies, and in making disparaging comments far beneath any decent news organization. Fox attracts people of all persuasions – who seek FAIR AND BALANCED – and trust me, one can do their own research and verify – I’ve done it and so I know first hand.
wake up and get your narrow progressive mind out of your arse -
I try to watch other news channels just to get insight into their way of thinking, but after watching Keith Olberman and Chris Matthews talk after the vice presidential debate when they dismissed Sarah Palin’s strong showing with “Well, now we know she can memorize and regurgitate fact” while pretending everything Biden said was spot on and from the cuff. No commentator on Fox would have said that and any guest who put that nonsense forward would have been challenged.
Oh yeah, put me down as a “birther” if only because I have stopped believing anything Obama says. I initially liked him if not his politics.
Mr. Robinson, you missed the biggest “Clinically Insane Political Phenomenon” that has come across our landscape, the destruction of our economy by a President that can’t even understand that if you tax the rich even more, (the top 10% paying almost 70% of taxes) than you dry up capitol, and CAPITOL is the fuel that runs a capitalist economy. If you thought labor, wrong, wrong and wrong. Labor can’t work with no capitol, trust me I’ve tried.
I am not a birther but I am part of the unsure crowd. I have not seen one thing to dispel the accusations and this could be easily done. Provide the birth certificate. If Bernie and Bill have seen something so conclusive I wish they would share with us what so utterly convinced them. All I have heard from both is that the issue is dead and beyond debate. I just wish they would tell me why. I have never seen either make such statements without further evidence before.
Please Bernie, tell me why you so strongly believe this and I can move out of the unsure crowd and quit being a semi loon.
Thank you Bernie,
Great column. I live in DC area and read Mr Robinson and am hard pressed to see when he doesn’t come down on the Democratic side of an issue, or more important, the Black side of an issue. (ie, did he ever take Obama to task for not prosecuting the Black Panthers seen on You Tube intimidating voters in Philly)
Mr. Obama brought a lot of this on himself for not by not being at all transparent in his administration, or his past affiliations.
If Mr. Robinson wants ideas for his columns, write about illegals stealing the American Dream from our poor, write about all the scientists and climatoligists that say there is no proof of global warming, write about the loss of !st Ammendment Rights with the “Fairness Doctrine” and unions taking away the secret ballot (the bedrock of our democracy) on votes for unionization.
You are a great writer, Mr. G.!
I always enjoy reading and hearing your commentary. I’m probably one of those “birthers.” I just don’t have any other choice but to believe there is more to the story than that Obama got elected fair and square. This postmodern progressive agenda is absolutely scary. All I see is misinformation, misdirection, and misrepresentation of facts. What is really scary to me, in fact, is that the progressive agenda is not to be carried out by an “in your face” socialist policy change, but as a synthesis of ideas after we have argued the shallow points of policies, such as health care reform (or this Obama birth certificate argument).
Mr. G., what will we be stuck with if (when) the first draft of this health care reform fails in Congress? It will be “something” that the commentators say will “not be as bad” as the current bill in Congress. This is EXACTLY what the postmodern progressives want! They want health care reform, and other reform, that will propel our society toward Socialism. That won’t happen in our current political climate all at once, the way we’re getting hit with Obama’s plans. So, we will have arguments in which we present an antithesis to Obama’s policies. Congress (or some other folks) will “synthesize” a solution that’s more agreeable to the populous, and we will accept this hook, line, and sinker. There you have it: American Socialism.
Mr. G., we’re on our way! I believe the only way to overcome this momentum is to reject the synthesized solutions and substitute conservative, traditional ideals, regardless of how we are characterized by the liberal left. I know you don’t have time to read every single post, but I’d love to know what you think.
