Non-political junkies don't remember the 2004 election cycle. But I do, like it was yesterday. This Ditka thing lasted for weeks. There was a point it seemed almost a certainty that he would run.

What I also remember was all the headlines from that time "Muslim State Senator to run on Democrat ticket," and then later, "First native African elected to United States Senate" and "Kenyan Barack Hussein Obama elected to US Senate."

You cannot find these stories anywhere, at all these days. Only one single one still exists, cached from an AP story that ran in a major African newspaper.
For those who say Obama is not a Muslim, and use derogatory terms like "Birther" to describe those of us who were around in that 2004 election cycle, I say screw you! You're the denier.