Everyone remotely familiar with NFL football is familiar with the prevent defense.  This typically occurs during the last couple minutes of a game.  Your team is ahead.  They have shut down the other team all game.  You are anticipating victory.  Then the announcer points out that your team has gone into the prevent defense.  This change in strategy is designed to let the other team gain some yardage, but “prevent” the big play.  Unfortunately the prevent defense often backfires.  The other team starts to move the ball effectively for the first time all game.  They gain momentum and the next thing you know they score the winning field goal or touchdown.  Once again your team has brilliantly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.  The only thing the prevent defense accomplished was to prevent your team from winning.

The Republican leadership continues to use the prevent defense with regard to Obama’s birth certificate.  Lately liberal left wing news reporters have been challenging Boehner and others to “condemn” anyone who dares questions Obama’s birth certificate.  They also challenge Boehner to condemn anyone who dares believe Obama is a Muslim.  Please!  That is utter nonsense and it should be treated as such.  Boehner has never claimed that Obama is not a U.S. citizen nor has he ever claimed Obama is a Muslim.  But that is not enough for the rabid dogs on the liberal left; they want him to condemn anyone who dares have a contrary opinion on the subject.  Not only must you agree with them, you must publicly condemn anyone who doesn’t.

In effect, the Republican leadership has been employing the prevent defense when they should use this to attack Obama.  Every time I see some Republican asked about Obama’s birth certificate or his citizenship, I keep waiting for them to say something like this:

“The real question is why doesn’t President Obama just sign a release authorizing Hawaii to release his records.”  If he has nothing to hide, why wouldn’t he do that?

Repeat as often as necessary.  Democrats never answer questions, why should we?

We all know that Democrats use talking points all the time.  For example they never fail to blame Bush for the Obama deficit.  This is because they know the “prevent defense” loses.  When they don’t have a good answer, they just attack Bush. 

I am sick and tired of Republicans always being on the defensive with regard to topics where we actually have the moral high ground.  The questions about Obama’s birth certificate are the result of Obama’s refusal to sign a release.  They are not the result of a Republican conspiracy.

The questions about Obama’s religious faith are also the result of actions and statements made by Obama.   But our leaders are so afraid of being considered politically incorrect that they don’t put out the obvious.  The reason some people believe Obama is a Muslim is that he has a Muslim father, a Muslim step-father and a Muslim name.  This type of reasoning also explains why most people assume someone named Bill O’Reilly is probably an Irish Catholic.  When a Republican is asked about Obama’s religious faith I would like someone to say something like this: 

Barack Obama is the only one who can answer that question.  I don’t expect Barack Obama to comment on my religious beliefs and I see no point in my commenting on his.  You are asking the wrong person. 

Then if pressed further say:

If you want to know why some people think Barack Obama is a Muslim I would suggest you ask them. 

Finally, drive a stake in their heart with the following:

The only reason the liberal left keeps bringing up these issues is to distract people from the pathetic performance of the Obama administration on fiscal policy and foreign affairs.

Repeat as necessary.  These are loser issues for Obama and for Democrats, unless the Republicans continue to use the prevent defense.

TDM