Al
Lawton, Oklahoma
Bernie, I am an old Disabled Vietnam Vet and while serving in Southeast Asia
from 1964-70, I married a girl from there. We did a large amount of paperwork
so she could get a visa. When we came back to the US, she was allowed to apply for US Citizenship in 3 years rather than the normal 5,since she had married me while I was a US Soldier. We did another large amount of paperwork for the citizenship application. She appeared before a US Magistrate
and was ask questions from a pool of 150 questions. We had studied a booklet
from the DAR. She passed the first try. My wife had a couple of brothers that wished to come here and we did another ton of paperwork so that they could
come here under what is called a “5th preference visa”.(brother or sister of a US citizen).
We did the paperwork and her brothers they had to wait 5 years until their
quota number came up.
The one brother who stayed here opened a business and is sucessful and pays
taxes. I had to sign a declaration that they could not get any government assistance for the first 5 years.
I cannot fathom why the Democrats want to just open the doors and give the
ILLEGALS a path to Citizenship, Social Security, Medicaid.
If a person holding a green card is caught with one rock of crack, he can an is often deported for BREAKING THE LAW.
Isn’t being here ILLEGALLY, BREAKING THE LAW?????
Mr Goldberg, you’re doing a tremendous harm to many good people.
People who believed there was something wrong with the official explanation of Watergate weren’t morons. People who believed there was somethng wrong with the official explanation of the Gulf Of Tonquin incident weren’t morons. People who believe there is more to the assassination of JFK, RFK and MLK aren’t morons. These people are simply UNCONVINCED.
If you happen to be so convinced that Obama is a natural-born citizen . . . WHERE IS YOUR EVIDENCE?
I’ve looked sir, and I can’t find it. And I am no moron.
You’re right — there is a difference between being stupid and simply being unconvinced. And your examples of Watergate and the Gulf of Tonquin are good ones. Not so much, in my view, your conspiracy theories about JFK, RFK and MLK. But if a birth announcement in the local paper — at the time of his birth — isn’t enough to prove that Obama was born in Hawaii, then nothing will convince you. The people who believed W was behind 9/11 are indeed fools. Same with the “birthers.” Sorry.
As someone pointed out earlier, you don’t have to be born in the state to have a birth announcement. His grandparents lived there, they could easily have had the birth announced.
Bernie,
Thank you once again for a wonderful column. I forgot about the people who claim President Bush was behind the 9/11 attacks. I wish he would just release a birth certificate, but I really do think he won’t simply because he has his friends in the liberal media spin it to make the doubters look like crazy, conspiracy theory nut jobs. He’s enjoying it too much. I doubt we will ever receive a birth certificate from him. Oh well.
I agree with Don. Your posts are very refreshing and they are definitely not falling on deaf ears. I post them on Facebook and encourage all of my friends to read your website. Please keep writing and I will always be behind you!
Sincerely,
Mary
When I am offered a new job, I must present two forms of official identification and even items such as official school transcripts to conform to my employer’s (and federal) requirements.
In the future, all states should require proof of a presidential nominee’s conformance to the Constitutional requirements for a president (native born, 35+years old, 14 years residence) BEFORE allowing their name on the November ballot. This would eliminate these type of questions.
Great idea. Simple, easy, makes a lot of sense. Bernie
I must be missing something here. Bernie- You have proof that BO was born in the US? That’s GREAT Could you please show it to everyone and this stupid thing will be over. I thought this was crazy at first too, but why would anyone spend over a million dollars so that no one could see your long-form original birth certificate, passport info, school records and have a foreign government say that your records were under seal when there wouldn’t be any records there in the first place, if what you say is true. Please, can’t we have a rational discussion about that, his British citizenship, the fact that a Hawaii’n COLB did not provide proof that you were born in Hawaii (hell Sun Yat Sen had a COLB), the wrong address on the COLB and that a birth announcement in a newspaper is just that; an announcement of birth, not proof of where it was. I belong to neither party and I would like proof positive that the president and commander-in-chief of the world’s most powerful armed forces is qualified for that position.
Great point Paul.
Bernie, I’ve read and loved your books. You taught us to question the mainstream media. Why aren’t they asking these questions?
The election of 2004 had John Kerry calling himself a hero, but refusing to show his military records. He was probably hiding a less than honorable discharge that was changed by Carter Admin.
