I’m kind of surprised he sprung this now but I’m guessing he wanted more press for his budget “plan”. He could of released this a year from now and really made the birthers look bad just prior to the election.
Thankfully, hopefully, we can stop talking about this loser of a issue.
Exit video….a happy Obama scolding the press and the birthers
See author page
Curt, I happen to be in Mata’s camp, where this issue, no matter how it is to end up, simply would take too long in the court process to make any sort of difference on his first term, or a possible second term. That being said, everyone seems to be missing the main reason as to why people wanted this birth certificate brought out. It’s not because of the location. It’s because of the other info contained therein, that could lead to rational discussions on whether Obama is truly eligible to serve as president. I don’t want to go into any of that now, and like you, I’m kinda surprised that it was put out there this early prior to the 2012 elections.
@Curt: You (personally) have always dealt with this non-issue in a sensible, fair, high class manner, as opposed to the wink & nod, “yes/but” approach taken by so many others, who didn’t want to go totally out on a limb, but who instead did all they dared to perpetuate a degree of (completely unreasonable) doubt.
What do you think — is this the moment Trump slips into blissful buffoonery, or does he hang on as a quasi-serious “candidate?”
Larry Weisenthal/Huntington Beach
I have a question. On the BC, it states the name of the hospital where barack was born. However the hospital didn’t get that name until 1978. How did it get there in 1961? curious mind would like to know.
@disen Maybe Dan Rather had his typist enter that info?
@johngalt:
Oh, John (*sigh*). Still coyling flirting with Birtherism, but afraid to make a move? I suggest dropping a note in her locker inviting her to the Spring Dance.
@disenchanted:
That’s just not true.
Here is another BC long form from the same hospital also from 1961.
It was called that in 1961.
See for yourself.
I’m not going to say I ever thought he wasn’t born in the US, but Obama is the only one we should be blaming if we’re tired of this issue. Anyone who runs for President should be willing to be open, honest, and transparent on issues regarding whether or not they are eligible to run for or hold the office. If there were any doubts about the authenticity of the birth certificate he released originally (which there obviously were) he should have immediately released his long form birth certificate. His arrogance and refusal to do so is the reason the issue became so big. If he had simply released the long form certificate back when this first became an issue it would have been over and done with many, many months ago. The only reason he has for not releasing it is because he thinks he shouldn’t have to respond to anyone who doubts him. He took an arrogant and irresponsible stance on this issue for no reason other than political reasons. If you want to get angry at someone in this situation it should be Obama.
@Jason A Clark:
Why would there be doubts? That’s the document that any citizen from Hawaii would receive if he requested his birth certificate. Are you stating that people who believe officials from the State of Hawaii forged the Certificate of Birth are thinking rationally and therefore their doubts should be entertained? Why would these same individuals be satisfied now? I’m sure many are not. So where would you suggest we go from here to satisfy every last Birther? Do you have a working time machine?
I can’t imagine the acute humiliation (and possibly shame) one must feel as a Birther to have spent so much time and energy on this pointless subject and all for nothing.
This issue could have and should have been resolved when it first popped up. Part of the requirements for the job was that he be an American citizen etc. It was therefore HIS responsibility to produce the proof as McCain did when the left questioned his citizenship. He produced both forms and the issue went away very quickly. I believe in Hawaii the standard of proof was the document Obama originally produced. That may not be the standard elsewhere so the best solution would have been to produce the document he produced today. Since there was nothing to hide on the document, I definitely question his judgement for spending all that money to fight releasing it. 99.9% of us would have provided the document if it were a requirement for a job rather than fighting the issue (and thus wouldn’t be hired).
Hopefully this is a dead issue but unfortunately it probably won’t be because people will no doubt begin to claim it was forged or will point to his father’s race as “African” which isn’t a race but was probably put on there out of ignorance by a clerk. Remember, it’s been almost 50 years since JFK was assassinated and people are still claiming Oswald didn’t shoot him despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary. It will be interesting to see how this plays out for Trump. He is already claiming he was able to do what no else has been able to do which is to get the Birth Certificate released. Will this make him look like a nut job or will it make him look like someone who can get the job done?
