A Lou Point In American History - Dobbs And The Birthers
By dday Thursday Jul 23, 2009 5:15pmThe Daily Show With Jon StewartMon - Thurs 11p / 10cThe Born Identitywww.thedailyshow.com
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I wish Dave Neiwert wasn't on vacation from C&L this week, because I'm sure he'd have a lot to say about the mainstreaming of the ginned-up Birther controversy, particularly by one of his favorite whipping boys, Lou Dobbs. In the interim we'll have to settle for Eric Boehlert:
If James von Brunn weren't in a locked security ward at Southeast General Hospital in Washington, D.C., and awaiting trial for the murder of a security guard at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, the 88-year-old racist and neo-Nazi might have taken comfort from listening to Lou Dobbs' syndicated radio show or watching Dobbs on CNN in recent days. Von Brunn would have likely felt some sense of affirmation from Dobbs, as the host began belatedly championing the cause of so-called "birthers," the angry band of right-wing conspiracy theorists who claim President Obama has not released a valid birth certificate and, in some cases, flat-out assert that he was not born in America and therefore is ineligible to be president of the United States. (Here's a good birther primer; here's the official right-wing defense of birthers.)
Had von Brunn been listening, Dobbs would likely have "spoken" to him. Just a few months before opening fire at the museum, von Brunn, apparently a proud birther himself, had done his best to spread the word online about Obama's illegitimate rule: "What is going on??? WHERE ARE THE GOOD PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY - ARE YOU OUT THERE???" [...]
Dobbs has certainly taken some heat for his recent birther turn. (He's "effectively destroying his career with this stuff," birther expert David Weigel wrote at The Washington Independent.) But there's more to this story than Dobbs. And the phenomenon in play isn't just about a birth certificate. And it's also not isolated or accidental.
Because, yes, viewed in a vacuum, the movement seems like the nutty fringe. But viewed in a larger historical context, birthers share obvious ties to traditional right-wing assaults on previous Democrats, and birthers have all the marks of a GOP Noise Machine creation. The movement is about a larger, more sinister attempt to paint Obama as illegitimate, foreign, and suspect (i.e. not like you and me). To portray him as "a gratuitous interloper," as radio host G. Gordon Liddy put it. As someone who isn't who he says he is. As -- let's face it -- the Manchurian Candidate, with all the evil connotations that come with it. ("WHO SENT YOU???" von Brunn demanded to know of Obama.)
And it's about the disturbing role media figures like Dobbs play when they act as the bridge -- as the transmitter -- between the radical and the mainstream. When they legitimize the craziness, if only in the eyes of the crazies themselves. As MSNBC's Rachel Maddow noted this week, "The home run for conspiracists of any stripe is when their ideas can leave the lunatic fringe and enter the mainstream."
There's really only one degree of separation between Dobbs mainstreaming the Birther movement and pictures of Obama as an African witch doctor. The media, in large part, has condemned this nonsense - Chris Matthews shaming that old fool Gordon Liddy today was painful to watch - but those who give it succor it sustain an extremist fringe who want to alienate the President as "the other," as illegitimate, as illegal. It plays to the beliefs of anti-government types and militia members and a dangerous element in American society.
As for Dobbs, who James Rainey picks apart here, CNN has a choice to make. Its own hosts have debunked this myth over and over. The network purports to call itself "the most trusted name in news." They can prove it.
For all the network's efforts to characterize itself as the real, unbiased cable news outlet, it continues to give Lou Dobbs a high-profile platform for obvious, unsupported madness. It makes Dobbs look like a loon, but more important, it's a painful embarrassment to CNN.
A network spokesperson distanced CNN from Dobbs' crazed radio show, and told Rainey, "On CNN, Lou is an independent reporter who covers stories that people are talking about, and often showcases issues that aren't being covered by the mainstream media."
For a network that keeps giving very large paychecks to a television personality who is misleading its audience with transparent craziness, this explanation needs some work.
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For all the damage George Bush and Dick Cheney have done to this country somebody should check to see if they were born in Afghanistan.
Didn't Lou Dobbs support a constitutional amendment so that Arnold Swarzenpecker could be President?
Double standard, eh.
Folks of this thinking also wanted to change the constitution to allow GWB to run for a third term. But alas then B clinton could run again too. That thought shut sown real fast
This whole Birther obsession.
