Frist Addresses Tennessee's Birther Problem

Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist attempted to skirt a question on Thursday as to why nearly half the Republicans in his home state of Tennessee believed that President Barack Obama was born in another country. But in an admission that the birthers are becoming problematic for the GOP, the senator stressed that there was a need to reach out and educate those individuals, so as to rebuild the party's brand on modern ideas as opposed to conspiracy theories.

Speaking at a conference in Washington D.C., the Huffington Post asked the former Senator about a recent survey which showed 47 percent of Tennessee Republicans and 34 percent of the entire state thought Obama was constitutionally ineligible to hold office.

Frist replied that there was a need to have "good people [in Washington] get facts out, explain to people, communicate with people, get rid of... a certain arrogance, and listen to real people on the ground."

"When a patient comes in I don't care where they are from or how much money they have. I spend the time and communicate," Frist, a doctor, concluded. "I listen to them and get a more educated populace out there."

After the event concluded, he told the Huffington Post that there was an onus on elected Republican leaders in Washington to reach out and calm some of the more extreme elements of the party.

Frist's comments are another small reflection of a growing recognition among senior voices in the GOP that the inflammatory rhetoric and conspiracy theories directed at the Obama White House are likely not constructive. Earlier in the month, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) called the birthers "crazy" and told them to "knock [the] crap off." This past week, the South Carolina Republican was shouted down by town hall protesters for his position on climate change legislation.

"We're not going to be the party of angry white guys," Graham responded. "If you don't like it, you can leave."

While Frist may see similar demographic problems ahead for the GOP, he pledged on Thursday that he would not be returning to elected office to help the party right the ship.

"I'm not running for governor, vice president, president, any of the cabinet positions. I'll just get that out of the way," he said, at the onset of the conference.

Comments

[itys]

Here is a question (for postman66) that was asked and checked via FactCheck:
http://www.factcheck.org/askfactcheck/does_barack_obama_have_kenyan_citizenship.html

Does Barack Obama have Kenyan citizenship?

No. He held both U.S. and Kenyan citizenship as a child, but lost his Kenyan citizenship automatically on his 23rd birthday.

WAIT. He held both US and Kenya citizenship. hmmmm. Now how can a person with dual citizenship NOT be constitutionally ineligible to hold office.

And I am even using a website that you liberals LOVE to throw at us "birthers" and radical right wingers.

Oh one more thing...

“When Barack Obama Jr. was born on Aug. 4,1961, in Honolulu, Kenya was a British colony, still part of the United Kingdom’s dwindling empire. As a Kenyan native, Barack Obama Sr. was a British subject whose citizenship status was governed by The British Nationality Act of 1948. That same act governed the status of Obama Sr.‘s children.

Since Sen. Obama has neither renounced his U.S. citizenship nor sworn an oath of allegiance to Kenya, his Kenyan citizenship automatically expired on Aug. 4,1984.”

________________________
Given the destructive nature of his plans for America, as illustrated by his speech before Congress and the disastrous spending plan he has presented to Congress, the sooner we learn the truth of all this, the better.

Count me in as one of those inquiring minds who'd at least like to know the answers to these easily answered (by Obama) questions.

[postman66]

I have the answer to your question, but do me a favor so I can save time. Go to the U.S Constitution and C & P the definition (not yours) of a Natural Born Citizen. I'll give you a week.

[itys]

don't have to...Barack Obama Sr. was a British subject whose citizenship status was governed by The British Nationality Act of 1948. That same act governed the status of Obama Sr.‘s children. And since Obama has neither renounced his U.S. citizenship nor sworn an oath of allegiance to Kenya, his Kenyan citizenship automatically expired on Aug. 4,1984.”

Which makes obama a foreign national.

