April 20, 2011

Drudge goes all out promoting Jerome Corsi's birther book.

The book — to be published next month  — is "Where's the Birth Certificate?: The Case that Barack Obama is not Eligible to be President." It's Drudge's top headline, linking to this:
... Jerome Corsi, the man who torpedoed John Kerry's presidential dreams with SWIFT BOAT, has gone underground and is holding his new findings thisclose.

"It's utterly devastating," reveals a source close to the publisher. "Obama may learn things he didn't even know about himself!"
Well, no one has first-hand knowledge of his own birth, so excuse me if I don't get all excited about that. Obama's mother was obviously an American citizen. I'm not too interested in the technical details beyond that. Me, a law professor! I'm satisfied that he's eligible to be President. The argument that he doesn't have the American values you think a President must have should be made directly.

Drudge notes that the book was "#1,341 on AMAZON's hitparade late Wednesday morning." It's #6 right now. Soon to be #1, presumably. You've got to give Corsi credit for knowing how to rake in cash. Which reminds me: If you want to read that book, please buy it through my link, above, not Drudge's. Because I'm never going to write a book that people get all jazzed about. Book commerce belongs to guys like Corsi.

UPDATE, 15 minutes after posting: The book is up to #2 on Amazon. I'm not suggesting that's because ot this post, of course. It's Drudge-power.

165 comments:

Chuck66 said...

We (meaning right leaning types) were just doing a good job getting rid of the birther types.

And for those that think they can change who holds the office of President by doing this, it's like trying to overturn a state law by incorrectly using an open meetings law.

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)


Mr Corsi also brought us the North American Union and the “Amero” its currency….

Ann Althouse said...

@Chuck I do think there's a way to argue that he shouldn't be *reelected* using this material. I don't like the argument though. It's ugly and creepy.

Scott M said...

As I said elsewhere, much ado about nothing except book sales.

That being said, I would really like to see the social security number thing aired out. That one creeps me out.

vbspurs said...

Corsi, the Birther Truther? No thanks.

Anonymous said...

Introducing the newest most hated man in America.

Time to prepare

John said...

I don't think most people believe that Obama would be ejected from office based on this book, but rather they want to show the world he's a liar and a fraud. (As if the incontrovertible evidence of that weren't already available.)

traditionalguy said...

The Professor has it right. The anger that Obama deserves for trying to destroy the America we love gets triggered by the contempt Obama shows for the rules in the Constitution. If he was our favorite American, we would dismiss his getting away with this obvious foul like we think our favorite NBA player is immune to the foul calls that every other player gets. But since he hates us and is working to destroy our military and economic strengths every day, then he damn well better not commit obvious fouls and exoect to get away with it.

MadisonMan said...

Oldie, but goodie.

garage mahal said...

Chickens coming home to roost, as they say. I wonder if you can even get the Republican nomination if you say unequivocally that Obama is an American citizen. Weird people.

PaulV said...

Is the book about Andrew Sullivan's obsession with Trig? He is the original birther.

RichardS said...

If we followed Justices Haran and Fuller, rather than the majority in U.S. V. Wong Kim Ark, (1898) and based citizenship upon the principles of the compact, as outlined in the Declaration and elsewhere (ie: mutual consent between current citizens and the person who wishes to become a citizen, reserving the all important right to cease being a citizen--quitting membership in the compact), rather than on soil, as in the common law, we would find the question moot. (In England, if you were born on English soil, the King owned your ass). Since his mother was a citizen, that makes him a natural born citizen, according to U.S. law.
To me, it's no surprise that Harlan dissented from making an arbitrary thing like soil the foundation of citizenship, a mere two years after he said that segregating by race was also contrary to the constitution, as amended.

Here's the case:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/historics/USSC_CR_0169_0649_ZS.html

jwest said...

Just to emphasis how liberals think and act as opposed to conservatives:

http://wonkette.com/443395/greatest-living-american-a-childrens-treasury-of-trig-palin-crap-on-his-birthday

John henry said...

Ann said:

"Obama's mother was obviously an American citizen. I'm not too interested in the technical details beyond that. Me, a law professor! I'm satisfied that he's eligible to be President."

I don't think I've ever hear anyone argue that Obama is not a citizen.
Citizenship alone is not enough to make him eligible for the presidency.

All the argument has been over whether or not he is a "natural born" citizen under the requirements of the Constitution.

So Ann, as a Constitutional law professor, can you give us what you see as the definition of "natural born"?

Does it mean anyone who is a citizen by birth, regardless of where?

Or does it require that the birth take place physically in the US? As has been the tradition for 200+ years.

If the former, then McCain and Obama are both eligible. If the latter, McCain is not and Obama would not be if he was born in Kenya as birthers claim.

FWIW, I believe that Obama was born in HI and is eligible. I also believe that McCain is not, not having been born in the US.

John Henry

ricpic said...

"I'm satisfied that he's eligible to be president."

Okay, that's a she says in an unending number of he says she says until we get to see Obama's BC: the only proof (or not) that he is eligible in accordance with the eligibility requirements in the constitution: he's gotta be a natural born citizen and only his actual BC will prove he is or prove he isn't.

vbspurs said...

Which reminds me: If you want to read that book, please buy it through my link, above, not Drudge's.

Or you can be truly altruistic and buy it thru Ron's blog, Fluffy Stuffin'.

I'll still buy thru your link, which has been my way of contributing these many years, but Ron needs the help.

Cheers,
Victoria

Christopher in MA said...

"I wonder if you can even get the Republican nomination if you say unequivocally that Obama is an American citizen."

An American citizen? Sure he is, garbage.

An American? As in someone who understands and respects the fundamental principles of a free society, respects the Constitution and the will of the people, believes in American exceptionalism and wishes the best for his country? No. He isn't.

Barry Soetoro is as much an "American" as his BFF William Ayers. Which is to say, not one at all.

bgates said...

no one has first-hand knowledge of his own birth

That phrase should get back on the road to Oz so it can ask the Wizard for a brain.

Anonymous said...

I think the real relevations might include that Barack Sr. is not the father.

So much for all that Dreams bullshit.

coketown said...

Why are sensible conservatives associated with Birthers but sensible liberals were never associated with Truthers? Can't we all agree to ignore the other side's loonies like invalid aunts locked away in the cellar?

Incidentally, I asked my mom where my birth certificate is and she doesn't know. I've never seen it. Please, birthers, don't call ICE on me.

Ned said...

Kinda like ignoring Bush's national guard service...oh wait! Now THAT was a HUGE deal.
I am all for any and all efforts to further expose obama...the media won.t do it and liberals scoff at it. Bring it on.

Toad Trend said...

@ricpic

"I'm satisfied that he's eligible to be president."

Okay, that's a she says in an unending number of he says she says until we get to see Obama's BC: the only proof (or not) that he is eligible in accordance with the eligibility requirements in the constitution: he's gotta be a natural born citizen and only his actual BC will prove he is or prove he isn't."

I think that's right. And I don't get the "I'm satisfied that he's eligible to be president" angle - does this mean, Ann, you are satisfied without proof? Or are you saying that because he's already been elected, he's grandfathered in, regardless?

Is that a message a law professor should necessarily send?

traditionalguy said...

