Not sure what to make of this, but a new Vanity Fair/60 Minutes poll reveals nearly one out of four Americans believe that President Barack Obama was born outside of the United States, with only 39% correctly stating he was born in Hawaii.

Seems as if the media may have something to do with this, especially those who have given the so-called “birther” groups credibility when none is deserved. Or is some of it just ill-informed voters?

Among those weighing in on the poll is conservative columnist Ross Douthat of The New York Times who writes today: “This is an entirely typical result: Large percentages of Americans, poll after poll suggests, don't know what seem like basic facts about their country and the world. This isn't a right-wing or left-wing phenomenon; like conspiracy theories, ignorance about public affairs cuts across party lines. And it isn't even necessarily a devastating indictment of American culture: The fact that 31 percent of the country couldn't identify Dick Cheney as the vice president in 2007 suggests a certain ignorance about important national issues, but also, perhaps, a healthy detachment from politics and public affairs, and a salutary focus on the private sphere instead."

Another reason that news outlets must make sure that facts are checked and ignorant claims are proven wrong.