Happy Birthday, Barack Obama

[filkertom]

Kinda weird, being older than the president. Not by much, but still.

So, what's your pick for the most laughable "birther" "evidence" or interview? Mine is David Shuster's interview with Orly Taitz, which has to be seen to be believed. And if you need a handy list of reasons why the new Kenyan "birth certificate" is fake, here you go. (It seems to be based on a scan of an Australian cert.)

Comments

[renquestor.livejournal.com]

Holy crap. I didn't know he was a fellow Leo. Wow.

[stevemb.livejournal.com]

One of my favorites was this bit of political theater (http://pwtenny.newsvine.com/_news/2009/07/28/3080588-house-of-rep-unanimously-affirms-obamas-birth-in-hawaii-updated):

A writer for FireDogLake has been chasing Congressmen and Congresswomen all over the capitol these past few days trying to get them on record as to their personal beliefs regarding the legitimacy of the President's citizenship. One Republican representative reportedly ran -- literally ran away -- while another holed up inside a shop to carefully consider buying a new set of pens (for nearly 20 minutes) rather than answer what would appear to be a rather simple and easy to answer question.

Yeah, there ain't much room for those guys to thread the needle between the Scylla of offending the crackpots and the Charybdis of appearing to be one of them.

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

I agree with this one. Though, the snippets I've seen on Maddow and Countdown do have the occasional upswing...I don't recall who, but one Congressman's response to the question is to say "My staff researched this when the issue arose during the campaign. They found the certificate of live birth and the newspaper announcement. We conclude that he was born in Honolulu, and therefore he is a natural-born American citizen."

Because I'm an optimist, and seeing a Republican member of Congress be perfectly logical keeps my hope in place, that's why.

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

Here's the video:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-stark/elected-birthers-on-the-h_b_245507.html

The "Chariots of Fire" music playing while Rep. Paul Broun (R-GA) runs away from Stark aside, I don't find it particularly amusing that elected officials in safe districts are terrified of retaliation from their remaining base if they answer an obvious question truthfully. I find it scary. The Republican base is a Frankenstein creature that is in the process of destroying its creator, and any politician who panders to them is unfit to participate in decisions that affect America.

The one exception uncovered by the video is Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), from right near Tom's district. He has a lot of other nasty opinions, but at least he isn't afraid to deny the worst of the utter, utter nonsense spouted by the racist base.

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

I dunno. What's the most laughable denial of the holocaust, the moon landing, or global climate change. Better yet, what's the funniest racist joke you can think of?

Seems to me, people who claim in public (without irony) that Barack Obama is not a US citizen are simply marking themselves as people not to take seriously about anything, or even talk to if you can avoid it. It's not only crazy, but ugly.

[zibblsnrt.livejournal.com]

I'm certainly a fan of the current "Kenyan birth certificate that predates Kenya" bit.

[annearchy.livejournal.com]

"Birther Queen" Orly Taitz, who is a walking Saturday Night Live character, possibly played by Chris Kattan, come to life

Good thing I wasn't drinking anything when I read this. Too true.

[zellion.livejournal.com]

It really is. And the fact that her name is Orly? I keep expecting to find out there's some kind of Andy Kaufman joke behind this whole thing.

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

I don't think you understand the seriousness of the so-called 'birther' movement's concerns.
If Obama wasn't born outside the U.S., then that would mean that he is President of the United States, and that would mean that the people of the United States totally voted for a Negro!
And that can't be true!

Not that I expect logic

[capplor.livejournal.com]

but unless you're alleging widespread voter fraud, that wouldn't change the fact that we did vote for him.

Hmm. Very interesting that voter fraud isn't mentioned at all. Some things are even too crazy for the wingnuts to believe? Or is it that they're afraid to have the country look too closely into the possibility?

But I want to see a head explode at this rebuttal -- The Democratic primary was so hotly contested, and so long, that SURELY Hilary Clinton would have had the evidence in hand before June 08.

Re: Not that I expect logic

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

Yes, but for the wingnut right, Hillary Clinton is Satan in female form. I'd bet that they think she has that proof but is refusing to use it so that she can help push her commiepinko agenda.

Re: Not that I expect logic

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

Because NOT being POTUS is um...OMG, fluoride in little children's ice cream!!! *weeps*

Re: Not that I expect logic

[stardragonca.livejournal.com]

I think that they literally can't deal with that fact that the people of The United States did vote for him, and this whole Birther thing is their attempt to Make It Didn't Happen.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

Funnily enough, I just posted that same video to my Facebook!

What astonishes me is realizing how good I feel. I don't agree with everything he's doing, not by a longshot. I'd like to see a more liberal/progressive agenda from the White House.

But it's good to look back and say, "This is someone I voted FOR."

[shockwave77598.livejournal.com]

My favorite response to these folks is that even if Obama was born in Moscow, their side did such a miserable job of running the country for 8 years that we voted for the Moscovite! And if scrounging for foreign birth certificates is the only good they can do for their country, then they'll be out of power for a very very long time.

