The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Arizona’s New Motto: The Birther State

Posted on | February 26, 2010 | 19 Comments

Remember last week when John McCain attacked J.D. Hayworth with an ad accusing Hayworth of being a birther? That may actually help Hayworth in the GOP primary, as Paul Craft explains:

McCain has vocally opposed the birther movement since his 2008 presidential bid.
His renewed criticism of the movement may endear McCain to Arizona moderates and Democrats, potential participants in Arizona’s open primary system.
But the tactic might backfire with active Arizonan Republicans. Recently, 40 Arizona Republicans — out of a total of 90 Arizona State legislators – passed a bill demanding that presidential candidates send a copy of their birth certificate to the Arizona lawmakers. . . .
Arizonan Republicans’ preoccupation with American citizenship is not surprising given the state’s illegal immigration woes; citizenship is a hot topic in the state in general.

Hmmmm. Craft’s insight — that the birther phenomenon is related to voter angst over illegal immigration — is something that never occurred to me. The “dispossession” theme, I suppose.

Also, I hadn’t realized that Arizona had an open primary system, but you’ve got to wonder how many Arizona Democrats who cross over into the GOP primary would vote for John McCain under any circumstance. This is the first time Crazy Cousin John has faced re-election since his two-year push for amnesty in 2006-07, and amnesty is not a winning issue with blue-collar Democrat voters.

PREVIOUSLY: J.D. Hayworth vs. John McCain

Category: Arizona, Election, Republicans, Senate

Comments

19 Responses to “Arizona’s New Motto: The Birther State”

  1. Fritz Katz
    February 26th, 2010 @ 3:40 pm

    Somebody’s lying, is it Hayworth or McCain?

    According to Erick Erickson at RedState:

    “J. D. Hayworth said definitely that Barack Obama is the President of the United States and meets all the legal and constitutional requirements to be President. Period. End of Story”….

    So, who are you going to believe?

  2. Fritz Katz
    February 26th, 2010 @ 10:40 am

    Somebody’s lying, is it Hayworth or McCain?

    According to Erick Erickson at RedState:

    “J. D. Hayworth said definitely that Barack Obama is the President of the United States and meets all the legal and constitutional requirements to be President. Period. End of Story”….

    So, who are you going to believe?

  3. Dave C
    February 26th, 2010 @ 3:48 pm

    I lived in Arizona for about 12 years and my parents are still living out there.

    Yes, it still is a big issue out there.

    And it’s something a lot of people latch onto as a quick way to get him out of the Presidency too. Not crazy, quacks or ‘Nirthers’ as the damn dirty hippie calls them.

  4. Dave C
    February 26th, 2010 @ 10:48 am

    I lived in Arizona for about 12 years and my parents are still living out there.

    Yes, it still is a big issue out there.

    And it’s something a lot of people latch onto as a quick way to get him out of the Presidency too. Not crazy, quacks or ‘Nirthers’ as the damn dirty hippie calls them.

  5. Evan McLaren
    February 26th, 2010 @ 4:17 pm

    I think it’s correct to identify a racial undertone in the overall outsider-conservative ferment, with Tea Parties and the like.

    [Feel free, going forward, to out me for sending you bitchy emails, McCain.]

  6. Evan McLaren
    February 26th, 2010 @ 11:17 am

    I think it’s correct to identify a racial undertone in the overall outsider-conservative ferment, with Tea Parties and the like.

    [Feel free, going forward, to out me for sending you bitchy emails, McCain.]

  7. Blake
    February 26th, 2010 @ 5:46 pm

    First, Evan, you’re an @ss. What is it with you people and race?

    Anyway, my two cents:

    If, indeed, President Obama is not an American citizen, I tend to think it would be as much of a surprise to the President as it would be to everyone else.

    Think it through, rather than ascribing nefarious motives to the President.

    President Obama was raised as an American citizen. President Obama probably never had any reason to question whether or not he is a natural born citizen.

    And no, I don’t think President Obama is not a natural born citizen.