Some obsession with a placenta???? Go figure!
and served as its executive vice president? And is best buds with owner Ted Turner? I doubt he's going to be asked to leave.
Turner sold it years ago.
I believe he's still one of the largest shareholders despite the haircut he took on that.
Not even retirement age yet, and already senile. Is his wife not an immigrant herself? Kettle meet pot? Can only watch a few minutes of his program, and you can shut it off and adlib what is going to be on it. Immigrants, immigrants, immigrants. The man has a serious phobia. Wonder how that makes his wife feel.
other then he's in the Entertainment Business.
own a Dry Cleaning Franchise.
So I doubt she doesn't know, but that leaves me gobsmacked that she hasn't left him yet.
And Canuck, his wife is American born, but her parents came here from Mexico (wingnuts trot Mrs. Dobbs out as a so-called example of Lou not being racist).
I just googled the name of Mrs. Dobbs, with "wikipedia," and Link #3 is to Stormfront. If I had a stronger stomach I would look and see what bullshit those assholes were saying about her....but no.
who really knows? Maybe Obama really doesn't have a birth certificate that is real? But at the end of the day, who really cares?
the U.S. end up like we have.
What a tragedy.
Thanks to Hollyweird and the wonderful 24 hour infotainment stations.
"Tragic news tonight, but first up, the Michael Jackson circus followed by American I-dull.
there are people. That say's something about our current "State".
there are books. This has to stop.
What are you talking about? He does have a birth certificate that is real!
YES Dobbs is a nut bag but to his credit he says "ILLEGAL ALIEN/IMMIGRANT!" So I'd be willing to bet he has no problem with his wife since she's obviously not "ILLEGAL" Brain meet thought!
Do you haters do this on purpose? at least hate on Dobbs for something real, there's plenty out there with out having to make it up! His birther platform now for starters!
Late,
QSE32
...Red State's missing a contributor.
cause I'm pointing out a fact that you don't want to agree with means I don't make the rules? Okay, then. You must be part of the birther movement cause all the facts in the world meaning nothing to you
Late,
QSE32
bashing is the only thing we have going in this country that's making money.
that conservatives and the Lou Dobbs of the US, would be damn happy with the choices of the Obama admin. Neverending war, corporate bailouts and tax cuts, coupled with massive borrowing. Circumstances or not, he should be a Rethuglican wet dream so far.
We went off the deep end years ago. 04 was the final curtain.
yes i remember that well. i nearly had to take my wife to the hospital for a shot she was so despondent.
we need to recognize what these "birthers" are however. they are the shrill screaming death of a party who gave us this same village idiot twice as our president. these fringers need a home and the republican party is the right place for them.
give me a triple shot of that stuff.
I'm despondent too.
crap in peoples faces 24/7.
I'm never gonna get over Bush, and I haven't enough years left in my life to trust America again, not the way things are going these days.
These are strange times. ;)
a U.S. citizen. They lick their chops contemplating "when it really comes out" and we'll have to do the election all over again!!
My opinion: Birthers are just not very smart.
Now that the flow of brown people is going in the other direction, Lou is extremely desperate finding something to talk about and has resorted to making stuff up. Perhaps he should consider becoming a gossip columnist. There’s a never ending story just with MJ alone.
to instantly distract people from the continuing shenanigans going on.
Look at the wars. They are practically totally off the radar now.
They've got NOTHING else. They actually have to LEGITIMIZE crazy conspiracy theories to slam Obama.
Go for it, Lou. You're only undermining your own credibility. Little tip: trying to out-Fox Fox News isn't going to get you any more viewers. The Democrats already tried being Republican-lite in the '04 election.
How about trying to get viewers by reporting the news. I'd watch it if you did that.
That fat Obama despising racist took zero accountability for being mentioned with the birthers instead blaming the liberal media for his culpability.
I'm not so sure Dobbs is a loon. Like Fox News, I think he's pandering to an audience of loons, in furtherance of an agenda.
Let's just say he is.
What does Obama think of all of this? He can't really say anything about it cause then it lends credibility to it. but by ignoring it he's "dodging it"... What's a prez to do? I would love an uncensored stream of thought from him about it though
Late,
QSE32
He's probably completely ignoring it, as he should. I'd rather he do other things with his time.
But I'm sure he has an opinion no matter how fleeting it is/was.
