Obama was a weak candidate going into the 2008 election. A lot of hype, but not much substance.
The "birther" movement, however, offers unrivaled opportunities for the Democrats. A majority of Republicans (58%) are gullible to believe the movement, or at least aren't sure. That sounds bad, but how many Republicans would vote for Obama, anyway?
However, a vast majority of Democrats (93%), lacking the trauma of having their ideology so overwhelmingly rejected, believe all the compelling evidence (scanned documents, the FULL interview with his Kenyan grandmother, testimony of Hawaiian officials, and just plain, decent common sense) that Obama is a natural-born citizen.
And, even MORE important, a good 83% of independents believe the "birther" movement is a pack of nutcases.
The Republicans are poised in a dilemma. Support the "birthers," and risk alienating the independents. Or reject the "birthers," and have a sizable fraction defect to the Libertarians or the (pseudo-)Constitutionals. Either way, they're screwed come 2012...
Strange, though. Seems that the main strength of the "birther" movement is among Southern whites (75% believe Obama is foreign-born). Up to 90% of people in other regions of the country reject the "birther" movement. I wonder why middle-aged whites with lower-incomes and no higher education would be so easily misled about a black man being president...?
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| The Birther movement: The best thing to happen to the Democrats |
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Josuha
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Aug 15 @ 1:48AM
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I wonder why middle-aged whites with lower-incomes and no higher education would be so easily misled about a black man being president...?
Well..contrary to popular commie belief, us white trash, uneducated folk sit around the camp fire and don't talk about Obama.
We talk about our dogs, when the next lawn tractor race is and chew our 'tabacky'. *spit*
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SweetNapaGuy
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Aug 15 @ 2:01AM
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The latest polls show a distinct racial, regional, educational, and economical divide. Southern whites with poor educations and little money are statistically much more likely to believe that a black man in the Oval Office is a foreign-born "Manchurian candidate."
I'm not making up the numbers. I'm just pointing out that Northerners/Midwesterners/Westerners, college-educated, middle-class, non-whites are more likely to believe that this is a farce.
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Josuha
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Aug 15 @ 2:09AM
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The latest polls show a distinct racial, regional, educational, and economical divide. Southern whites with poor educations and little money are statistically much more likely to believe that a black man in the Oval Office is a foreign-born "Manchurian candidate."
Yes..
And I would venture to say, many blacks believe there is a white law enforcement conspiracy to racially profile them (many of which are as educated as po' white trash and evn some with degrees!.)
Bush stills believes there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
And some believe Elvis got taken away by a UFO.
There are fringe on both sides.
Most of the fringe, from my own observation, in the democrat and republican parties as history has shown by their performance.
So what exactly is your point except to trash po' uneducated white trash as myself?
As I said, we talk about lawn tractor races, dogs and chew our 'tabacky'..*spit*
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SweetNapaGuy
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Aug 15 @ 2:19AM
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A third of all Americans believe that Bush & co. caused 9/11.
A third of all Americans believe in alien abduction.
A third of all Americans believe that Elvis is still alive, and young.
Barely one in nine Americans believes that Obama is a foreign-born citizen. (The "birthers" can barely manage a third of a "normal" conspiracy theory.)
And the vast majority of them are white, Southern, poorly educated, and low-paid.
Seems the "Southern strategy" from the 1960s is coming back to bite the Republicans in the ass...
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Josuha
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Aug 15 @ 2:23AM
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Seems the "Southern strategy" from the 1960s is coming back to bite the Republicans in the ass...
Speaking from an unbias perspective and from observation, I think both sides are filled with whackos.
Just my opinion.. 
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SweetNapaGuy
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Aug 15 @ 2:25AM
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And my main point, of this blog, is that the "birthers" are providing a dream opportunity for the Democrats, by scaring away the independents that they need to win elections. Either the Republicans embrace the independents (and lose a sizable chunk of the "birthers") or they embrace the "birthers" (and lose a sizable chunk of the independents).
Considering that the whole controversy started out as an APRIL FOOL'S PRANK, it's been mighty effective. First Hillary Clinton's followers used it, and it cost her the nomination. Then John McCain's followers used it, and it cost him the election. I wonder what politician will be next to embrace it?
Granted, the politicians in the Deep South can embrace it with little fear. That's the Republican constituency right there. But in the other 35-40 states? It's a gamble...
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Josuha
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Aug 15 @ 2:34AM
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Granted, the politicians in the Deep South can embrace it with little fear. That's the Republican constituency right there. But in the other 35-40 states? It's a gamble...
Perhaps you miss the point of your own blog or misrepresenting the true nature of what has been going on.
You asserting that the 'birthers' are the only issue against the present administration and they will cause the Republicans to 'lose'.
That is simply not true.
Independents, Libertarians, Liberals, Conservatives, Blue dog democrats etc, have all joined the protests and voiced their opposition of government excess on both sides of the house on a variety of issues, not just the 'birth issue'.
Your attempting to try to make this a 'democrat' and 'republican' issue.
It is not.
It is the people waking up to government excess to both parties.
I hate to break it to you like this but..
"Wake up Toto, your not in Kansas anymore."
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legacy1
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Aug 15 @ 2:38AM
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Strange, though. Seems that the main strength of the "birther" movement is among Southern whites
Strangely enough...there just might be something to this argument Napa.. 
