About us Login Get email updates
County Fair
Print

Karl Rove Is Losing The Birther War At Fox News

April 11, 2011 10:53 am ET by Eric Boehlert

Actually, President Bush’s former adviser, Karl Rove, is getting steamrolled at Fox News, which continues its full-on birther embrace.

The trend is especially embarrassing for Rove since it wasn’t that long ago that Rove and Fox News Bill O’Reilly commiserated on-air (pre-Donald Trump embrace), that the birther shenanigans represented a clever ruse--a “strategy”--by the White House to throw Republicans off-message and that the conservative movement had to resist the birther siren call. (It turns off independent voters, Rove warned.) 

And what’s happened in the wake of Rove’s stern warning? Pretty much everyone at Fox News has gone birther. And who’s the latest? Fox News contributor Sarah Palin, who ever the weekend said that she thinks Obama "was born in Hawaii" but that "obviously if there is something there that the president doesn't want people to see on that birth certificate that, you know, he sees going to great lengths to make sure that it isn't shown, and that's kind of perplexing for a lot of people." 

Palin also claimed Obama has spent $2 million to not show his birth certificate.

With that, Palin essentially adopted the Lou Dobbs birther position: Obama was born in America but he's still trying to conceal his birth certificate. Like Palin, Dobbs works for Fox. 

Doesn't anyone there listen to Karl Rove? 

Tags: Fox News Channel, Karl Rove

Support Our Work


Expand All Expand 1st Level Collapse All Add Comment
    • Author by beDecent (April 11, 2011 10:58 am ET)
      14  
      Birthers do nothing for the economy or job creation; they are useless distractions, welcome by many who only wish to mar Obama's presidency with BS.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by IRONY 101 (April 11, 2011 11:02 am ET)
        6  
        Yea...but you're forgetting about the entertainment value they bring.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by firstman (April 11, 2011 11:02 am ET)
        3  
        They help Fox's bottom line. And if it helps lead to an Obama reelection Fox's rating will only rise.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by princeofwheels (April 11, 2011 11:19 am ET)
        5 1
        Except for the cottage industry of WorldNutDaily. The birthers buy books on the subject and have been for years.
        The funny part of these books is that it is the same book in which the chapters are just moved around and renumbered. Add a new cover and these people have new info but in a diffrerent order. But why should they care. It is RightWing literature..

        Rightwinger: Give me RightWing literature for 1000 Alex...\\
        Alex: Birthplace of Pres. Obama.
        Rightwinger: Anywhere but the United States Alex.
        Alex: No
        Rightwinger#2: That would be anywhere but the US, Alex.
        Alex: NO, Rightwinger #3
        Rightwinger#3: Can I call a friend, Jerry Corsi?
        Alex: Sorry, wrong game, wrong amswer also.
        Rightwinger 1, 2 and 3: Demand to call a friend.
        Hello, Sarah, where was Pres Obama born
        Sarah: Donald says not Hawaii
        Alex: Wrong again
        RW 1 2 3: Call Alex a Canadian Communist Socialist atheist.
        Then they shoot him. And the answer judge.
        Sarah: Now that is a second amendment solution.



        Report Abuse
      • Author by right4areason (April 12, 2011 3:21 am ET)
          2
        Birthers do nothing for the economy or job creation. Neither does Obama.
        We all know he has something to hide you just don't want to admit it
        Report Abuse
    • Author by CrashGordon (April 11, 2011 11:08 am ET)
      11  
      You know we're in bizarro world when Karl Rove is the voice of reason on the right.

      When Obama wins in 2012, he should send signed, framed copies of his birth certificate to all the pundits and candidates who tried to use it as an issue.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by morgansher (April 11, 2011 11:16 am ET)
           
        I'd like to see it as a NIGISOB moment -- a gathering in which Pres. Obama presents them with each with it.

        Report Abuse
    • Author by mattcable250650 (April 11, 2011 11:44 am ET)
      3  
      Yep. As Jon Stewart pointed out the last time Rove was up against Palin, it's the chubby guy vs the pretty girls.
      Sorry chubby guy, ain't no way you're gonna win!
      Report Abuse
    • Author by foole (April 11, 2011 12:00 pm ET)
      5  
      Heck, I love this! I'd like to see more of the wingnuts go full on birther! Hey, don't tell anyone, but some people say if you hold a candle up behind the President's birth certificate, his real birth certificate, you get the exact location of Noah's Ark and the Ark of the Covenant!
      Report Abuse
      • Author by jscally (April 11, 2011 9:20 pm ET)
           
        Maybe he is really from the Fatherland, as he sound and acts like someone else in history. He wants to take power during economic turmoil, while promising hope for the nation’s future and wants to clamp down on big business. He blames all the problems on those who are successful, saying they’re greedy and selfish and their wealth needs to be Robin Hooded away from them and given to others not as fortunate. He proclaims that the evils of capitalism led to the current economic crisis, saying that the current system exploits the “economically weak”.
        Obama gives speeches where, no matter the actual words or topics, people leap to their feet, yelling and screaming in praise and he uses specifically chosen words and catchy phrases to excite the masses, while offering no real solution and also accuses opponents of being right extremists who will increase the wealth gap to maintain control over the working class.
        You know and have seen that Obama appeals largely to the young, ignorant, and impressionable population with strong and defensive mandates that citizens have a requirement of civil service. We all know and have heard exactly what he wants is tighter gun control and last never least as we find out more of this impostor and as we know he grew up in a country other than the one in which he wants to rule and still not sure of his birth place with his grand design and Wants si to have innovation to originate from government, rather than from the private sector.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by paul7391 (April 11, 2011 12:32 pm ET)
      3  
      Yet another well reasoned, thoughful and clearly presented insight into an issue facing the planet that is of monumental import from the towering intellect of Sarah Palin. One can certainly see why she would be "perplexed". The only thing perplexing about any of this is why anyone is still listening to this moron.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by OtterQueen (April 11, 2011 1:13 pm ET)
      3  
      So according to Karl Rove, Donald Trump and Sarah Palin are plants by the Obama administration to make the GOP look bad.

      It all makes sense now...
      Report Abuse
    • Author by dest4mex (April 11, 2011 2:28 pm ET)
         
      So she says in plain English that she believes he was born in Hawaii, yet she is still a "birther" according to MM the non fact checker.
      Even in your own language you can't hear what people say.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by rumpleteasermom (April 11, 2011 5:59 pm ET)
         
      Palin also claimed Obama has spent $2 million to not show his birth certificate.


      I've heard this from lots of people - does anyone have any clue where it originated?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by rumpleteasermom (April 11, 2011 6:07 pm ET)
           
        Nevermind. I clicked through to the Salon article and then to the WND article and found it.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by right4areason (April 12, 2011 3:37 am ET)
        1
      Any normal person would want to know the absolute truth. You leftist just try to bash and demonize people that raise legitimate concerns just so you and your boy won't look bad. You should be ashamed of yourselves for trying to block the truth on what could be the biggest American scandal of all time, but i think your type is incapable shame and/or rational thought. This supposed birth certificate posted on fact check is not complete and his citizenship would still be in question due to his conflicting Indonesian citizenship which does not recognize dual citizenship. Million dollars this does not get posted.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by right4areason (April 12, 2011 3:38 am ET)
         
      Birthers suck
      Report Abuse