Late,
QSE32
I'm sure he did. He wondered how America got so fucked up so fast. Perhaps he made a mental note to go after Bush/Cheney and war crimes, knowing 90% of this is their fault.
and let Lewis Black give the response.
For sure!
Late,
QSE32
"...A network spokesperson distanced CNN from Dobbs' crazed radio show, and told Rainey, "On CNN, Lou is an independent reporter who covers stories that people are talking about, and often showcases issues that aren't being covered by the mainstream media.""
This is the kind of cover-your-ass, take no responsibility bullshit for which the corporate media is famous. Memo to CNN honchos - He's on YOUR network; YOUR network is paying him. "Independent reporter" my ass. Jesus! The guy is pushing a crackpot theory that was debunked just a few days earlier by a substitute host ON HIS OWN SHOW! Why is Dobbs still on fucking tv at this point?
Can somebody give me a definition for what exactly constitutes "mainstream media" because I thought that a person appearing on his own show, on CNN, during what amounts to prime time would be "mainstream". I hear this term utilized a lot on shows like O;Reilly's, but I can't understand how a person can reconcile a claim that they are not mainstream, while also arguing that they are high viewership show (like O'Reilly, etc.)???
I think that this birther controversy is emblematic of a greater problem in America, and that is the media itself. It seems to me, as an outside observer (I am a Canadian living in LA), that there is a compulsion within the TV media to use any stories whether true or false to distract the public from the issues that burden them. I say compulsion because to call it anything else, would essentially call it all a big conspiracy.
However, no matter what you think of these distraction stories (Birthers, Michael Jackson, Anna Nicloe, etc, etc.) you can't really argue with the pattern. This just doesn't seem to happen in other countries, even in Canada, where the culture and the people are essentially the same. Why is this occurring in America, at a time where there are so so many real issues to be discussed?
Rob
Because these people are all of the same people that would stand behind W saying, "he's our President doesn't matter if you like him or not show him respect!"
but now that Obama is "not a citizen of America" they can get around that whole respect monologue!
Late,
QSE32
Republicans 2001-2008: "Shut up and support your President!"
Republicans 2009: "He's not our President! Waaaaaaah!"
Rob, the fact is there is a segment of the American population which was always mentally unstable, but really became unhinged with the election of the first African American president. The whole "birther" thing is driven not by the question of whether or not Obama is really a citizen, but rather it is an organized movement, by a small, hardcore cadre of racists, to undermine the President's legitimacy. There is simply a segment of American society which is violently opposed to the very notion of a black president. Distilled down to one sentence, the birther movement can be expressed as: "We don't want no N****r in the White House."
Gene, I completely understand what you're saying and the complete hypocrisy of it all; and the hate that percolates below the surface of this so-called birther movement. However, what I just can't understand is why the media establishment in this country is devoid of REAL stories (read: stories that actually impact everyday American life). This week or month it's the birthers, which will hold them over until someone else dies, which will hold them over until another politician cheats on his wife, and so on and so on. I have to tune into BBC World News America, to get some "news" in a country that boasts countless domestic media outlets that broadcast 24/7; it doesn't make sense.
I mean, really what I am asking is how shitty does the average American's life have to get before they ask for more from their media, and by extension, their political representatives?
Rob, used to be American news programs were separate entities from the entertainment divisions of their respective networks. No longer. Now, network news departments have to generate ad revenue and compete for ratings just like the so called "entertainment" oriented shows. This combined with the fact that news networks like CNN are 24/7, you can see why the purpose of network news is no longer "informing" people of the issues of the day, but rather to fill up time between sponsors' commercials. Americans don't want to be informed; they want to be distracted. Issues like war, healthcare reform, global warming - these are complex issues which require thought and analysis, something Americans simply don't do anymore
John Stewart,,,most trusted man in news now.
zz, that's why I consider "The Daily Show" a stroke of genius. I suspect the creators of TDS could see, even way back when that show first debuted, that the melding of entertainment and news would change forever how people would get their information about the world. That Jon Stewart is considered the most trusted man in news doesn't surprise me; his analysis of current events has often been clearer, more logical, than anything on CNN, ABC, CBS, and certainly FOX
Gene,,, you get more truth from comedy. And it doesn't stop with stewart/colbert. Even seen a clip where Tom Arnold took Hannity to task. Never screw with the funny man,,, they know how to handle hecklers.