How to fool law enforcement and the general public?
OBAMA’s Birth Certificate is an “abstract” of the original or so they are telling everyone and to “COOL it” because here is the proof.
The twins born the day after Obama have abstracts of their birth certificates which is an actual picture, an actual photograph of the original birth certificate with verification on the bottom by officials. I look at my abstract of my original birth certificate, and it too is black with white writing or an actual picture of my original birth certificate with signatures on the bottom. Obama’s proof is not like the twin’s birth certificates abstracts or mine, or like yours.
What is confusing to me is that Obama’s birth certificate abstract is on new modern computer paper and dated April 25, 2011—which means it is NOT an actual picture of his birth certificate. So it appears they produced a document (which might or might not be what is on the original document) to say he is official.
WHY WOULD THEY TYPE UP A NEW FORM AND NOT TAKE A PICTURE OF THE ACTUAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE AS IS DONE FOR ALL OTHER AMERICAN CITIZENS? Has Trump been trumped? Or is it that there is NO long-form birth certificate to take a picture of, so they made one up?
@Tom:
We hold our public officials to a higher standard than just any Joe Sixpack off the street. It makes sense to say that the short form is the same birth certificate anyone would get if they requested it, but that form obviously doesn’t have everything on it. Yes, it probably does seem unreasonable to a lot of people that some people didn’t think the short form was good enough. But Obama shouldn’t have been one of those people. It’s simply arrogance to say that he shouldn’t have to produce anything else because the short form is good enough for the average person it should be good enough for him. Obama is the President of the United States – leader of the free world. How much effort would it really have taken for him to just release the long form and be done with it? That’s really the issue.
Obama held it back because he thought doing so would create rifts within the Republican party which is exactly what happened. There simply isn’t any other excuse for him to have not released it all this time.
I don’t know if all the “birthers” will be satisfied now or not. I know a lot of people didn’ t become suspicious of the short form until Obama continuously refused to release the long form. Those people had a valid argument and I think they will mostly be satisfied. There may be some who continue to harp on the issue, but there’s little that can be done about that…they’re probably the same ones who still think George W. Bush should be tried for war crimes even though Obama is doing all the same things he did back then…just saying.
@Tom:
What in the hell kind of comment is that? Both Mata and I have stated, numerous times, that this issue is a non-starter for us. Regardless of it’s eventual outcome, and I don’t propose to know what that will be, nor do I have my own decision on it, mainly because I don’t think about it that much, the fact is that the end result from any sort of investigation won’t happen in time for any sort of effect on Obama’s first term, or possible second.
My point to Curt, and I’m sure he’s aware of it, unlike you, is that the issue isn’t simply one of a location listed on a Birth Certificate, but is much more involved, and a simple revealing of this doesn’t necessarily mean that it will go away.
To me, there are too many, other, worthwhile discussions on issues to damn Obama for, and simple, snarky comments by the ignorant do not change that fact. The only part of this issue that I’m curious about now is the fact that he let it out so early, prior to the campaign season. That is all.
Agreed. He just played his trump card.
@disenchanted: Here is an article Jerome Corsi posted today on WND addressing the long form BC. He is a staunch advocate that Obama was not born here and even has a book on it. He has a picture of someone else’s long form BC from 1961 in an attempt to prove his case. The name of the hospital is the same as the one on the BC Obama released today. I don’t like his presidency anymore than most who post here but this issue seems to have thankfully finally run its course.
@Wordsmith:
I wonder if that is it, or if Obama felt he needed to play his card against Trump. Surely that can’t be the case, as I can’t see Trump winning the GOP nomination, even if this hadn’t been brought out now. Curious.
