Sarah Palin's 'birther' flirtation: least surprising news today
We all know by now that the partial-term Alaska governor is a score settler. So naturally, Sarah Palin sees President Obama's birth certificate authenticity as fair game because, hey, people had questions about baby Trig too:
Would you make the birth certificate an issue if you ran?
I think the public, rightfully, is still making it an issue. I don’t have a problem with that. I don’t know if I would have to bother to make it an issue ’cause I think there are enough members of the electorate who still want answers. ...
I mean, truly, if your past is fair game and your kids are fair game, certainly Obama’s past should be. I mean, we want to treat men and women equally, right?
Hey, you know, that’s a great point, in that weird conspiracy-theory freaky thing that people talk about that Trig isn’t my real son. And a lot of people say, “Well you need to produce his birth certificate! You need to prove that he’s your kid!” Which we have done. But yeah, so maybe we could reverse that and use the same [unintelligible]-type thinking on them.
I have to ask: Is the fact that Palin uttered something so nutty really surprising? At this point, our ability to feel taken aback by anything Palin does (barring some kind of Arianna Huffington-esque political conversion) is pretty worn out. She could come out and say the Earth is 10,000 years old, that gays can be "cured," that the president pals around with terrorists or that some parts of the country are more "pro-America" than others (correction: the last two she actually said). We'd roll our eyes and perhaps indulge in the guilty pleasure that comes with feeling a little less small-minded those who seek power. But surprised?
Read Palin's response, posted on Facebook, here. In the introductory paragraph of the Hotair post that I linked to above, writer "Allahpundit" offers a good perspective; here's the link again.
-- Paul Thornton
Trig is not Sarah Palin's biological child. It's time for Sarah to produce his birth certificate, along with the medical records she refused to provide when she was running for VP.
Posted by: Trig is Not Sarah's Child | December 04, 2009 at 01:50 PM
I always thought this part was the most interesting piece of her statement:
"And a lot of people say, “Well you need to produce his birth certificate! You need to prove that he’s your kid!” Which we have done."
Really? Where? When?
Posted by: Dave | December 04, 2009 at 01:51 PM
Shame on you Paul for this hack job of an "opinion" piece.
Honestly did you really, really write this? Or did your 8 year old daughter figure out your password on your MAC?
No wonder the LA Times subscriptions are falling faster than I can type this.
Tim
Los Angeles
Posted by: Tim | December 04, 2009 at 02:06 PM
Sarah is absolutely correct. Whether or not Sarah has produced Trig's birth certificate isn't a big deal, but the fact that people ask Sarah to produce his birth certificate, but do not do the same for Obama, is just ridiculous. Whether or not if Trig is Sarah's son(I'm sure he is!), doesn't make sarah ineligible to run for President or Vice President, but what Barack Obama's birth certificate does.
Posted by: you liberals are nuts | December 04, 2009 at 02:14 PM
Heck I wanna see her high school diploma
Posted by: ProgressiveChic | December 04, 2009 at 02:16 PM
The REAL question that EVERYBODY wants to know -- is Sarah Palin REALLY Sarah Palin? I believe she is actually Sarah Fey, Tina's older sister, born in Greece or, maybe, grease!
Posted by: Michael | December 04, 2009 at 02:20 PM
She frightens me.
Posted by: fiesta10 | December 04, 2009 at 02:20 PM
Amazed and surprised at the double standard that some people show in this country. Let's all get on the Palin Bash Wagon. It's the popular thing to do. I'm still utterly amazed at how the media in this country steer the sheep. The fact is that Obama is friends with an admitted terrorist. I fight these people daily and it offends me that this man (Mr. Ayers) never served time for his admitted crimes.
Posted by: Jesse | December 04, 2009 at 02:23 PM
I need my original birth certificate to get a drivers license,but Obama doesn't have to produce one to become my President.If you don't see something wrong with that.You my friend are a class A Moron
Posted by: Michael DeGennaro | December 04, 2009 at 02:23 PM
I have to ask: Is the fact that Palin uttered something so nutty really surprising?