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/08/12/only-24-percent-of-north-carolina-republicans-think-barack-obama/
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southernlass
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Aug 15 @ 2:41AM
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I wonder why middle-aged whites with lower-incomes and no higher education would be so easily misled about a black man being president...?
I wonder why I never trusted Obama. I wonder why I am an INDEPENDENT, who, while I may be mid to lower income, do have higher education, and am not easily misled about a black man being president -- and in fact, his coloring has nada to do with the reason I don't and have never trusted him. I'm not racist, contrary to all liberals or wanna-be liberals, who have accused every single white American who didn't vote for Obama, of being a closet or overt racist; that theory is mighty convenient for them is what I say -- and that dog won't hunt.
Nevertheless, I don't and never have trusted President Obama and that feeling has not alleviated thus far. I won't begin to get into all of the reasons why I don't trust him because at this point in time, I don't think the reasons are going to matter. I don't plan to vote for President Obama in 2012, but I don't think that's going to matter either.
You see, I feel that we may well be "stuck" with President Obama for quite some time to come.. and I'm sure that time will tell us quite clearly exactly who President Obama really is, because I assure you that the man we see on our televisions, is not the man behind the mask he wears, imo.
Again, if we're all still here on MD in 2016, let's chat again about President Obama; that is if we still have a country, if we still have any freedoms left, and if there are any Christians still above ground to give an opinion. And if by some quirk of wondrous fate, it's all good, I'll eat my fair share of crow, how's that?
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SweetNapaGuy
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Aug 15 @ 2:51AM
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Given that most of the "crisis" is from Republican disinformation campaigns, I feel that a little education will solve most of the backlash.
(Education. The bete noir of the modern conservative movement...)
And as I've stated to you many times in the past, there's only three real options.
1) Vote for the major political party that most closely represents your views.
2) Vote (en masse) for the third-party political movement that offers a chance of a change from our two-party system... and watch the major party most diametrically opposed to your views win in a landslide.
3) Vote for a third-party political movement as a protest vote. (Or just save time and stay home, since your vote won't count anyway.)
Until such time as we get a political system that's proportional representation (which would involve a whole Constitutional Amendment), we're going to have a two-party system. Sometimes a third-party makes a big difference in a campaign... AGAINST the issue for which they believe. No third-party has ever (so far as I know) had a chance in an election without the breakup of one of the major parties.
Maybe the Republicans will get a strong candidate in the next election. (Who cares what the Greens, the Libertarians, and the pseudo-Constitutionals run?) Obama is a weak candidate, even as the incumbent. If the economy shows the expected improvements, if the uninsured voters manage to get decent coverage, Obama could be hard to beat.
So who are people going to vote for? Will the Democrats (liberal, moderate, and conservative) vote for a Republican, who stands for much of what they dislike?
It's a question of who pisses off their fringe more, and who attracts more of the independents. There aren't a lot of choices, so sometimes you have to hold your breath, pinch your nose, and vote for "barely good enough."
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SweetNapaGuy
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Aug 15 @ 2:55AM
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Again, if we're all still here on MD in 2016, let's chat again about President Obama; that is if we still have a country, if we still have any freedoms left, and if there are any Christians still above ground to give an opinion. And if by some quirk of wondrous fate, it's all good, I'll eat my fair share of crow, how's that?
I'd say that there's a 99.9% chance that there will be about the same level of Constitutional freedom we have now, that Christians will continue to be a large portion of the population (though the trend towards "spirituality" and heterodox interpretations of Christianity will continue unabated), and that the country will survive yet another mediocre president.
But that's just crazy talk on my part. I REALLY should indulge the gibbering paranoia lurking within the lizard-portion of my brain...
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WouldntItBeGr8To
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Aug 15 @ 3:07AM
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The "birther" movement
I could join in, get into the back and forth here but I surely don't expect us to find much common ground, that might take a while and ping pong comments in a blog leaves a lot to be desired. I prefer political discussions somewhere besides the blogs in MD, there are forums here for that.
But I have to say SOMETHING...
Bottom line is, the Birther Movement is alive and well.
All I can say is, isn't that the line drawn in the sand? These people really believe what they are saying about him. This is the flag they are willing to salute.
That is it in black and white, no pun intended.
I am saddened for this great country.
Please pardon my one comment and running, I just couldn't bite my lip.
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SweetNapaGuy
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Aug 15 @ 3:15AM
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Wouldnt, it's to be expected that any conspiracy theory will attract its share of diehard fanatics. I, personally, was surprised to find out that they number only about eleven percent of the population. I fully expected it to be double or triple that amount.
I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. As more evidence surfaces, proving that Obama is a natural-born American citizen, the confused-but-otherwise-rational elements are being peeled off, leaving only the hardcore adherents. The ones who, in fifty years, will STILL be arguing that Obama was a foreign citizen who conned his way into the Oval Office.
There's nothing we can do about them. All we can do is allow them enough rope to hang themselves.
And chuckle over the bitter choice the Republicans will have to make...
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burnslikethesun
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Aug 15 @ 3:27AM
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Correction. The Birthers are the like the fourth best thing that has happened for the Democrats. Right after Bush and the split of ideology of the Republican party, Iraq war,
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