Birther leader Orly Taitz implodes on MSNBC

Maybe today was the tipping point. The point where finally the birther movement starts to lose its steam.

And it may not even be because of the outcry directed at CNN's Lou Dobbs for giving the birther crowd an air of legitimacy. And no matter how many high-profile conservatives criticize the group questioning Obama's citizenry, it hasn't slowed them down.

After all, Ann Coulter won't give them any support. She's calling 'em "cranks". Don't look to FOX News host Bill O'Reilly. He doesn't care. Further, he compares them to 9/11 conspiracists. Michelle Malkin has no time for it.

But it keeps growing. Like a mutation. In fact, it went into overdrive this weekend with the release of a supposedly newly found alleged birth certificate showing President Obama's birthplace to be Mombasa, Kenya.

So what might be that illustrious tipping point today? An inside job. An implosion. A self-cratering. Whatever you want to call it, it wasn't pretty. But, strangely, you can't look away.

The circus began when Orly Taitz, a longtime chieftain of the birther posse (and a dentist), appeared with MSNBC host David Shuster this afternoon to discuss the document.

Shuster, who is no friend to the right, was actually pretty gentle with his guest seeming to be aware that he really didn't need to do much -- at all -- to precipitate the train wreck. It was like he was a super-gifted weatherman who accurately predicted a 100 percent chance of meltdown.

No need to antagonize, belittle, or bully to get a reaction. Shuster instead relied on an even more sinister media trick -- he asked a question.

All he wanted to know was if President Obama was born elsewhere why were there birth announcements in both Honolulu newspapers. "How could these birth certificates have been fabricated 48 years before President Obama possibly took office? How would they have that foresight to know that?" he asked.

It's a fair question. And someone who has the facts on her side should be able to answer that question easily.

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