by Patrick Appel
Adam Berinsky reported last week that Birtherism is on the rise:
J.F. at DiA wonders if this will eventually backfire on Republicans:
Hard-core birthers ye will always have with you; they rely upon a hardy zombie of an argument and a resolute imperviousness to facts. But for four years Republicans have been dipping their toes in the fetid swamp that is birtherism, too scared to call a lie a lie. Besides, it proved useful in whipping up suspicion and hostility against Mr Obama. The interesting question now is what happens if Mitt Romney selects Marco Rubio, born in Miami to two Cuban parents, as his running mate? What happens if Nikki Haley or Bobby Jindal, born in America to Punjabi parents, seeks the presidency in 2016?
Nothing. Birtherism requires both partisanship and xenophobia in order to flourish. Take a look at Birther King Jerome Corsi's "investigation" into Romney's citizenship. He concludes -surprise!- that Romney is a natural born citizen. The Obama birthers aren't going to go after politicians in their own party. And the Democratic party, while partisan, isn't xenophobic enough to attack minorities as illegitimate.
The Dish 