Obama's citizenship becomes an issue because he was adopted by an Indonesian father and became an Indonesian citizen, but he never reversed that fact later by applying for American citizenship. I can't wait until the Arizona's Sheriff Arpaio catches him and deports him. To shut down this glitch, all of the Indonesian Official records on Barry Soetero are also MIA.

Rose said...

It may be ugly and creepy - or even crazy - but it could have been avoided a.) if the press had done their jobs in the first place and given Obama a fair vetting, and b) if Obama wasn't refusing to release so many things in his record - it's not just the stupid birth certificate, it's college records, writings etc.

Honestly. he should be PROUD to release his college records. Wouldn't you be? And, if not proud, at least unafraid.

He asked for the highest privilege in the world - and he can't agree to produce the most basic of documents? There are many people in many professions who undergo extensive background checks - the President of the nation should be willing and able to submit to the same - and release all findings. Period.

It's his arrogance on this matter that is his undoing. Even if he comes up with a birth certificate now, who will believe it?

Scott M said...

Incidentally, I asked my mom where my birth certificate is and she doesn't know. I've never seen it.

1) How old are you?
2) How many times have you moved?
3) How much could you possibly have accomplished without ever having to produce your birth certificate?

Maybe things are different in different states, but I've had to pull my out at least four or five times in the past 15 years or so. And that's probably due to moving around during the military and radio years.

coketown said...

I also have a book coming out revealing that Obama was born inside the Fed while his mother was off the golden standard, and she delivered on the 16th amendment. It's a far-right conspiracy trifecta. Ron Paul is providing a blurb.

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)
It's his arrogance on this matter that is his undoing. Even if he comes up with a birth certificate now, who will believe it?

1) This being the case, then why should he come up with it?
2) It would not satisfy the “Mick’s” of the world, no matter what he produced or when;
3) Why should he when this ‘conspiracy” makes his opponents look like nut jobs? And it’s going to be a close race in 2012, so if he can paint his opponents, all of them as whackjobs it’s that much easier to win.

coketown said...

@Scott: I'm 24, moved 6 times, the most recently last August out of state, I've graduated college, had three jobs, and currently run a private business. Apparently you can accomplish a lot without producing a birth certificate. Obama really opened the doors.

Ann Althouse said...

"I don't think I've ever hear anyone argue that Obama is not a citizen. Citizenship alone is not enough to make him eligible for the presidency."

I realize that and my post doesn't say anything that would contradict that.

"All the argument has been over whether or not he is a "natural born" citizen under the requirements of the Constitution." So Ann, as a Constitutional law professor, can you give us what you see as the definition of "natural born"?"

In my view, being a citizen at birth is good enough.

Rube said...

Coketown,

You have never had to produce your B.C., I find that hard to believe. Boy have you led a solitary life. No Passport, no Military, No Job, No Security Clearance, and so on and so forth.

John henry said...

Traditional Guy:

Let's assume for the moment that he did become an Indonesian citizen. Let us assume that he, personally, even requested to become one. I think he would have been 7-8 years old?

Do you realize how hard it is for a competent adult to lose their citizenship? It is damn near impossible.

See for example Nishakawa vs (sec state). Nishakawa served in the Japanese army during WWII and had his US citizenship taken away. The Supremes said it could not be and restored it.

Or Perez vs (sec state) Perez, born in the US of Mexican parents went to Mexico. As an adult he signed away his US citizenship at a Consulate. Later he changed his mind and the Supremes decided that he had never lost his citizenship.

Or Afroyim vs (sec state) An immigrant from Poland he became naturalized. After WWII he moved to Israel and became an Israeli citizen, participating in Israeli politics. State Dept tried to take his citizenship. Supremes said they couldn't.

I can see no POSSIBLE scenario where Obama as a child could have surrendered his citizenship. There is no way anyone else, such as his mother, could have surrendered it on his behalf.

I am not a lawyer but am interested in citizenship. In 1988 was the first ever presidential candidate from Puerto Rico and looked closely at what constituted natural born citizenship

John Henry

Scott M said...

Obama really opened the doors.

Apparently. I wonder if the President has ever applied for a CCW permit. Most states ask for the BC, I'm led to believe.

Unknown said...

When Trump says, "He's hiding something", he does hit a nerve. And the mess Abercrombie created has gotten a lot of people asking the same question.

Take, for example, the article in the British press last week about that "scar" on the side of Little Zero's head (you'll see another (different one) in the back of his head in the TX interview from yesterday). They asked, "Is it brain surgery?".

(congential condition requiring his skull be drained regularly?)

Between birth cert and academic transcripts and medical records, something's funky.

traditionalguy said...

Painting politicians as whack jobs is a lot easier than making the precise arguments of Donald Trump go away as if they are loony rantings of a clown. That is being tried now without any success. People already know that they respect Trumps mind and integrity so it is way too late to re-paint him as a maniac.

Unknown said...

"'It's utterly devastating,' reveals a source close to the publisher. "Obama may learn things he didn't even know about himself!'"

Hahahahahaha! One would tend to be ignorant of things about oneself that have been made up!

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

I can't get excited about this issue. It seems to me that if the public has been lied to they can decide what to do about it in 2012.

Dustin said...

It's whether you were born an American citizen.

If it meant something more complicated than that, the people ratifying the constitution didn't see it. It's not there. This extremely unwieldy analysis that if he had another citizenship, that means he renounced this one, or if he dad is a british subject, America's constitution is somehow superceded, just doesn't make sense.

I think Chuck66 has such a good point in his first post. Let's change hearts and minds rather than find some stunt to change the election. Sure, I want eligibility rules enforced, but it would be so sad for America to choose one guy as president, and then that guy be removed.

I would like there to be some kind of formal process settling this issue before people appear on a ballot. Trying to change political tides with conspiracies and paranoid accusations is counterproductive and undemocratic.

Besides, Obama sucks. He is his own fiercest critic, if you compare his flip flops. Beating him on his own record might make America better. Martyring him would create a civil rights icon.

shiloh said...

Why should he when this ‘conspiracy” makes his opponents look like nut jobs?

Although this has been said by many ad nauseam, the past year, exactly!

And another reason why mittens will probably be the Rep nominee in 2012 having stated recently: Obama’s “Citizenship Test has been Passed”

Birthers, talk amongst yourselves ...

coketown said...

@Rube: I already stated I've had three jobs since I entered the workforce. No company has ever asked for a birth certificate, only a social security number and whether I'm a U.S. citizen/a resident alien and can produce evidence to that effect. They've never actually asked for the evidence. I don't have a passport because I don't travel, and I find military service immaterial as to whether one's lived a sheltered life. And what do I need a security clearance for? It's a neat list of 'things that are difficult-but-not-impossible to do without a birth certificate' but I'm finding the link between it and a sheltered life kind of tenuous.

Unknown said...

We just want to "see" the long form birth certificate. What is so difficult about that?

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)
Between birth cert and academic transcripts and medical records, something's funky.

And evidence of Thermite was found at the World Trade Centres, the building cannot free fall at that rate. Did you know that there is a photo suggesting a shooter on the grassy knoll?

George Bush (’43) was wearing a radio receiver during his debates with AlGore, to receive answers and Ronald Reagan had Jimmie Carter’s Debate Briefing Book stolen to provide intelligence for his campaign! Did you know George Bush (’41) took an SR-71 to Paris to confer with the Iranians in 1980, to delay the release of the hostages?

There are many funky things in US politics, just in case you didn’t know that….most of which are completely bogus.

