"So why have so many people since believed I was serious? For the same reason, presumably, that others cling so tenaciously to the idea that Obama was born outs

"So why have so many people since believed I was serious? For the same reason, presumably, that others cling so tenaciously to the idea that Obama was born outside the US: because they so want to believe it." I am not sure they care about believing it. I got the sense that they were just looking to distract from actual conversations that should be happening in which they have little to add.