Who can forget Danny DeVito on the View talking about "numbnuts"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46wakJ8oggM
But I love Paula Abdul from way back. Have yet to watch more than five minutes of American Idol. But the TV execs gets more response(return on money spent) with her showing up drunk/stoned/strung out than what is happening in the average American life. News,,, Doesn't sell.
I first noticed the "myopic" news approach with the OJ murder trial, when the U.S. only had one news story for a year. There was no internet then.
They tried to pull that crap with the "runaway" bride, and were ridiculed on the internet. They've been having more success with Michael Jackson. But, as they shut off other news on the broadcast medium, it drives more people to the internet medium for news.
I did like that C&L had one little blurb about jackson and that was it. TV news was pretty slow for three days and that sucked cause it's my background noise. I definitely like the internet for that reason!
Late,
QSE32
Lou Dobbs is a hate filled, racist, bloated Republithug Toad. He has no credibility with anyone other than Birthers, Palin supporters and of course Corporate America... which pulls his strings. Why this yahoo is still employed can only be answered by his overlords... in Corporate America. No thinking person puts any faith in what he says, and soon Corporate America will put this over blown windbag out to pasture because he is less and less effective all the time.
There a shitloads of non thinking people
Take the Tour!
The Official Obama Birth Certificate Tour!
-Non-stop to air fair to HI
-Stay at a hotel with a view out your window of the hospital where he was born.
-Guided tour of the county court house records department with a private viewing of the actual birth certificate.
-Buy a copy for only $19.99!
-Visit the newspapers who his posted birth announcements and view the official microfiche.
-Take a van tour of all the locations he lived growing up.
Seeing is Believing!
Other than Fox, what "news" show is more widely panned than CNN?
Every time I hear them call themselves, "America's most trusted news source," my eyeballs bleed.
Yup! Best newsman in America and funny too.
Let's all look the other way like we did with Bush!
That's a great idea!
I'm sure Obama is above reproach!
After all, he's a politician.
And, Dick Cheney's cousin too!
That alone should get him enough tickets to Indonesia to get all of us 'Mericans over there!
We can all go on planes!
We promise, no towers this time.
After all, the whole country's already in flames.
I wonder if the entire United States can pancake into a pile of dust too?
WHAT JOY!
Breaking news! Sources indicate that Obama's birth cirtificate was secretly buried with Michael Jackson's brain. No lie! Larry King's gonna do a one hour special on it - just as soon as Larry finds HIS brain, that is.
Its in his rectal area
Jeez, zz - I could have lived without that image in my head!:-)
Just got done reading Jesse Ventura last month. Would like to see Dobbs debate Governor Ventura. Make the popcorn.
You must be one of the open minded ones here...
Jesse Ventura believes and preaches that 9/11 was an inside job! An organized attempt by our own Government to create a 'false flag' attack to justify a war!
Normally, around here anyways, that immediately makes you as crazy as a 'birther'!
Good for you!
What about GWB and his sealed driving record. What will the birthers say of that!!!
Maybe Obama was born in GWB's car while he was driving to Hawaii....
About as logical as any other story....
Yes, i know you can't 'drive' to Hawaii.
Unless you have alien technology....
Ooooh, full circle....
OBAMA IS AN ALIEN!!!
Michael Jackson killed because he knows the truth...who's next?
I thought so! I've always said, regarding Michael Jackson, "There's a guy who knows too much!"
Of the Warren Commision goes to his grave
Which is that Obama was never actually born at all. He's really a sophisticated android brought to Earth by a conspiracy between the New York Times, Muslim radicals, and the totalitarian government of the planet Xenon! Spread the news and bring on the FEAR!
Actually, last year, at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial dinner, Obama himself did admit that he was not from this planet. He said he was born on the planet Krypton and sent by his father, Jor-El, to "save planet Earth."
Obviously that's code for he was sent here to bring socialism to this country and convert us to Islam.
that aren't being covered by the mainstream media....
Seriously?
You know, no one in the MSM is reporting that the moon is made of green cheese, that Paul McCartney is really, truly dead, or that if you chant "Bloody Mary" into a mirror several times a spirit will come get you.
If I write about those stories on my blog, with that make me an independent reporter?
Because it's pretty much on the same level as Lou's birther endorsement!
Send Lou Dobbs to Faux News!