Unknown said...

"The anger that Obama deserves for trying to destroy the America we love gets triggered by the contempt Obama shows for the rules in the Constitution. If he was our favorite American, we would dismiss his getting away with this obvious foul like we think our favorite NBA player is immune to the foul calls that every other player gets. But since he hates us and is working to destroy our military and economic strengths every day, then he damn well better not commit obvious fouls and exoect to get away with it."

Someone is off his meds today. Obama is not changing course at all from that which was set by his predecessors. He, like they, is a contemptible minion of the military/industrial/financial complex...and as such, he continues business as usual in America, as is has been done for at least 30 years.

Scott M said...

and I find military service immaterial as to whether one's lived a sheltered life.

It would be nigh impossible to live a "sheltered" life by any rational measure and serve in the military.

Unknown said...

New U.S. Birth Certificate Requirement

Beginning April 1, 2011, the U.S. Department of State will require the full names of the applicant’s parent(s) to be listed on all certified birth certificates to be considered as primary evidence of U.S. citizenship for all passport applicants, regardless of age. Certified birth certificates missing this information will not be acceptable as evidence of citizenship.

In addition to this requirement, certified copies of birth certificates must also include the following information to be considered acceptable primary evidence of U.S. citizenship:

Full name of the applicant
Date of birth
Place of birth
Raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal of issuing authority
Registrar’s signature
The date the certificate was filed with the registrar’s office (must be within one year)

http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_5401.html

Joe said...

The Crypto Jew)
People already know that they respect Trumps mind and integrity so it is way too late to re-paint him as a maniac.

1) Pro-Choice/Pro-Life
2) Pro-Universal healthcare/Opposed Universal healthcare
3) Pro “one-time” 14.25% levy on US wealth
4) Pro-Kelo eminent domain usage (Once had eminent domain used to throw a little old lady off land he wanted for a limo parking lot)
5) Obama is the worst POTUS since Carter, No Bush ’43 is the Worst POTUS since Carter….
6) Was a Republican, then wasn’t (2000-was going to “run” on the Reform Party ticket)/is a Republican
7) Contributed heavily to Eliot Spitzer and other Democrats.
Oh yes we RESPECT his mind and integrity, oh yes we do……..

Methadras said...

Drudge Powers ACTIVATE!!!

coketown said...

@Scott: That is very true, but it doesn't mean that not serving in the military necessarily leads to a sheltered life.

coketown said...

On reflection, I have lived a very sheltered life. I've never even smoked pot or done a three-way. But you still don't need a birth certificate for those!

DADvocate said...

I'm satisfied that he's eligible to be President.

Same here. He's uniquely unqualified, however.

Scott M said...

or done a three-way

After the fourth or fifth, they loose a little of their previous luster.


lol, jk. No, they don't. Ever.

NotWhoIUsedtoBe said...

And I agree with Althouse about citizenship. It makes no sense that you can be born overseas to American parents and be automatically ineligible for the presidency. Why?

I'm sure there was an original intent to that clause, probably to make sure we never had a British subject winning the election. That's not a problem, the president is clearly a citizen of the US wherever he was born, and it's kind of bizarre that one clause in the Constitution is being stretched into an entire book.

Oh, and Eisenhower. He had a residency problem by one reading of the clause. Not many people cared.

This is a problem for the voters, not the courts. If the voters think being raised overseas is a problem, then they can vote against Obama. But citizenship really isn't an issue here.

That, and I have never seen my own "long form" birth certificate. My son has a computer-generated copy just like the President's. Anyone who has registered a kid for school knows this.

coketown said...

Scott, you're simply beastly!

Rube said...

Coketown, I appologize, I made the assumption that you were an old fart based on your Picture, LOL. At this point in your life I can understand your point. I'm 75 and I have had to produce my BC many times to cover all the things that I mentioned. Rube

Unknown said...

"...believes in American exceptionalism...."

The myth of "American exceptionalism" is pernicious horseshit, and is hardly unique to America, (as none of our ills are), but is a common self-perception among empires...all of which fall.

Rather than a belief in such a grandiose lie being emblematic of a "real American," I'd say it reveals a complete misunderstanding and betrayal of those aspects of our republic that were worth a damn, and more, it is a lie that has killed the better America that might have been.

Which is to say, we're just like every other empire that has ever been.

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)
Scott, you're simply beastly!

He never said anything about THAT, only that three-ways never get old…..

Scott M said...

It makes no sense that you can be born overseas to American parents and be automatically ineligible for the presidency. Why?

It would certainly depend on the amount of time spent abroad, wouldn't it? If a child grows up in another country, another culture, for most of their formative years, they're more likely to belong to that culture. I see this a lot in immigrant's kids and in my own family, though reversed, with nieces and nephews of German relatives.

Paddy O said...

"You've got to give Corsi credit for knowing how to rake in cash."

I totally do. It is sadly predictable but it really does work. In Evangelical circles the controversies are different but the same tactic work. One of the top selling books in this market, Love Wins, got that way because of early buzz that the author was supporting universalism.

I either don't know how to rake in the cash, or more likely have too much integrity to pull off the sorts of controversies that do it.

My book, however, did get up to 29,000 after posting a link in an early comment thread.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

In my view, being a citizen at birth is good enough.

Really?

How about anchor babies. Illegal aliens from Mexico break the law and squirt out a baby over the border and presto chango the kid is a citizen?......this would qualify the baby in your eyes to be a citizen and eligible to be President of the United States

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)



Welcome to Althouse Joanne, we didn’t realize that Robert Cooke had a sister.

Yes Amerikkka just s#cks, has for 200-plus years….IF ONLY, we’ have legalized pot and Gay Marriage in 1789…*SIGH* An Historic Opportunity missed……

Dust Bunny Queen said...

I already stated I've had three jobs since I entered the workforce.

Well, since McDonald's probably hasn't got the highest standards, I'm not surprised.

Did you never play Pop Warner Football, Little League? They both require a birth certificate. A CERTIFIED birth certificate and not a Certificate of Live Birth, which is something entirely different and is not acceptable.

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)
I'd say it reveals a complete misunderstanding and betrayal of those aspects of our republic that were worth a damn,


What would you say those aspect were Cookie, I mean Joanne?

Robert Cook said...

The two posts under the name "Joanne" were me. I had not signed out of a friend's account who had been checking her email on my computer. For what it's worth.

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)
The two posts under the name "Joanne" were me. I had not signed out of a friend's account who had been checking her email on my computer. For what it's worth.


Really, I mean I am floored….

Scott M said...

The myth of "American exceptionalism" is pernicious horseshit

I could say the same about every child being special. They're not, but we're not allowed to let them think otherwise. Some are truly exceptional and some are idiots, but we act like each one of them can go on to do anything they want. You would agree that's also pernicious bullshit, wouldn't you? However, it's exactly what's taught in our schools.

Dust Bunny Queen said...

It makes no sense that you can be born overseas to American parents and be automatically ineligible for the presidency

Isn't it that BOTH of your parents need to be citizens to give you automatic citizenship?

traditionalguy said...

Joe... Nobody says that Trump is a virgin born Conservative saint. But you pointed out that has dug in and gone for the win over his entire career, for his own benefit. I for one now want him to use that great mind and integrity of purpose for winning the financial wars the USA has been gracefully losing under Bush and Obama. After the war is won, then we can get rid of him like we did another man with a great mind and integrity of purpose named George S. Patton.

