Video: Chris Matthews can’t get enough of the sweet, sweet birth certificate Trutherism
posted at 8:06 pm on July 22, 2009 by Allahpundit
A “Hardball” reprise of yesterday’s topic du jour. Per Blankley’s comments, I’m wondering: Who was the last president whom both sides agreed was completely legitimate? You have to go back to Bush 41, no? Clinton never won a majority of the vote; Bush 43 lost the popular vote in 2000 and then, according to nutroots lore, won in 2004 because Diebold rigged the vote in Ohio or whatever. And now we’ve got The One, whose sinister plot to falsely establish citizenship evidently extends to planting fake birth announcements in Hawaiian newspapers in 1961. If Palin wins in 2012, it’ll be fun to see what conspiratorial delegitimizing detail the left comes up with. No doubt Andrew Sullivan is already on the case.
The fact that Matthews has run with this two nights in a row means, I guess, that MSNBC has finally replaced “Rush Limbaugh is the head of the GOP” as its chief line of attack against Republicans.
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Funny, I see Robert Gibbs speaking on behalf of the most powerful political office in the world every single day, having beaten out political operatives who waged a successful Presidential campaign and who would, in some cases, kill for that position if they thought they could get away with it.
Why don’t you tell us about your political credentials?
JohnGalt23 on July 23, 2009 at 12:59 AM
See above. His position speaks for itself.
JohnGalt23 on July 23, 2009 at 1:00 AM
During the election – Senator McCain and Huck were hated here at HA. A few Mormon haters – that don’t seem to come here anymore – one in particular called Saint Olaf – hated Mitt, but Huck and McCain – they were hated more.
I defended Senator McCain all the time back then.
AprilOrit on July 23, 2009 at 1:01 AM
Sorry, Sis, but the Republican Party left the Rockefeller Ship years ago.
Joe Pyne on July 23, 2009 at 1:01 AM
Gibbs is an idiot, it takes him 5 minutes to articulate a 2 minute phrase.
AprilOrit on July 23, 2009 at 1:02 AM
So leave already – The Constitution Party is calling you with party favors and new pumps.
AprilOrit on July 23, 2009 at 1:04 AM
Exactly.
Proud grandparents place an announcement in the local papers announcing the birth of a grandson. It’s not like the actual birth is being disputed. So an announcement is made in a local paper.
It’s like the craigslist or twitter of the 60′s.
40 years from now God help us if some candidate is trying to prove his eligibility because his mom ‘tweeted’ about his birth.
Mr Purple on July 23, 2009 at 1:04 AM
I agree. He is an SOB who is clever, smart, but lacking in basic common sense, common decency, and wisdom.
Joe Pyne on July 23, 2009 at 1:05 AM
Birth announcements on Twitter, never even thought about that.
What a world.
AprilOrit on July 23, 2009 at 1:06 AM
He got the job, so he must be good at it? Ridiculous.
Ronnie on July 23, 2009 at 1:07 AM
Gibbs is a blithering idiot.
progressoverpeace on July 23, 2009 at 1:07 AM
Who said anything about me leaving? Having trouble with reading comprehension too? Do I have to do all the work?
You are the one in an uproar about the Conservatives in the party, on a Conservative website, for the Conservatives who make up the base in the Party, and have since 1976. You’re the one longing for the days of Rockefeller, not us.
So, who again is in the wrong party?
Joe Pyne on July 23, 2009 at 1:08 AM
Yeah, an idiot who played a critical role in a campaign that kicked our party’s ass sideways.
Once again, you may not like his POV. Hell, I don’t like it. And he may be in over his head as PressSec. I know for damn sure it’s a job I couldn’t handle. But to get to where he is speaks to a superb political instinct. If he didn’t have it, he wouldn’t be where he is.
You may hate them, but if you don’t respect their talent, they will burn you. Once again, I guarantee you GOP DC players recognize that.
JohnGalt23 on July 23, 2009 at 1:11 AM
Who said anything about me leaving? Having trouble with reading comprehension too? Do I have to do all the work?
You are the one in an uproar about the Conservatives in the party, on a Conservative website, for the Conservatives who make up the base in the Party, and have since 1976. You’re the one longing for the days of Rockefeller, not us.
So, who again is in the wrong party?
Joe Pyne on July 23, 2009 at 1:11 AM
All your base are belong to birthers.
Mr Purple on July 23, 2009 at 1:11 AM
I’m married – leave me alone.
AprilOrit on July 23, 2009 at 1:13 AM
No, he got the job, so his political instincts must be at least as good as those of a bunch of people who proved in a very real way that they know politics better than you.