[admnaismith.livejournal.com]

Actually, he could have been born on the moon and still be a US citizen, as long as his mother was a US citizen. As far as I can tell, no one, not even the crazies, are denying his mother's citizenship. The place of his birth is completely irrelevant. This is all about emphasizing to white people that "this President is DIFFERENT"

[ericcoleman]

Now now ... according to Orly BOTH of his parents have to be US citizens ... and I certainly trust her.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

Clearly she knows a great deal about the US Constitution.

[darkchan.livejournal.com]

Actually, from what I understand, either both parents must be citizens, or one parent must be a citizen, and the other must have resided in the US.

However the phrase in question "Natural Born Citizen" hasn't really been defined that well. There is still some question as whether it also refers to people who are born of foreign land, and obtain their citizenship from their parents, or just to those born on US soil.

Most information ganked from Wiki (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_born_citizen_of_the_United_States).

[ldyerzsie.livejournal.com]

Then, according to the "birthers" my ex couldn't be president, because his birth certificate says Libya, even though both of his parents were US citizens and he was born on a military base--his father was stationed in Libya you see. I could have SWORN that 1 American parent made you a citizen, no matter where you were born.

[catalana.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I'm not the only person whose reaction was "Why does it matter where he was born, since he'd still be a US citizen?"

[stevemb.livejournal.com]

The President has to be a native-born citizen*. However, the only difference between "native-born citizen" and "citizen" in general is that the former must be a citizen by birthright (as opposed to naturalization), a status that would still apply to Barack Obama if he had been born on Mars.

*Or someone who was already a citizen at the time of the ratification of the Constitution, a moot point nowadays

[mcamason.livejournal.com]

My favorite source of assertation of Obama's Kenyanosity (http://pandagon.net/index.php/site/comments/the_true_story_of_blackazoid/)


And, since you can't see the text of the document in question without a little work, here's the Certificate itself where you can read it:

Direct link to the evidence (http://slicedbreadtwo.com/images/uploads/COLMKBTWL.gif)

[alverant.livejournal.com]

I think some of these birthers are actually trying to get revenge about how those of us on the left doubted W's victory in Florida in 2000 and kept bringing up his AWOL during the Vietnam War. What they don't realize is that the liberals' claims had a lot greater basis in reality and actual proof than the birthers would ever admit.

[maiac.livejournal.com]

It pleases me that Barack Obama shares a birthday with the incomparable Helen Thomas.

[jcw-da-dmg.livejournal.com]

Not to mention with the current Prime Ministers of Spain and Sweden.

E. F. Lavender...

[violinsontv.livejournal.com]

It's a registrar! It's a laundry detergent!

Re: E. F. Lavender...

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

You're both right, it's a registrar AND a laundry detergent!

[bayushisan.livejournal.com]

You know there's something that all those people calling for President Obama to step down over the birth certificate thing haven't considered.

If he did step down then Joe Biden would become President.

[bryanp.livejournal.com]

I know a few people who take this crap seriously. I'll explain slowly once. Then I let it go. "Oh god, not this shit again."

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

Hi

I come by way of ysabetwordsmith. I am working on a birthday promotion project which you can read about here (http://xjenavivex.livejournal.com/346086.html). By way of her suggestion, you've made it to the roll call (http://xjenavivex.livejournal.com/348014.html). I thought you would want to know.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Wowzers. Many thanks! :)

[xjenavivex.livejournal.com]

No problemo.

[cscottd.livejournal.com]

<tinfoil-hat>

But... but... maybe he's not really President because Hawaii's not really a state...

</tinfoil-hat>

[ericthemage.livejournal.com]

Now, now. Even Mike Rivero isn't fooled by the Birthers:
http://whatreallyhappened.com/WRHARTICLES/obamabirthfinal.php

[unclelumpy.livejournal.com]

Now watch, I'll bet you $50 some IDIOT will post a picture of Obama eating cake on his birthday next to a picture of Bush presenting McCain with a cake for his birthday and say "OBAMAZ AZ BAD AZ BOOSH NISE JOB LIBZ DUR-HUR-HURRRR!!!" while completely missing the point that Bush was doing this while a NATURAL DISASTER was going on!

[morpheus0013.livejournal.com]

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Hee. I linked to that awhile back; some people thought it wasn't a joke.

[morpheus0013.livejournal.com]

Please tell me you're kidding.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Nope (http://filkertom.livejournal.com/843677.html).

[peachtales.livejournal.com]

All of those people are strange as heck. Imo, of course.

[violinsontv.livejournal.com]

Can't...stop...myself....

"My laundry detergent is E.F. Lavender, and E.F. Lavender says...." ;)

[dan-ad-nauseam.livejournal.com]

When E.F. Lavender talks, people laugh.