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)
I for one now want him to use that great mind and integrity of purpose for winning the financial wars the USA has been gracefully losing under Bush and Obama


“Integrity” I doan t’ink that words means what you t’ink it means……

TMink said...

I think the birther movement is just a very active state of denial. It has been two and a half years. Enough already!

He hides the long form because his mother identified his race as white.

That kind of distinction would cause massive consternation among his base, who are the only once concerned with such trivialities.

Trey

MayBee said...

Having lived overseas in a place where probably tens if not hundreds of thousands of children had American citizenship via birth here (and no other allegiance), I think we need to button up what constitutes eligibility and what does not.

Bart DePalma said...

Ann:

In the case of a child born outside the United States in 1961 to an American mother and a foreign father, the American parent has to have resided in the United States for 10 years continuously (5 after her 14th birthday) for the child to be considered an American citizen. Barack Obama's mother does not meet these legal criteria. Thus, the location of Obama's birth is determinative of his citizenship.

Corsi is very talented investigator / muckraker. If he managed to obtain access to the Hawaii records and found no legal record of Obama's birth, then we have a very, very interesting situation.

I'm Full of Soup said...

I wonder what / if Drudge got paid big bucks to run that story at the top of his website all day ?

TMink said...

American exceptionalism refers to our constitution and the form of government therein. It is not about AmericanS, it is about America.

Trey

Sigivald said...

AA said: Obama's mother was obviously an American citizen. I'm not too interested in the technical details beyond that.

Yup, that's been my take on it all along.

Either there's just nothing weird in his BC and he's hoping the obsession makes people look like idiots (likely!), or there's something embarrassing but not disqualifying in it, that he'd prefer not be revealed.

Either way, there's just nothing there.

John: "Natural born" means not-naturalized. Someone is a natural born citizen if they are a citizen from birth. Location is a guarantor of that, but not a requirement.

If I had been born in, say, Canada while my (both American) parents were there on vacation, I'd still have been a "natural born citizen", since I'd been a citizen at birth.

The "only the mother is a citizen" case was never that clear, but Congress decided it was enough before Obama was born, and Congress gets to decide things like that, that are not defined clearly.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Let's refute Cookie/ Joanne's misinformation by listing ways in which America is exceptional.

I'll go first- We have the greatest sports traditions and they are all year long. Rose Bowl, Final Four, Indy 500, World Series, and on and on. I bet there is not another country that comes close to matching our great sports history. Not to mention the cheerleaders too!

MayBee said...

As for Corsi's book? Sure, why not. Obama has created an early life story that doesn't really seem to hold up to scrutiny. I applaud people looking into it.

Corsi will be written off as a whack job, whereas Oliver Stone's "W" was just fine.

MnMark said...

If there's nothing to this birth certificate thing, why did Obama spend millions of dollars defending lawsuits that would have required him to produce one?

Who would spend money like that to not have to produce a document that is so trivial to obtain?

Obviously either (a) he can't produce a birth certificate because it doesn't exist, or (b) there is some embarrassing info on it.

But given that he has acknowledged that he has an unusual pedigree, what could possibly be on a birth certificate that would be that embarrassing? I don't think it's another man's name as father. There's no obvious reason they would have named him after a man who isn't his father.

I think the simplest explanation is that what is on file in Hawaii is not a long-form birth certificate, but a written record of his birth (as suggested by the Hawaii governor and the former Hawaiian clerk who swore an affidavit that it is common knowledge among the records department clerks that there is no long form certificate on file for him).

Which raises the obvious question: for a man who claims to have been born in a hospital in Hawaii, why is there only a written record of his birth and not a long-form certificate, which would have been filed as a matter of course?

And why did he use a fake social security number on his selective service registration?

What are the real circumstances of this man's birth? These are reasonable questions.

Anonymous said...

This is a problem for the voters, not the courts. If the voters think being raised overseas is a problem, then they can vote against Obama. But citizenship really isn't an issue here.


This is an excellent point--it's a "political question," as lawyers like to say.

But, to continue, your point goes to the malfeasance by the press, which failed to vet Obama anywhere near as thoroughly as they vetted, say, Bristol Palin. Obama should have been hammered day and night--then we would really have seen what he's made of and we wouldn't be shocked, for example, when he threatens a small-time TV reporter from Texas.

Instead Obama got a pass--partially because of Bush hatred and mostly because of his race. So, in fact, the "political question" was never properly posed.

MnMark said...

John Lynch wrote: I have never seen my own "long form" birth certificate

Did you spend millions of dollars on lawyers to avoid having to produce one?

Toad Trend said...

@joanne/Robert Cook

"The myth of "American exceptionalism" is pernicious horseshit, and is hardly unique to America, (as none of our ills are),..."

We didn't become a great country because we liked to engage in self-flagellation.

That's usually a personal, private matter. Group self-flagellation, i.e. liberalism, did not make this country great. On the contrary, its ruining this country.

Bart DePalma said...

This is a problem for the voters, not the courts. If the voters think being raised overseas is a problem, then they can vote against Obama. But citizenship really isn't an issue here.

Not quite. The Constitution sets out two requirements to be President - 35+ years of age and a natural born citizen. Absent an amendment, the voters may no more elect a non-citizen as they can a 5 year old as President.

traditionalguy said...

Joe...Integrity means a singleness of purpose to win that intelligently identifies the enemy and attacks at once with no intricate CYA mixtures to scramble his purpose. That has always been what integrity means: an undiluted loyalty. If you are afraid of a man like Trump, then hide and watch.

Rube said...

Bogus Birth Certificate, bogus SS number, no school records. Obama has no real trail. Scar on the head, MIT, computer chips, lefty, think about it. It all fits, LOL.

MayBee said...

Not quite. The Constitution sets out two requirements to be President - 35+ years of age and a natural born citizen. Absent an amendment, the voters may no more elect a non-citizen as they can a 5 year old as President.



The voters may not is apparently different than the voters cannot. Because I don't see anybody checking.
I see people being marginalized for wanting to check (see the term "Birther Bills")

Dustin said...

"
Isn't it that BOTH of your parents need to be citizens to give you automatic citizenship?"

NO

FYNQ

Automatic_Wing said...

Really, I mean I am floored

That was an awesome little sequence, I love it. You and Cook must be working in concert to entertain us.

Almost Ali said...

Donald Trump has succeeded in pushing Obama on to very thin ice. Now you don't even have to be a "birther" to predict the tenure of a one-term president.

But I wouldn't worry about Barry, he's got it made - and he knows it. He hit the jackpot of jackpots, and who can say more.

Robert Cook said...

"Group self-flagellation, i.e. liberalism, did not make this country great. On the contrary, its ruining this country."

Nope. What's ruining this country is our complete lack of "self-flagellation," as you put it...our lack of regard not only for the other nations of the world and their peoples--our acting in the belief that we own the world and its resources--but our lack of regard for our own people, our own society, our own Constitution and rule of law.

JAL said...

In 1988 was the first ever presidential candidate from Puerto Rico and looked closely at what constituted natural born citizenship

Having just been there, I seem to recall seeing somewhere in my background reading that being born in PR does in fact, specifically mean one is a "natural born citizen."

Whoch means of course, there are some US related people and places which do *not* qualify.

RichardS said...

