birthers on the hill

Posted 11:10 p.m. Jul 27, 2009 — Updated 12:41 a.m. Jul 28, 2009

DURHAM — This is a hilarious (and not satirical - for those who need a clear warning label...) video from HuffintonPost, showing what happens when one of their reporters tries to interview Republican congressmen and women, to find out their personal views on whether Obama is truly a natural-born citizen of the US - something that is disputed by members of a movement known as "birthers."

You gotta feel a little bit sorry for these elected officials. On the one hand, it's very doubtful that many of them actually believe this conspiracy theory about Obama having been born in Kenya. But on the other hand, they DARE NOT publicly admit that they do not subscribe to the same wacky notions embraced by their far-right, gun- and Bible-hugging, paranoid, lunatic fringe (also known as "the base"). Alienating and angering the base - no matter how kooky they are - is no recipe for future success at the ballot box, and these elected officials know that.

This video captures their attempts - often hilarious - to escape the inconvenient questioning of the HuffPost reporter.

For those of you who can make it to the end of the video (4:37), you'll actually see a real example of something that Fox preaches, but does not practice: fair and balanced journalism.

The last guy interviewed is a Republican Congressman from Oklahoma (Correction - Arizona). Though I totally disagree with him and his ideology, I absolutely respect his straightforwardness and honesty in answering the question. He gives a direct and honest answer, and then SKILLFULLY turns the airtime into a plug for his own agenda. He does it honestly and masterfully. Some might say he "owned" the HuffPost guy. But to Huffington Post's credit, they left the whole exchange in the video. That's the "Fair and Balanced" part that you'd never see on a right wing website.

So anyway, this video has something for everybody. Personally I loved watching the various ways in which the Republican congresspeople scattered like roaches in the sunlight, at the sight of the Huffington Post cameras. But if you're a kooky rightwingnut - or someone like myself who just appreciates that RARE display of honesty in a politician on either side - then I think you'll like it too.

If Republicans put more people like this guy in the national spotlight, and fewer like Palin, I think the Democrats might have something to worry about.

That's why I'm going to be working on the "Palin 2012" ticket.

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

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