--------------------
yeah nutty huh... people want to see some proof. Imagine that.
which prompts me to ask, Is the fact that an article written this nutty from the LA Times really surprising?
Posted by: Hukk | December 04, 2009 at 02:27 PM
As a male feminist - who feels women should run this world - Palin has set back the long overdue escalation of women in politics 50 years.
It's not her fault - she is what she is - but it continues to amaze me that FOX and friends give her credibility. If the old saying "anything is possible" is true would America commit national suicide? America came within a few percentage points of electing a 72 year old President with Palin just a heartbeat away from the Presidency. Which leads to the question can a President be impeached for being stupid?
Posted by: coralights | December 04, 2009 at 02:28 PM
response to you liberals are nuts question about President Obama's birth certificate.
You can go to factcheck .org and view a copy of the Presidents birth certificate. Also, if you hunt the internet a bit you can find his birth announcement from the archives of at least one Hawaiin newspaper. His certificate has been produced and is easily verifiable to anyone who wishes to make the most superficial check.
Posted by: wornsmooth | December 04, 2009 at 02:29 PM
this really shouldn't be a liberal vs conservative debate. Sarah Palin is a moron and anyone that thinks differently is getting manipulated like a teenager watching mtv. Maybe everyone should watch the katie couric interview for a reminder. Can we please stop hearing about her?
Posted by: kellyp | December 04, 2009 at 02:30 PM
Get a life...... have you nothing more to think about????????
Posted by: Linda Taylor | December 04, 2009 at 02:31 PM
can we see sarah palin's academic credentials, let's say high school? i think public is rightfully making it an issue. or at least it should. It's a fair game imo.
Posted by: bryan patterson | December 04, 2009 at 02:31 PM
Basically, you are the only opinion that is right... and you dislike anyone that crosses yours? Sounds like a hypocritical approach. I guess Ms. Palin is right about you.
Posted by: carlos navarrete | December 04, 2009 at 02:34 PM
This newspaper sucks.
Posted by: Larry A | December 04, 2009 at 02:34 PM
Jesse, so Obama is friends with terrorists yet you don't mention that the Bush family has been friends with the Bin Ladens for over 40 years?
And you want to talk about double standards? I mean Bush PERSONALLY calle dteh Bin Laden family and told them to high tail it out of town on 9/12, they lived in Texas at the time.
Posted by: US Marine | December 04, 2009 at 02:35 PM
Is Obama really a citizen... one will never know unless he produces it... Like Tiger Woods!... We will never know how many woman he's slept with unless he comes out an confesses it.
I think all it would take for Obama to put this to rest is "produce the dang birth certificate" Once thats done... its all over. Case closed! Simple isn't it!
I doubt it will every happen with this "most open administration ever to exist".. duh.. Tell me another one.. I might believe it... HOPE AND CHANGE!...
Posted by: T | December 04, 2009 at 02:35 PM
What a lot of cheap shots. Embarassing.
Posted by: ron | December 04, 2009 at 02:36 PM
I need my original birth certificate to get a drivers license,but Obama doesn't have to produce one to become my President.If you don't see something wrong with that.You my friend are a class A Moron
Posted by: Michael DeGennaro | December 04, 2009 at 02:23 PM
In response: He has to show it to the secret service, not to the American people. Since when do you have to show your birth certificate to the whole country??
Posted by: jay | December 04, 2009 at 02:36 PM
And why do people keep forgetting that the great state of Hawaii DID produce his BC when asked?
Damn Wingnuts are clueless
Posted by: US Marine | December 04, 2009 at 02:36 PM
You liberal scumbags are all alike. You're all scared to death of Palin, trying to focus attention on nutty things that have no relevance whatsoever. Who cares if any of her kids are biologically hers, she's paying to raise them and preparing them for their future, that makes her their mom. Let's instead focus on something important. Show the documents that prove Obama is legally eligible to be president. If there is nothing to hide, why is this a big deal for all of you? If you played by your own rules, we'd see his birth certificate, marriage license, grade reports, diplomas, income tax returns, etc. The fact that these documents are not released to the public causes many Americans to suspect there is much to hide. Shut down your propaganda machine and tell the truth, if you have nothing to hide.