I think America is exceptional precisely because it is built upon a different foundation than just about every other nation. Most are built upon soil, location, history and other such things. America is build upon compact. Hence the day one becomes an American citizen one is fully American. That is not true for just about any other nation. As a rule, culture is much more important to political identity than it is is the U.S. (The idea of birthright citizenship, however, cuts against it. Hence it's not a surprise that it's based on English law, and that it had roughly the same majority as Plessy).

Almost Ali said...

A word of caution: Don't assume that Barry/Barack is emotionally stable, because he's not. I don't think it's a good idea to pile on or rub his nose in the truth. Just let him serve out his one term in relative peace and tranquility. With congress paying just the right amount of humor... without be condescending or obvious. Or our Barry/Barack could come off his training wheels.

Fen said...

The Constitution sets out two requirements to be President - 35+ years of age and a natural born citizen. Absent an amendment, the voters may no more elect a non-citizen as they can a 5 year old as President.


MayBee: "The voters may not is apparently different than the voters cannot. Because I don't see anybody checking. I see people being marginalized for wanting to check (see the term "Birther Bills")

Yup. If we're going to have requirements mandated by the Constitution, you'd think we would enforce them.

I think most people are too cowardly - the meanie liberals might call them names.

JAL said...

"American exceptionalism" isn't that we think we're special because we live here and it's a pretty country.

I confess I did not get this -- or was not taught it -- in my otherwise excellent public school education.

America is exceptional in the basis for its founding and how, and why, and by whom "government" was established.

I do not believe there is any other country in the world like it.

But Obama and some others seem hell bent to take away that uniqueness and take the "government" out of the hands of those who established and 'own' it and make government the master of the subjects instead of the subject of its creators.

"We the People" matter(s).

You work for us, and we are going to remind you of that more and more over the next decade.

John henry said...

Three requirements, Bart.

In addition to age and natural born status, the Constitution says:

"...and been fourteen Years a resident within the United States."

When I ran in 1988 I tried to get the Federal Election Commission to answer 3 questions for me:

1) Is a person born in Puerto Rico a "natural born" citizen. "Yes" they told me.

2) Is the 14 year residency requirement satisfied by residency in Puerto Rico. "Don't know. Needs to be litigated in court" was their answer.

3) Does the 14 years need to occur immediately before running for election or would having lived 14 years in the 50 states as a child satisfy the requirement? Again, didn't know, needs to be litigated.

Not an issue with Obama, obviously, just wanted to clarify that there are 3, not 2 qualifications required.

John Henry

AllenS said...

When the country goes bankrupt, it would be nice to know who to blame, a foreigner or a citizen.

John henry said...

JAL,

According to the FEC, in 1988, "Natural born citizen" means that one was born in the 50 states, DC, US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico or Guam.

I think the Marianas have been added to that since then.

If you look in the US code, you will find that persons born in American Samoa or Swain's Island (an uninhabited atoll in the Indian Ocean) are "nationals" of the US but not "citizens"

The FEC left me believing that place of birth was determinative in whether one was "natural born" or not. McCain would not be according to my correspondence with them.

John Henry

Robert Cook said...

Neither an individual nor a nation is or can be "exceptional" for what it intends (and only briefly, if at all) for how it was conceived, but only in how it lives and acts.

There's no person more obnoxious than the would be artist who claims to be a genius while producing dreck (or nothing at all), while also hesitating not at all to trash everyone else's work.

A nation claiming itself the beacon of hope to the world while committing wars of aggression and terror and mass murder abroad is several orders of magnitude more objectionable...now matter how "righteous" it claims its "cause" to be. And that's not even getting into how it treats its own people, who are, uh, supposed to be the authors of the government, rather than its subjects. But their power was usurped long ago by the military/industrial/financial complex.

In the showbiz world, this is known as: "You're only as good as your last hit."

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)

Integrity means changing parties every 2-3 electoral cycles, changing ones views on Abortion, being a part of a corrupt pay-off system for gambling, divorcing two or three times, declaring bankruptcy at least three times, and blaming EERYONE but America for America's problems?

I'm sorry I missed that definition of "integrity."

Robert Cook said...

"When the country goes bankrupt, it would be nice to know who to blame, a foreigner or a citizen."

That should be easy to know: it depends on whether those in the executive offices on Wall Street and in the banks and corporations are foreigners or citizens.

RichardS said...

"Neither an individual nor a nation is or can be "exceptional" for what it intends (and only briefly, if at all) for how it was conceived, but only in how it lives and acts."
Why do you define it that way?

traditionalguy said...

Joe...You are confusing integrity with morality. Trumps morality is questionable because he always goes for the win using all weapons available. We will have to fire his ass right after he wins the war for us using embarrassing methods. He is also a self made man who goes by Deion Sanders view that, "It ain't bragging if you can do it". The asshole needs a lesson in humility...right after he wins for us.

Carol said...

The left is trotting out Trig Birtherism to counterract this juggernaut, under the assumption (I guess) that the right are all panting for Palin to run.

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)
No TradGuy, Robert Cooke has INTEGRITY...he has principles and hews to them.

Trump has politically expedient POSITIONS he exhanges every few electoral cycles.

Anonymous said...

There is a ton of stuff out there that any reasonable person would find "curious"

like this

It has a bunch of legal stuff in it that might be OK by Althouse.

I've ignored and written off the entire birther thing for 2 years. Thought they were nuts.

I've run across a lot of stuff in the past 6 months.

I can no longer dismiss the birther thing out of hand.

NitneLiun said...

No birth certificate, refusal to release academic records, a CT SS# issued to a putative Hawaiian, the odd scars ... this Obama is a pretty sketchy character. He'll never get elected.

traditionalguy said...

Joe...But Trump has never been a career politician staking out a single set of positions a la Governor Romney. He has been a single minded maker of money like that immoral John Galt guy in the Ayn Rand movie. You and Levin can personally fire him in disgrace, but first allow him to do his thing for you. Like a trial lawyer, the goal of a Commander-in Chief should never be sainthood, but rather defeat of the client's foes. Hell, the USA has never tried sainthood before. Ask Mexico and ask old time residents of Hiroshima, Japan.

Palladian said...

"What are the real circumstances of this man's birth? These are reasonable questions."

And what better time to be asking them than almost 2.5 years into his presidency!

J said...

Birthers routinely overlook the fact that Obama's birth was announced in the Honolulu newspaper (along with the reports of the HI official in charge of COLB files). OR perhaps that was part of the Conspiracy as well for the TinfoilHathouse.

Holy Trilateral commission, rat man

Matt said...

Fantasy fiction sells.

Anonymous said...

I bought this book on Amazon. I might even read it, but really that's not why I bought it.

I hope Corsi becomes a millionaire off this book so others will realize they can make millions of dollars doing professional journalism and they don't have to lick Barack Obama's asshole to get it.

shiloh said...

Fantasy fiction sells.

'Dr. Strangelove' ~ who plays Captain Lionel Mandrake/President Merkin Muffley/Dr. Strangelove ~ Donald Trump?

General Jack Ripper ~ mama grizzly?

General 'Buck' Turgidson ~ Michele Bachmann?

Major 'King' Kong ~ Christine O'Donnell?

>

Truth is stranger than fiction!

Anonymous said...

And for those that think they can change who holds the office of President by doing this, it's like trying to overturn a state law by incorrectly using an open meetings law."

