how has this ridiculousness gained any traction?

CPAC Speakers Bash Obama’s Use Of A Teleprompter — While Standing In Front Of A Teleprompter
(Think Progress)
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This really, honestly boggles me...Everyone uses a teleprompter in public speaking - everyone. Obama is a fantastic, charismatic speaker and that is plain fact, so the repugs try to impugn that by saying that it is all because of a teleprompter despite all evidence to the contrary.

I would think even partisan repugs would think this was absurd, but I guess I can't underestimate some people's stupidity...