Let me finish tonight with the cold fact that a third of Republicans say the President is a Muslim.
The campaign against his birth and faith has succeeded to the point where only a third of the people in the country view him as a Christian with a much higher number saying they now don't know what he is.
It's against that backdrop that the Homeland Security Committee held its hearing today on the radicalization of the American Muslim community, the backdrop being the belief by a substantial number of Republicans that our president is a member of that community.
Are we getting truth from this national discussion being led by the Republicans - with the fullest influence coming from the far right? Are we?
Or are we getting propaganda? Are we getting agit-prop aimed at marginalizing the Islamic community and with it President Obama himself?
Listen to the relentless claims that the United States is being subverted by Sharia law - law by the Koran. Listen to Newt Gingrich pushing this crazy-talk, his claim that America is having Sharia "imposed" on us.
By whom? Who in this country is advocating that we change our laws to include the rules of Koran?
No, the names aren't given. Because there are none.
Better the suggestion, the vague suggestion, the alarm bell ringing in the night, that somehow it's Obama, it's the President himself who is conspiring in this goal of having America become a country ruled by the Koran, something Newt Gingrich now calls a "mortal threat?"
This scare tactic, used again and again, is being heard at the same time Congress holds a hearing on the radicalization of American Muslims, thereby stirring a perfect storm of fear.
What's the goal of this fear-mongering? Think about it. What are people to do if they fear there are those in high places conspiring to transform this country of modern justice into an ancient ritual of religious discipline and punishment? Stonings, the cutting off of hands, the whole arsenal of religious maiming.
What do you think those stampeded by this fear-mongering are supposed to do?
Think about it. They are to vote out the people responsible for this horrendous state of affairs, against Obama, of course! Vote for the Republicans, You Betcha!
Who are the ones raising the cry of danger, alerting us to fear this subversion within our midst, this silent, creeping rise to power of the infidel within our midst?
Those on the political right who want this fear to whip up a vote they cannot win on the issues of the day - those plain on questions of who's going to get us back to work, who's going to build a better country for all of us.