Not the point. And if you'd have read your Alinsky, you'd know it.

Barack Obama taught us that it doesn't matter if your opponents really are racists. That if you call them "racists" they have to spend time and money proving they're not racists and that's time and money they're not spending on their issues and their policy.

Barack Obama taught us to make our enemies waste their resources defending the indefensible.

We learned that lesson well.

Now Barack Obama is going to have to spend time and money proving to the Electoral College - not merely asserting to the College - that he's qualified to receive delegates.

The Electoral College has standards. It doesn't have to award delegates to foreigners who aren't qualified to be the President and I've been told by several electors that they won't award any delegates to anyone who refuses to provide proper documentation of their eligibility.

I'd suggest that Barack Obama bring a copy of his long-form birth certificate when the College convenes.

Anonymous said...

"Birthers routinely overlook the fact that Obama's birth was announced in the Honolulu newspaper ..."

No, they dont' overlook that.

They simply don't care about it. It's not meaningful evidence.

The only evidence of Barack Obama's birth in Hawaii would be his original long-form birth certificate. He either has one, or he doesn't.

He claims to have one. Others have claimed they've seen it. But conveniently, they refuse to allow the American people to see a copy of it (if it really exists).

Are they lying? Many Americans believe they are lying and that Barack Obama isn't qualified to receive Electoral College delegates because he's a foreigner.

He could easily convince the American people ... however, by doing what the law requires regular citizens to do every time we get a job: show our birth certificate and prove our citizenship.

He requires US to do it.

Why shouldn't he be required to do it?

It's a reasonable request that any reasonable person should be able to fulfill.

Matt said...

Ut

Professional journalism??

We have a financial / economic crisis going on. We have multiple wars going on. We have corruption at all levels of the corporate world and government and you define profesional journalism on a guy who thinks Obama's mother duped the newspapers of Hawaii into printing a birth announcement on the off chance that her son might want to be president someday?

Come on man. Looney right wing conspiracy does not qualify as journalism. Either does looney left wing journalism like the kind that believed 9/11 was planned by Bush.

Col Mustard said...

Birthers routinely overlook the fact that Obama's birth was announced in the Honolulu newspaper (along with the reports of the HI official in charge of COLB files).

What's the source of the newspaper notices? Were they gathered from hospital records, govt. notifications (that may be based on family reports) or personal reports from family? The latter two don't seem to confer indisputable authenticity. As for hospital sourcing, it's my understanding there is no record of birth at either of the Honolulu hospitals that are cited as Obama's place of birth.

For the record, I don't believe for a minute that there was a conspiracy afoot at the time of Obama's birth to create a "Manchurian Candidate."

Beldar said...

Drudge dramatically overstates Corsi's role with the SwiftVets or even with the book that Corsi's credited for co-authoring with successful Houston lawyer, former Rehnquist law clerk, and decorated SwiftVet captain John O'Neill.

Corsi was not a Navy veteran and had no first-hand knowledge to contribute about either Kerry or the Swift Boats' service in Vietnam.

The portions of the book authored by O'Neill are measured and lawyer-like in their marshaling of evidence; it points out compelling inferences, many of them extremely unflattering to Kerry, but also relies on first-hand reports of dozens of Swift Boat veterans who served contemporaneously with Kerry. (O'Neill wasn't one of those, and never claimed to have been, but he did take over command of Kerry's boat and crew when Kerry bailed out of Vietnam based on his third Purple Heart.)

The remainder of the book is written in a different style, one that relied more on sarcasm and innuendo, one whose suggested inferences (e.g., regarding a photo of Kerry posted in a Vietnamese military museum) are far less compelling and sometimes marginal.

But IIRC, despite some ill-tempered statements and positions in unrelated matters, Corsi has a PhD in history from Harvard University. This reminds me of Prof. Reynolds' distinction between the merely well credentialed and the genuinely accomplished.

J said...

They simply don't care about it. It's not meaningful evidence.

Yes it is--corroborating as they say. And the birthers haven't at all proven the copy of Obama's COLB published on d-Kos and other sites is false, or that the HI official was lying. For that matter, they tossed out the birthers' Fed case did they not? So take it up with Scalia & Co. (they rejected one of the cases as well)--

Tho maybe the ...Shapeshifter theory might fly with some. Barack, the younger reptilian, following orders from his mentor Hillary the Lizard.

Revenant said...

When the country goes bankrupt, it would be nice to know who to blame, a foreigner or a citizen.

The answer will be "several hundred million citizens who were too selfish, greedy, and stupid to see that they can't live off other people's money forever".

Anonymous said...

"you define profesional journalism on a guy who thinks Obama's mother duped the newspapers of Hawaii into printing a birth announcement on the off chance that her son might want to be president someday?"

Nobody gives two shits about what some newspaper wrote decades ago.

That is not evidence.

You cannot use that on your I-9 form to prove your citizenship when you are applying for a job in the United States.

It is reasonable to request that Barack Obama provide a copy of his original long-form Hawaiian birth certificate that he claims exists.

Any reasonable person would do that; and in fact every American is required to do that to get a job or a passport.

Barack Obama should be no different.

J said...

Do you or do you not believe Barack Obama to be a creature known as a "Shapeshifter" from the Constellation Draco, Mr Ut?

--Ut as in Utah? DSL must have arrived at the Rancho De Brigham

Col Mustard said...

'Dr. Strangelove' ~ who plays...

Hmmmm...

Replacing Sellers...Al Gore - just the right tone for all three roles

Ripper...Sheila Jackson Lee

"Bucky"...Jesse Jackson (with John Edwards doing the stunts)

Kong...Glen Beck (hey, he could do this thing)

Michael said...

I am amused and now intrigued by this topic. I read today that some official in Hawaii declared they had "examined" BO's birth certificate. Examined. Who talks like that? OK, so she examined the license and declared it real, official, etc etc. But she saw it like in private? Like in a sealed BO Birth Certificate room? WTF? She got to see it and she vouches for BO. But if it is there in the sealed BO Birth Certificate room why can't we "examine" it too? It is all very interesting.

Erik Robert Nelson said...

This is all hilarious. I have few doubts that something is screwy on the birth certificate or it would have been released. Maybe he wasn't born where he said he was. Or maybe something else embarrassing that he doesn't want out in public. But in the end, it doesn't matter. His mother was a US citizen. Period. That's all that matters, and attempts to stretch "natural born" citizenship into something it's not is just silliness that ought to have been left behind a long time ago. He was born a citizen. He clearly wasn't naturalized through immigration. Done.

Still, I'd like to see the BC, if for no other reason than curiosity. Other than that, this is all a sideshow, and not all that entertaining of one.

J said...

McCaint as General Buck--
Perfect. Hucklebee as "King". Sarah Klondike as Mandrake. Maybe Rush Limboggh as Dr. S-love hisself.

= = =

Now back to.......... the Reptilian Conspiracy.

Anonymous said...

"I read today that some official in Hawaii declared they had "examined" BO's birth certificate. Examined. Who talks like that?"

Yes, the Hawaiian Secretary of State made the assertion that she has seen Barack Obama's long-form birth certificate and so we should all just take her word for it.

That's what they claim is "evidence."

We're just supposed to trust them.

Frankly, any reasonable person with nothing to hide would produce their birth certificate. I had to do it to get a US Passport. I had to do it again when my employer required that I fill out an I-9 form when I got my job.

