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Saturday, January 03, 2009 at 8:42 pm
- 12 Comments
The risible conspiracy theories about President-elect Barack Obama’s American heritage never really reached the mainstream media. There were some local news reports on the lawyers behind frivolous anti-Obama lawsuits, and some coverage of the first suit that the Supreme Court declined to hear, and that was it.
Lucky for the Obama conspiracy theorists— “birthers,” as they hate to be called—supermarket tabloids haven’t gotten bored yet. The Globe tabloid has put the Obama conspiracies on its front page for the second time in a month. In its mid-December cover package, the American Media tabloid quoted two-time Obama opponent Alan Keyes (once in a U.S. Senate race, and in 2008 as a fringe presidential candidate) as an authority on Obama’s family history.
Particularly telling is the fact that not one single person has come forward—not a doctor, not a nurse, not a hospital administrator, nor anyone else—to state that he or she was present [during Obama's birth].
This week’s cover hooked an even smaller fish—Phil Berg, a notorious filer of junk lawsuits (two against the Bush administration for its “role” in 9/11), and whose multiple attempts to get the Supreme Court to nullify the election (based on phony evidence of document forgery and “witnesses” to Obama’s birth) have been laughed off.
What’s the Globe have to gain? Sales, obviously. The paper’s cover stories on Obama conspiracy theories are its most-linked and most-discussed. And the stories are written by staffers like Paul Bannister with weasel language (“the suits claim” … “outraged people claim”) that protect them from libel suits.
And it’s not like the Obama birthers are hard to string along. They spent New Years eve buzzing that Ed Hale, a host on far-right Plains Radio, was going to reveal a “divorce decree” for Obama parents that revealed, once and for all, that Obama’s 18-year-old mother had flown to Kenya to be with her husband’s unapproving family when her child was born. Hale made his announcement on December 30. The “proof” arrived on December 31. On January 1, Hale announced that his hard-won secret documents revealed… well, nothing. Not that people should stop listening to the Plains Radio roster of Obama conspiracy talk shows!
On the December 26 episode of The Lion’s Den, Hale told listeners that it would be “time to pick up guns” if Congress verified Obama’s victory, as it will do on January 6.
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12 Comments
Comment posted January 3, 2009 @ 7:56 pm
Not surprisingly, the people who had seen Obama before he had his ears done and his fangs filed down just can't be found. Not since the eclipse.
Comment posted January 3, 2009 @ 9:36 pm
As you have put it the Birthers are now in the majority! Why won't he reveal his vaulted copy–I have recently converted—as he tells so many lies. Sounds like he is hiding something and more and more people like me want to know everything about him now! He is beginning to sound like a Chicago thug, especially after the Rubin, Hsu and good ole Blago and the list goes on and on and on as his associates.
Comment posted January 3, 2009 @ 9:54 pm
The international civil and political rights organization AXJ is studying this matter in the UK and Kenya. http://www.axjus.com
Comment posted January 3, 2009 @ 10:21 pm
I am writing this open letter to you today on behalf of both sides. Mr. President-elect, surely you know that there is a 'tempest in the teapot' brewing regarding the vault version of your birth certificate. And, only you, Sir, can bring closure to this issue.
For months now across bloggersville, and… now the issue is surfacing in main line media outlets as well, American citizens–– yes, the ones who voted for you… and the ones who did not–– are 'bewildered' that you feel the need to pay money (in the midst of a recession) to three major law firms to make sure that the American people, who you wish to serve, cannot have access to your birth records in Hawaii or your college transcripts. Speculation is running rampant that you received aid as a foreign student. So, instead of relishing in your victory, those who supported you are having to confront these allegations daily…without documentation or ammunition to counter the claims.
Americans believe you when you say you 'love this country'. However, to allow this birth certificate brouhaha to reach the Supreme Court on December 5, causes many to question your love for the country you want to lead. Why would you allow this issue to proceed to the Supreme Court, knowing the national scab has not fully healed from the Bush vs Gore election? Unfortunately, Mr. President-elect, whichever decision is handed down by the Justices, will not make this issue go away. And, quite frankly, a Constitutional crisis may be imminent… which could further divide an already divided nation.
