This week, the so-called "birther" conspiracy theory, which posits that Barack Obama was not born in the United States and is thus an illegitimate president, has made some significant strides. As David Weigel of The Washington Independent has documented, the theory has been embraced by Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, ten members of Congress, and now Liz Cheney, a former deputy assistant secretary of state and the former vice president’s daughter. However, this is hardly the first time an absurd conspiracy theory about an American president has taken hold.
Click through to read about past presidential conspiracy theories, starting with one about Andrew Jackson.
Photo courtesy of The Chicago Tribune
--Elise Foley and Dylan Matthews