    And, if people really think this matter should be pursued, try the following on for size:

    President Joseph Biden
    Vice President Nancy Pelosi

    (see: Ford, Gerald)

  8. Blake
    February 26th, 2010 @ 12:46 pm

    First, Evan, you’re an @ss. What is it with you people and race?

    Anyway, my two cents:

    If, indeed, President Obama is not an American citizen, I tend to think it would be as much of a surprise to the President as it would be to everyone else.

    Think it through, rather than ascribing nefarious motives to the President.

    President Obama was raised as an American citizen. President Obama probably never had any reason to question whether or not he is a natural born citizen.

    And no, I don’t think President Obama is not a natural born citizen.

    And, if people really think this matter should be pursued, try the following on for size:

    President Joseph Biden
    Vice President Nancy Pelosi

    (see: Ford, Gerald)

  9. Evan McLaren
    February 26th, 2010 @ 7:13 pm

    Quoting Kirk Lazarus: “‘You people’? What do you mean, ‘you people’?”

    But seriously, what do you mean?

  10. Evan McLaren
    February 26th, 2010 @ 2:13 pm

    Quoting Kirk Lazarus: “‘You people’? What do you mean, ‘you people’?”

    But seriously, what do you mean?

  11. Live Free Or Die
    February 26th, 2010 @ 8:49 pm

    Last I knew, Arizona had a semi-closed primary, allowing independent voters to take either a Democrat, or Republican ballot. Independents then would have to redeclare as an independent with their local voter registration/city clerk.
    Someone from Arizona could confirm if this is still the case.
    Ademocrat could always register as an independent,or republican in advance, in order to effect a Republican primary, if that’s what they wanted to do. Just takes a little more foresight and effort.

  12. Live Free Or Die
    February 26th, 2010 @ 3:49 pm

    Last I knew, Arizona had a semi-closed primary, allowing independent voters to take either a Democrat, or Republican ballot. Independents then would have to redeclare as an independent with their local voter registration/city clerk.
    Someone from Arizona could confirm if this is still the case.
    Ademocrat could always register as an independent,or republican in advance, in order to effect a Republican primary, if that’s what they wanted to do. Just takes a little more foresight and effort.

  13. The Monster
    February 27th, 2010 @ 12:02 am

    One of the frightening things to come of the “Nirther” business is that there is apparently no forum to raise a challenge to a candidate’s eligibility save for the Congress when it meets to open the ballots cast by the Electors. The USGOV claims it has no jurisdiction over this “local” election for Electors (except in the District of Criminals, where Congress delegates much Home Rule authority to the local government). The states have said it is a “federal” matter, and therefore not in their jurisdiction.

    If Ahnold Schwarzenegger wanted to run for President, and enough Electors chose to give him the job, and enough Congressmen refused to hear the evidence that he was, in fact, born in Austria, there’s nothing to prevent him from taking office. Fortunately, given how things are going in Caleeefornia, this is a hypothetical.

    But the fact remains that there is no mechanism for pre-qualifying candidates before their names appear on a ballot, which would seem to be the logical way to do such things. Unfortunately, if someone introduces or advocates legislation to certify someone is eligible to hold the office of President before the parties complete their nomination processes, they are immediately slammed as Nirthers and crypto-raaaaacists.

  14. The Monster
    February 26th, 2010 @ 7:02 pm

    One of the frightening things to come of the “Nirther” business is that there is apparently no forum to raise a challenge to a candidate’s eligibility save for the Congress when it meets to open the ballots cast by the Electors. The USGOV claims it has no jurisdiction over this “local” election for Electors (except in the District of Criminals, where Congress delegates much Home Rule authority to the local government). The states have said it is a “federal” matter, and therefore not in their jurisdiction.

    If Ahnold Schwarzenegger wanted to run for President, and enough Electors chose to give him the job, and enough Congressmen refused to hear the evidence that he was, in fact, born in Austria, there’s nothing to prevent him from taking office. Fortunately, given how things are going in Caleeefornia, this is a hypothetical.

