Yesterday, in the New York Times:
Editorial
A Certificate of Embarrassment
Published: April 27, 2011….the birther question was never really about citizenship; it was simply a proxy for those who never accepted the president’s legitimacy, for a toxic mix of reasons involving ideology, deep political anger and, most insidious of all, race….
….mainstream Republican leaders allowed it to simmer to satisfy those who are inflamed by Mr. Obama’s presence in the White House….
….That signal was clearly received. Lawmakers in nearly a dozen states introduced bills requiring presidential candidates to release their full birth certificates.
It is inconceivable that this campaign to portray Mr. Obama as the insidious “other” would have been conducted against a white president…
Go. Read the whole thing.
Almost seven years ago:
Thursday, September 16, 2004 – Page updated at 12:00 A.M.
Amendment would drop requirement that president be U.S.-born
By Jim Puzzanghera
Knight Ridder NewspapersWASHINGTON – Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, an Orange County, Calif., Republican and longtime friend of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, introduced a constitutional amendment yesterday to allow foreign-born Americans who have been citizens for 20 years to run for president….
What’s the difference for birthers?
Previously:
President Obama (D): The American President speech (April 27, 2011)
Where to start? – part 2 (December 1, 2010)
…ergo propter wingnut (October 28, 2009)
Your “mainstream” Missouri republican party in action: birthers! (June 30, 2009)
Do the sponsors of HJR34 believe in anti-Obama conspiracy theories? (March 4, 2009)
Birther Infomercial runs in Springfield (September 25, 2009)
You get the picture. There’s plenty more.