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Opinion: Reader opinion: Team Boehner vs. Team Obama

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‘David, it’s not my job to tell the American people what to think,’ House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) told David Gregory on ‘Meet the Press’ on Sunday. ‘The American people have the right to think what they want to think.’

The topic: Whether President Obama was born in the United States and is a Christian. The issue: Should Boehner set the skeptics straight.

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In an editorial on the subject, our board suggested…

At the very least, Boehner should have added: ‘Even if it’s preposterous.’

And…

No one would argue that Boehner singlehandedly can extinguish these political urban legends. But he is in a powerful position to preach reality to his own partisans. That, Mr. Speaker, is your job.

On our comments board, ChuckMayhew doesn’t agree.

The word, ‘preposterous’ perfectly describes this ‘editorial’. Mr. Boehner answered that question about 10 times. Each time clearly and completely. The only problem with Mr. Boehner is that he is not a left-leaning political hack.

Nor does Sericm, which you can tell from all the caps.

Another left wing radical article from the LA Times. No sirs, it isn’t Boehner’s place to TELL the American what to think. Neither is it Obama’s place or the left wiing rag called the LA Times. When Tim Russert died any objectivity on NBC’s Meet the Press died with him. NBC and it’s clone MSNBC would like nothing better but to TELL THE CITIZENS OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY, What they should believe or do. Unfortunately for them the main population of this country are GOD fearing, conservative, USA LOVING individuals.

Backing us up, however, are such readers as tom921.

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John Boehner reaction to Presidents’ Obama’s birth place is a typical reaction of Republicans who can’t accept in their mind the fact that an African-American is the president. His response is a disgrace to the American people, unworthy for the position that he holds, but this man has no shame. If during the election campaign, Obama’s people had made fact that John McCain wasn’t born in the United States, there would have been an uproar. From my understanding, McCain has never released a birth certificate with a seal. Why not? Was he actually born in a Panama hospital as other have whispered? This does not take away from the fact McCain is an American hero but exactly where was he born?

Commenter John Arthur cuts to the core of the issue for many.

The insistence that President Obama is of Them, not Us, is at heart racist and xenophobic. But the difference between Progressives and Conservatives is the difference between Hope and Fear.

Predictably, Pasquino Marforio, a regular on our comments board, has this comeback for John Arthur.

The difference between ‘progressives’ and Conservatives is the difference between a ‘Certificate of Live Birth’ and a ‘Birth Certificate’.

And there’s Mind Tricks, who suggests both teams are wrong.

How stupid do you think the American gov’t is? It is unconstitutional for a non-native US citizen to become President. Do you think that the entire gov’t turned a blind-eye to his foreign roots? And what does it matter if Obama were a Muslim. Another little caveat slipped into the Constitution is the right to freedom of religion. If anyone of accusers had their religious values challenged, they’d be up in arms. I am all for poignant political debate and discussion but using these dishonest tools for political leverage seems so immoral and hateful. I guess some people would be willing to contradict anything if it throws an opponent under the bus. With all that said, I must give Speaker Boehner credit for his handling of the situation. Rather than meet these dim-witted accusations with vigorous denials, he dismissed them. Sure, his comment about ‘taking him at his word’ was poorly worded but it does not give any fuel or headline material for Obama detractors.

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--Alexandra Le Tellier

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