The river is low and the rocks are in full view.

Howard Fineman sums up the Republican birther problem perfectly here.

When the river is low, the river bed is exposed. The river is low in the Republican party right now and you are seeing the rocks at the bottom.

The Republican base now consists of mainly lunatics. And the problem for the Republicans is that, as these nutters are all that they are left with, they are reluctant to dismiss them out of hand. Which is why we see so many of them pretending that the birthers have legitimate questions.

And it suits the Obama administration to allow the Republicans to have to deal with these nutters. It's far better to have the Republicans forced on to the back foot talking about birther issues than it is to have them debating healthcare.

UPDATE:



Talking of nutcases, here is Bachmann objecting to a resolution which states that Obama was born in Hawaii.

BACHMANN: Mr. Speaker? I object to the vote on the grounds that a quorum is not present and make a point of order that a quorum is not present. [...]

REP. ELIJAH CUMMINGS (D-MD): Further procedings on this motion will be postponed.

The resolution was later passed 378-0.

Tags: Obama, birthers, Republicans