AJ Strata appears to have done a pretty thorough debunking of the Obama fake birth certificate nonsense, enough so that Charles Johnson at LGF is cautioning folks to move on to issues of some substantive value, and it would appear to most reasonable observers that this issue is final over. Unfortunately, most reasonable observers are unaware of the proud tradition of wankery in blogging.
For example, when it was shown that the Graeme Frost family was in fact entitled to the health care they received, and were not merely rich loafers sucking on the public teat while lying about their financial condition, the issue for most people was settled. Not, however, on blogs, as we then learned that someone, somewhere, was able to talk to an insurance agent in Baltimore and tentatively price an insurance policy for merely half the Frost monthly income, and that if they sold all their belongings and their house they could have, in fact, been privately insured while living on the street. “YOU SEE- RIGHT WING BLOGS WERE CORRECT ALL ALONG!”
If you need another example of more recent vintage, I would point you this Red State post highlighted at Open Left in which we learn that the removal of non-weapons grade uranium from Iraq is, in fact, proof positive of the Saddam Hussein nuclear weapons program. You see- all you folks who thought there were no WMD’s were wrong, and Bush was right! Suck on that!
As such, while those of us working in reality may think this birth certificate saga is finally over, in a matter of days we will learn a kerning was off, or a comma misplaced, and the true perfidy of the Obama campaign will be brought to light, and once again we can celebrate the great truth detectors of the right wing blogosphere.
Does anyone want to bet me?
Dave_Violence
Concerning the birth certificate – what was the point? You’d think that a substantial issue like that would’ve been covered a long time ago, before BO even considered running for office of any kind; what a non-story.
This, however:
It’s got to mean something, no? If it’s a fake story (some at the MSNBC comments pages think it is – along with Vince Foster being offed by HRC), then the AP, that concentration of right-wing misinformation, is in on “it.”
El Cid
I myself will not give into the liberal mythmaking that Obama is a true citizen from a U.S. state which is supposed to be some magical land in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, which is some overgrown volcano sticking out of the water which just happens to be taller than Mt Everest, and which is some fairy tale land of rain forests and beaches and delicious fruits and coffees and beaches and surfing.
Sure, you O’bots can believe that, like you believe anything your little red books say, but the right wing isn’t going to fall for your nonsense.
tballou
John – on a totally different topic (seeing as how the current is so completely inane) – what is the origin/meaning of your blog title “Balloon Juice”? Inquiring minds want to know!
nightjar
When the white coats come to take away the wack-a-doodles at NO QUARTER, I hope they at least followed Mama’s advice about wearing clean underwear..
John Cole
It just means hot air, gasbaggery, etc.
gbear
How much do you want to bet that Martin Luther King Jr. was a Republican?
(My first attempt at an imbed. Hope it worked)
A Different Matt
“It’s got to mean something, no?”
What does the “it” refer to in your question, Dave who underscores Violence? What’s got to mean what?
I can’t figure out if you’re snarking along with John or if you’re saying this:
“removal of non-weapons grade uranium from Iraq is, in fact, proof positive of the Saddam Hussein nuclear weapons program.”
proves an AP conspiracy against conservative narratives.
Sirkowski
The cake is a lie.
TR
Sssh. Let the Keyboard Kommandos continue to focus their boundless energies on kerning and commas and granite countertops.
Meanwhile, we’ll be donating money to candidates and registering voters out here in the real world.
calipygian
Wha?
Red State is still around?
How many posters are still kicking around that stale game of soggy biscuit? Twelve?
BTW: I hear Gamecock and Jeff Emanuel compete to be the guy who eats the biscuit.
crack
From comments:
From the post:
calipygian
MBecker:
What a fucking buffoon.
What, is Red State going to take to the hills with AK-47s and 300 rounds a piece and go all Red Dawn on our asses when Obama is elected?
Those clowns make me laugh.
SpotWeld
Okay.. just for parallelism, has any left wing blog tried to postulate if the guy we got back was in fact the real John McCain? (I mean we’ve never really seen the documented proof right?!)
DragonScholar
calipygian,
When Obama wins (which I figure is the likely outcome), my guess is the right wing blogosphere will either A) claim it was illegitimate due to some reason (kerning for all we know), or B) the failure of the American people. They will literally portray themselves as “under occupation” or something.
Oh few will actually take to the hills. Few will do anything (but I expect to see an increase in right-wing violence). But they will constantly complain and harp and lie.
After all they could do something constructive. But that’s not in their mindset.
El Cid
That’s it. You’re going to make Bob Schieffer stammer, splutter, and cry again. Now look what you’ve done. Little Bobby’s only 8 years old, you cruel thing, and this is his own very special TV show!
El Cid
If you look very, very carefully at Barack Obama’s so-called “birth certificate”, you will see clear proof that the U.S. income tax is un-Constitutional and that the Queen of England is the world’s biggest drug dealer!
calipygian
John McCain is the kindest, warmest, bravest, most wonderful human being I’ve ever known in my life…
Tsulagi
Damn, before clicking the RS link I thought for sure it would be penned by a certain RS director. Their resident homophobe detector and hard defender of the non-gay gay wingnuts.
Apparently this one wasn’t. But some months ago I recall him authoring a few diaries that he had found the CW Holy Grail in Iraq. Forget what it was, but even when more than a few of the saner residents at RS pointed out it was an extremely commonplace industrial compound with many uses found in all countries, he still seemed pretty convinced they just weren’t seeing the big picture.
Then about a month or so ago he front paged that McCain was wrong to correct himself about Iran and AQ after the Lieberman intervention. They were in bed together. Hard defender of the non-gay R-gay quoted reports backing him up of Iran being a state sponsor and supporter of AQ. However, if you clicked on the embedded report links, you went to his personal blog to be treated to his expert stylings and musings on the subject. It was good to see he discovered and agreed with himself.
ChenZhen
Maybe they figure that if they create enough doubt, it could serve as an adequate substitute for actual proof. Probably an age-old concept.
James Joyner
Actually, parallelism would involve questioning whether McCain was a natural born citizen. And, yes, that’s been done. You see, he was born in Panama. Granted, on a U.S. military base to a 2nd generation U.S. Navy officer. But, technically, not on American soil. It has never been settled by the Supreme Court whether such an individual qualifies under Article II. Because, you know, there have only been 42 men elected president (Grover Cleveland is #22 and #24) and none of them were ever born overseas and established a case in controversy.
Hart Williams
It’s gone beyond ‘guilt by association’; it’s gone beyond ‘guilt by FREE association.’ Now it’s ‘guilt by hallucination.’
This whole GOP campaign reminds me of the Lilliputians tying Gulliver down: Endless trivial, inane, bullshit, cockamamie, inconsequential, insignificant, small-minded, unimportant, carping, niggling, nitpicky, quibbling, pettifoggery.
You’d think they didn’t have any issues. Hmmm.
Wilfred
Too funny, would be a great title for a book on the paranoid schizo soup of wingnut blogs. With the Arabic ghrain, no less.
John Cole
I was shooting for the Animal House reference, but I doubt many people got it.
calipygian
Did Red State give up when Tojo invaded Poland?
NO, I say!
SpotWeld
I’ve seen that too, but pretty much every case has ended up being a post along the lines of “This is an interesting bit legalistic ‘what if’, but not really anything of importance.” I don’t think I’ve come across anyone demanding McCain produce some evidence that he is, in fact, American.
Though I would have to admit that during the ’06 Senate campaign here in CT there was a similar amount of crazy energy spent promoting that Lieberman/Bush “The Kiss” float. (Sorta seems less nutty now though.)
J. Michael Neal
The uranium is not a big deal. Everyone knew it was there all along. The UN inspectors put it under seal back in the 1990s. When the US invaded, it captured the stockpiles, and found that the seals were intact. Iraq hadn’t done a thing with it.
Nothing to see here. Move along.
Cernig
Ah hells, now I’m tempted to do the spoof post demanding that McCain provide DNA evidence that he is, in fact, John McCain and not Ho Chi Minh after cosmetic surgery (the desplayed body might be a waxwork).
John Cole
Jackpot:
You see- Obama was wrong all along for not providing evidence that adheres to their standards! Win, blogosphere!
Good thing none of you took my bet.
jake
You have to understand John. The fRightWing is really, really, desperate for something to think about other than the fact that John McCain is their candidate for PotUS.
I’m sure this has been said before but I’ll say it again:
When the fuck has a candidate for the highest elected office in the U.S. ever been expected to hand over his birth cert to any boogersnot eating moron with a tin foil dunce cap soldered to his tiny head?
Next they’ll be pissing their pants because The Super Top Secret Scary Obama Black Guy Muslim Evil Inc. Headquarters won’t give out his SSN and a blood sample for DNA testing. Dickholes.
I am so stealing Guilt by Hallucination.
El Cid
If Barack Obama cannot produce for us his ATM Debit Card with correct PIN #, this proves we lack the evidence to allow him to be Preznit.
nightjar
Let me get this straight. First wingnuts create phony scandal and then one of their own debunks it, and other wingnuts cry foul, and claim it’s Obama’s fault for not debunking fast enough the phony scandal they created.
It would be a boring world indeed without these intrepid clowns.
Ted
Hey, Balloon-juice doesn’t get the LGF redirect! For shame.
Rosali
You see- Obama was wrong all along for not providing evidence that was irrelevant anyway.