JohnGalt23 on July 23, 2009 at 1:13 AM
“Our.”
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 1:13 AM
Well, I don’t know about common sense, but I assure you, common decency and wisdom have very little relation to politics, and in many cases, are detrimental to its practice.
JohnGalt23 on July 23, 2009 at 1:14 AM
I know – you’re analysis is spot on, he just seems so slow to me.
Yes sir.
That’s an “our” I am proud to be a part of.
AprilOrit on July 23, 2009 at 1:16 AM
Well, he kicked “my” party’s ass. I don’t know about the Birther party, but considering they’re the ones doing the whining…
JohnGalt23 on July 23, 2009 at 1:16 AM
We are not all birthers, Thank God!
AprilOrit on July 23, 2009 at 1:17 AM
I think you are confusing the MSM full court press in favor of the idiot messiah with actual skill on their part. They made tons and tons of mistakes but the MSM covered it all up for them and did nothing but attack McCain and tear Palin to shreds. Without the MSM, BHO would have been sunk long before in the primary (by my reckoning, at least).
Just look at Biden and how he isn’t really a laughing stock, when Quayle was the butt of every joke in the world. But both Biden and his boss have each made more gaffes than Quayle ever did, and more substantial gaffes, too. Shrillary gives a nuclear button that is supposed to say ‘reset’ but mistakenly got translated into Russian as ‘overcharged” (as in ‘about to explode’) and she got a touch of ridicule. If a conservative had done anything even 1/10th as stupid, they would be drummed out of their office.
The people in this adminstration are morons and fools, but the MSM has their backs. That’s the situation and it’s pretty clear.
progressoverpeace on July 23, 2009 at 1:19 AM
So am I – take a little of your own advice. Conservatives aren’t going anywhere, so get used to it or get out!
=========================
Unfortunately, you are correct, and that is the sad part.
Joe Pyne on July 23, 2009 at 1:20 AM
No, the Democrats are only just now getting their ass-kicking, collectivist.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 1:21 AM
Sorry. Not buying it. Gibbs looks like a genius to you because he’s never faced a hostile media. His resume consists of riding the coat tails of the anointed one and managing to get him elected in a year that Republicans had pretty much no chance. A turnip could have done that job. If he ever had to face an onslaught of tough questions he’d probably end up curled up in a ball in the corner sucking his thumb.
Ronnie on July 23, 2009 at 1:21 AM
LOL, Treacher, you devil you!
Joe Pyne on July 23, 2009 at 1:24 AM
Will anyone who thinks that the birth certificate issue is trutherism please post a certified copy of Obama’s long form birth certificate showing where he was born?
scrubjay on July 23, 2009 at 1:26 AM
Would you like some cheese to go with that whine?
Seriously, the press is always… ALWAYS… opposed to the GOP. Do you really think they weren’t opposed to Reagan or GWB. But they were superior candidates, with (esp. in W’s case) superior campaign staffs. I don’t think Karl Rove knows jack shiite about policy, but he is an exceptional political talent. Good enough to overcome a press that was every bit as hostile to W as they were to McCain. In fact, they were probably considerably more hostile to W, considering the ascent of FOX and the decline of NYT.
JohnGalt23 on July 23, 2009 at 1:26 AM
Don’t care – not the least bit interested in your opinion.
AprilOrit on July 23, 2009 at 1:27 AM
I tend to agree with you, JohnGalt23, that someone in that position is certainly no dummy, but Ronnie has an excellent point. I too would like to see Gibbs deal with a hostile press, like Tony Snow had to do. The press is in Gibbs’s pocket, you know it, we all know it, he gets questions teed up so easy a little leaguer could hit it out.
Joe Pyne on July 23, 2009 at 1:28 AM
Genius?? Hardly. As we like to say “This ain’t f**king rocket science!”
Most operatives aren’t brilliant people, and Bob Gibbs clearly falls into that category. But politics isn’t a science… it’s an art. Or rather, it’s a craft. And it’s a craft where one doesn’t rise to the top by accident. Hard work will take you a long way, but if you don’t have the talent, someone who does will topple you.
You are entitled to your own opinion, but not your own facts.
Check his resume. He worked for a couple of congresscritters, and a couple of Senators, including Fritz Hollings.
As I say, he may well be out of his depthas PressSec. As would anyone looking at this thread would be. But to deny the skills of a campaign that kicked our ass is an invitation to yet another defeat.
JohnGalt23 on July 23, 2009 at 1:36 AM
It’s hilarious that a guy named after an Ayn Rand character is such an authoritarian.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 1:38 AM
Then you should either encourage a lot of young conservatives to go into journalism, or encourage Robert Gibbs to join the GOP. :)
Seriously, we always face a hostile press, and, other than Lyndon Johnson, I have never seen a press corps hostile to a Dem POTUS. It’s unfair as hell, and a tough truth to accept, but it is a truth.
