A protester holds a sign questioning President Obama's citizenship. (Flickr user: Andrew Aliferis)
Forty-five percent of Republicans still believe Barack Obama wasn't born in the United States, even though there's no question to the veracity of his citizenship. Thanks in particular to potential GOP 2012 presidential candidate Donald Trump, the "birther" issue has resurfaced. As the Republican party gears up for the 2012 presidential election — and as a number of states legislatures consider their own "birther" bills — how will this issue play for potential Republican candidates?
For more on this, we turn to Renee Amoore, Deputy Chair of the Pennsylvania Republican State Party. Also with us is Kai Wright, Editor of Colorlines.com.
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Comments [5]
When Obama became president, it sent a clear message that anybody can become president to all the Black, Asians and other ethnic minorities in this country. But there are still those that cannot bear that fact the a Black president is running the country. It's a poor decision on the behalf of the Republicans to linger on this issue. The longer they linger, the more other 35% of population that's not non-Hispanic whites will believe the Republican party is racist.
The questions this story did not address, is why Republican do not believe the facts.
Not in just this case but in other republican ideologies: tax cuts increase tax revenue, tax cuts create jobs, abstinent only sex decreases teen pregnancy, etc.
The answer is the ideology is important then the facts. When facts do not support the ideology they are dis-guarded or ignored.
The news media does a dis-service to the listeners by not correcting these mistakes.
Many American's don't know that Hawaii is not a foreign country and they need to be educated about that. This is the reason why Obama's citizenship is an issues for these people.
Republicans know that they can lie and deceive and that tactic is a major component of their messages. Studies have shown that once a falsehood has been circulated - the believers of that falsehood will reject the Actual Truth when it is revealed.
Hence 40% of republicans still believe that Obama's birth certificate registered in Hawaii is bogus.
And an equal number still think that scientists are distorting data about global climate change.
You have wrongly disregarded whether he is entitled or not. We have had chemistry teachers who lied about credentials get fired, and rightfully so.
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