'Birther' claims force GOP leaders to take a stand

[Contrary1]

WASHINGTON — It's the conspiracy theory that won't go away. And it's forcing Republican officials and presidential contenders to pick sides: Do they think Barack Obama was born outside the United States and disqualified to be president?

As the Republican candidates tiptoe through the mine field, Democrats are watching. They hope the debate will fire up their liberal base and perhaps tie the eventual GOP nominee to fringe beliefs that swing voters will reject.

In recent days several prominent Republicans have distanced themselves, with varying degrees of emphasis, from the false claim that Obama was born in a foreign country. But with a new poll showing that two-thirds of adult Republicans either embrace the claim or are open to it, nearly all these GOP leaders are not calling for a broader effort to stamp out the allegations.

"It's a real challenge for the Republican Party and virtually every Republican candidate for president," contends Democratic pollster Geoff Garin. If it's not handled well, he said, all-important independent voters might see Republicans as extreme or irrelevant.

More: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42723024/ns/politics-decision_2012/

[Dkc05]

1. Tramp is a FRAYER!

Stirring up shit. Obama should destroy his message by holding up his birth certificate and telling Tramp to go suck himself

[DearAbby]

3. No need

Obama has to do nothing, the birthers are hanging themselves without our help..no reason for us to stop the GOP from shooting themselves in the foot.

[Raschel]

2. Quite a conundrum for them. They pandered to the angry bigot crowd of the lowest intelligence,

and got them to swallow every fear tactic hook line and sinker. Well, they're not letting go of that hook now. What's a poor republican to do?

[applegrove]

4. This is why I think the renewed 'Palin isn't Trig's real mother' conspiracy theory is actually

astroturf on the part of the right to make democrats look nuts to the moderates. Just a theory.