Posted by: Patriot | December 04, 2009 at 02:36 PM
Pathetic piece of library slanderous slop
Posted by: mr tim | December 04, 2009 at 02:37 PM
It is no more eligibility issue. Obama is the president now. It is the credibility issue. So it applies to both Obama and Palin.
People brought up untruth is not seeking for truth just trying to damage their credibility, even if just little bit, it works.
Posted by: Jon | December 04, 2009 at 02:40 PM
Hello Jesse. Who is the sheep? You are parroting (lying) media. Obama is not friends with Bill Ayers. Their connection is very slight. If you count their level of connection as "friendship" then Bush and Rumsfeld were good buddies with Saddam Hussein and Bin Laden. Remember, politicians can't be responsible for everyone they shake hands with or serve on a board with. Again, if you held Bush or others to that standard, they are "friends" with dozens of convicted criminals and terrorists (Enron anyone?). Just Google this and get your news from someone other than Limbaugh or your pastor, this issue is so old and overwrought, I can't believe there are still people parroting these myths. Are you paid to do this?
And why do Palin supporters have such a persecution complex? She's not persecuted, she selling millions of books because of all of the attention. She gets exactly the same amount of scrutiny as any public figure. And I don't think she gets it hard enough, any time someone gets tough, she cries sexism.
Posted by: Christopher Talbott | December 04, 2009 at 02:40 PM
Oh Please I am begging you Sarah Palin - please go away!!!
Posted by: Lynn Martin | December 04, 2009 at 02:41 PM
-T
You are a mental case...how about looking up the info yourself instead of spewing Palin's lies? Hawaii produced Obama's BC as soon as the state was asked...try Google, it is your friend.
Posted by: US Marine | December 04, 2009 at 02:41 PM
Nothing about Palin suprises me except that people give her a pulpit at all. If she looked like Kay Bailey Hutchison her own party wouldn't pay attention to her. As they do for KBH and other republican women. But she gets all this TV time and some book deal because she's not yet a withered old bag? Nice.
I'm with the two other commenters, I think it's possible that child, Trig, is the result of family inbreeding amongst Papa and Bristol Palin. If that's not true, Sarah, just publicly present the birth certificates and the results or some DNA tests and we can all move past this. I'm not saying he is or isn't, I couldn't possibly know. I just think it's something relevant to her political life that she seems to be hiding. I'm going to go cry like Glenn Beck now. I hope you're happy!
Posted by: Don't be stupid | December 04, 2009 at 02:42 PM
Post by Michael DeGennaro is right on. Paul Thornton is a moron. I personaly think Obama was born in Hawaii as claimed, but Thornton's snide comments about Sarah P. are typical of Left Coaster vitriol.
Posted by: Chazman | December 04, 2009 at 02:42 PM
This must be the LA Times, because all of your hearts are bleeding. Egads, she didn't bring up this issue, she answered someone else's question. Let it go.
Posted by: gregorio | December 04, 2009 at 02:43 PM
Who cares about Palin, she is a no body!
Posted by: thomasAlex | December 04, 2009 at 02:43 PM
I'm still waiting, along with thousands of others, for Glenn Beck to prove once and for all that he did not father Trig in room 436 at the Miami Hilton while visiting the Palins there.
There is undeniable proof that he went into that room and left a couple hours later.
He has not proven that he used any kind of protection, either. None of the store clerks in the vicinity of the hotel claim to have sold him any condoms, so that should prove something, too.
Posted by: overdue | December 04, 2009 at 02:44 PM
Mr. Thornton, of course Palin cannot produce Trig's birth certificate. Everyone knows little Trig was born in Kenya!