@disenchanted: Disregard my last post. I see Nan G beat me to it. Day late and a dollar short on my part!
To me the issue is that he has let this issue on the table for over two years while the country is going though in his words the worst economy since the great deperession, wars, gas prices and other prices through the roof, exploding natinal debt, and countless other major issues.
Imagine if you were the leader of a company or country facing very tough issues and their was some side issue you could easily end and you simply let it lay out there for two years. Would that be called leadership. Note his attorney sent this letter on April 21st and we have the document now to present. If he had done so in the best interest of the country two years ago or more, he could have made the statement he made almost cynically today as if he was doing us a favor. He should have said two years ago, if there is any doubt at all to my eligibility, I want to put that to rest completely today rather than have a single American doubt it in these tough times. I as a leader owe that to all the people of America.
So I give him zero credit for this act today, it simply shows what he thinks of America and our problems that he has made some kind of game of it.
@johngalt:
My point is that rather than unequivocally stating that you don’t agree with the Birther Movement, you’re tack has been (as so well described by Larry above in post 2) “to the wink & nod, “yes/but” approach taken by so many others, who didn’t want to go totally out on a limb, but who instead did all they dared to perpetuate a degree of (completely unreasonable) doubt.”
And if you think I’ve come by this opinion based on this thread alone, that’s not the case. Just a week ago you wrote to me, “. But even with that, the people who question Obama’s birth have valid arguments, and reasons for such arguments, to continue them.” So I’d prefer it if you didn’t insult both our intelligences by acting so shocked about where my comment came from. You were fine with silently cheering from the sidelines, even if you were too smart to crawl into the mud.
Yes, because Obama has “stuff” to do!
Jason A Clark I can assure you ” people who wanted W tried for war crimes” are not the same as those who still question Obama’s birthplace.THINK
Will Trump bring back his PHANTOM TRUTH SEEKERS and send them to Cambridge,NYC,Seinfeld or DeNiro’s or Romney’s houses, his 1st or 2nd wive’s houses ——–?
Tom Seems Mr.( black or white) Galt’s been seeing some grey.Or as you suggest maybe he’s just been quietly rooting.
@Mike Smith:
Mike, I feel your pain.
If you look at the whole thing, not just what’s posted here at FA.
See this PDF copy.
There is a signature of the current State Registrar.
Alvin T. Onaia.
His signature is under his sworn statement:
“I certify that this is a true copy or abstract of the record on file with the Hawaaii State Department of Health.”
He dates it April 25th 2011.
@Greta #17
I agree with you absolutely Greta. This could have been put to bed a long time ago.
I have from the beginning assumed that Obama was indeed born in the US and I am not interested in seeing this issue consume any more resources. However, what does that piece of paper by itself prove? The suggestion seems to be that he wouldn’t/couldn’t get a high quality fake when he is on record for being, politely put, “deceptive”. Addditionally, if millions of illegal wetbacks with no contacts, no mobility and limited funds can get passable documents why does anyone believe that it is not within possibility that POTUS could get one better?
Lets just suck it up and move on. With the ponderous progress of American justice, he will hopefully be just a bad memory by the time this could get to a ccourt.
@Tom:
Funny, Tom, but that statement that you quoted of mine is simply stating fact. That the people who question Obama’s birth, have valid arguments, and reasons for those arguments. That is a fact. In no way did I give judgment on their arguments, as you did, prior to the release today of Obama’s Birth certificate.
You call that cheering them on, while I call it reserving judgment on something that no actual facts have been given on. You chose to take Obama’s word over the lack of factual evidence in the case, and over the word of others who stated different than Obama.
As I stated, many, many times before, and in complete agreement with others here, I don’t have any decision on this issue, one way or the other, mostly because no factual evidence was presented by Obama, and also because the evidence the other side of the issue, the “birthers”, couldn’t simply be discredited by taking Obama at his word. I had no opinion on it other than to say that they had a legitimate, valid argument, for pursuing it.