I know this birth certificate issue may seem trivial in the scheme of things: National Security briefings, world threats, picking a cabinet, an economic crisis looming large… but to many of our fellow Americans, 'nothing' is more important than the Constitution of the United States. Consequently, you Sir, are the only one who can bring closure to the issue at this juncture.
So, please Mr. Obama… for the sake of all the people who supported and voted for you… and, also to quiet (once, and for all) the skeptics, naysayers, and people who already deem your presidency 'illegitimate', do like Senator John McCain did, and present your birth certificate to the American people today.
Our prayer is that you will do the right thing, put an end to this nonsense… so America can come together and tackle the real issues that face this country.
Vivian Berryhill, founder of a national service organization, is a renown speaker and travels extensively throughout the United States and abroad. She has addressed audiences in Thailand, Nigeria, Honduras, Peru, Chile, and has traveled to Kenya, Uganda, Camaroon, Zambia, Rawanda, France and the U.K.
Comment posted January 4, 2009 @ 5:00 am
Why do you think Barack Obama is constitutionally qualifeid to be U.S. president, Mr. Weigel?
What is the basis for your belief? Please spell it out and document it.
Comment posted January 4, 2009 @ 11:05 am
I try to approach these types of things with as much of an open mind as I can. My first hurdle is the method of publication. “News” magazines at the supermarket checkout and that have routine headlines saying, “WWII B-29 bomber remains found on the moon” are tough to believe.
My second hurdle is the source. If know one knows who wrote the original article, or if it is someone like Rush Limbaugh then the credibility factor takes a dive.
My third, obstacle is whether or not there is any proof offered that I can verify in the article. If the tone is angry, bitter, and frustrated, or if the author is willing to to forsake any truth to make a dollar; its about the kiss of death to the author. Or, in search of spreading proof less lies is the author quoting “unknown sources say”, or “reliable sources say”, etc.
My fourth and final criteria is is the author offering violence or inciting violence or being a racist or religious bigot. Like this article for example.
Should the article fail the above like this article I just kind of note the author etc. and mentally cross them off.
Comment posted January 4, 2009 @ 11:08 am
I just read that the moon is made of green cheese too.
Comment posted January 5, 2009 @ 12:13 am
Ed Hale is not alone in his “pick up the guns” statement. The right wing-nut boards all say crazy stuff like that. Rosetta Sister's blog is full of nuts. She likes to instigate. Whackos.
Comment posted January 12, 2009 @ 8:23 pm
Rule of thumb: When the cause you are so deeply concerned about ends up on the cover of the 3rd rate tabloid rag at the local supermarket, it's time to call it a day.
Comment posted January 21, 2009 @ 10:24 pm
Supreme Court was sent Obama's Birth Certificate along with 3 afadavits from Hawaii. Shortly after receiving these, all cases concerning Obama's BC were removed from SCOTUS docket, all gone. Only one left on Docket is Berg's case as it did not involve BC, but it was “denied”.
tIme for Birthers to move on, nothing here, IT'S OVER!
Comment posted January 22, 2009 @ 6:24 am
Supreme Court was sent Obama's Birth Certificate along with 3 afadavits from Hawaii. Shortly after receiving these, all cases concerning Obama's BC were removed from SCOTUS docket, all gone. Only one left on Docket is Berg's case as it did not involve BC, but it was “denied”.
tIme for Birthers to move on, nothing here, IT'S OVER!
Comment posted April 14, 2011 @ 6:21 pm
Great story. More people are watching this than you think. That darn truth is a tricky thing, it can be delayed but never suppressed indefinetly. The Supreme Court needs to make a decision on this now and draw a line in the stand and start taking our country back and follow the Constitution !!! They will lose all creditability otherwise.
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