Matthews To GOP Rep. Advancing ‘Birther’ Myth: ‘You Are Feeding The Whacko Wing Of Your Party’

[marmar]

from ThinkProgress:



Matthews To GOP Rep. Advancing ‘Birther’ Myth: ‘You Are Feeding The Whacko Wing Of Your Party’

Over the past several months, the right wing has been advancing the discredited myth that President Obama is not a natural-born U.S. citizen. These so-called “birthers” claim that Obama hasn’t produced his a valid birth certificate to prove that he is eligible to be president. (He has). CNN’s Lou Dobbs is the latest to traffic in this nonsense, despite the fact that his own guest-host debunked the “birther” claims on Dobbs’s show.

Today on MSNBC, host Chris Matthews interviewed Rep. John Campbell (R-CA), co-sponsor of a bill that would require candidates for president in the future to present a copy of his or her birth certificate “to establish that the candidate meets the qualifications” for president. “The proposal is not crazy,” Campbell said in defense of the measure. “Congressman, nice try,” Matthews replied. “What you’re doing is appeasing the nutcases…you’re verifying the paranoia out there,” he said. Matthews then held up a copy of Obama’s birth certificate and said, “That’s the way to deal with this, mail this birth certificate to the whacko wing of your party.”

Matthews asked Campbell seven times if he believes Obama is a natural born U.S. citizen, and after a series of dodges, Matthews said, “You are feeding the whacko wing of your party.” Campbell finally answered, “As far as I know, Yes.” “As far as you know? I’m showing you his birth certificate!” Matthews exclaimed:

MATTHEWS: It’s on the screen now, take a close look. It says “Barack Hussein Obama.” He was born August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, is that a state? Yes it was. His mother was caucasian, his father was African. What more do you want? He’s male. He was born, by the way at 7:20 P.M. in the island of Oahu. What more do you want? I mean, I’m serious, you say “as far as you know?” You are playing to the crazies.

“Was he born in this country?” Matthews asked again. “Yes, I believe so,” Campbell replied. “Ok, finally we’re making progress,” Matthews said. Watch it:

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/21/matthews-birther-wacko/


Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) was barraged by birthers at a local town hall meeting in Delaware recently and was forced to inform the crowd — much to their dismay — that Obama is indeed a natural born citizen.


http://thinkprogress.org/2009/07/21/matthews-birther-wacko/

[MrModerate]

1. Matthews is spot on. The congressman is pandering to nutcases . . .

And passing this law won't make the nutcases shut up. They want to pretend he's not president because they don't want him to be president. Unfortunately for them, magical thinking doesn't actually work.

[WeDidIt]

2. The Birfers are the BEST wedge issue ever

Every Republican running for office will be asked about the Birfers next year. Either they throw the Birfers under the bus, or they don the tinfoil hat.

There is no longer any middle ground for Republicans.

"Are you now or have you ever been a Birfer?"

:evilgrin:

[gopiscrap]

3. I agree

when you ahve guys like Matthews calling them wing nuts...the birthers are just making the Democratic Party's job to win elections easier!

[gimama]

4. he did goood...

when he's goood, he's awesome. However,I did get annoyed at his talking over the guests re: Prof.Gates arrest segment. Just sayin'...

[zbdent]

5. don't expect Matthews to hang on to "credibility" for long ...

I'm sure that another picture of Bush in his flight jacket, with a bunch of $100 bills attached, will change his tune ...

[stanwyck]

6. OK for Chris. But what we really need to see is

Matthews and Scarborough and all the other with their righteous indignation (which is justified) taking on Lou Dobbs. Dobbs was just as egregious as the woman at the town hall meeting. Yet, Scarborough this morning was too chicken to take head on. He made oblique references. But crabwalked away from the real issue, which is guys like Dobbs legitimatizing the issue with their bully pulpits.