Liz Cheney Dances the Birther Two-Step
By Robert Schlesinger, Thomas Jefferson Street blog
There's a new dance craze sweeping the GOP--the "Birther" two-step. (OK, "sweeping the GOP" is a bit of hyperbole, but it does seem to be ... hazardously infectious.) "Birthers," of course, are fringe-nuts who insist that Barack Obama was really born in another country and so does not qualify constitutionally to be president. Vocal, nutty parts of the GOP base have embraced the theories enough that elected GOP officials are starting to nod, wink and play footsy with them. So Liz Cheney goes on Larry King Live and defended the movement. And some GOP members of Congress introduce a bill demanding that presidential candidates affirmatively prove that they're U.S. citizens.
Of course these are at least ostensibly serious pols, so having put one foot in to conspiracy land, they have to take that one foot out, back-pedaling just enough to acknowledge that no, they don't really believe the crazy nonsense they're abetting. So after dodging the question to the best of his ability, Rep. John Campbell, a birther bill co-sponsor, finally concedes that yes, Barack Obama is actually a U.S. citizen. And the morning after defending the conspiracy crowd, Liz Cheney tells Politico's Ben Smith:
I don't have any question about Barack Obama's right to be President of the United States.
My concern is with his policies. I am deeply troubled about the path he is taking this country down -- massively expanding the size of government, weakening our national defenses, increasing taxes on all Americans and nationalizing health care. These are dangerous policies for the nation.
Still no word from Losin' It Lou Dobbs.
But give it time. He's put two feet in, so he may yet pull one out. In the mean time he's shaking it all about. Did I say this was the "Birther" two-step? It's the "Birther Hokey Pokey."
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Tags: conservatives | Lou Dobbs
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Reader Comments
It's pretty sad when idiots like "NavyMom of CA" are making these argurments....
How pathetic are you? You obviously have no concept of what confers citizenship upon someone do you? Obama was born in Hawaii and even if that were not so, his mother was a natural-born citizen, thus he IS A U.S. CITIZEN! What an ignoramus you must be! Your "evidence" is comprised of crap that someone posted online or in a blog, or in a "news"paper???? Stick to what you know best which appears to be just about nothing involving logic, analysis and fact finding. Just think, you (and the others cretinous morons like you) were probably the inspiration for the movie "Idiocracy!"
Mainstream Media Bias
These same democrat media outlets expressed no outrage when there were CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS on McCains birth status. Now they mock and howl over legitmate inquiry into Obamas qualifications.
The people are altogether right in their demand that the constitutional bona fides of the man occupying the White House are legitimate. The other side doesn't care about justice. Only about holding onto power.
Current conventions in journalism
Current conventions in journalism do NOT required to possess expertise in matters upon which they express opinions to readers, nor to disclose instances in which they lack expertise.
Had Mr. Schlesinger been more skeptical, open-minded, or expert, perhaps we could have expected some contrary evidence in his fascinating opinion. But like so many members of the mainstream media from which we hear daily, Mr. Schlesinger is NOT required to disclose his inexpertise
Fellow readers, we cannot expect others to be skeptical for us whether the discussion involves the maximum size of recorded hailstones, tsunamis, climate change, or President Obama's Constitutional legitimacy for office by natural birth.
DISCLAIMER: I am not an immigration and naturalization expert
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