[postman66]

itys I'm a Fan of itys I'm a fan of this user 15 fans permalink

“Before traveling to Pakistan, American Citizens should be aware of the following updated visa requirements: 30 day visas are available at Pakistani airports for tourists only. As these visas are rarely extended beyond the 30 day time per visa. Tourists planning to stay longer should secure visas before coming to Pakistan. Any traveler coming into Pakistan overland from India must repeat must have a valid visa, as 30 day visas are not repeat not issued at the overland border crossing point at Wagha.”

US State Department Travel Advisory for Pakistan in 1981, No. 81-33A

As of July 2009, this myth is still repeated in recent filings by Orly Taitz.

There was no travel ban to Pakistan in 1981. Do you people check anything.

http://nativeborncitizen.wordpress.com/2009/02/11/state-department-travel-advisory-pakistan-1981/

[itys]

You are using a blog that was created by someone NOT of the State Dept. That's like using mediametter or dailykos to support your argument.

Hey Postman, give me something from the Government. Otherwise, shut your p1ehole.

[postman66]

itys I'm a Fan of itys I'm a fan of this user 15 fans permalink
photo

Barack Obama's Passport
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/passport.asp

Read your own link you blithering !d!ot. It says, and I quote "Claim: Barack Obama must have used NON U.S PASSPORT to travel to Pakistan in 1981. FALSE. It then goes into great detail to explain the false rumor and it's origins and the entire second half of YOUR link explains there was NO travel ban to Pakistan and explains the normal U.S State Dept. policy of obtaining a 30 day Visa. It has the same wording as my link. I have never sen anybody make such a f00l of themselves using their own source. You need help, Obama will be around 7 more years. Once again the claim is he used a non U.S Visa, and Snopes explains he used a U.S Passport.

[itys]

Barack Obama's Passport
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/passport.asp

Came across this Snopes article. Interesting reading. Copied some of the text for your enjoyment. click on the link for the full text.

Q: Did he travel to Pakistan in 1981, at age 20?
A: YES, by his own admission.

Q: What passport did he travel under?
A: There are only three possibilities:

1. He traveled with a U.S. Passport,
2. He traveled with a British passport, or
3. He traveled with an Indonesia passport.

Q: Is it possible that Obama traveled with a U.S. Passport in 1981?
A: No. It is not possible.

Pakistan was on the U.S. State Department's "no travel" list in 1981.

Conclusion: When Obama went to Pakistan in 1981 he was traveling either with a British passport or an Indonesian passport.

If he was traveling with a British passport that would provide proof that he was born in Kenya on August 4, 1961, NOT in Hawaii as he claims.

And if he was traveling with an Indonesian passport that would tend to prove that he relinquished whatever previous citizenship he held, British or American, prior to being adopted by his Indonesian step-father in 1967.

Whatever the truth of the matter, the American people need to know how he managed to become a "natural born" American citizen between 1981 and 2008.

[reggieb]

He's a citizen. You're a kook.

[itys]

But wait, there is more...

[earthborg]

you're a tool, then why can't he present a real birth certificate, instead of an electronic copy of after the fact one? Or why did he name two different hospitals at two different locations in two interviews on camera. Why would he think that there were 60 states as he was visiting the 57th one? don't be so naive, seriously. if its this miniscule of a deal he should have no problem showing the original birth certificate or at least acknowledging the suits brought on about it. He won't even make fun of them in public because the facts are out there and he does not want to draw attention to it.

"all governments are lying c***suckers"
-bill hicks

[Perry Clease]

"Your not letting me feeenish, your not letting me feeenish!"

[Pharaoh617]

They GOP created kooks like you. They've been dumbming your type for more then 30 years. It's really not even funny. They created this alternate reality that people like you live in. Where common sense doesn't exist , niether does any type of reasoning period. You kooks have been voting for the intrest of the top one percent that you will never part of . Let alone they would even let you come near there front door. Now you guys have to educated by frost think how insulting that sounds. Than again you guys can't think. You're told what to think..