Jon has demonstrated so clearly another question has to be asked...and I think the representative from California was alluding to it...where was George Bush born? It's all about the fabric of the American dream. Who tried the hardest to destroy it? Barbara Bush is the alien, right? I think I'm on to something.
There are two motives behind this nonsense:
1) Republitards are just sore losers. They used to claim that "Franklin Delano ROSENFELD" was a communist Jew from Moscow, that John Kennedy was a fifth columnist for the Pope, that Bill Clinton had murdered everyone from Vince Foster to Ron Brown, and had raped numerous women with his forked penis.
2) The other motive is far more sinister. The smearing of FDR and JFK as foreign spies, as well likening Clinton to the Antichrist (not only did he kill his "enemies" without leaving a single clue, but his penis had special properties, too) and this business that Obama was born in Kenya were not only used in a failed effort to de-legitimize their presidencies, they were used successfully to incite violent attacks against them, including several assassination attempts. After all, what is a "patriot" supposed to do when a foreign and/or satanic usurper sits in the Oval Office?
The whole "birther" campaign is nothing less than an effort to lay the groundwork for a future assassination attempt on Barack Obama. The people who promote this idiocy need to be held responsible.
His mother was a US citizen. Momma American= Baby is American. Period. Now SHUT THE F@CK UP.
why I love The Daily Show so much!
My god, the rethugs and the birthers and the inbreds are all going insane because a biracial American actually won a Presidential Election fair and square. Dare I say it...Was Bush actually the glue that held these people together, all while helping Cheney destroy this country?
I hate and love sore losers.
Somebody should ask this blithering IDIOT if he ever severed his country in the military (NOT). This Racist COWARD who hides behind Hate speeches and LIES should have his *ss whipped, so he can find out if he is a man or a wanna be man. This piece of garbage is waiting for the Spineless,Gutless, American TRAITOR chinny to start issuing his girlie orders. OH by the BOY (duffus dobbs). I am a retired combat vet. you PUKE and I am real scared when I hear SCUM and TRASH like you and your followers say you want to lead, Sorry we have NO calling for want to be men on their KNEES salivating on your Minnie brain leaders zippers.
In the interim we'll have to settle for Eric Boehlert
I take it this is a compliment, yes?
Mr. Boehlert is one hell of a journalist.
Who hates black people, can't stand we have a black president.
Tough shit.
In a just country this POS would be arrested for inciting hatred of anyone not white.
Know wonder Jon was voted in a poll to be more trusted in the news then katie couric and brian williams buy a large margin he is more trusted to tell the truth.
He did it again here.
republicanism is a mental illness!
Back in the early 60's it was common for Hawaii to issue birth certificates to foreign born residents of Hawaii. The certificate that Obama produced is a short form certificate that only certifies a brist certificate is recorded and on file.
Until we see the actual birth certificate with the hospital and doctors signature, we will not know for sure where he was born. Many foreign born residents of Hawaii hold these certificates.
Other problems I have encountered regarding this issue:
On June 7th, this website reported that the Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu posted on its website
a letter on White House stationery dated January 24th (since scrubbed), in which Obama wrote, "As a beneficiary of the excellence of Kapi'olani Medical Center -- the place of my birth -- I am pleased to add my voice to your chorus of supporters" -- even though Obama himself has previously claimed to have been born at Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, a claim backed up by his sister Maya.
Until June 7th, even United Press International (UPI) and Snopes.com contained statements that Obama was born at the Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu. Here is a screen capture from Snopes.com that says, "Barack Hussein Obama was born at the Queen's Medical Center." Today, Snopes.com claims that "Barack Hussein Obama, was born on 4 August 1961 at the Kapiolani Medical Center." Snopes claims they made the change because Wikipedia made the change.
Also,
Obamba says he was born at Queen's Medical Center:
http://www.theobamafile.com/_images/UPIFirstS...
Obama says he was born at Kapi' olani Medical Center:
http://www.theobamafile.com/_images/UPIThenSa...
These are 2 screenshot of the same UPI article which was changed by UPI
The United States Justice Foundation (USJF) served officials at Occidental College with a subpoena to produce records concerning Barack Obama's attendance there during the 1980's, because those records could document whether he was attending as a foreign national. You see, Mr. Obama attended the school on a scholarship -- and there are questions as to whether the financial aid he received was reserved for foreign students. The Obama attorneys have bent over backward to block us. He doesn't want anyone to see those records. He's STILL trying to hide them; those financial records STILL have not been released.
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