Posted by: Len | December 04, 2009 at 02:44 PM
When will you dog hounds learn? at! the Alaska was not even issue of chairman mao isn't my constitution. Yep, sure is birth certified live ammo with tax babies Obama's hitler's moustachio socialisto nazis with fact's that can't freedom like guns my ammo isn't gay marriage, true American shadow lies says anything to be liberal dogs, see? Yep, guess so% Tax just wait to see how terrorist play on "reeboks' with o`bamagate` rappers and whites with black whites?! . Yep, thought so.
Posted by: garcho | December 04, 2009 at 02:46 PM
Once again (not that it will do any good):
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/birthcertificate.asp
Posted by: Neil | December 04, 2009 at 02:55 PM
Does anyone remember the birther issue WAS taken to the US Supreme Court, which refused to hear it, and which let the lower court ruling stand? If the Supreme Court did not think it worthy of taking up, then why are wetalking about it again? This issue is DEAD, DEAD, DEAD! This is why conservatism is dying fast! (especially when you call liberals "scumbags"!) The only thing scary about Sarah Palin is her astounding lack of reasoning ability and the significant (but small) number of supporters that find that attractive! Go find a credible conservative to fly your banner! Let her go back to obscurity.
Posted by: Darwin | December 04, 2009 at 02:56 PM
"Score settler" is such a nicer term than "vengeful witch" so you are real gentleman to use it for Ms. Palin. But please refrain from stories about her as it only encourages her. At some point, she and her supporters need to see that not only is she completely unfit to serve in elected office but that the majority of Americans think she's a joke unleashed on us to distract from the Republican's lack of a base.
Posted by: Ann | December 04, 2009 at 03:05 PM
Also, Palin is lying, she has never produced any document that verifies Trig is her child. Nothing, Google this, look around, I don't tend to buy conspiracies, but this one is intriguing. Even her staffers did not know she was pregnant.
In my opinion, people who love Palin are in for some shocks in the years ahead.
Posted by: Christopher Talbott | December 04, 2009 at 03:06 PM
You Liberals never fail to entertain the masses. Sara Palin needs to produce Trigs birth certificate? Are you mad? Is trig running for office? Is he potentially or otherwise in a position of influence? Again, have you all lost your senses? Trigs biological parents is not a matter which is of concern as outlined in the constitution of our great country as a means of protecting our national intrests. This is totally irrelevant, why can you libby's not get this. Conversely, Obama's true nationality is a matter of national security of which the Constitution seeks to protect. Ergo, because this country's government is set forth as being by "the people", "of the people", and "for the people" then "we the people" have a right to know if our national interests and national security has been comprimised. The Hawiian birth certificate so many of you elude to is not the official US docuement of birth but rather one issued by a hospital. I say this to Obama, "produce your official version, the one you hold on our person, and all of us foolish conservatives will shut up!" Yes, prove me wrong, I don't have so much pride that I can not admit when I am wrong. I, like so many other freedom loving Americans who still hold our flag, our country and our constitution in high regard just want unequivical, rock solid proof. Just show us!
Posted by: A Matter of Constitutional concern. | December 04, 2009 at 03:07 PM
I'm openly Gay, former Dem, Former Repub. I own a small business...and I do not trust the media's coverage over this issue. Why is it OK to treat Palin this way and the then give Obama a free pass on every single issue. As I predicted to my friends of all political persuasions: the media that selectively covered Obama and his questionable associations to prop him and ensure his "selection", (which it did), will now refuse to cover important events and ask difficult questions through state controlled media-style tactics. Think ClimateGate.
I am so tired of some many gays covering for this fool who I believe is turning our great Nation towards Marxism.
If you can't debate her using logic, then don't. We all know that Saul wrote the book on how to disarm your enemies: ridicule. Its not working.
How dare you put down Americans for wanting no doubt on this issue?
I am not attacking you for your foolish vote. I am attacking this fool in the WH who does not know how to lead.