[earthborg]

The government and professional trade organizations as well as our education system has been dumbing everyone down for years. Left VS ight or liberal VS conservative is a useless framework for understanding whatis going on. The GOP post eisenhower became as crooked as the democratic party who has alway bribed states with congressional spending to cenralize more power into washington, gave us slavery (the denocrats lost the south post civil rights) and jim crow laws, gave us the laws creating the modern corporation, the federal reserve, the income tax, the irs, the fbi, the failed department of education, the fda that does nothing but serve as government stamp on whatever corporations want to shove down our throat, Put us into both world wars, the vietnam war, imminent domain, was responsible for all of our gold being locked away and then given to the federal reserve and they are robbing us right now. oh yeah did you hear about project echelon under bill clinton, who bribed the taliban for his whole presidency. just cuz the gop is corrupt, does not mean your side of the field doesn't smell like crap. we need to kill the 2 party system and accomplish our goals thru state and local governments.

[Redwood Eagle]

You reprinted the RUMOR part. Snopes.com says right at the top that the allegations you just printed are FALSE.

[carolr51]

So typical, birthers fail to see the truth right in front of their eyes.

[lthuedk 1]

http://www.light-to-dark.com/bypass.html

I'm shocked, I tell you. Shocked!

[gnomic]

the birthers aren't a problem for the GOP; they are the GOP. Frist and his ilk are the last vestage of the crowd that invites the barbarians to the party.

[CommonSenseMom]

The problem with TN is their public education system.

The fact that 50% of Republicans think that Obama is a "durn turrrist" is a direct result of it's pathetic public school system. The birther movement is a movement of uneducated fearful white people.

No coincidence that the high school drop out rate in TN is the exact same as the percentage of Republicans in that state.

[hayleylovesyou]

Heeeeeeey, just because 1 in 3 of us are extremely stupid doesn't mean that there aren't talented students and amazing teachers doing their best in the public schools. I think the aging population skews the idiocy statistics toward the set born in the pre-civil rights era, as well as the amazing disparity in education between rural and wealthy areas of the state.

Though I don't know why I'm taking it so personally, since I bussed over an hour one way each day to get to private school in a wealthier county. Or maybe I take it personally because I had to just to get a decent education. Our kids deserve better, and the system is full of bright-eyed young educated locals like myself who are trying to make it better, so let's not mock our effort ... k?

Besides it isn't the school's fault ... its Fox News and Rush and the CHURCHES THE SIZE OF CITY BLOCKS. Really. And no amount of flawless Spanish verb conjugation will change minds when hate is being spewed from the tv, radio and pulpit like it is round here in these parts.

[hayleylovesyou]

OOOh, additionally, my Tennessee high school was an "elite private prep" school that required a vigorous entrance exam ... and a lot of the graduates of this school went on to get their advanced degrees from places like Vanderbilt, Columbia and Georgetown (and/or The University of Tennessee depending on their amount of cash/money) AND THEY ARE STILL AMONG THE BIRTHERS!

Most of the republicans in Middle Tennessee are MBA/Doctor/Lawyers, and they are the rich, rich, rich. And birthers. My software engineer father told me today the government made it illegal for law students to work while in law school. A co-worker informed me last week Obama was going to make the kids go to school from 7 am to 5 pm six days a week and had made summer illegal. I'm a little hazy on where they get their information, I think it starts with "Fox" and ends with "News", but the crazy thing is they really, really, unquestionably believe it.

Which isn't a really reassuring piece of information, and trust me - they were educated enough to be capable of knowing better. So it isn't just the toothless/rednecked - it is just weird and indescribably more complex down here, you guys. So of course criticize away, but don't toss around southern stereotypes to do it.

[LightShadow62]

What I noticed is that Frist said that the birthers were a problem for the GOP not that they were incorrect in their viewpoint.

[earthborg]

it is a simple request, no? just show the original non-electronic document that corresponds to at least one of the places that he claimed to be born. I would think that he should have to bring that to the inauguration with a SS crd seeing as though no one else in thais country cannot do a damn thing without 2-3 forms of ID, right. Total bullshit and people are caught in a hollow political favorite game instead of using actual common sense.

