The Fury of the 'Birthers'

President Barack Obama turns 48 next week. August 4th.
But for a highly agitated fringe of unhappy Americans, the important thing is not when the president was born, but where.
They call themselves “birthers.” And despite the evidence of birth certificate, birth announcements, the records of the state of Hawaii, the affirmation of Hawaii’s Republican governor — the “birthers” do not believe, or want to believe, that Barack Obama is the legitimately American-born and elected president of the United States.
This hour, On Point: They can’t accept him. Against all evidence, what’s driving the “birthers”?
You can join the conversation. Tell us what you think — here on this page, on Twitter, and on Facebook.Guests:

Ben Smith, senior political writer for Politico. He first reported on the Birthers movement back in March.

Orly Taitz, a lawyer and activist demanding that President Obama prove his eligibility for the Office of President of the United States.

Heidi Beirich, co-director of the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Intelligence Project, which tracks extremist groups across the country.

Michael Medved, host of the nationally syndicated radio talk show The Michael Medved Show.

More links:

See "Born in the USA: The truth about Obama's birth certificate" at FactCheck.org.

MediaMatters.org has tracked the treatment of this subject by CNN's Lou Dobbs and by G. Gordon Liddy on MSNBC's Hardball.

From the LA Times' Show Tracker blog on Friday: "CNN President Jon Klein declares Obama birther story 'dead.'"

On Saturday, The New York Times' Brian Stelter reported on the recent flurry of media attention.