JohnGalt23 on July 23, 2009 at 1:39 AM
“We.”
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 1:40 AM
So Jim, how does your resume stack up against Bob Gibbs’?
JohnGalt23 on July 23, 2009 at 1:40 AM
Your response to being called an authoritarian is to double down. You’re dumb, I’ll give you that.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 1:42 AM
FIFY
JohnGalt23 on July 23, 2009 at 1:43 AM
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 1:45 AM
Batting .0001 lately. I’d suggest some cage practice.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 1:46 AM
Next up, WinstonSmith84 will explain the value of conformity.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 1:46 AM
I know I hurt your feelings, but I figured you’d gotten over it. Okay, what is it this time?
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 1:47 AM
They won’t, they’d rather malign anyone who dares raise a legitimate issue as an idiot.
TTheoLogan on July 23, 2009 at 1:51 AM
Still think you have the capability to affect anyone’s feelings here? Pity. You should take the pills.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 1:52 AM
If he proves to not be a citizen then the resulting turmoil would be a disaster.Treat this situation just like FDR and his third term. We avoid the constitutional crisis, and then clarify the criteria with an amendment that requires the parties to submit their candidates documents for approval to the standing attorney general.
DFCtomm on July 23, 2009 at 1:52 AM
Well, not yours, obviously.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 1:55 AM
Yeah, he bounced around a lot before 2004, but he’s been with Obama for the last 5 years. That’s clearly the highlight of his resume, and I think you understood that point. And again, his “skill” had nothing to do with our defeat. That credit goes to George Bush, John McCain and the media. I’ve never even seen his skills on display at any briefing I’ve watched. He’s pretty good at catching softballs though.
Ronnie on July 23, 2009 at 1:56 AM
Okay, dammit. This is the last straw. That’s just…
…rather reasonable, actually.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 1:56 AM
Although it would be fun to watch the media say, “How could something like this happen?” while looking at everybody but themselves.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 1:57 AM
Movie? Book? Maybe a TV Drama on the O network that I thankfully never watch (my husband thanks me also)
Pour on the hysterics.
We are asking for a 10$ document that anyone with kids entering school has to provide for documentation- along with a tax bill, a water bill, a driver’s license, and proof of vaccinations, teeth checks, eye checks etc.
I get probed for my kids entering school more than POTUS.
He has spent a cool million at least on lawyers. If he were Palin he might not be able to use Soros money to protect himself.
You worry about the Tradition of the Republican Party. I worry about the the Constitution of the US.
journeyintothewhirlwind on July 23, 2009 at 1:57 AM
People who doubt your theory certainly seem to irk yours.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 1:58 AM
He’s highly skilled at taking awkward questions and turning them into excruciating debacles.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 1:58 AM
He’s demonstrated great skill or it’s been a cake walk? Which is it now?
Ronnie on July 23, 2009 at 1:59 AM
Ain’t my theory. I’m just not moved by the frenzied denials. “I doubt it” is fine. “OMG YOU GUYS ARE CRAZY PLEASE STOP!!!” makes me wonder.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:00 AM
Fun until the riots started in every city in America.
DFCtomm on July 23, 2009 at 2:01 AM
Heck, might as well get it out of the way.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:02 AM
“I’d like to see it” is fine. “Everybody who would have checked into this is either stupid or corrupt” makes me wonder.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 2:02 AM
Assuming you clinged to your guns and stocked up on ammo, it’ll be a picnic.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 2:03 AM
Or smart enough to realize that his removal on a technicality would result in massive unrest in every urban area. The GOP is out to win elections and not rip the country apart.
DFCtomm on July 23, 2009 at 2:04 AM
You’re the one who said everybody who would have checked into it must be either stupid or corrupt. I just said those qualities are hardly in short supply in politics. Look at the whole John Edwards situation.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:04 AM
Some of my next door neighbors are cows, so it wouldn’t bother me, but I wouldn’t want to be within 50 miles of a major city.
DFCtomm on July 23, 2009 at 2:05 AM
As PressSec… no I think his skills have been a bit lacking. But you could say that about a lot of PressSecs, including most of W’s crew, Tony Snow excepted. And all of them demonstrated considerable political skills.
But as a campaign operative, by all accounts Gibbs knew his stuff. And yeah, the Obama campaign is the highlight of his career. Duh. A successful Presidential campaign… it’s tough to have a highlight much better than that. :)
JohnGalt23 on July 23, 2009 at 2:06 AM
I’m the one who iterated it as such, and you offered no argument to it. Was “And?” supposed to be interpreted as something other than agreement?