[Boboday555]

My Government put a man on the Moon.
My Government beat the filthy Nazis and the Japanese.
My Government beat small-pox and polio!
My Government built our interstate highway system!
My Government funded Alaska!
My Government runs to every global disaster to save lives.
My Government even allows me to drop an envelope in a mailbox in Maine and have it show up three days later in California...all for 39 cents!

My government is awesome just so long as long as there isn't an un-Americans republican in the Oval Office trying to destroy it!

Republicans are not really American!

[reggieb]

39 cents?

[StillAmused]

"... he told the Huffington Post that there was an onus on elected Republican leaders in Washington to reach out and calm some of the more extreme elements of the party."

... like the discount shaman who 'diagnosed' the late Terry Schiavo (may she rest in peace) from the Senate floor and led the whacko GOP rescue party?

Someone fire up the chainsaw... the hypocrisy is choking the forest.

[jafsie]

Exactly!

"When a patient comes in I don't care where they are from or how much money they have. I spend the time and communicate," Frist, a doctor, concluded. "I listen to them and get a more educated populace out there."

In fact, they don't even need to come in; apparently he had the ability to diagnose Terry Schiavo after having seen a thirty-second video of her on television. Don't remember hearing his apology when the autopsy later revealed her brain had turned to slurry.

And he sets himself ABOVE the birthers. Hah!

[Boboday555]

The GOP; al Qeada without the smell!

[earthborg]

wow that almost makes sense if you have fetal alcohol syndrome and lead poisoning. not that i am into the gop but seriously, you are a tool.

[SimianNation]

"When a patient comes in I don't care where they are from or how much money they have. I spend the time and communicate," Frist, a doctor, concluded. "I listen to them and get a more educated populace out there."

So, by listening and communicating with his constituents, he can educate them to the truth about the President and his citizenship. Now, with that prescription for a healthy and educated population having been said, WHAT HAS HE DONE TO IMPLEMENT IT?

It's one thing to talk as if you really care, but really, what has he done to aggressively erase such ignorant and racially motivated perspectives? I would say nothing.

This is all talk on his part to separate himself from the Birther movement, but not enough to lose their votes. Again, politics over national health.

[Boboday555]

The GOP had two full years to investigate President Obama during the campaign.
If, in those two years, the confederate clowns couldn't verigy a birth certificate, then how could they possibly stop 9/11?
Face it birhters, your claims only point a spot light on your inability to protect this nation!
National Security experts my arse!

President Clinton caught the first chimps who bombed the Trade Center...how'd the searhc for bin Laden go when your AWOL President was at the helm?
I see.

These neo-confederate clowns couldn't secure a junior high school prom much less and entire nation!
Go back to your Civil War re-enactments and your gone With The Wind commemorative plate sales leave the security of this nation to those who actually love this country!

[Bongborg]

"We're not going to be the party of angry white guys," Graham responded. "If you don't like it, you can leave."

Lindsay, dear, it's a little late for that. You have been the party of angry white guys since 1981 at least. And since 2000, the party of angry stupid white guys.

[Boboday555]

Bingo!
The GOP is quickly becoming a party that is Gone With the Wind!

[reggieb]

and frankly, MissLindsey, we don't give a da mn

[psmarc93]

Golorski, Miss Lindsey! Now that the birthers, the racists, the dyed in the wool war mongers and torturers are costing your party elections and money and a future, you come out against them! Your party cultivated these freaks, courted them, in hope that they might be the new "base" for an utterly humiliated and decimated GOP. Not that you ever agreed with them, but you'd pander to anyone or anything for a vote. Now you shortsightedly realize these morons are futher killing your chances for election and NOW you're against them -- well, at least YOU are, the majority of the GOP hasn't read the polls... must be hard to realize one's party is smaller than one believed. In short, it's too late. You've proven yourself craven ever since Terry Schaivo and any recent epiphany about the birthers is not based on the fact that these kooks are WRONG, but that they're bad for you. When you begin to show the slightest interest in doing something to help the country, the country will begin to the slightest interest in what you have to say.

