Anderson Cooper is dealing with that Army Doctor

[malaise]

and the fact that the Birthers are raising money for him. Colonel Lakin is on with him now - Anderson is tearing him and his lawyer a new one.

Must see TV.

[jezebel]

1. this is a replay of his interview from Friday night. I'm not sure why he is replaying it tonight. nt

[malaise]

2. I missed it on Friday night

Interesting that he is repeating it.
Birther discussion now

add

[madmax]

3. Why is he on tv

He should be in the brig.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

4. I wonder what the doctor has been promised

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.

[old mark]

5. I think it is even beyond that - they want to change the constitution they

dearly love to scream about protecting. they want a form of government with more of a doctatorship than a presidency, so long as that dictator is an extreme rightist-think Ron Paul as dictator for life.

mark

[malaise]

7. Here's video

http://videosift.com/video/Anderson-Cooper-Slams-Birther-Army-Officer-Terry-Lakin

[old mark]

9. Thanks - the Doc looks like he is some sort of zealot, and he is being used as a tool

by these groups. I would bet money that the court martial won't allow any testimony at all on the President's place of birth or his legitimacy for office. The charges I say read that this officer refused direct orders FROM SPECIFIC SUPERIOR OFFICERS -his direct commander and his commander's commander and that he deliberately missed a troop movement. These things are serious offences and moreso in time of war.

Military courts are NOT like civilian courts, something the Colonel may not know, but which he will certainly find out. They do not like grandstanding and they do not like civilian lawyers and they do not have to permit any testimony other than that which bears directly on the charges - they could actually care less. He missed the toop movement, he did so deliberately, he disobeyed several direct orders to join his unit, and did so again when ordered to report by a higher command. That IS the entire case, and he is guilty of all of it.

I believe this man is remarkably stupid and gullible.

mark

[Scuba]

6. or maybe the Army is ready to give him a Section Eight

[zbdent]

8. probably his own show on one of the "liberal" networks ...

[political_Dem]

10. What is hurtful about all of this

is the fact that none of this would have happened if the POTUS had been white. This is racially motivated. Furthermore, the entire "birther movement" has been predicated on anyone who is not white and wins the top office in the land does not deserve to be there and therefore must be illegitimate.

What is disgusting is that instead of America being a place for everyone, movements such as this one only seems to reinforce that this country only caters to one type of people while shutting the opinions of others.

The "birther movement" also reveals the essence of what white privilege is all about.