Again, sexual scandals occurring in the lives of politicians are commonplace. Scandals involving non-citizens being elected to the Oval Office are a tad more rare.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 2:06 AM
Yeah, especially when it comes from the likes of Chris Matthews, and the other leftists that stick their nose in this blog.
Joe Pyne on July 23, 2009 at 2:07 AM
An hour determining optimum barricade use of furniture to bottleneck your dwelling down to a single entrance you can cover does wonders for your state of mind in an urban area.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 2:08 AM
You’re the one who brought it up, not me. If you’re going to put words in my mouth, at least come up with some new ones.
How could something happen without a precedent?
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:09 AM
They can always smoke you out. I would just assume to duke it out with the cows.
DFCtomm on July 23, 2009 at 2:10 AM
Wait a minute! Let me guess that your zombie plan slightly modified?
DFCtomm on July 23, 2009 at 2:11 AM
As long as MadisonConservative brings it up, this would be the first conspiracy theory I’ve ever heard of that depends on the stupidity and incompetence of the accused.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:13 AM
If you didn’t like them, maybe you should have made some implication other than “Yep, pretty much. Is there something wrong with that?” Glib agreement isn’t the best approach to dispelling misrepresentation.
When your basis of precedent requires a lot of faith in a conspiracy, sorry if you don’t get bobble-headed acceptance.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 2:13 AM
Some of my next door neighbors are cows, so it wouldn’t bother me, but I wouldn’t want to be within 50 miles of a major city.
DFCtomm on July 23, 2009 at 2:05 AM
========================
Exactly right! I was in L.A. during the Rodney King Riots (yes, Maxine Waters, I said RIOT), and I wished I had had a Smith&Wesson handy. Those people were totally out of control, until the Guard came in with automatic weapons, then things started to get calmed down in a hurry. Gee, I wonder why?
Joe Pyne on July 23, 2009 at 2:14 AM
First thing I’ll be grabbing is a whiteboard to keep count.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 2:14 AM
Oh yeah. Nobody ever suggested that Bush was both dumb as a stump, and a criminal mastermind that blew up the WTC.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 2:15 AM
Crystal-clear as usual. So I shouldn’t agree with you that in order for something like this to happen, government officials would really have to be a bunch of screwups. Or something.
Which conspiracy is that? The one where a bunch of government officials are screwups? Okay, you’re right, that does sound highly unlikely.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:16 AM
The point of ‘BirtherGate’ is to expose Obama as a fraud and serial liar on one more matter–just as he’s already proven to be a fraud and serial liar on several other matters.
He won’t be removed from office ( so no Bungle in the Jungle / ‘urban riots’ ) but would be exposed as a pathological liar, fraud, fake, devious scumbag, etc
Works for me………
Janos Hunyadi on July 23, 2009 at 2:16 AM
You said you didn’t like the words. Well, you know what the words were. Were they sufficiently explanatory of the theory you believe in, or not, and if not, where was I wrong? Note: “And?” is perfectly acceptable again, if you like.
…or corrupt. Again, you refused to rule that out.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 2:19 AM
They’re two separate things. Those guys ignored their own assertions of Bush’s stupidity to make their assertions of his evil cunning. Whereas with this deal, as you point out, stupidity on the part of the people we’d expect to prevent such a thing from happening would really explain a lot.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:19 AM
Stupidity on the part of dozens and dozens of people. The same people who caught Roger Calero.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 2:21 AM
No, I just said they were your words that you were putting in my mouth, not mine. I like ‘em just fine, since dimwitted incompetence by slimy gov’t officials would indeed explain things.
Well, you’re obviously too smart for the rest of us to figure out what you’re talking about.
Okay, corruption on the part of government officials seems highly unlikely, therefore rendering this conspiracy theory busted. Is that what you mean?
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:23 AM
How could it be?
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:24 AM
Once you start this ball rolling, there is no legal recourse to stop. It has to be carried to a conclusion. Do you toss out the constitution, or go the bitter end route? I prefer to let him ride out the term and this fix this cluster, so it can’t happen again.
P.S. for all you guys who don’t know what a zombie plan is.
DFCtomm on July 23, 2009 at 2:24 AM
Yeah, Watergate proved that couldn’t possibly happen.
Joe Pyne on July 23, 2009 at 2:26 AM
The more MC explains this “conspiracy theory,” the more it sounds like the normal functioning of government.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:27 AM
Damn. You dodge better than Gibbs.
