On the day President Obama released his birth certificate and pleaded with the press to stop talking about it and to focus on the very important problems facing our country, Salon had no fewer than six stories about the fake issue on its headlines page.  Included were:

1. "The Birther's Guide to Staying Relevant";
2. "LIVEBLOG: Obama's long form birth certificate released";
3. "Will Birther Pay Up on $15,000 Bet?";
4. "The dumbest birther conspiracy of them all";
5. "What Birthers are Saying Now"; and
6. "Should politicians appease conspiracy theorists?"

In holding the press conference where he released his long form birth certificate, Obama specifically said that he was speaking to the media in asking that they turn their focus to other issues, particularly the contentious budget talks in the weeks to come.

Apparently, Salon can't follow instructions.

Pop Quiz: So how, then, is Salon any better than Fox News or a birther website?  Answer: It's not.  As of this writing, a quick check reveals that even foxnews.com has only four stories on the subject.  Wouldn't you expect better from Salon than from Fox News?  I know I would.  No longer, though.

Joan Walsh, I want to offer to you the words of Jon Stewart as spoken on the old CNN show, "Crossfire":

Stop, stop, stop, stop hurting America.  Come work for us -- we, the people.  See, the thing is, we need your help. Right now, you're helping the politicians and the corporations. And we're left out there to mow our lawns. You are part of their strategies.  You are partisan -- what do they call it? -- hacks. We need help from the media, and they're hurting us. But the thing is this -- you're doing theater when you should be doing debate. It's not honest. What you do is not honest. What you do is partisan hackery. You know, because we really need what you can do. This is such an opportunity you have here to actually get politicians off their marketing and strategy, and you're missing it.

Those words, from October 15, 2004, are as true and as desperately needed as they were when Stewart effectively ended "Crossfire."  So please, Salon, do better.  You have a wonderful opportunity to serve the people. Stop squandering it on partisan bullshit.

Thank you.