GOP Representatives Sprint Away When Asked About Obama's Birthplace

In the clearest expression yet of the Republicans' embrace of their lunatic "birther" fringe, Mike Stark had to sprint after elected officials with the supposedly controversial question of whether President Obama was born in the United States.

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA) "would like to see the documents." Rep. Charles Boustany (LA) thinks "there are questions." One official hid in a bookstore to look at pens. Rep. Tom Price (GA) raced away to the soundtrack of "Chariots of Fire," stating, "I don't appreciate guys like you. You are the scum of the earth."

On it went until Rep. Trent Franks (AZ) stated that his office uncovered birth records confirming that Obama was born in Hawaii. Yet this moment of sanity is cast aside as Franks lets loose with right-wing talking points that Obama is "letting jihad gain traction in the world, doing things to undermine our Constitution and turning us into a socialist nation." 

The video starts by asking if "Birthers on the Hill" are "just nuts or just hostage to an irrational base?" Good question. Amid the amusement, it's disturbing to see elected officials give legitimacy to such a ridiculous conspiracy theory. Watch: