There was a time not so long ago when self-professed “liberals” and “progressives” applauded each other’s superciliousness by demonizing every conservative who dared question the birthplace of Barack Obama.
They haughtily declared themselves above the “obviously racist” intent of those who disputed a “certificate of live birth” as having the same merit as an actual “birth certificate.”
Moreover, they dismissed the fact that, at the time of Barack Obama’s birth, the law stated that a candidate eligible for President must be born of a parent who has been a citizen for at least ten years, five of which must occur after the age of 14. Barack’s mother was 18 when he was born.
“Birthers” was the invective created to disparage these critics, which both liberals and moderate Democrats sneered at as a new was to pass the time.
Then, something funny happened on the way to the 2016 Presidential election - birther belittlers became birthers themselves.
The President’s spokesperson, Josh “Not So” Ernest, began quoting Donald Trump questioning Ted Cruz’ nationality.
He took it upon himself to forward the notion that Republican Cruz may not be eligible to become president, as he was born in Canada to an American citizen (who was in her mid-thirties at the time, making Cruz a natural citizen per relevant law.)
A Democratic member of Congress recently stated to a national audience that he will file an eligibility lawsuit should Cruz be the Republican nominee.
Democrats flooded social media with claims that Cruz is not a natural citizen, giving birth to their own birthed movement questioning the citizen status of an Hispanic American.
Add to this the racist cartoon of liberal Ann Telnaes depicting the Hispanic daughters of Ted Cruz as dark-skinned monkeys and you have a very real embodiment of the worst of the Democratic Party.
The point of the conservative birthed movement was to invalidate President Obama’s policies by invalidating his election. It wasn’t the most erudite of schemes, as next-in-line Vice President Joe Biden would simply go through the motions of repeating Barack’s failed policies.
The point of the liberal birther movement seems to be to invalidate the campaign of the man they suspect would garner more votes against their candidate than Donald Trump.
If this is their way of protecting Hillary Clinton, they’d better look at the most recent polls. The less scandalous Bernie Sanders is currently leading Hillary in both New Hampshire and Iowa.
Or perhaps they’re just so cranky about President Obama’s status being questioned that they’re ready to go howling after Ted Cruz with pitchforks and torches.
The problems for Democrats are two-fold.
First, a Democratic member of Congress challenging Ted Cruz’ citizen status in court means the party would own the birthed movement as much as the conservatives who filed suits against Obama.
Second, owning this movement tattoos the party with the indelible hypocrite scrawls.
So much for years of holier-than-thou back pats for always supporting the minority candidate and sneering down their noses at those who would challenge Obama’s eligibility status. After all, the only explanation why Republicans were so doggedly determined to discredit his ability to be president was some nefarious underlying hatred for the man, or so Democrats would have you believe.
So, using their own presumptions, what would be their own nefarious underlying hatred driving their dogged determination to discredit the Republican’s very eligibility to be considered a candidate for President?
Perhaps it’s revenge. Perhaps it’s something deeper, as depicted by the pen of Ann Telnaes. Perhaps there is a disdain for American minorities who refuse to follow the dictates of the Democratic Party.
Sheriff David Clarke of Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, maintains Democrats keep minorities in their party with “plantation politics.”
African-American women Lynnette Hardaway and Rochelle Richards went viral with their “ditch the Democratic plantation” YouTube video.
In his State of the Union Address, President Obama asked, “How do we make our politics reflect the best in us, not the worst?”
I suspect his own answer to that question is, “I got nuthin’.”
Contact Rick at rick@wdel.com, or follow him on Twitter @Jensen1150WDEL