re: #16 buzzsawmonkey

Not if you’re trying to cool out a nutjob who’s in your face at an event where you are trying also to avoid a disturbance.

You can say it’s cowardly for Republican officeholders to not attempt to argue constituents out of their nirtherism, but they are doubtless aware that arguing with someone committed to a conspiracy worldview is proof against mere fact. They are therefore attempting to do what politicians always do—make bland, reassuring noises while hoping that the prairie fire burns itself out.

I don’t agree. Should politicians not at least withhold their agreement with such things? What if this pol had agreed that the courts should be investigating ‘what Bush knew’ before 9/11?

This is throwing gasoline on the prairie fire.