If you want to call that the ‘sidelines’, and that I was cheering them on, so be it. The fact that you cannot distinguish the difference between granting someone’s argument as valid, in light of what they had presented for their case, and that of taking the word of a noted liar, on faith, is what makes your comment shocking.
What you are damning me for is the fact that I have, in the past, presented the information the “birthers” have given as reason for their argument, and that I granted it valid. Because I did not reject it. Fine. I’d rather weigh the evidence, before making a decision on an issue, than to take something at face value simply on faith.
At least he quit voting present on this issue…
@rich wheeler:
Rich, I’m curious as to why Obama brought this out now. I don’t think that he’s worried about Trump as his opponent in the 2012 election, indeed, I didn’t think he was worried about him before this. I’m simply wondering why he chose to bring this out now, instead of down the road, when it is potentially more damaging to the Republicans then. What’s your take?
AMEN!!!! I know some will insist it’s fake no matter what, but this should kill the the bulk of the issue.
I was thinking this helps and hurts Trump. Some will see him as a buffoon thanks to the release, while others will give him credit for obama releasing it. AFAIC, Trump is a buffoon either way.
@johngalt:
I’m not ‘damning’ you for anything, merely pointing out how i find it silly that you’d show up and pat yourself on the back for not being a Birther the day the certificate is released, while apparently all along believing that Birther arguments are valid. Such a brave stance to take. How’s that fence feel?
Okay, let’s go over the basics.
If you or I go driving on any road in these United States, and a policeman stops you and asks for your license and registration, it doesn’t MATTER what other “proofs” you have that you definitely absolutely for sure pinky-swear are a registered and licensed driver, I don’t care if that very highway patrolman administered your driver’s test himself— You refuse to hand over that license or registration, and that just means Dudley Do Right is going to get REALLY interested in seeing that “trivial piece of paper.”
But I guess that makes every highway patrolman a “conspiracy nut,” right?
The man was asked to comply with the law by the American people— and for three years he REFUSED. Not only did he refuse to hand over his birth certificate, he proceeded to lock up every single official record about himself from his birth to his 30s. He couldn’t have behaved more suspiciously if he’d stood in his backyard in the dead of night with a muddy shovel screaming “WHAT DEAD HOOKERS?”
But I’m a conspiracy nut?
If he WASN’T up to some shenanigans– then what was the last three years all about? Sorry, I don’t buy the “red herring” theory… where he allegedly spent millions of dollars and put us all through this nonsense, just to make us look bad by having us chase a nonexistent issue. He’s clever, but he’s not that damn clever. He’s arrogant, and arrogant people are never half as slick as they think they are.
There are only two REAL explanations for his actions. One: sheer arrogance. His perpetual belief that he doesn’t HAVE to answer to the law or to the American people… someone that arrogant will happily throw away millions of dollars putting the peasants in their place.
Two: he, at least, THOUGHT there was something in his birth records, or his school records, or any of the other papers he locked up that would damn him utterly.
His hijinks only make me, and anyone else with a splinter of skepticism, want to see ALL his papers and go over them with a fine toothed comb.
But I’m just a stupid, sub-intelligent, gullible conspiracy theorist. Right?
John Galt #25 To be perfectly blunt, Obama thinks Trump an arrogant A-HOLE who’s been blasting alot of people.I hope ,for her sake,, Sarah is not stupid enough to take up Trump’s mantel.
@RHJunior:
Suuuure. It’s all Obama’s fault. His arrogance, his refusal to nip this in the bud and dispel a good conspiracy before it gains traction. But why play along in the first place? Why get suckered into a loser of an issue? Takes two to tango.
Frankly, I was of Rove’s mindset prior to today:
For whatever reason, it was allowed to fester. Trump’s media attention brought this to a head and Obama’s release will only keep the conspiracists alive with more questions because you can never kill a good conspiracy- especially by using evidence.