Do I think Obama is a citizen, probably, do I think he’s hiding a great deal of info, Definately!
He may ineed be hiding something. All I’m saying is why would someone — his mother, his father, anyone! — put a birth announcement in the Hawaii paper if he was born someplace else? I guess this is a possibility: They figured that 47 years later he might run for president and they wanted to cover their tracks. If you believe this, there’s no room for a discussion.
As for why he doesn’t just release the damn birth certificate: I agree, he should. But I think the pols around him figure the longer this craziness goes the better it is for Obama and the Democrats. Because the longer it goes the easier it is to conflate the right-wing nut-jobs with regular conservatives and Republicans.
I think some people put that news in papers so that people familiar with the family will be aware if the news, even if they are not at this time in the area. I don’t have any knowlwdge at this time about the cetificate.
Just think Mr. G, what would be even more frightening than having a non-resident for President if it were proven, would that make Joe Biden president? Too frightening to contemplate.
Bernie,
Please if you know let your readers in on the secret about citizen with a small “c” versus Citizen with a capital “C”.
This would impact not only the nut jobs but the sheeple
I love your segments on Fox News. They’re always so well-reasoned, thought-provoking and and intelligent.
Other than twitter, do you have daily email notifications/messages for your fans?
Keep up the good work!
Not yet, Cathleen.
Mr. Goldberg:
All I keep hearing is that Obama was born in Hawaii. Well, that may be so; but that does not make him a “natural born citizen”. The Constitution states “natural born citizen”, and when I was in school, that meant no alligance to any other country.
His father was not a citizen, but a British subject, under British law at that time the offspring of a Brit is a British subject, no matter where the birth took place. That is fact. His mother then married an Indonesian who adopted Obama. The important word here is “adopted”. He went to school in Indonesia as a “citizen” of that country.
So, Mr. Goldberg, why do you and many others in the media cling to his statement that he was born in Hawaii? There are other factors that need to be cleared up here – so enough with the “nut-job” “tin-foil hat” comments and demand Obama to prove that he is entitled to sit in the White House!
I do not see why people who are in influential positions and claim to be American patriots would not support The Constitution to the fullest!
“a person who is automatically granted another citizenship does not risk losing U.S. citizenship. However, a person who acquires a foreign citizenship by applying for it may lose U.S. citizenship. In order to lose U.S. citizenship, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign citizenship voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. citizenship.”
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1753.html
Try being a little better informed.
but someone with duel citizenship at birth is not considered natural born.
Where is that law listed?
It not here…
http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode08/usc_sec_08_00001401—-000-.html
http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_citi.html
I like you Bernie but I am offended that you are calling me a nut job. I truly expected better of you on this. Obama promised us an open and transparent administration. All he has to do is show us the birth certificate. That would put ALL OF THIS TO REST. It’s simple and easy to do. The fact he does not makes us think that he is hiding something. I want to believe the facts. If he is a true USA citizen, nobody would hear another word out of me about this birther issue. I want the Constitution upheld in highest honor, truth, and respect. But if Obama were a Republican, the outcry for his proof of citizenship would be FAR LOUDER and be plastered all over the New York Times and every other news organization demanding proof of citizenship. The hypocrisy is evident. Show us proof Mr. President, and this would be put to rest. We are NOT nut jobs or members of the fringe far right. I truly take offense at that.
Read my posts above about a possible reason he’s not releasing his full birth certificate, which I also believe he should.
I am right wing but I am not a nut. For $10 for one birth certificate, and $4 for each additional birth certificate, Hawaii will give Pres. Obama as many full length birth certificates as he needs to make this issue go away. It doesn’t make any sense to spend about a million dollars to fight the issue, when you can make it go away for $10 dollars.
The same people who are calling us nuts, are the people who wanted Sarah Palin to have a DNA test to prove that her youngest child was actually hers! I thought of that the other day when Press Sec’y Gibbs said that we wouldn’t be satisfied even if the President gave a DNA sample. A DNA sample doesn’t show where you were born. We want something easier. We want the full length birth certificate.
