We kick things off with a whimsical tangent about "sacred chickens" - those unquestioned assumptions and mythologies that societies cling to, even in the face of contradictory evidence. This leads to a deeper discussion about the concept of "phenomenology" and how subjective experience of reality can be manipulated (see Fox News).

From there, we dive deep into one of America's most pernicious "sacred chickens" - the racist "birther" conspiracy theory that falsely claimed former President Barack Obama was not born in the United States. And we examine how it gained traction, in large part due to the relentless promotion by Donald Trump and, more importantly, by the relentless desire of CNN and other mainstream outlets to let Trump on their airwaves to promote his racist (and lie-filled) "investigations." 

While Trump's championing of this fantasy was an early glimpse into his comfort level with trafficking in racism and misinformation for perceived political gain, it was also a glimpse into just how willfully blind the media is to right-wing manipulation, especially if it means they can "both-sides" a presidency for both balance AND ratings. 

The Republican party establishment's refusal to reject birtherism set the stage for the party's further embrace of conspiracy theories and "alternative facts" in subsequent years under Trump. The episode is a timely examination of how racism, xenophobia, and phenomenological distortions can be weaponized for political purposes with damaging consequences.

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