John Sununu doesn’t think President Obama should go to Kenya for the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Summit. Why? Because to do so would incite the people who still cling to the suspicion that Kenya is the president’s true birthplace, and the most important thing for the president to do, at least in Sununu’s mind, is placate the people who hate him (h/t Jason):

President Obama is “inciting” the passions of so-called birthers, who believe he was born in Kenya not the United States, by planning a trip to the African country, former New Hampshire Gov. John Sununu (R) said Monday.

“I think his trip back to Kenya is going to create a lot of chatter and commentary amongst some of the hard right who still don’t see him as having been born in the U.S.,” he said during an appearance on Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom.”

“I personally think he’s just inciting some chatter on an issue that should have been a dead issue a long time ago.”

Steven Benen adds:

Oh, I see. There’s a Global Entrepreneurship Summit coming up this summer, and many world leaders will be in attendance, but President Obama should sideline himself, on purpose. Why? Because, in the mind of John Sununu, the president will “incite” ridiculous people to say ridiculous things.

Since when is this how any sensible White House is supposed to function?

Now, remember, Republicans tout themselves as champions of “personal responsibility.” As one state party organization says:

The Mississippi Republican Party fundamentally believes in the conservative principles of individual freedom, personal responsibility, free market economic policies, and a society that respects our God given rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

I wonder if Gov. Sununu knows that Birthers are also subject to the same rules of “personal responsibility,” at least in his party’s view.

Also, as far as science and reality are concerned, any mention of Kenya does not act as some sort of pheromone to whip these folks into a violent frenzy. Maybe he’s thinking of the snakes in Snakes on a Plane? Well, guess what—that was just a movie, and a poorly-scientifically-grounded one at that (amid its many other problems, I mean.)

You know what? Just for this bit of ridiculousness, Gov. Sununu, you have to watch this Cobra Starship video:

Admit it, it’s catchy.