Dave Weigel lies about Obama certificate issue *again* (Rachel Maddow, "Birthers")

Posted Thu, Jul 23, 2009 at 10:09 pm

Dave Weigel of the Washington Independent appeared on the Rachel Maddow show to discuss the "Birther" movement a couple days ago; the video is attached. If you trust Weigel's reporting, keep reading because, in addition to being disingenuous, he uttered two major lies.

Weigel said reporters should call Hawaii and "get this thing verified", that "it's very straightforward". What Weigel didn't mention is that it would be illegal for Hawaiian officials to verify that Obama was born there, as Hawaiian officials have repeatedly stated. Weigel is being disingenuous.

Weigel then claimed that Hawaii said the certificate on Obama's site was not forged. That's completely, absolutely false. Once again: it would be illegal for them to verify that the picture on Obama's site matches what they have on file. On one Politifact page [1], Hawaii Department of Health spokeswoman Janice Okubo said of an emailed copy of the image shown on Obama's site, "It's a valid Hawaii state birth certificate." Then, near the end of the page, she reversed herself: "I don't know that it's possible for us to even say beyond a doubt what the image on the site represents." In other words, she can't say whether the image on his site is forged, and no other Hawaiian officials have spoken to that matter.

Then, he said that Hawaii said they had another different copy on file that "says the same stuff". That too is completely, absolutely false. Hawaii has never said anything like that. Weigel just made that up.

Moving on from lies, he promoted Kitty Pilgrim's CNN episode where, attempting to "debunk" this issue, she also lied. He claims that Alan Keyes and Orly Taitz "rambled" in that episode, yet both made completely defensible, level-headed comments. They were met with childish, disreputable ridicule from Pilgram, Errol Louis and John Avlon.

For more, see our completely fact-based coverage of this issue on the Obama citizenship page. And, if you want to do something about this, leave a link to this post on Weigel's entries about this issue at the Washington Independent and at other sites that rely on his reporting. And, please contact Weigel and let him know that you know he's a liar.

[1] politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2008/jun/27/obamas-birth-certificate-part-ii

Tags: 
obama citizenship
dave weigel
rachel maddow

Comments

Fred Dawes (not verified)

Fri, 07/24/2009 - 04:58

Yes lies are normal, BS Is running the life of this government, and illegal is legal and fales is truth. Hell people this issue will be with us until god comes to earth, so why go after a dead rat? This issue is being used to keep our eyes off of what is happening inside our government, obama is just a house black the real master is working real hard to take us down.

really? (not verified)

Fri, 07/24/2009 - 14:12

Why would multiple local Hawaiian newspapers contain announcements of his birth? Were people planning this "con" in 1961?? Come on people. Enough is enough.

24AheadDotCom (not verified)

Fri, 07/24/2009 - 15:53

Repeating the bit about the announcements is a very popular talking point. So popular I have my own handy copy 'n' paste: Neither announcement listed a birth place or hospital, and no one has ever provided proof that such announcements could have only come from the birth hospital. The announcements could have been placed by BHO's grandparents in expectation of a custody battle or simply as a keepsake. What you'd have to show is that it was impossible for them to have placed those announcements for whatever reason. And, no one has done that nor can they give that it was almost five decades ago.

really? (not verified)

Fri, 07/24/2009 - 17:39

That's not how evidence works. Newspaper birth announcements are overwhelming reliable. In the absence of COMPELLING evidence that this one is unreliable, then the presumption is that it is accurate. You need more than vague explanations. No more of this "umm custody... umm keepsake... umm whatever will make the evidence staring us in the face go away".

Johnny Modesto (not verified)

Fri, 07/24/2009 - 19:10

You didn't waste my time on this story, but, you did waste your own. And for that many of us can be pleased. While it's true that the national press corps is a pathetic bunch of incompetents, it's equally true that you are not making any serious bid to replace them. Your tedious writing on this subject and your postings at various websites' comment sections will, hopefully, be understood by you years from now as a "phase" you were going through.

Leave it to Beaner (not verified)

Fri, 07/24/2009 - 19:43

Its the Law that he be a citizen period. There should be no question[s] whatsoever. Would any of you have spend almost a million dollars fighting the release of your own birth certificate, if you were truthfully born here? (like any of us could afford that!] Why let questions remain for decades and possibly forever, like other past conspiracy issues. Show us the Certificate!! Is this the way libs show their patriotism? By obstructing the nation wide demand for birth confirmation?

Anonymous (not verified)

Fri, 07/24/2009 - 20:39

You know how "libs" show their patriotism? By supporting our Commander-in-Chief, the head of our armed forces, the leader of our troops, who has done everything required of him legally and morally to verify his eligibility.

Fred Dawes (not verified)

Sat, 07/25/2009 - 19:10

How about we all march on washington? ( :- ) this story is stopping us all from the real work of pissing in obamas face and dancing on his little black head after we take back power and handed it over to the people, you know, the old way, "like in 1917 moscow". we have all made obama in one way or the other so be happy it will all be over soon.

David (not verified)

Sat, 07/25/2009 - 22:58

David Weigel may be anti-Birther, but he isn't a liberal. He was strongly in favor of the Iraq invasion in 2003 http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,79954,00.html

Leave it to Beaner (not verified)

Sun, 07/26/2009 - 04:04

"By supporting our Commander-in-Chief"? LOL C'mon you fucking tool. Just like libs did for our last President? What hypocracy!

Fred Dawes (not verified)

Sun, 07/26/2009 - 14:56

To all we havan't had a real President in over 70 years, all have worked against our human and civil rights all have been owned by others so why get mad at obama the illegal puppet from african the next puppet will be mexican or some third world country and we all know we will want him or her, oh yes! be happy and enjoy Now..wait for it...MONKEY!