Jim Henley
I love the comments to the AJ Strata post. LOVE THEM! “We shall NEVER surrender!”
Meanwhile, it’s crazy to think that Charlie didn’t send the “real” John McCain back after the war. But it’s not crazy at all to worry that there’s some post-hypnotic suggestion that could trigger McCain’s programming. That doesn’t mean McCain can’t be President, but it does mean that the only reasonable thing for him to do, to assure the American people that his will is his own, is to submit to a national-TV broadcast of someone reading him the entire OED – followed, just to be sure, by the Vietnamese, Chinese and Russian equivalents of the OED. If none of the words set him off, then he can continue to run.
Some will say, “But Jim, combinations of words might be the triggers.” I say, yeah, that’s a good point. But we’d have achieved at least a measure of reassurance. Others will say, “But how much time will that leave McCain for campaigning, sitting there while people recite the full lexicons of four different languages to him?” I say, Do you – and John McCain – care about national security or don’t you?
At the very least, if McCain is willing to undergo this test, we can credit his pro-American protestations with at least pro forma sincerity. On the other hand, if he isn’t willing to submit to this, that tells us something else . . .
jake
If Obama won’t hand over naked pictures of his wife it’ll prove we can’t vote for him, which is a shame because we totally were going to vote for him before he refused to hand over naked pictures of his wife but you just can’t trust a man who won’t hand over naked pictures of his wife.
Dave_Violence
So says NRO’s The Corner
And maybe I agree. Firstly, there are specific rules about who is and isn’t an American citizen by birth. As far as possessing a birth certificate goes, how the hell do you get a passport without one? Or a driver’s license? Or… into college without an ID that trails back to the birth certificate – or some sort of college aid without one. It does not make sense.
But… What The Corner says “…the Obama campaign’s response to the story is bizarre…” – at least how I read into it – is that the BO campaign is wasting time. Settle this stupid issue right away and get on with the campaign. It’s a bunch of bullshit, so settle the issue; call the “right wingers” (or maybe the Clintons…?) a bunch of assholes and that’s it. McCain was born in the Canal Zone – and he’s an American. So are all Puerto Ricans born in PR.
One thing’s for sure: this is an excellent distraction for BO’s opponent’s to capitalize on, with whatever consequences.
Me, I take the logical road and realize that BO is, without a doubt, fully eligible to run for President as this issue would’ve prevented him from getting even as far as he did in 2004.
daphne
Haven’t looked, but John have you recently debunked the idea that Obama didn’t register for the Selective Service and has therefore gamed his student loans that he conveniently paid off with profits from his book, which audio recording for the blind will now be used against him?
HAVE YOU??!??!?!??!?!?
OR SHOULD THAT BE HAVEN’T YOU?!?!?!??!?!?
daphne
Dave, if it distracts you, you are unemployed — or cheat ing your employer on time — or wait — caps again –WHY SHOULD HE HAVE TO SHOW ANYBODY ANYTHING? Do you really think that all of the Sec of state in every state of the union is an idiot? do you ? really?
ye gods, Obama wouldn’t be on the ticket in any state if he could prove he was elegible to run.
This is nonsense. Complete non sense.
daphne
CRAP s/b couldn’t
nightjar
You’re not up on the story. Obama sent a authentic copy of his BC to kos to post early on. What else would you have him do to “settle” it. It’s the idiot wingnuts who wrongly claimed it was a forgery, until Strata (another winger with half a brain) set them straight that the BC was authentic.
El Cid
If Barack Obama does not deliver his own brain to be autopsied to be checked for any possible Muslim contamination, we cannot be held responsible for remaining skeptical about him.
daphne
nightjar, don’t you understand that it’s just a copy generated by the Hawaiian government and not the real thing with the doctor’s signature and all? And where is the proof he signed up for the selective service? Tell me!!!!
Look, when you have nothing, you try to disqualify. The disqualification works toward adding to the emial crap that is already out there.
To me it seems to be another case of wingnuts wasting lots of time on nothing. As long as the MSM doesn’t start letting it bubble up, let them do cripto photoshop to their hearts’ content.
nightjar
You know El Cid, normally I would chuckle at that, but I wouldn’t be that surprised if soon some wingnut demands a DNA test from Obama to prove he’s not related to any Muslim terrorist who has ever lived.
Delia
It’s actually not even that. It’s just a copy on the internets. Has anyone verified that it follows all the internet traditions?
daphne
Delia, the REAL danger is that our country will elect Obama and then find out later that he either isn’t a citizen or didn’t sign up for the selective service.
What a horrible thing! The entire structure of the election process brought down! The two-party structure ruptured! The reserve draft avoided! What to do?!? Wait for McCain?
No! It’s Gore to the resue!