Some random links of interest…
Birth of a Controversy: Why Didn’t Obama Come Clean Sooner?
5 Birther Myths Debunked
The ‘Birthers’ Began on the Left
A Short History Of The “Birther” Movement — Americans Who Think Obama Was Born In Kenya
How can Panamanian-born McCain be elected president?
@rich wheeler:
I doubt she will:
@Tom:
You have just displayed how ignorant you are of the issue, Tom. It isn’t just about place of birth, but also of birth father, type of birth(do some investigation into the issue to see what this involves), and about the wording of the Constitution, and the meanings of ‘natural born’ citizen and naturalized citizen. It is much more involved than you are assuming.
As for me, I use reason, Tom. And reason uses evidence to form an opinion, and to make a decision. Because of the lack of evidence on Obama’s part, I would not favor his assertions, or reject the birther’s arguments. It is also because of this lack of evidence that I have never rejected his claim of birth and eligibility. On the contrary, I leaned towards, and have stated as such, that I believed he was born in Hawaii, but would reserve judgment until the evidence was shown. You, however, acted on faith. And my opinion is that it was unguided faith, based on the numerous instances of lies and hypocrisy of Obama himself. There is no ‘fence’ to sit on, Tom. Either you accept as fact, that which is based on faith, or you accept as fact, that which is based on evidence and reason. I know what I’ve acted on, and what I continue to act on. I’m done with this discussion with you, as you haven’t stated anything worthwhile, but simple, mean assertions and disparaging remarks to my character.
@Wordsmith:
I dunno. I think Trump played his Obama card. Trump got him.
@rich wheeler:
That may be so, as far as what you think Obama believes about Trump, but the timing still is funny.
As for Sarah Palin, she never was going to follow Trump’s lead on anything, least of all Obama’s birth.
With respect to Obama “not producing” his birth certificate…
No. He DID produce his birth certificate. The same birth certificate which anyone born in Hawaii is given to use for all legal purposes, including obtaining passports and running for President. As established by the laws of the state of Hawaii. It’s not like Obama had the so called “long form” certificate of live birth in his possession and was holding it back.
According to the regulations in the Hawaii state health department, the original “long form” certificate of live birth is maintained in a bound volume in the Health Department’s records department. There are no provisions to make copies of this document. Only the person in question is even allowed to view the document, and it must be in person, and only by signing in and being escorted personally back to where the bound volume is pulled and the record inspected.
As it was, the Health Department had to make an exception and allow a representative of Obama to travel to Hawaii, with authorization from the President: this was from a CNN story:
Now, presumably we taxpayers had to pay for Obama’s attorney’s travel to Hawaii. Or else, Obama was — very unfairly — required to pay out of his own pocket. He was under absolutely no legal obligation to do so. He provided documentation of his birth which was just as “legal” as that provided by anyone who ever ran for President before him.
The Director of the State of Hawaii Health Department, an MD, made three different clear statements, at different times, and also produced a signed, official affidavit, on the direction of Hawaii’s then GOP Governor, which attested that she had personally inspected the original “long form” birth certificate in the bound volume and that it contained precisely what was revealed today, in the certified copies of this document.
It SHOULD HAVE BEEN ENOUGH. But it shows the lengths to which people will go, to delegitimatize the tenure of Presidents whom they don’t support (and, yes, many Dems did this also following the disputed 2000 election of GW Bush).
Wise Republicans looked at the facts, when the controversy first emerged, and immediately folded their hands, without tossing in an ante. Not so wise Republicans never raised, but kept tossing chips into the pot, with each round — staying in the game and trying to perpetuate the game — “just in case.” It finally took Trump to go all in with a raise. But, like all poker players, he didn’t know his opponent’s hole card.
Remember that Trump said he’d release his income tax returns after Obama released his birth certificate?
I’d say that Trump’s just been busted, politically speaking.
