The reason nobody wants to touch the issue is for fear of being labeled a racist since Obama is black. They fear it would be a career ender.
No, the reason no one touches it is because the courts decided it over 100 years ago. The first major case was Lynch in 1844, and the last was WKA in 1898. Since then, there has been no doubt about those born in the US of alien parents.
Cruz is actually in a grey area. The courts have never tried to decide if someone born overseas to US parents was a NBC. Traditionally, they have been considered NBCs, but there has never been a need for a formal ruling.
Rogers v. Bellei, 401 U.S. 815 (1971) arguably creates a third case of citizenship, for those born US citizens by being born abroad to US citizens - as was Cruz. (http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/401/815/case.html)
My guess is that if it came to court, the courts would reject Rogers v Bellei and argue Cruz was qualified as a NBC...but I will grant it is an area in dispute.
No, the reason nobody "wants to touch the issue" is that it has no basis in history or law. It's that simple.
No. Basis. In. History. Or. Law.
Period.
And this is the reason that Levin, Rush and Erickson won't touch it. All someone has to do is allege those guys are supporting Dred Scott v Sanford, and they will be a greasy spot from an advertising perspective.
Had this guy not been considered black, We wouldn't have half the people so terrified of this issue. Because he's black, people dare not touch it for fear of recalling an ugly past in our history.