A surreal bit of audio, not merely because it defies expectations but because his logic for dismissing the Birthers is so … un-Beck-ian. His first point: Even if there’s something to the claims, we should let it go because a serious challenge to The One’s natural-born status could result in civil war. Fair enough, but isn’t Beck “Mr. Constitution”? Known to wear t-shirts that read “Since 1791”? Given to updating certain pamphlets that were influential in the country’s founding? Seems strange that he’s suddenly willing to look the other way at a constitutional requirement for the presidency in the interest of civic order. His second point is odder: By chasing the birth certificate down a rabbit hole, he says, conservatives make it easier for the left to discredit their meritorious political arguments by association. Which is entirely true, but, um, is Glenn Beck really the guy to be lecturing anyone about that? Newsflash: Of the two exceedingly unlikely conspiracy theories we’ve covered on the site this week, it ain’t Birtherism that’s the more far-fetched.

