GOP Picks One-Time "Birther" To Rebut Obama's Health Care Speech [UPDATED]

UPDATE: An eagle-eyed reader points out that Boustany, after espousing his "Birther" views on camera, below, caved and retracted his statement on a Louisiana KPEL radio show.

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Louisiana Rep. Charles Boustany will be delivering the GOP response to President Obama's address to a joint session of Congress tonight. The Washington Post says that it's a "somewhat surprising pick in that he is little-known nationally and not part of the Republican leadership in Congress."

What is known about Boustany is that he is a heart surgeon. Somewhat ironically, Boustany is also the co-sponsor of the "Life Sustaining Treatment Preferences Act of 2009" which would mandate that Medicare reimburse the cost of end-of-life counseling -- the so-called "death panels."

But the most "surprising" aspect to the choice of Boustany is the fact that he is a Birther!

Back on July 27, guerilla videographer Mike Stark posted a video on this site in which he sought out the "Birthers on the Hill." As you will see, Charles Boustany shows up at about the 0.27 mark.

WATCH:

BOUSTANY: Well, it's certainly being looked at.

STARK: What do you personally believe, I mean -- do you think there's a question here?

BOUSTANY: I think there are questions, we'll have to see.

Those who have followed the ebb and flow of the "Birther" movement over the summer recognize that it is the most extreme product of the right-wing fringe, so much so that the lion's share of respectable conservatives eschew this idiocy as a matter of course. That's why it makes so little sense that the GOP would choose to rebut Obama's health care address flying under the Birther banner.

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Comments

[tele757]

12:25 AM on 09/22/2009

tax, debt, waste failure. Can you isolate a time in history when this was not the case. It seem to do more with lack of growth which can offset lower/higher taxes-so it's not taxes alone.?
What happened when the Japanese gov't tried their hands at bailouts.
The biggest handout has been affirmative action.
What proof do the readers-many laymen have to think that imposing tax penalties on small biz, and cap and tax-are deemed worthy when we are in this much deb. Where is it fiscally prudent or actionable for prompting a growth--by bailing out insurance banks, and 2ndary mortgage markets. All the major commercial banks are balancing their sheets and doing fine. Layman, or not -you would have to have the economic sensibility of a handle ball not to see that growing the debt several times over in response to an issue that Laureate and noble Prize winners in finance people in the field denounce. There is a longitudinal study called history which shows that economic stability cannot be fostered with a man made approach that destroys competitive markets, and fixes prices.

[tele757]

12:07 AM on 09/22/2009

If everyone else has had to provide an original in he past (i don;t know that if in the past a re-issue short form would or has sufficed) then this would be an acceptable question to pose to Obama. The fact that he is black, and has African decent, and born no here in the continental us should not have any bearing.

What is true, is that the long form original document--no one has seen it! Is it possible that he really was not born in Hawaii, While it does not keep me up at night-it does not diminish a possible causal probability. You cannot discount it. I''d believe it over someone saying that there is water on Mars. on the surface, it seems befitting that this guy who bred himself on transparency has yet, one more check on appearance on impropriety. The main issue, is he took his eyeoff the ball w/ economy-his policies directly derail any positive natural free market solution, and make it less friendly for biz to hire, and reinvest. He sells the same "sucker product" to a society that lives in denial of people who don;t understand how politicians simply usurp power for their own agenda. I would deduce that a large % of people posting on here, either don't run a biz, probably freelance writers.. Not enough time for b.s and wasting time, when it affect s all of us--and that is what Obama has been doing.

[tele757]

12:07 AM on 09/22/2009

You guys are let your emotions skewer the real implications about Obama over-leveraging himself to fix a problem that has been proven unfix-able by throwing money at this reform. It has been shown, objectively through an objective board of review that looked at whether this would fix health-care -or potentially hurt it more, and destroy true competition. Unless your a glutton for punishment, and love Monday day quarterbacking- when you have been duped-why would you entrust any govn't figure-let alone Obama -the guy who never once shies away from the smallest appearance of impropriety..why would u allow this guy to sell the farm (our children s future, all of our money) to solve something an independence finance commission said would not lower costs and improve healthcare,, and other nations who have tried this. On another note, I understand the self serving psychology that is part in parcel with all conspiracy theorists. However, objectively speaking as merely a fact. NO one has ever seen is Long Form original birth certificate document which is said to reside in Hawaii (it shows hospital, time of birth, signed by consulting physician) . All that was ever provided was a re-issue of his birth certificate. Now, do I feel this warranted now to look into, no!. But it was a valid point when he was running.

[Paul Baack]

02:31 PM on 09/10/2009

I'm sorry, I can't take seriously any grown-up man who wears Little Lord Fauntleroy collars on his shirt. (Unless they were to go with the "lordship" title he tried to purchase some years back.) What a maroon.

[Shayrae]

01:10 PM on 09/10/2009

Howdy Doody Jindal, The Birther Rebutter, Joe Wilson, the Shouter, Palin theDeather/Voucher Queen. The Cons sure are getting classy these days. What a party!

[lisaman]

12:26 PM on 09/10/2009

Perfect. Why am I not surprised?

[OurAnnoyingWorld]

12:06 PM on 09/10/2009

Classy choice. Birthers are a wacky bunch, at least they have a leader so that's nice. Here's a funny article on why the "Birthers" need to put some pizzaz into their conspiracy. You need to cut and paste the link: www.ourannoyingworld.com

[lisaman]

12:31 PM on 09/10/2009

The link did not work.

[ctman47]

08:32 AM on 09/10/2009

Lord Bustany after listening to your convoluted logic and denial of reality there is only one thing to say.
I have an English title I would be glad to see you for $68,500

[Rmath]

08:17 AM on 09/10/2009

What alternative did they have to give the GOP rebuttal? Jindal? A discredited Sarah Palin?

The "short list" of qualified republican spokespeople is getting shorter.

[Stanislaw]

10:51 AM on 09/11/2009

That "short list" is looking more and more like a "short bus" every day.

[twiggy2]

08:07 AM on 09/10/2009

forget these people they are a waste of time - we need to get the video of robert reich explaining public option to everyone we know. it would be great if bill maher and jon stewart played it on their shows.

[smark]

08:06 AM on 09/10/2009

I guess his scheme to buy the title of "Lord" didn't work out for him!

[Bongborg]

06:04 PM on 09/10/2009

You cannot buy a title, all you can do is buy the land and estate associated with it.

[glorialovelace]

07:46 AM on 09/10/2009

It's very ironic that the GOP should choose Boustany -- who is Vicki Reggie Kennedy's cousin -- as their anti-health care guy.

Do you suppose he was picked for that reason?

[BadgersBite]

07:26 AM on 09/10/2009

They picked another demagoon to do their bidding - and a birther to boot.

[ThinkCreeps]

07:02 AM on 09/10/2009

It sure looks like you don't need to be a brain surgeon to be a heart surgeon.

[mcmutter]

05:02 AM on 09/10/2009

send all the troops you want to Iraq and Afghanistan...the rest of the world is laughing at us...they watch all our stupidity on tv and realize our empire is failing....