– Larry Weisenthal/Huntington Beach, CA
@Wordsmith:
Rove’s take is interesting. Previously, I’ve always thought that the reason was simply that for the President to respond elevated Birthers, and their concerns, to a level they didn’t deserve. Why should the President of the United States respond to drivel? Obama was criticized for getting into it with Rush Limbaugh and I agreed with those criticisms for the same reason. While I’m sure he gained some satisfaction from dropping “the ace” (as did many others, myself included) it wasn’t all a win for him. Already Trump is taking credit for the release of the document and Sarah Palin and Glen Beck are accusing Obama of doing so as a distraction. So it’s fair to ask “why now?”. But doesn’t there come a point where something even this ridiculous become not only a national distraction, but a national embarrassment? Is it when a potential front-runner for the Republican nomination makes it the centerpiece of his campaign? Is it when one-in-four Americans believe Obama was not born in the US? There are people who could have stepped forward to quell this and they chose not to.
Maybe Obama was saving this for political reasons, or maybe he had other legitimate reasons not to respond, but I imagine he finally felt that he had no choice. It’s certainly nothing for Donald Trump or the Birthers to be proud of, the fact that they feel they compelled The President to hold a news conference to prove that they were relentlessly wrong despite all evidence.
Word Good for Sarah. She’d come close to going over the precipice.This morning’s release will actually help her and bring some Trumpists back to her and Bachmann.
Dr.J. says “Trump got Obama” A strange world you live in Herr Doctor.btw How’s your buddy the Mad Colonel doing these days? Expect him around much longer?
@johngalt:
how many different ways do you need to read that the evidence was previously released? Should it be written it in Chinese? Just because you refuse to believe the legitimacy of a legal document, and in doing call into question not only the integrity of the President, but also that of those officials in Hawaii who released it, doesn’t constitute a lack of evidence.
@Tom:
I was listening to the Michael Medved Show in the background just now, and Medved, who holds the similar view of Rove, told a caller he thinks what’s changed is in essence what you linked to: More Americans having doubts, and not just partisan wishful-hopefuls, fringies, and conspiracists. And for Obama to win re-election, he needs to retain the votes of the independents and left-and-right centrists who voted him in the first time around.
What are the latest approval ratings with independents?
Rembrandt’s ‘The Night Watch’ didn’t take this long and cost a lot less.
@Wordsmith:
Not sure overall ,but a recent poll shows that he’s getting hurt pretty badly by rising gas prices.
Larry at #35,
I hope Trump does release his tax records.
Then the last of those who might have entertained the slightest interest in his representing America as a president will fall by the wayside.
I hope it happens soon.
@openid.aol.com/runnswim:
Larry, we had this discussion already, and with the production of this birth certificate, I believe that I was proven right. Yes, he did produce a birth certificate, and yes, the state of Hawaii considers it official for government business. However, it is incomplete, with information that doesn’t appear on the form he produced today, and this is the one that the “birthers” wanted him to produce. You claimed that he couldn’t. I stated that he didn’t want to. I never claimed that he had it, but wasn’t showing it. He produced it. Nothing more needs to be said about this.
We discussed this before, Larry, and I pointed you to the relevant site that discussed it. They DO release copies, and they it isn’t only for viewing in person, and Obama had every right and ability to do so previously.
An Obama birth certificate that shows he was born in Hawaii, as I have always said, does NOT make Obama a natural born citizen. The birth certificate is a non-issue. It always has been. The fact that Obama, Sr., was born in Kenya and never was an American citizen means that Obama STILL HAS HIS PROBLEM, he is still NOT a natural born citizen. Tough going. Get OBAMA out!
@Tom:
Yeah, I know. I said I was done, but you cannot leave well enough alone, and must display your ignorance of my comments again.
My words, which you quoted, were in regards to the “short form” Certification of Live Birth, which did not provide the relevant information relating to the objections the “birthers” named. What was put out today was the “long form” Certificate of Live Birth, a much more detailed document. The evidence was not released previously, as what was released today is what the “birthers” wanted to see. I didn’t refute the legitimacy of the “short form” document either, but somehow you state that I did. Proof?