Why does Barack Obama think he can get away with hiding his?

What makes him so special that he can defy our laws?

Erik Robert Nelson said...

"What makes him so special that he can defy our laws?"

What laws are being defied, precisely? I mean, there's no law which requires him to make the BC public, are there? He might have to show the BC to government officials for, say, a passport, but he doesn't have to make them public. I'm as curious as anyone about the actual form, but there doesn't seem to be anything directly illegal about not releasing the document publicly. I could be wrong about this, of course.

Almost Ali said...

And the birthers haven't at all proven the copy of Obama's COLB published on d-Kos and other sites is false

The issue is not the "COLB" - the issue is the original, the so-called long form, from which a COLB is taken.

Meanwhile, here's Daily Kos's copy of Obama's Birth Certificate.

Anonymous said...

"What laws are being defied, precisely?"

The U.S. Constitution, which says that you have to be a natural born citizen to be eligible to be president.

Barack Obama isn't one, but claims to be. But he won't provide anyone with a copy of his original long-form birth certificate to prove he isn't violating the law.

Joe said...

(The Crypto Jew)




Tradguy didn’t we just elect a guy who said one thing and then did another? So, your idea is that you want a POTUS who lies? So, who was he lying to? The Pro-Choice or you? Was he lying to Universal Healthcare people or was he lying to you? Basically, y you have no problem with a man who lies, you’re just convinced he’s lying to “them” not you…OK, dood/doodette.

Anonymous said...

"The issue is not the "COLB" - the issue is the original, the so-called long form, from which a COLB is taken."

This is correct. The so-called "certificate of live birth" is a contemporary document typed up and provided by Hawaiian Democrats to Obama's campaign.

It's hardly "evidence" and could easily have been forged.

It is reasonable to expect our presidential candidates to provide us their original long-form birth certificates. Any reasonable person with nothing to hide would be happy to do so.

Matt said...

Ut

If no one gives two shits about what a newspaper wrote decades ago then who cares about history at all? Why would a newspaper print a lie? For fun future arguments?

And, no, not every person is required to use a birth certificate to get a job. It is not a requirment on I-9 documentation.

The state of HI issues birth certificates such as the one of Obama's you can see online. That is considered official by every place in America. They do not offer the long form.

The bottom line is the birther movement arose from folks who did not like that a black man whose mother was a marxist/ atheist and whose father was an African Muslim could possible be president.

And besides if Obama or HI presented a full length birth certificate you would still not believe it. You'd say it was manufactured to look old.

Erik Robert Nelson said...

"The U.S. Constitution, which says that you have to be a natural born citizen to be eligible to be president.

Barack Obama isn't one..."

This is where you lose me. You don't have any evidence, but have made up your mind already. How can you know with such certainty?

In any case, we disagree on what "natural born citizen" means. Unless you can prove Obama's mother wasn't a US citizen ... well, that's a more difficult hurdle. I know you don't think you need to prove that, which is why no one will ever be satisfied with evidence presented. To settle an argument everyone needs to agree on terms. Very few of us seem to.

Erik Robert Nelson said...

"The bottom line is the birther movement arose from folks who did not like that a black man whose mother was a marxist/ atheist and whose father was an African Muslim could possible be president."

I think this is wrong and kinda silly. I think the curiosity about the birth certificate (given Obama's rather colorful early years and conflicting sources) is entirely legitimate and is not, as you suggest, rooted in some racist vendetta. I don't think the obsession some show about this issue is healthy, but I think the interest is fueled more due to a dislike of Obama's policies than his skin color (which I've never known any conservatives to be concerned about in the least).

Anonymous said...

"The bottom line is the birther movement arose from folks who did not like that a black man whose mother was a marxist"

They claim his mother's name was Stanley.

Stanley? And they expect us to believe this guy?

Stanley is obviously a man's name.

Anonymous said...

"I don't think the obsession some show about this issue is healthy, but I think the interest is fueled more due to a dislike of Obama's policies than his skin color ..."

It's about fairness and respect for the United States Constitution.

The Department of Homeland Security requires all Americans to prove they are citizens when we get jobs or seek a passport.

Barack Obama wants to be president but doesn't want to prove that he is eligible. That's not fair. He claims a Hawaiian birth but asks us to take his word for it. That's not fair.

Frankly, any reasonable person with nothing to hide would just provide their birth certificate and it's perfectly reasonable for Americans to require that our presidential candidates do so.

If he's unwilling to do that, then the Democrats should not nominate him and should instead nominate Hillary Clinton, who is willing to provide a copy of her birth certificate to prove she is an American.

poppa india said...

I'm pretty sure Obama was born in HI and is eligible and so on. I just wonder why so many people are not curious about this-they seem to make an effort not to be. It's like saying a 14th century copy of a 12th century manuscript is good enough when doing historical research, let's not bother looking at the original 12th century one.
I'm curious due to my history. I was adopted in Michigan at the age of four. I have a official Certificate of Filing from the state giving my legal name, DOB and POB. This wasn't good enough to get a passport, so I sent to the state for an actual birth certificate and was sent two, same name, two different birth places. So I'm skeptical of any paperwork that does not go to the original source as much as possible.

Almost Ali said...

Give it up, Obamacons – there’s a tsunami bearing down on the heretofore unassailable Doctrine of Greater Good.

Matt said...

Erik

I'm not saying all people who are curious about this ‘birther’ issue fall into this racist category.

A year before the 2008 election there were hoax emails about Obama's origins that began circulating. These were the typical emails you expect to see about any candidate. You know, the ones you see about a candidate being a drug dealer or a drug user or drunk or a wife beater? Well, with Obama the biggest thing that caught on was the idea that Obama was a Muslim not born in America. Even though the guys writing these hoax emails [Clinton supporters in some cases] did not believe the stuff they wrote they perpetuated it because it scared voters and helped their candidate.

Only some people really believed this crap and it never went away. And in many cases it was among those who were scared of Muslims in America and just a little skeptical of a black man with an odd name and a leftist background being President.

Not all conservatives fall into this category. Some do. And some take it to the bank.

Michael said...

I don't give a shit if this guy was born on Mars because I believe he is the one and only legitimate president of the U.S. But I would like to know why this item is such a big f"ing deal. Also interested in the transcripts of this most brilliant of all men. Surely a man who has written two autobiographies by his 50th birthday is not modest about his academic achievements? How could that be? I suspect that like the BC the transcripts exist and like the BC they contain things BO would prefer we not examine.

Trooper York said...

Obama will not produce the birth certificate because there is something embarrasing on it. His race might be "White" or his religion "Muslim" or his father "unknown."

That is the real reason they are covering it up. Someday a historian will get it and we will find out what he is hiding.

It's never the crime it is the coverup.

Matt said...

Ut

They claim his mother's name was Stanley. Stanley is obviously a man's name.

Yes, her name was Stanley. So?

Anonymous said...

"Nearly half of usual Republican primary voters in Iowa think President Obama was not born in the United States, while barely one-quarter believe he was, according to a PPP poll released on Tuesday."

The fact of the matter is that ordinary American voters believe that Barack Obama is hiding something from them (since he is) and that's bound to have a significant impact on the 2012 presidential election.

Americans want to know if their president is a crook.

Anonymous said...

"Yes, her name was Stanley. So?"

Suuuuuure.