You have to submit a birth certificate to get a passport, to file for Social Security, to be added to a parent’s health insurance and to enter elementary school. The President should have to submit his full length birth certificate, his school records, his adoption records, his name change records, his dual citizenship records from Indonesia and possibly Kenya.
I am so disappointed that there is no interest on your part. I know that the President is a citizen; I just know that he is also hiding something.
2+2=4. When $10 =$1,000,000 then you can call me a nut!
You write: “I am so disappointed that there is no interest on your part. I know that the President is a citizen; I just know that he is also hiding something.”
Not true. I went on the biggest news program on cable, Bill O’Reilly’s The Factor, and said: President Obama could put an end to this silly controversy if he would only release his birth certificate.
So I have shown interest in this. All I’m saying is HE WAS BORN IN THE USA. He may indeed be hiding something as you say. But he’s not hiding what country he was born in.
Thanks for writing JM
I saw you on O’Reilly and that is why I contacted you. I respect your views, and your willingness to stand up to the network media. We live in troubling times, and the lack of transparency from the President is not comforting. Thanks for listening!
I doubt I will see you post these comments on your website regarding the article “Political Insanity and Journalistic Hypocrisy” but here goes.
What planet are you from? I am so sick and tired of you and all the other nice people who think that the issue of Obama’s citizenship is a dead or non issue. If you think that not knowing or not caring if he is a legitimate natural born citizen and worthy of the presidency, then you need to be living in some other country where the government dictates every facet of your life. You need to be in a country where the government tells you what you will do for work, how much money you will be allowed to have, what you can say, where you can go, what you will eat, what medical care you will receive, who or when you can marry, how many children you will have, what entertainment is permissible (this is the short list). All this, plus you will be told that you like it and that saying or feeling any opposition or dissention will cost you your life. You will be an obedient slave or robot. You will be fighting and steal amongst the rest just to get bigger share of the pittance that will be provided for you. Fortunately, you won’t have to endure it for too long because as you get older, you will be phased out.
If we don’t protect our Constitution, if we don’t live by it then we are nothing. If the Constitution is invalidated by an illegitimate president then we have no legal representation, no recourse, and no way to combat a corrupt government. They will do whatever they think is best for us. Time and time again, it has been proven that “We the People” know what’s best for us. If you think I am the nut case because I’m writing this, then just look and read very carefully all the laws that have been passed since January, 2009 and all the proposed legislation that will inevitably become law when passed by congress. There are many subtle things included that basically relinquish our rights and grant the government extra ordinate powers over us. Many times you will see verbiage that says in effect that no laws, rules or policies can be used to overturn his or their decisions. This is very scary.
Now I want you to know that I have only voted for a Democrat for president. I served in the U.S. Army just prior to the war in Viet Nam. I am a true American. But I need to know if this president is legit, not just because of him, but because the Constitution and this great Country are bigger then him. We must have a great Country to carry on when his term is over.
I implore you and all your followers to read between the lines. Don’t just discount the citizenship issue just because he is popular. Make him prove it. That’s the only way we can insure that our Constitution is not in jeopardy. That’s the only way the issue will die. That’s the only way you can shut us nut cases up. In the mean time, the question of who the nut cases really are is up to debate.
If you would like to have my name and email address just post something like “Richard, I want to hear from you again.”
Keep the rants shorter next time … and check out my reply to JM above.
Bernie, it’s about time we all put a stop to the name calling like ‘nut job’ etc. People shouldn’t be maligned for having differing opinions. Let’s just stick to the facts. You say (emphatically) “HE WAS BORN IN THE USA”. Show us what proof you saw that makes you believe that. Are you hiding something from us too? But let’s be very clear on the real issue though. Is he a NATURAL BORN CITIZEN, as is required to be president? Show us the proof. We have seen the COLB, and we have also seen an Indonesian school record showing Citizen: Indonesian, Religion: Muslim. Is one of them a lie? Which one? Where are the answers relating to all the points that have been indicated in the many suits brought to the courts. Why doesn’t the Supreme Court just hear one of the pending cases and then decide, either he is or he is not a natural born citizen. That would end the controversy. Obama is either so arrogant to feel he doesn’t have to show us any proof or he does not have any proof to show us. Which one is it? Or is this just a ploy to divert our attention from all the other important issues we need to be looking into and thinking about?
