Reply #4: I wonder what the doctor has been promised

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

On a practical level, you don't give up 18 years of military service -- two years from retirement -- unless there's a damned good reason. My feeling is someone made him "an offer you cannot refuse." Maybe being financially set for the rest of his life at an income level well above his military retirement. The reason his investors have to keep such a tight reign on him is because he could blow their whole charade with one slip of the tongue -- sort of like balloon boy.

A second thing that's been bothering me... What is the birthers end game? Clearly for some it's simple racial prejudice; there should not be a black man (or any other race other than white) in the White House.

But the size of the operation bankrolling this latest birther attack has to have some other reason. My thought is that if Obama was found to be unqualified to be president, then everything he has done since Day One of his presidency will be wiped clean. Any bill he signed into law, any executive order, any agreements with other countries. Any and all regulations promulgated by the Executive Branch under Obama's administration would be rendered null and void.

Essentially, we would be rolled back to the last day of Bush's presidency, which is just where they (birthers? neo-cons? Repugs? corporations?) want it.