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Maddow responds to Dobbs' advancement of "birther" conspiracies

July 22, 2009 11:46 am ET

From the July 21 edition of MSNBC's The Rachel Maddow Show:

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Previously:

Dobbs still on birther bandwagon, says "no one" knows "the reality" of Obama's birth certificate 

Days after Pilgrim answered them, Dobbs claims Obama birth certificate "questions won't go away"

CNN's Pilgrim refutes Dobbs on Dobbs over birth certificate

Dobbs repeatedly makes Obama birth certificate claims his CNN colleagues call "total bull"

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    • Author by wolf kotenberg (July 22, 2009 11:53 am ET)
      6  
      Diversion from having to discuss the health care propososal from those who do not have such proposal. There comes atime to put unruly children in the room an close the door for a while.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by TheThief672 (July 22, 2009 1:15 pm ET)
        3  
        The "birth" question has been asked so many times on FactCheck.org that they refuse to answer the question for the millionth time.
        "OBAMA IS NATURAL BORN CITIZEN OF THE UNITED STATES of AMERICA"

        But to these lunatics facts don't mean a thing especially if it disagrees with their delusions.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by wolf kotenberg (July 22, 2009 2:29 pm ET)
          3  
          And not only that, pres Obama speaks better english than our previous natural born.
          Report Abuse
    • Author by dmhack (July 22, 2009 12:04 pm ET)
      8 1
      Gotta love Maddow. Night after night she carefully takes apart the screeching monkeys on the right. This clip tell only half the story. Maddow didn't just comment on Loony Lou, she then went on to talk with a reporter about the way the birthers are attempting to push this lie into the mainstream.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by magnolialover (July 22, 2009 12:19 pm ET)
        4  
        I mean, it's actually already in the mainstream, no further pushing needed. Just look at the bunch of crap we've heard about it in the last week. CNN. Fox. Major newspapers. Folks, this is already in the mainstream, and only gaining steam. I predict there will shortly be some Senator, or Congressman/woman who will be calling for a full and complete investigation of this.

        Whitewater part deux...
        Report Abuse
        • Author by nerzog (July 22, 2009 12:24 pm ET)
          5  
          Absolutely. God help us if the Republicans take back the House next year. They'll try to impeach Obama within a week.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by magnolialover (July 22, 2009 12:29 pm ET)
            4  
            True enough, and this would be the thing they'd try to use. Talk about farce.
            Report Abuse
    • Author by nerzog (July 22, 2009 12:23 pm ET)
      6  
      I think we're underestimating the Republican talent for propaganda if we assume the Birthers are just some fringe wackos. I propose that this is part of a carefully orchestrated blitz to scare the idiot Republican base and discredit everything Obama is trying to do.

      Otherwise, how do you explain the number of "mainstream" Republicans who are regurgitating this drivel?
      Report Abuse
      • Author by magnolialover (July 22, 2009 12:31 pm ET)
        4  
        And, there are a lot of mainstream republicans who are repeating this nonsense. I mean, folks who are allegedly "respected" within the political field.

        Shows how far the party has fallen. Maybe Meghan McCain can run for President in the near future, she appears to be one of the only thinking republicans currently in the United States.
        Report Abuse
        • Author by nerzog (July 22, 2009 12:39 pm ET)
          4  
          True enough. I especially enjoyed her characterization of Joe the "Plumber".

          She appears to represent an endangered species: Moderate Republicans. The few remaining must be looking on in horror as the Troglodyte Monster they created decades ago now devours them.
          Report Abuse
          • Author by magnolialover (July 22, 2009 12:53 pm ET)
            4  
            See, I don't even know if I'd call her moderate, it's just that the rest of the party being led by Rush Limbaugh has gone so far right, it's incredible actually.

            During the Bush years, they lurched right in a big way, but since Obama has been elected, they've gone straight to lunatic fringe.
            Report Abuse
    • Author by blueline99 (July 22, 2009 12:33 pm ET)
      5  
      This is going to dog the GOP for months...
      GOP members on the Hill can't dismiss these nutbags because the Republicans are in such disarray, they can't risk fractioning their party even more than it already is.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by stanscates@gmail.com (July 22, 2009 12:53 pm ET)
      3  
      This is part of the Right-Wing attack on Obama. Media Matters did an article "Swiftboating 2.0" which pointed out this lie as part of a larger smear campaign.

      Stan

      Report Abuse
    • Author by The_Cat (July 22, 2009 1:09 pm ET)
      3  
      It is the 'birther problem' that will ultimately show whether or not Michael Steele is actually the head of the Republican Party. He only has two choice: 1) Acknowledge them, address their concerns, and formally back their movement with what little power the Republican Party still possesses, -or- 2) Announce that President Obama is in fact an American citizen, and the lawful leader of this country, pushing these people back to the fringe.

