Asking the questions that his Denver Post colleague Mike Riley did not, Post columnist Mike Littwin dives in to the Cory Gardner and the Birthers topic:
Careful readers may have noticed that I have nobly resisted writing anything about the so-called birthers among us. That’s because it’s my long-held policy not to write about complete nutjobsunless, of course, they also happen to be elected officials.
And so, thank you, Cory Gardner – state representative from Yuma and also the front-runner in the race to be the Republican nominee in the 4th Congressional District – for bringing the birther movement to the fore.
Actually, I’m sure Gardner is not a birther (that would be someone who questions whether Barack Obama is American-born, including those – registering at a map-challenged 6 percent – who don’t believe Hawaii is part of the United States).
But Gardner is more than willing to pander to them, as Bob Moore’s blog for the Fort Collins Coloradoan shows. At a town hall Wednesday in Fort Collins, Moore reports, Gardner was asked (by a non-birther) whether he thought Obama was born in the United States.
After trying not to answer the question at all, Gardner eventually replied: “Based on what they’ve shown, what they’ve tried to say, I think the administration is trying to say he was born in this country. I know what everybody else knows.”
Actually, he knows more than some people know. He knows – I’m sure – that it’s complete nonsense. You’d hope a potential congressman would know at least that much. I called to ask. He had a representative return my call, but he did speak directly to ace Post reporter Michael Riley…
…It’s nothing new for politicians to try to scare voters. Yes, Democrats have been scaring seniors on Social Security for years, but this is different – and far scarier. Obama ran on a why-can’t-we-all-get-along platform, and now he’s seeing why. Rush Limbaugh compares him to a Nazi. Glenn Beck calls him a racist. And you have Republican politicians willing to stoke the anger. I mean, shouldn’t some adult recommend leaving the guns at home?
Before you know it, you’ve got the “death panel” question, which requires people to believe that Obama wants their relatives dead. Sarah Palin makes the charge, Newt Gingrich says she might be right, Charles Grassley tells town hallers they have every right to be afraid. And an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll says that 45 percent of Americans agree. Is this really how we debate something as important as health care? [Pols emphasis]
If health care fails, you can blame Obama for not making the argument better. Or you can blame those politicians – possibly appearing at a town hall near you – who have encouraged people that it’s OK to believe the worst.
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From Mediamatter4america.
Not Dobbs and Maddow, they just pander to their audiences.
One for being a birther, the other for…not?
That’s really pretty stupid, even for
oh wait never mind.
Not a criticism, just an honest question. I kind of subscribe to Littwin’s philosophy–don’t engage the nutcases. They don’t deserve the courtesy or the credibiity that it takes to reply.
It’s important to clarify that their statement has no basis in reality, and then refute it with facts and logic.
Plus, if nobody responded to Libertad, he’d probably cry into his Honey Nut Cheerios, and then spill them all over his Incredible Hulk PJs.
I’ve always sort of envisioned Libertard as a Captain American underpants sort of lad.
who else is there to play with?
🙂
Then you’re Libertad.
I disagree 100% with both Libertad and especially Gecko – but appreciate them constantly returning and giving their (skewed) viewpoint. And every once and again, like a stopped clock, they’re RIGHT!
It’s too long for the subject being discussed.
The question of Obama’s birth can be answered by simply answering “Yes” or “No” to whether a person thinks that Obama was born in the United States.
If a person doesn’t give a simple, unambiguous “Yes” answer to that question, then they buy into the birther bullshit.
I love Littwin’s analysis, and agree with it, but it was a much-too-complicated way of saying that Cory Gardner is no better than the nutjobs to whom he panders.
Spit it out, Mike. It’s simple. Don’t try to make it complicated.
a state of the USA?
Maybe our annexation (theft?) was illegal and therefore Hawaii is not a state.
Ergo, we have an illegal president.
Think about it. In Hawaii they gasoline by the liter. Is this the America we know and love where gasoline is sold by its proper unit, the gallon?
The downside of course is that we will have to carry a passport to go on vacation.
if our entire country weren’t an annexation, with a revolution to boot.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P…
Just kidding
That is a crazy story.
their economic development people seem to be rather aggressive ! It is a crazy story indeed.
I need to see the written evidence that Hawaii is actually a state. If it’s a state, why’s it afraid to produce it? What’s it hiding?
In fact, I’ve never even been to Hawaii. How do I know it exists? All these photos of it could just be CGI and everyone who claims to have been there could be in on the conspiracy.
I want to see the long form of the Hawaiian declaration of statehood.
They’re fake.
Aloha, Aloha State.
Doing a better job than the machine pols the Dems keep putting in there.
Triumph Weather Dog – Funny bloopers R us
Start reporting and stop being such a wuss. Yes, we’re all aware of the harassment you’ve received from DICK Wadhams for actually reporting in the past – but succumbing to a bully and pretending to “be fair” when in reality you’ve stopped doing you’re job – is weak.
Be a reporter, not a stenographer.