Posted on the White House blog.
This morning the White House press secretary passed out copies of President Obama's long-form birth certificate. We're expecting Mr. Obama to brief reporters within the hour. More news here when we get it.
From the White House blog:
The President believed the distraction over his birth certificate wasn’t good for the country. It may have been good politics and good TV, but it was bad for the American people and distracting from the many challenges we face as a country. Therefore, the President directed his counsel to review the legal authority for seeking access to the long form certificate and to request on that basis that the Hawaii State Department of Health make an exception to release a copy of his long form birth certificate. They granted that exception in part because of the tremendous volume of requests they had been getting.
Republican presidential-maybe Donald Trump is telling Portsmouth, New Hampshire, how "amazing" it is that he got President Obama to release the birth certificate. He's also plugging his "very, very successful" TV show. "When the show is over, I will be free to announce," Mr. Trump just said. "I think you will be surprised at what my announcement is." Now he's going after President Obama's college transcripts. "Why doesn't he release his Occidental records?" Mr. Trump said. He said he wants to know how Mr. Obama later got into Ivy League schools.
UPDATE: 9:54 a.m.: President Obama spoke briefly to reporters, taking no questions afterward. Mr. Obama said that he knows that the release of his birth certificate won't satisfy everyone, but that he's doing this for the majority of the American people. He said that he has watched with "bemusement" as the birth certificate issue dragged on, and sounded frustrated that the questions about it had dominated the news cycle even during the recent budget fight. Americans face difficult challenges right now, and we can't fix them if we're divided, distracted, and just plain making stuff up. (That's a rough paraphrase, but not that rough.)
"We're not going to be able to solve our problems if we get distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers," Mr. Obama said. He added, "We do not have time for this kind of silliness."
The Political Theater of the Absurd and Surreal will now take a brief intermission. Please talk amongst yourselves.
P.S. The political haymaking begins for Republicans. From Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus: "Unfortunately his campaign politics and talk about birth certificates is distracting him from our number one priority -- our economy."
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I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of birthers suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced
If only. What a blessing that would be.
If only.
Where is Obi-Wan when you need him?
Don't count on it! These fascist scum hate this guy beyond reason. The copy he originally produced was sufficient for the purposes needed. No one else would have been challenged on it. They have shown their true colors.
Oh please, as if they'll accept this as evidence. Howls that it's a fake in 3...2...1...
It's a FAAAAKE! A FAAAAKE! We want the original! Copies for every citizen! Notarized ones! With the bloody fingerprint of the doctor who birthed him on them!!! We want his whole life investigated if necessary!!
LOL!!!! Too funny!! If only that would happen!!
Ok, that made me laugh!
I want to speak to the nurses on duty that day!!! They are the only ones who know the real truth!!! LOLOL
This one's for you, kid. :)
http://yfrog.com/h81watkj
Personally, I won't be happy until I see a notarized placenta. That's the only way we can be CERTAIN certain! Pretty much ANYone can forge a long form birth certificate, ya know... I've heard Kenyan/secret Muslim/ fascists are especially good at forgery!
I wish he hadn't done this. It's giving in to a bunch of people spouting nonsense. And no, the birthers won't be silenced. Because this was never about whether or not Obama was born in the U. S. It's about someone of color being President. That's something the bigoted, poorly educated, insecure types of people who believe something like this will never come to grips with.
From @DepressedDarth:" I won't release my birth certificate because "The Force" is listed as my father. "The Force" is really "A Jedi Shmi met in a bar one night" "
Your so full of it your eyes are brown. Typical Progressive Socialist Commie.
It will be disappointing if this long form certificate actually lets the air out of the Birther balloon. It was a useful tool for identifying non-rational people, quickly.
Obama's mother was American, making him a natural born citizen under the Constitution and the law. Birthers merely out themselves as racist morons by insisting that the President obtain and release a "long form" birth certificate which is not normally issued by the state of Hawaii, where he was undeniably born. Their racism is further evidenced by the fact that John McCain was not born in the U.S. (he was born in Panama) and yet they did not question McCain's eligibility for office during the campaign.
Here's a few excellent articles on the topic:
Citizenship
http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_citi.html
POTUS (see Eligibility section):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/President_of_the_United_States
Natural Born Citizen clause of the Constitution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_born_citizen_of_the_United_States
The problem is this is still a certificate of live birth. It's just like the one that I have and they accepted it for my passport, my ID, and my SS card. For some stupid reason birthers will insist that because it's a "certificate of live birth" that's not the same as a "birth certificate." It's kind've like what's her face saying that the Constitution doesn't have an establishment clause because the term "establishment clause" doesn't literally appear in the document. I am also glad that someone pointed out the 14th Amendment and that the Constitution says you have to either be the child of a US citizen or be born in the US. His mom was a citizen case closed. Isn't it amazing how people who wrap themselves up in the constitution haven't got a clue what the constitution actually says (even after reading it outloud before Congress).
