A lot of times what people take seriously is determined by what an authoritative voice on television tells them.
If some plastic mask with a cute hairdo and impeccable taste in earrings and lipstick tells America that all this "birther speculation" is laughable
nonsense with no foundation whatsoever, a very large number of Americans will say, "Well, that settles that."
On the other had, if someone in a three thousand dollar suit, with a soothing bedside manner, miming serious concern, says, "Two destroyers were fired
upon this morning off the coast of Vietnam, in what appears to be an unprovoked attack on American warships on routine patrol in international
waters.", dire consequences might follow.
Many "birthers" have read extensively on the subject of the president's birth certificate. They know about the Bush administrations's inquiries made
to the Kenyan government on the subject. They know the anecdotal testimony from Hawaiian government employees, who said they couldn't find the
document. They know about the technical analysis of the document that was released online by the White House. They know about the biographical note
printed by the president's book publisher. They know about the president's Connecticut social insurance number.
They know about the elegibility requirements for the office of President of the United States specified in the constitution.
Suppose network news outlets started very earnestly, very rationally, with nice hairdos, perfect teeth, great earrings and soothing bedside manners,
to bring the American people up to speed on all this.
Suppose they decided to make it credible.
Instead of a few chronically alarmist "humpbacked geeks" (thankyou Billy Bob Thornton) making noises about the birth certificate, large numbers of
Americans would be asking how Barack Obama could ever have been allowed to run for office in the first place and what the heck is going on in
government these days with all the money this guy is giving to the banks and this health care stuff and . . .
It would be very easy to create a chaotic situation with the right application of news network lip gloss or a gravely concerned, wildly colored,
Turnbull & Asser shirt.
Then what?
That's what I am saying.
edit on 18-5-2012 by ipsedixit because: (no reason given)