Consequences

One thing that has really bothered me about birtherism is that it really had little true consequences. The media treated birthers as if first they didn’t exist and then as cute little sideshows. Real life consequences of advocating such a crazy and disgusting conspiracy theory should be big. The only real consequence we had seen was that army birther doctor who is spending time in prison for disobeying orders. Now the nation’s most high profile birther is facing a backlash – Donald Trump has been yanked/withdrawn from being the pace car driver at the Indianapolis 500 race.

Anti-Trump activists on Facebook and a group of Baptist ministers in Indianapolis had been hounding race organizers as Trump’s stature as birther and then Obama college record questioner-in-chief rose.

On Thursday, Trump gave in to the pressure and abandoned his ride around the famous 2.5 mile oval, citing scheduling problems.

“I very much appreciate the honor, but time and business constraints make my appearance there, especially with the necessary practice sessions, impossible to fulfill,” Trump told the organizers, according to reports. “I look forward to watching the race from New York.”

But Trump’s own “special counsel” told the Star that it was Indianapolis who walked away from Trump, not the other way around. Michael Cohen said the anger at Trump’s appearance was “politically motivated.”

“Of course it is, of course it is,” he told the paper.

Good it’s about time the birthers were treated like the crazy guy muttering to himself on the subway instead of our beloved but slightly embarrassing relative.

I blame the media and craven politicians for carrying birtherism on when it should have been dead long ago. I have been puzzled by people who thought Trump’s flirtation with birthers was a publicity stunt. When you are a branded entity like Trump, high profile embrace of the crazy hurts your brand, as we are seeing. This is a good thing.