Birthers-a-Go-Go

Jane Hamsher: "Mike Stark ... decided to ask Republicans if Barack Obama was born in the United States. Not only do they not want to answer—they run. ... The video makes clear that the Republican Party is captive to their conspiracy theory-mongering base all the way up to the top."

No transcript, because there's so much cross-talking and otherwise inaudible stuff that it would take me 90 years, but, suffice it to say, every Republican Congressperson he approaches either has no comment, punts by essentially just repeating the criteria that someone must be a citizen to be president (without actually saying whether they think Obama's a citizen), or offers some variation on "there are questions that need answering." Only Arizona Rep. Trent Franks would, without equivocation, acquiesce that Obama was born in the US, giving a long caveat about how he hates Obama and his policies, but, he explains, his office thoroughly researched it and he's satisfied the president is a citizen.

Meanwhile, Democratic Representative from Hawaii Neil Abercrombie introduced a resolution yesterday that commemorates the 50th anniversary of Hawaii's statehood and includes a note that the state is Obama's birthplace.

"It's also going to be the birthday in a week or so of President Obama, born in Kapiolani hospital just down the road from where I lived," he said. Just as the presiding chair of the House, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), was about to declare the resolution passed by voice vote, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) stood and objected:

BACHMANN: Mr. Speaker? I object to the vote on the grounds that a quorum is not present and make a point of order that a quorum is not present. [...]

REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D-MD): Further proceedings on this motion will be postponed.

H. Res. 593, a resolution "recognizing and celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the entry of Hawaii into the Union as the 50th State," contains this provision: “Whereas the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama, was born in Hawaii."

Video here.

Related Reading: Greg Sargent, Dave Neiwert.

Action Item: Dobbs Conspiracy (a Media Matters Joint)