    But the fact remains that there is no mechanism for pre-qualifying candidates before their names appear on a ballot, which would seem to be the logical way to do such things. Unfortunately, if someone introduces or advocates legislation to certify someone is eligible to hold the office of President before the parties complete their nomination processes, they are immediately slammed as Nirthers and crypto-raaaaacists.

  15. Roxeanne de Luca
    February 27th, 2010 @ 2:06 am

    Not sure that it’s a dispossession issue so much as one of basic equality. I know that any employer in this country is going to require me to produce proof of my citizenship and probably check my background. They will almost have to pay me at least minimum wage and comply with various worker’s rights laws.

    On the other hand, illegals don’t have to do any of that and are more attractive to their employers because they can be hired for less money or without benefits. From any perspective, that two-tiered system is a bad one.

    Likewise, those of us who have to provide documentation to get a job are irked over the fact that the President, who works for us, apparently considers himself to be above that. Likewise, as someone who once had a high-level security clearance, I’m furious that there is apparently no examination of his background, either via the government or the press. I had to tell the feds about my stepdad’s alien registration number and give them the name of every neighbour I’ve had since I was born, but, apparently, this dolt doesn’t have to do that and thinks himself above it.

    Yeah, Americans should be angry.

  16. Roxeanne de Luca
    February 26th, 2010 @ 9:06 pm

    Not sure that it’s a dispossession issue so much as one of basic equality. I know that any employer in this country is going to require me to produce proof of my citizenship and probably check my background. They will almost have to pay me at least minimum wage and comply with various worker’s rights laws.

    On the other hand, illegals don’t have to do any of that and are more attractive to their employers because they can be hired for less money or without benefits. From any perspective, that two-tiered system is a bad one.

    Likewise, those of us who have to provide documentation to get a job are irked over the fact that the President, who works for us, apparently considers himself to be above that. Likewise, as someone who once had a high-level security clearance, I’m furious that there is apparently no examination of his background, either via the government or the press. I had to tell the feds about my stepdad’s alien registration number and give them the name of every neighbour I’ve had since I was born, but, apparently, this dolt doesn’t have to do that and thinks himself above it.

    Yeah, Americans should be angry.

  17. uberVU - social comments
    February 27th, 2010 @ 1:37 am

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by smitty_one_each: TOM: Arizona’s New Motto: The Birther State http://bit.ly/dsPAtJ…

  18. Michael A. Shoemaker
    March 4th, 2010 @ 7:30 am

    I supported McCain to the tune of $600 during his ’08 Presidential bid — a drop in the bucket for McCain and his cronies like George Soros and the Council on Foreign Relations, or for the bankers McCain helped bail out, but a good deal for my wife and I. McCain is desperate for votes. Why else would he bring up the “birther” issue? If his opponent had brought it up, it might be worth a comment and it might not; but it is McCain himself who brought it up. Maybe McCain isn’t concerned, that Kenyan and Indonesian citizens can become US President. Maybe he isn’t concerned whether or not Arizona or Texas become states of Mexico. Maybe he isn’t concerned about anything of substance, other than getting elected. He can be happy that I don’t live in Arizona, because I’m thoroughly disgusted with him — and with those like Palin, who support him.

  19. Michael A. Shoemaker
    March 4th, 2010 @ 12:30 pm

    I supported McCain to the tune of $600 during his ’08 Presidential bid — a drop in the bucket for McCain and his cronies like George Soros and the Council on Foreign Relations, or for the bankers McCain helped bail out, but a good deal for my wife and I. McCain is desperate for votes. Why else would he bring up the “birther” issue? If his opponent had brought it up, it might be worth a comment and it might not; but it is McCain himself who brought it up. Maybe McCain isn’t concerned, that Kenyan and Indonesian citizens can become US President. Maybe he isn’t concerned whether or not Arizona or Texas become states of Mexico. Maybe he isn’t concerned about anything of substance, other than getting elected. He can be happy that I don’t live in Arizona, because I’m thoroughly disgusted with him — and with those like Palin, who support him.