It’s funny, though, how you leave out this, from what I said;
Why did you leave that out? Because it didn’t support your position, on me, that you think I’m somehow a closet “birther”? The lack of evidence was there, as pointed out in a discussion of ‘short form’ and ‘long form’ documents. I’ve never stated that I believed the short form document was fraudulent, only that some people did. Now I’m done with this, as it isn’t, and never has been, an issue that I’ve been all that interested in, particularly as it relates to Obama’s presidency thus far.
@Jason A Clark: @Jason A Clark: BEST review of the whole mess I have seen. I would like to quote you, may I?
I have always wondered why the state was involved at all. My experience is if you need a certified copy of your birth certificate you go thru the county you were born in. HI doesn’t have counties?
Where is the raised seal?
First ever presser by ben bernake = bc red herring
Wouldn’t it be a whole lot easier if any US citizen was eligible to run for the office for US President? Rather than all this time and money wasted running to check the constitution and debating what the unclear term ‘natural-born’ means. McCain was born in Panama…maybe they can retroactively make Kenya a part of the US so Obama’s dad can be a US citizen. Lol. I’m sure this won’t stop the nutty birthers. I wonder what they are going to demand as evidence next?
To listen to him today, he sounded like he has nothing to do with the silliness, when in fact, he allowed it to happen. He could have simply requested that it be released several years ago. It’s almost like he’s been saying, “you can’t make me. I’ll hold my breath until I turn blue.”
He must really think we’re a bunch of dodo birds. His actions do not encourage confidence and simply puts him at odds with everyday folks, like me, who are able to locate our authentic birth certificates and produce them for our passports, etc.
Maybe Allen West is right and that Obama has the arrogance of a third world dictator. I would expect this behavior from Chavez.
Wordsmith and others
Games should end when you take the office of President, especially in tough times and anytime you have two wars and are starting another, you have over 9% unemployed and over 16% underemployed, gas prices starting toward $5 a gallon, turmoil in the middle east that could drive the prices up even higher, and you are 14 trillion in debt and bleeding cash from every orifice, you should not be in the business of gamesmanship, even if you feel the other side is playing games.
So lets lay out a few facts…
1. The president of the USA knew that over 50% of Americans had sincere questions about his place of birth.
2. To end the debate with the vast majority, all you have to do is nod to your attorney to contract Hawaii and have them release your full birth certificate to you. He finally did this the third year into the controversy.
3. make sure you do everythng possible to have it verified by sources that are trusted by those with sincere concerns.
4. do what he did today, but without the sarcasm. The reason the president of the USA had to poke fun at the over 50% of Americans with sincere concerns was that he had waiting this long and he had no excuse other than the truth.
He did want to make this gamesmanship rather than leadership. He continues to campaign which is why everything he says and does creates more divide in this country. He always has an enemy which is what a community agitator does. I would imagine that Barry always went into his communities he was trying to organize and told them about a common enemy to unite them to move forward in some way. Presidents once elected for the most part stop this type of thing knowing it is only campaign gamesmanship but produces nothing of value when President. He demonized Republicans after being President crowing about winning and they needed to be in the back of the bus. He did this so well that nothing of real value could come out of healthcare reform other than a one party bill which took on the form of those most partisan. When anything happens, be blamed someone else, demonizing every major industry in this country from one time to another depending on the need to create hate and anomosity.
No matter what your feeling about Bush, he took a lot from the left and by and large remained silent, much to the anger of the Republican Party. Bush felt as President, he did not want to be out there vilifying the other side. That is how he got votes for no child left behind and the wars and the continuing funding of the wars and the patriot act. He did not even try to come out to point out hypocracy and outright lies. he was not the best president for a variety of reasons, but he was far better as leader than Obama. This two year refusal to end controversy to me shows who he is as a leader and as a man.