Stanley is obviously a man's name. Not a woman's name.

And they want us to believe this guy? He can't even lie good and claim his mother's name was Ethel or Mabel or some other girls' name.

Anonymous said...

"Obama will not produce the birth certificate because there is something embarrassing on it."

Or maybe it simply doesn't exist at all. That's the simplest explanation. And scientists say that the simplest explanation is usually the correct explanation.

Occam's Razor.

Anonymous said...

"Well, with Obama the biggest thing that caught on was the idea that Obama was a Muslim ..."

He does demand that people call him by his Muslim name.

Don't you find that odd for someone who claims he is NOT a Muslim?

Is he an apostate? (That crime against Allah is punishable by death, by the way).

Matt said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
BEK477 said...

Ann,
If Obama confesses tha the was born in Kenya. And that he knew he was not born in the USA at the time he took the oath of office in 2009 does that mean he is disqualified to serve as President

Or, does it mean tha the has committed an impeachable offense?

Matt said...

Ut

Okay, I know you are now jerking our chain. LOL. Thanks for the laughs....

Johanna Lapp said...

I notice that the contemporaneous birth announcements in the two Honolulu newspapers include the address of Obama's grandparents and NOT the Waikiki address where Obama's parents had resided.

The birth announcement makes no specific mention of the hospital or other location where the birth took place.

Freeman Hunt said...

I saw a commenter on another website say that Obama is not a natural born citizen therefore a usurper to the office of the Presidency therefore guilty of treason and therefore will hang when he's found out. I kid you not, someone wrote that. Some literate person out there thinks that there is some series of events that would lead to the hanging of the first black President of the United States.

At the birther ice cream parlor, they only serve the Crazytown Sundae.

Freeman Hunt said...

Just a point of fact, no, if you're born outside the country, being born to an American does not automatically make you a United States citizen. I know this because my mother has several friends from her high school in Belgium who had always assumed that they were American citizens (having been born to Americans,) but then found out that they were not citizens later on in life. The law is strange on the issue of babies born to Americans outside of the United States.

However, none of that is applicable to Obama because he was born in Honolulu.

SukieTawdry said...

Which is to say, we're just like every other empire that has ever been.

Oh yeah, because "every other empire that has ever been" recognized the God-given rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; had a Constitution designed to limit the powers of government and protect the rights and liberties of individuals; and was subject to rule of law rather than the rule of men.

It's the ideas espoused by and enshrined in our founding documents that make America exceptional. Now, if you think maybe we the people haven't lived up to that exceptionalism, you'll probably get no argument from me.

Alex said...

So let's see. Between birtherism and gutting Medicare the GOP just committed political suicide. Congrats 'baggers.

Alex said...

Can the GOP keep digging their own grave with any more gusto?

LOL

Alex said...

80% of the American people do not want Medicare gutted.

Bye bye GOP.

MnMark said...

Just keep asking:

Why won't he produce a long-form birth certificate?

Why did he spend millions on lawsuits to avoid having to produce a long-form birth certificate?

I have never heard an answer to these questions from his defenders. They always change the subject. "He released a birth certificate" (no, he released a certification of live birth, which is not the same). "You're racist, that's why you're asking". "You're a conspiracy nut." "There's announcements in the papers." (Can be triggered by means other than a long-form birth certificate on record.) etc etc.

But they never just directly answer the question: why did he spend millions to avoid having to produce a long-form birth certificate? They never even express curiousity about it. Which leads me to conclude that they sense he is vulnerable on this issue because there IS no reasonable explanation for why he would work so hard not to have to produce one.

MnMark said...

And keep asking this:

Why has not one single journalist asked him why he has not produced a long-form birth certificate and why he spent millions on lawsuits to not have to produce one.

It's been on ongoing issue for YEARS and to my knowledge NO journalist has ever asked him direct questions about it!

And I don't mean a softball question like "what do you say to those who say you have not shown a birth certificate", to which he will respond "my campaign released a birth certificate, and there's nothing more I can do to make some people happy." No, it has to be followed up with: "you released a certification of live birth, which can be generated based on a written record and not a long-form birth certificate. No one has seen your long-form birth certificate. Why do you refuse to produce one?"

No one asks him! It's astounding. And frankly it's frightening. A man elected to be President can simply refuse to address an issue of concern like this and no journalist even asks him about it. What else are they not asking about? Is there any "fourth estate" keeping an eye on things at all, or are they just partisans and followers of the pack?

Carol_Herman said...

Forget Hawaii

Stanley Ann Dunham left Hawaii! (Embarrassed parents of that time did this!) She went to Washington State! To an unwed mother's "facility."

Which is how she got to go to school in Washington State!

She got to keep Barry because at that time WHITE BABIES were very adoptable. Mulatto kids were NOT!

I'd even bet the real birth certificate was issued by a Catholic Charity!

Oh, yeah. Withhold information from the American people. And, then just watch.

You'll have to order popcorn in 55-gallon-drums.

Almost Ali said...

Freeman Hunt said...
Some literate person out there thinks that there is some series of events that would lead to the hanging of the first black President of the United States.

What's the alternative?

Seriously, what punishment fits such a crime? And what of his enablers, including those who knowingly gained the system with the sole intent of defrauding the people by dismantling the country piece by piece?

JAL said...

I see Robert Cooke still doesn't get American exceptionalism.

Neither an individual nor a nation is or can be "exceptional" for what it intends (and only briefly, if at all) for how it was conceived, but only in how it lives and acts.

JAL said...

As for American citizenship -- I have copied here previously parts of the law found on the back of the paperwork provided by the US Embassies for overseas births.

It ain't simple, people, especially if one parent is NOT American -- ding ding ding! (We were both Americans.)

Both of my kids born overseas obtained their American passports as infant / toddler and later a second one here in the States before they were 21 without difficulty, but that is because we did the paperwork right away and kept track of it.

My husband, on the other hand, could not apply for his first passport years ago because the passport office in NYC refused his certified COLB.

He had to write the state he was born in for .... his Birth Ceritificate!

JAL said...

Hey -- don't you like the way Obama defends his birth certificate issue?

He says he was born in Hawaii and no, he doesn't have horns.

Ha ha ha ha

What's with the joke? (I think I have heard him say it twice in the past couple years. Or they just replayed the old interview?)

Anonymous said...

"80% of the American people do not want Medicare gutted."

Maybe that's why ObamaCare is so unpopular with senior voters, since ... you know ... Obama gutted $500 billion out of Medicare and screwed seniors.

Why is Barack Obama trying to balance the budget on the backs of seniors on fixed incomes?

That seems wrong for America.

Anonymous said...

"The birth announcement makes no specific mention of the hospital or other location where the birth took place."

Seeing as how it took place in Kenya.

Anonymous said...

Freeman Hunt wrote: "The law is strange on the issue of babies born to Americans outside of the United States. However, none of that is applicable to Obama because he was born in Honolulu."

First, the law is very clear about who is, and who is not, automatically an American citizen. Nothing strange about it at all.

But you state at the end of yoru post that Barack Obama must be a citizen because he was born in Honolulu.

And so I ask you: How do you know that Barack Obama was born in Honolulu?

What if he was not? If he was not, is he then not eligible to run again for the presidency?

Tibore said...

Ick. Corsi's not only a birther, but also a 9/11 truther. He's an idiot all around.

I just lost respect for Drudge.