Posted by: Gregory Jones | December 04, 2009 at 03:07 PM
OK so here is the deal. Palin has no intention of running for President, or probably any other office. She found the experience way too unpleasant to ever want to do it again. The only reason that Palin isn't publically ruling out a Presidential bid is that she knows her paying fans will abandone her as soon as they know she isn't going to run. Palin made the clear cut, and quite rational, decision to leave office because her agent told her that she needed to strike while the iron was hot. She has several million fans who will buy her book (well that book with her picture and name on it, that is actually written by someone else), listen/watch her talk show (assuming she gets one, Rupert is not a big fan of women), make her money. Those fans are excited primarilly because they think that Palin is relevent. As soon as they discover she is yesterdays news they will run to the next great white hope.
This is about money folks, nothing else. Palin is worth money, that is why she quite being governor of Alaska, why she had a book written about her, why she is doing a book tour, etc. The American people have a short attention span and she needs to make her money as fast as she can while the attention is still on her. Nobody in rational political circles harbors any illusions that she could actually win a national election. She might be able to win a Senate seat in Alaska, but she could never win enough states to pull off the Presidency, and she and her handlers know it better than I do.
Posted by: captbilly | December 04, 2009 at 03:16 PM
Why is this empty skirt still in the news? This lady is a mental midget and is simply picking the pockets of some of the country's poorest thinkers.
Save the news hole for something more newsworthy.
Posted by: Wil | December 04, 2009 at 03:17 PM
Posted by: overdue
I'm still waiting, along with thousands of others, for Glenn Beck to prove once and for all that he did not father Trig in room 436 at the Miami Hilton while visiting the Palins there.There is undeniable proof that he went into that room and left a couple hours later.He has not proven that he used any kind of protection, either. None of the store clerks in the vicinity of the hotel claim to have sold him any condoms, so that should prove something, too.
I feel sorry for Trig because of this uncontested evidence, and I hope he has a good future. He does look like Glenn Beck, but he also has some of Joe the Plumber's features. I haven't heard either one of them denying being involved in the tryst uncovered by "overdue".
Posted by: The Advocate | December 04, 2009 at 03:25 PM
To "A Matter of Constitutional concern" and "Gregory Jones",
Is this proof enough for you:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/obama/birthcertificate.asp
Posted by: Neil | December 04, 2009 at 03:32 PM
To Gregory Jones - one cannot debate one who is illogical, with logic. Does that make sense? Probably not to you, and probably not to the rest of Palin supporters.
I was gonna suggest you take a nickel and go buy a clue, but why waste a nickel when, for free, you can get a membership to your local library and actual find an education.
Posted by: Thomas | December 04, 2009 at 03:36 PM
What this means is that Palin agrees that questioning Trig's lineage *is* fair game.
I think Trig is the child of Sarah Palin and Levi Johnston. A simple DNA test would settle this.
So what is Sarah afraid of, that she will NOT submit to a simple DNA test?
Posted by: Marconi | December 04, 2009 at 03:37 PM
Palin represents the Stupid Lobby. Once you understand that, everything she utters makes utter sense.
Posted by: Adrian | December 04, 2009 at 03:41 PM
Ok, I read those quotes a couple of times now and I can't find anything "nutty" about her responses. Are you so "anti-Palin" that you have lost all objectivity?
Posted by: CalvusAquila | December 04, 2009 at 03:42 PM
By the way, conservatives, here's the news you've been waiting for...
Obama isn't American born, he IS a Muslim who makes Michelle and the kids walk around the White House in full burka mode! We are taking over soon - next stop the UK and the rest of the free world. Our domination is oh so close, nothing but a red commie pinko socialist marxist stalinist russianist gayist muslimist no gun havin'ist veggie eatin'ist tie-dye wearin'ist hippie van drivin'ist world will soon be upon us.
Peace and love!
Posted by: Rayday | December 04, 2009 at 03:43 PM