Gene Lyons: You should never argue with a crazy m-m-m-m-m-mind. (You oughtta know by now.)

[Keith Bee]

Maybe it's hard times, and maybe it's an African-American president with an odd name, but several leading contenders for the 2012 GOP nomination express ideas that might lead to involuntary hospitalization anywhere outside a Tea Party rally or a TV studio. Consider Donald Trump. This preposterous self-promoter has been near-ubiquitous, expressing Looney Toons notions about President Obama previously confined to emailers who write in all caps: "WHEN ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO GET AWAY FROM THE KOOL-AID LONG ENOUGH TO START LOOKING INTO THIS MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE?"

Confronted with Obama's certified birth certificate by ABC's George Stephanopoulos, even noted flake Rep. Michele Bachmann abandoned the conspiracy theory of the president's origins. (I'm betting she already regrets this lapse into temporary sanity.) Leading Republicans such as Karl Rove and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer have argued that "birtherism" makes sensible voters think of the GOP as the Nut Party.

So naturally Trump's emerged as the odds-on favorite to win the Republican nomination, assuming he seeks it. (Trump release his income tax records? I don't think so. The man bankrupted several casinos.) So while I don't think he believes the nonsense he spouts, what's he up to? Alas, the simplest explanation is that he's running.

Prediction: Releasing Obama's long-form birth certificate will change few minds. You can't argue with crazy.

http://www.salon.com/news/politics/republican_party/index.html?story=/politics/war_room/2011/04/27/conservative_conspiracy_theories

Like Billy Joel sang, 33 years ago.....

[Enthusiast]

1. K&R

It's true. Arguing a point with these nut jobs is a complete waste of time and energy. Much of the craziness we see is in fact designed to do just that. It is designed to prevent us from focusing on the truly important issues. Look what they did to us while the spectacle over Monica Lewinsky was going on. Create a major distraction then loot the American people.

[Keith Bee]

6. Check this link

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-rather/and-in-other-news_b_855034.html

[Enthusiast]

7. Thanks, I'm a Dan Rather fan.

He's a credit to news integrity.

[Prof Lester]

8. You nailed it.

It's like a magic trick, ie., get the suckers to look over here while you're tricking them over there.

[Martin Eden]

2. GOOD NEWS and BAD NEWS

GOOD NEWS: President Obama was born in the United States.

BAD NEWS: Donald Trump was too.

[vduhr]

4. Well then...

I want to see Trump's long-form birth certificate, along with his tax records!

[intaglio]

3. How can anyone be dumb enough

to bankrupt a casino?

[saras]

5. Simple - you can't

It takes something more than dumb. How can Congress be dumb enough to let the corporations, banks, and ultra-wealthy rip us off?

[Mopar151]

9. All you gotta do

Is to be a minimally thoughtful fool with a poor business plan. The folks on the bus tours can't support gilded palaces - and somebody did'nt do their market research......