I am offended with you for calling me a nut-job as it pertains to Obama’s long form birth certificate.
I am not a nut-job.
I am willing to be persuaded by the facts.
Every president must be willing and able to present proof of his qualifications to hold office.
Obama has spent about one million dollars to fight over 30 lawsuits.
If he were to present a long form birth certificate, all of this would go away.
“Obama has spent about one million dollars to fight over 30 lawsuits.”
…and my guess is that he used taxpayer’s money to do it, too…so no skin off HIS nose!
“If he were to present a long form birth certificate, all of this would go away.”
…but then he would have to find a brand new way to marginalize those ‘bitter, gun-and-religion clinging, evil Conservatives’.
This so-called “Birthers” movement is tailor-made for the Obama Administration, the Kos-Crowd, and the Angry Left to use as the proverbial cudgel to beat us stupid.
My advice?
These so-called “Birthers” are in an uproar because Obama (allegedly) hasn’t proven that he WAS born in America.
Maybe you should prove that Obama WASN’T born in America….that way, you can show your outrage for what is DEFINITELY true instead of what you think (or hope!) MIGHT be true.
Prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Obama isn’t a natural-born US citizen and you will get my full support…along with the support of many others.
Until then, Mr. Goldberg is absolutely right to lump you in with the so-called “9-11 Truthers”.
In my opinion, of course.
Calvin,
Chill!
You write: “I am offended with you for calling me a nut-job as it pertains to Obama’s long form birth certificate.”
I did not say you were a nut-job because you want to see the long form birth certificate. I have gone on television saying the president should release that birth certificate. I said you are a nut-job if you think he was born someplace outside the USA. And I still think that.
I must admit that I would have to be in the not sure column about his citizenship and his entire background. I don’t think that I’m a nutcase. I just wonder why he has not released so much of his history or answered some legitimate questions. When I take this with his lack of experience, the money that poured into his campaign, and the direction in which he has since taken the country, I must say I wonder where his loyalties lie. Though, it could be as simple as the Clintons whose loyalties went no further than themselves and getting reelected.
Mr. Goldberg–
I wholeheartedly agree with Don. This is a nice santuary to escape the political insanity and journalistic hypocristy! On a light note–get a load of CNN’s 2nd 100 days poll, specifically the question (#9) on how the media is doing–a big fat F–from every state no less. Then look at the comments they chose to post–seems a little bit out of kilter with polling results…they just don’t get it do they?
Totally agree that the birth certificate thing is a waste of time and energy. Who cares!!! Obama is American and even if he was born in some other country he grew up here and his mother is American. This issue must die!!! It gives the left a “see they’re nuts” issue and keeps the focus off of the real issues like the pork infested stimulus package and socialized healhcare. Keep up the good work Bernie and shame these people into stopping this foolishness.
Bernie,
Reading your columns and posts is refreshing. Your unique blend of sarcasm and tongue-in-cheek humor takes much of the pain out of coming to grips with the reality of what’s going on these days. I don’t watch much news on TV or on the ‘net. But I do try to catch at least the Talking Points on O’Reilly weekday nights. I always enjoy hearing your views when you are on. I think you are connecting with many people. Please keep it up. It’s not falling on ‘deaf ears’.
Don Hubbard
Hey Don, that means a lot to me. Thanks very much my friend. Bernie
The first time I served on a jury, I was flabbergasted by other “peers” who just couldn’t see that 2 + 2 = 4. T’was sobering. Your column makes me shake my head once again with perplexed amusement. Thanks Mr. G.