Nope. (Now, watch carefully: I’m going to actually clarify my position, rather than blithely ignore you.) I
f you are suggesting that the whole thing occurred as a result of mass stupidity, and no complicity, then it’s not a conspiracy theory. A conspiracy theory requires complicity between those involved. If you’re talking complicity between Obama and those with the responsibility to verify his citizenship, then it’s a conspiracy theory.
If not, then, while more feasible, I revert to my dubiousness that all those dozens and dozens of people trusted with that position are entirely daft.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 2:28 AM
…especially when they caught a guy illegally on six ballots, but not one illegally on 50.
MadisonConservative on July 23, 2009 at 2:29 AM
“f you are suggesting that the whole thing occurred as a result of mass stupidity”
=================
He’s not suggesting that, you are.
Joe Pyne on July 23, 2009 at 2:34 AM
I honestly don’t understand what you were saying in that paragraph.
Again, you’re the one who suggested it. You’re the one who said, “In order for this to be true, those guys must be a bunch of incompetent dopes!” I just said that yeah, sounds plausible to me.
Which I don’t remember doing. I don’t remember saying anything about how it happened, if it did happen. I’m just saying that something’s not adding up, and I don’t like that people are being shouted down when they say so.
Your faith in the honesty, competence, and intelligence of those drawn to government work has been noted.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:35 AM
I don’t understand what you are saying. I actually don’t understand Large Chunks of the ‘birther’ argument, but it sounds interesting–and fits in with a comprehensive range of Obama Dishonesty
If you are saying that the ‘birther’ argument is a ‘slippery slope’, there are various ways for the argument to be settled before it ‘rolls’ into some sort of Constitutional crisis.
My interest is in finding out relevant facts, and the best method is an open debate–in forums like this one and talk radio–and if ‘hard evidence’ either way turns up, the Next Step is some sort of judicial hearing.
It’s not a political issue so much as an important procedural matter–but procedure is sometimes crucial
Janos Hunyadi on July 23, 2009 at 2:36 AM
You obviously know more about this other guy than I do, so I’ll just assume that the two situations are directly analogous in every way.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:38 AM
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:38 AM
I think this is one of those Monty Python moments, Jim. You’ve cut off his legs and arms, but he’s still claiming he can gnaw you to death with his teeth.
I think this is one dog you just put to sleep, and walk away.
Joe Pyne on July 23, 2009 at 2:43 AM
What are those ways? Once he’s proven ineligible then he is no longer president, but if we let him finish his term anyway then doesn’t that open a Pandora’s box of legal problems. Not the least of which, would be a violation of the Constitution. What if he’s eligible, but hiding something to protect his Mother’s honor, and then we made ourselves look crazy and him sympathetic.
DFCtomm on July 23, 2009 at 2:45 AM
If it’s a violation of the Constitution, how can we let it pass because people might not react too well? What’s the point of even having a Constitution, then?
So be it. Why should we have a whole separate set of rules for this guy? He’s doing enough of that on his own.
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:50 AM
Declare his election ‘sine die’. There were loopholes and Obama maneuvered through them. “Birthers” or whatever they should be called were not able to get him off the ballot before the election, so it’s a Done Deal.
But, I see your point, which is why I’d rather use political issues rather than procedural matters to cripple Obama–partly because Congress needs to be Republicanized next year and this ‘issue’ won’t help much with that.
Janos Hunyadi on July 23, 2009 at 2:52 AM
My point exactly.
The only good way out of this is to ignore the problem, while he’s in office and then fix it so it can never happen again, but don’t forget this all the democrats fault. If they had properly vetted their nominee we wouldn’t be discussing this right now.
DFCtomm on July 23, 2009 at 2:55 AM
“No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President… But if it does happen, maybe you should just let it go so it won’t mess up the political party of your choice.”
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:56 AM
I’m not following you. If it turns out that this massively irresponsible, incompetent cretin isn’t even constitutionally eligible for the office, we should let it go to show those dirty Democrats?
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 2:58 AM
I don’t like what I’m suggesting, and I think the Democrat leadership needs to be taken out behind the woodshed for allowing this to happen, but I don’t see a good way out except to play dumb, and fix it afterward.
DFCtomm on July 23, 2009 at 2:59 AM
How? “Here’s how to prevent this from happening again, not that it ever happened in the first place.” What would be the incentive?
And will we even be living in the same country by then?
Jim Treacher on July 23, 2009 at 3:02 AM
I’m not going to be around the bush with this. If we don’t let it go and it’s proven he’s ineligible, then we will L.A. style riots in every black population center.
DFCtomm on July 23, 2009 at 3:02 AM
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