      Continuing to ignore the problem will not make it go away, Mr. Steele, it will only hasten your demise. The clock is ticking...
      Report Abuse
      • Author by nerzog (July 22, 2009 1:19 pm ET)
        3  
        I don't see him pushing back against the Troglodytes; he likes his cushy job too much.
        Report Abuse
    • Author by janedos (July 22, 2009 1:41 pm ET)
        3
      Oh Boy!...Another genius journalist...Have we forgotten that George Bush was almost taken down by a forged document pertaining to his National Guard Service?...The question is not the "Birth Certificate" as much as his parents heritage...His father was a Kenyan student and never became an American Citizen, hence Obama does not fulfill the "Natural Born" requirement of the Constitution....both of your parents have to be "American Citizens" for you to be considered "Natural Born"....but I don't suppose the genius media will understand any of this...I have yet to have anyone in the media explain this satisfactorily...The Constitution was written so all in the public (Merchants, Farmers, Blacksmiths) could understand it...but somehow the media has trouble!...

      Left, Right...Right, Left...We Won, You Lost...Democrat, Republican...as long as we continue along this path the manipulation will continue!!!
      Report Abuse
      • Author by steveanders_62273 (July 22, 2009 3:52 pm ET)
        2 1
        Both of your parents have to be American Citizens to be considered "Natural Born". WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.. Read the constitution before you quote it so you won't show your innocence. Not only do your parents not have ot be citizens, but as longs as one of your parents is a citizen and lived in the states for the past 5 years, you are considered natural born. Any one born in the US (other than diplomats etc..) are considered natural born. You could be born to an undocumented immigrant in the US and you are qualified as "Natural Born"

        http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_citi.html
        Report Abuse
        • Author by bilbo_dies (July 22, 2009 4:06 pm ET)
          2  
          You could be born to an undocumented immigrant in the US and you are qualified as "Natural Born"

          hehe Sorry I can't help myself but; isn't the above one of the aurguments that right wingers have against "undocumented immigrants"?
          "They cross the border at night, just so their child can be born in the U.S., be a U.S. citizen, and get WELFARE benefits!!!"
          Report Abuse
      • Author by bilbo_dies (July 22, 2009 4:03 pm ET)
        2  
        His father was a Kenyan student and never became an American Citizen, hence Obama does not fulfill the "Natural Born" requirement of the Constitution....both of your parents have to be "American Citizens" for you to be considered "Natural Born"....

        Uh, sorry but; WRONG!
        If you are born in the U.S. you are automatically a U.S. citizen, unless your parents are diplomats, etc.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by bintx (July 22, 2009 4:24 pm ET)
        1  
        Actually, you are wrong. The actual TNG records which were released under an FOIA request by the AP showed that Mr. Bush did NOT complete his commitment. That story was buried by the so-called "false" documents which miraculously appeared about the same time as the FOIA records were released. I read the FOIA documents and never saw the CBS show.

        You are also completely and totally wrong about the qualifications for being a "natural born citizen."
        Report Abuse
    • Author by pam95650 (July 22, 2009 2:07 pm ET)
      1  
      I'm really, really afraid that all these right wing nut cases will spur enough hatred toward our President, that this type of "hate speech" could effect our future as America.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by pam95650 (July 22, 2009 2:08 pm ET)
      2  
      I'm really, really afraid that all these right wing nut cases will spur enough hatred toward our President, that this type of "hate speech" could effect our future as America.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by eekeller (July 22, 2009 2:33 pm ET)
      3  
      I loved the Journalism/Campbell Brown comment best. CNN IS Fox Lite, and I wish I'd thought of that.
      Report Abuse
    • Author by Creepybobo (July 22, 2009 3:55 pm ET)
        3
      Obama should get a copy of his 1961 hospital birth certificate (Queens Medical Center? Kapi'olani Medical Center??)....it shouldn't be difficult. I've had to do so several times.

      The "certification" document is NOT a birth certificate.
      Report Abuse
      • Author by steveanders_62273 (July 22, 2009 4:20 pm ET)
        2 1
        Yes it is. Give a call to the Hawaiian gov. and find out for your self that the form provided by the President is a Birth Certificate. If he were to produce something else than you guys would just come up with another reason why he is not a citizen.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by bintx (July 22, 2009 4:27 pm ET)
        1  
        Hospitals don't issue birth certificates, States do based on information reported by a parent.

        The State of Hawaii has verified that the document presented was issued by them, forwarded to Obama, that it represents the original birth certificate on file in their archives, and that it is authentic.

        Believe it or not, there are many, many African-Americans with names you'd believe are "foreign" who are natural born citizens of the United States.

        BTW, I can guarantee you that YOU don't have your original birth certificate. That document resides in your state's archives.
        Report Abuse
      • Author by blueline99 (July 22, 2009 5:55 pm ET)
        2  
        It is too a birth certificate... it's the same thing I got when I needed to get a passport. Although in California it's the County that maintains the records, not the State.

        If hospitals maintained birth certificates, nobody would have a birth certificate.

        The document the birthers want to see is something that not every state, county or hospital provides. It's more of a souvenir. It's provided to the County/State to issue the birth certificate.

        It's like saying that's not your driver's license, I want to see your Temporary License you received from the DMV that shows you paid your fees!
        Report Abuse