[ProudProfiteer]

While I completely disagree with the birther movement, I find it extremely hilarious that the Democrats are acting so appalled at conspiracy theories. Weren't we told that Bush stole the election twice, and also the gov't was behind 9/11. Pot meet kettle.

http://www.proudprofiteer.com

[jafsie]

I don't know a single Democrat who has ever voice the opinion that "the gov't was behind 9/11."

[ProudProfiteer]

Are you serious? Obama just had to fire Van Jones because of that belief, and I'm not talking about Democratic politicians, just like this article isn't talking about Republican politicians.

[billyfitz]

There is a decent amount of evidence that bush actually did steal his first election by disenfranchising African American voters using various sneaky tricks created by Carl Rove. That stuff happened. I would say it goes way beyond a conspiracy theory and is more an arguable probability.

The birthers, however, fly in the face of facts. You can't fairly compare the two.

[earthborg]

actually birthers are asking for a non-electronic, original, non 3 day after birth certificate to corroborate one fact. not hat insane really. the president does not have to show an original birth certificate but i did to get a drivers license, along with many other legal privileges. think. both sides are dumb, but your is dumber because you fail to see the reasonable logic being blinded by political favoritism.

[Cookie100]

Hamletsmill wrote and it's worth repeating:
It will slowly form drop by drop over time through the hearts and minds of millions of people as in a mist. Drop by drop the tide is going to go out to the horizon over the next several years. There will then be silence and absolute stillness for a moment frozen in time. And when the wave comes back in to the shore there will be a tsunami of such astounding magnitude that it will sweep away corporatism in our politics forever and drown many. The old politics will be gone. The "SANE DEAL" will come from the grassroots up.

It will be very slow to build. But it will be built from the ground up via the interconnectedness of the Internet by 6,000 counties at the grass roots of the United States. It will COMPLETELY bypass the Corporate MSM and Corporate Fund Raising. It will practice localization not globalization. It will understand permaculture. And it will be very successful for the next 100 years.

*SEE HIS POST FOR BALANCE

**********************************
EISENHOWER WARNED ABOUT THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX. IF ANY OF YOU THINK O CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT, OR WALL ST, YOU ARE WRONG. THEY'LL OFF HIM SO FAST YOUR HEAD WILL SPIN.
SOCIAL JUSTICE IS ALL HE CAN MANAGE, PRES' ARE ONLY FIGURE HEADS ANYMORE, ONLY FOR SOCIAL MATTERS. THEY WANT WAR, NOT HIM!

[HamletsMill]

Yes. You are right Cookie100. They are indeed formidable and they always possess Dealy Plaza capability. But I preach unto you that the New Technology cannot be stopped! It is mass. The New Cosmic Message is now "On the Radio" as was so brilliantly portrayed in the kick ass Zoroastrian film "O Brother Where Art Thou". You just have to tune into the archetypal Christian symbolism in the camera work. It is the ancient archetypal tale of Ulysses set to 1930's Depression Era America. As the cosmic tale of Ulysses, it is about the journey from the base line chain gang consciousness to liberation in the passage into a New World Age. This is what is now happening everywhere and it cannot be stopped. Many are getting off the chain gang and getting on the new railroad to somewhere else. The flood of consciousness is coming now that the new message is a hit record "on the radio". Damn! I just loved that movie!

It went completely over the heads of most people alive today. But in the future it will be understood as a wonder and a prodigy. The Moby Dick ending was right out of Herman Melville on LSD! Pure Americana! I just loved it! So DO NOT FEAR! Even the Military Industrial Complex of the United States that President Eisenhower warned us about IS GOING DOWN TOO when the dam breaks and the flood comes in.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifdgrfr0Bkk