Before Barack Obama uttered the first word of his speech on nationalizing health care to the joint session of Congress, the New York Times had already done its part to discredit the congressman who would deliver the rebuttal.

Rep. Charles Boustany, R-La., had been ambushed several weeks ago by an agit prop specialist from the Huffington Puffington Post, along with about a dozen other Republicans. The question posed: Do you believe Barack Obama is constitutionally eligible to serve as president?

Boustany gave a thoughtful and accurate answer: "I think there are questions, we'll have to see."

On that basis, of course, knowing the nature of the Huffington Puffington Post, Boustany was labeled a "birther."

And on that basis, the New York Times put it only a little more gently: "The Democrats circulated copies of a video in which Mr. Boustany seemed to support the so-called 'birthers,' whose claims about the legitimacy of Mr. Obama's Hawaiian birth certificate have been largely discredited."

Now, I don't know exactly what it is that "birthers" are supposed to believe. But I guess the label now includes any one who believes there are legitimate questions about Obama's eligibility. If that's the case, I am a "birther." That shouldn't surprise anyone, of course. For the questions I have raised – notably, "Where's the birth certificate?" – I have even been labeled the leader of the "birthers."

Now watch the red-hot eligibility story on DVD: "A Question of Eligibility: Is Obama's presidency constitutionally legitimate?"

More interesting is what "claims about the legitimacy of Mr. Obama's Hawaiian birth certificate have been largely discredited"?

The primary "claim" is simply that Obama hasn't shown it to us. Actually, that's not a "claim." It's a fact.

I keep hearing about the "claims" of "birthers" being widely discredited. Can someone – anyone – tell me what those claims are and how they have been discredited?

I am absolutely convinced about half of Americans believe Obama should release his birth certificate. Even many of his supporters now want him to do it – if, for no other reason, than to shut me up.

That's what so-called "birthers" want. They want the Constitution observed. They want the truth. They want Obama to clear up the confusion he has sown. They want him to prove his eligibility the way John McCain was forced to prove his.

It's a simple request. It's a reasonable request. There's nothing conspiratorial about it. There's nothing sinister about it. There's nothing racist about it. It is perfectly legitimate and appropriate. If Americans weren't asking this question, they would be useless as citizens – about as useless and purposeless as reporters for the New York Times.

And this brings me to the real point of this column.

What can you say about media institutions and politicians and activists who believe it is perfectly acceptable for a self-professed communist revolutionary to serve in an unaccountable "czar" post in the White House, but it is inappropriate and unacceptable to believe the president of the United States should actually be required to prove his eligibility under the Constitution?

Red-baiting is out. But "birther"-baiting is very much in vogue.

Van Jones is a perfect example.

(Column continues below)

The New York Times and its downstream media accomplices have still not reported that the former "green jobs czar" was an admitted and proud communist revolutionary.

That was not even worth reporting – not when he held office and not even after he had been forced to step down by revelations of his extremist history and comments.

It's OK to be a commie. It's just not OK to be a birther.

That's what the media elite believe. That's what much of Washington believes. And that's even what a number of those claiming to be "conservatives" and "libertarians" believe.

While WND was exposing the red in the White House, the latter were trying to shut down WND for aiding and abetting the "birthers."

Go figure.

It's an amazing thing living in an upside-down, inside-out, black-is-white and right-is-wrong culture.

It gets weirder every day.