All the wingnuts cry so much the oceans over-run Miami. The Earth is saved.
End of story.
El Cid
No, the problem is that it would not be enough.
Obama must prove that he’s not related to any Muslim who might ever live, ever.
jake
If Obama doesn’t reveal … [bzzt!] Whyis Obama so secretiveabout [ping!]… Obama should provide proof … [gears clash]
OMG HE’S NOT WHITE AND I’M SOOOO SCARED!911
Yeah, I went there.
Ripley
It reminds of the Seinfeld episode wherein Jerry & Kramer think Jerry’s accountant is using cocaine.
Did he he call you “man”? When he left, did he say “I’m splittin'”?
Roger Ailes
I say the A.J. Strata post is a forgery. Not enough spelling and grammar errors. The ObamaGB has gotten to Strata and replaced him with a double agent.
daphne
I thought AJ was a she. Either way, I agree with Charles Johnson, AJ spent way too much time on this. There are more pressing issues, like Obama’s selective service registration — or not!!!!11!1!
August J. Pollak
The first graf of that post:
If I had to take a single paragraph that completely defined the right-wing blogoshpere, I think that might very well do it.
The Other Steve
I love how the right always talk down to us, and it’s always about something totally unrelated to what people were saying.
I guess it’s the only way they can feel smart.
jcricket
Think about it – their party’s political platform is founded on denial of evolution, denial of climate science, the embrace of lies created by swift boat types. All their time is spent obsessing over ginned up non-controversies like Obama’s birth certificate.
It’s no surprise there’s no legitimate way for them to actually feel smart.
Honestly, I welcome the right wing continuing to try and “out wing-nut” each other. Ban all the scientists. Get rid of the gays or anyone who doesn’t hate them. Ban everyone not an evangelical christian. Get your hate on everyone not born to an 8th-generation white American. See how that helps your long-term political prospects.
If Republican party is determined and committed to go down as wrong on every major issue of long-term importance to the world today I say throw them a fucking anchor and pass the popcorn.
pseudonymous in nc
For the record: anyone with the nym ‘combat18’ is a neo-Nazi. The Google will explain why.
Except it doesn’t: that’s entirely statutory. James Joyner upthread is correct that the situation w/ McCain it’s just not settled, since the question has never arisen, and a SCOTUS challenge to a McCain victory would be useful just to clarify the Article II provision. He’s got Ted Olson to prepare a brief. (If it was determined that the Zone was natural-born-America, it likely wouldn’t clear things up for citizens by descent, though.)
Enlightened Layperson
Can someone please explain this flap to those of us who are a bit slow on the uptake? Why would Obama forge his birth certificate in the first place? Is there some sort of question whether he was really born???
Tony J
“Welcome to the Oval Office, President McCain.”
Until he can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that he wasn’t, in fact, born from an egg on a mountain top, it would be irresponsible for the Klutzwaffen not to assume that he may well be of Chinese origin and so likely to pee in Buddha’s meadbowl.
Jon H
Now, even if we take as given that the Hawaii birth certificate information is genuine, it doesn’t prove that he wasn’t born on an alternate Earth.
Okay, Hawaii. But WHICH Hawaii?
Jon H
” Is there some sort of question whether he was really born???”
Yes, because if you look at him you can see he’s not Native American, ie, white.
Jim Henley
Or Counter-Earth, occupying the same orbit as ours and exactly on the other side of the Sun, but vibrating a half-second out of phase with our own planet.
Xenos
Where is the Selective Service registration issue coming from? My Dad still carries his Korean War era draft card, but who gets a receipt of their selective service registration?
Right now there is probably some Bush-appointee going into the records and clearing out the files and printouts that record Obama’s registration so they can try to spring the ‘draft-dodger’ accusation in October.
Jim Stukas
Hey, what’s up with this Post title, which is not AT ALL explained in the post – though a few comments really dig it.
As it uses my last name, I’d just like to know. I’ve never been near Oahu, though I could never prove that. ;-)
Cassidy
Stuka’s? I am highly impressed with the reference.
John Cole
Stukas = German plane in WWII
O’Ahu= home of Pearl harbor
Bluto Blutarsky- “Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?”
The point being these idiots never quit, and even though it would seem the birth certificate nonsense is settled, it is never over with these clowns.
Bubblegum Tate
Mark Noonan is all over this one, saying that it proves that Bush was right all long just like RS did, only pushing it even further:
Yup, Bush is like Jim Carrey in Liar, Liar, telling nothing but the truth at all times.
Cassidy
Damn, and I thought it was a reference to the old punk song :Stuka’s over Disneyland,
Jim Stukas
Thanks for explanation John… though to pick up on Cassidy, I do know that there is a band out there called the Stuka’s though I think they are named after the planes.
My name is Lithuanian!