Please also remember that they were the ones who initially created the Health Reform Act ;-) Now apparently it's socialism. Wonder what it was in '93?
.
WHY, WHY, WHY !!!....If he would have just kept the Birthers going the Republican Party would have continued to look like the bunch of Crazies that most of them are.
My thoughts exactly!!
I'm sure they can do that on their own without the birthers...
Pres. Obama gave good time to allow enough rope for them to hang themselves on this issue - it's the summer of 2011, gotta make sure the centrists she this full certif and the extreme, non-substantive GOP reaction hereafter
Now they will look even kookier when they don't give up the claims that he isn't born in America.
They are not giving up so easily. Go to freeperland and check out the comments.
It will only get better.
Don't worry....now they're going to start in on his educational records. Once a Republican, always a Republican = once a pompous egotistical idiot, always a Donald Trump.
And i hope they go ahead and try to get educational records on Obama cuz all they'll get once again is EGG all over them just like the Birth certificate!
I also think they're one heartbeat away from saying HAWAII is NOT part of the U.S.A.So to all you birthers,BRING IT ON!
However.. there will always be wingnuts who refuse to accept anything... what's the over/under for how long it takes The Donald to say it's a fake?
I'd say, right about.......now!
It is sad that it came to this. Hopefully it will shut up the birthers, but I doubt it. Next thing he'll have to release will be his college grades to prove he was actually a student. What else will they come up to try to discredit our President?
they will continue to try to discredit President Obama as long as he is in office, and probably won't stop then. They have been disrespectful from day one.
As far as Donald Trump goes, he can't stand NOT being the center of attention. Just trying to get more ratings for his show. How sad is that? He is a pathetic little man.
Donald now wants to see his school records, but isn't saying if/ when he'll show his own tax records like he mentioned in an interview.
These folks aren't going to give up after today. Orly Taitz is saying that the race should say Negro, not African.
.......I don't even know where to begin pointing out the inherent racism of saying the "race" should be written as Negro and not African.
I won't believe it until he releases his uber long certificate...
:)
too bad. I was enjoying the derp.
Finally! The birther idiots will probably claim government conspiracy though.
How long until they decide this is a fake? I'm guessing suppertime today, at the latest.
it's only 11:00 CST, and they're already all over that angle.
Even with this birth certificate, some of these nut cases will not be convinced. Shows the power of a lie.
I think that's the reason BO wasn't releasing it. It made a minority on the right seem a bit off. Yeah, I know on this board all on the right eat live babies.
Eric, you mean they don't?????
Please, Eric. Don't use "bit off" and "eat live babies" in the same thought.
Wrong. You know the first thing on Rush Limbaugh's lips will be: "Why did it take so long? Why not only after 2.5 years of asking for it are we seeing this? How do we know this wasn't fabricated?" They will never be satisfied.
Give Rush a few minutes to pop a few pills and take effect!
This will do nothing to stop the Birther campaign. If we have learned anything from the Teabaggers it's that no amount of tangible physical proof will ever dissuade them from their entrenched belief that Hussein Obama the Usurper is nothing but a radical marxist socialist fascist progressive kenyan indonesian uppity muslim antichrist.
@Ricardo: Love your comments! You left out terrorist! LOLOL
But seriously, you are right...it won't matter, they'll still say it's fake, or he paid for it, or Hawaii is lying (LOL) or whatever!!. However, I would be grateful if it made Trump STFU! So sick of all the free publicity he gets for his fictitious campaign, what a Tool he is! Peace and Love Ricardo! :o)
Damn, forgot "terrorist" and "manchurian" as well... gotta brush up on my talking points. And I forgot to 'accidentally' call him Osama.
Dammit.
This won't shut anyone up... I've already seen plenty of comments that even if that was released they'd still think its a fake. Fortunately even the DC Examiner is now making fun of the birthers (after being on the birther bandwagon for a while). The editorial cartoon today compares birthers to stink bugs.
I'm interested in how this was made available.
I've done more than a little genealogy work on my family's history.
If you request a copy of your own birth certificate, you have NO option. You get what the state issues. No short form. No long form. The state issued birth certificate.
Hawaii must have some very odd laws when it comes to birth certificates.
He's the President, that how?
The item says that Hawaiian officials made an exception. For you or me, I doubt they would make such an exception.
I'd guess that they got so overwhelmed with wingnuts making requests and demands they decided to authorize the release of a photocopy... hopefully with Obama's permission since its his personal data.
According to CNN, in Hawaii you can make a freedom of information request for a copy of the long form. It takes awhile (the president presumably could get that request expedited), but you can get it.
My partner actually has a copy of her long-form birth certificate from Hawaii - I think it must be a copy of the original furnished after she was born, though.
Lintilla, I don't think any state releases the original. Those are kept archived and copies are released. That's even at the time of birth, or so it was with my kids anyway. Of course each state has different laws.
Now there will be a hue & cry about the President's "special treatment" by Hawaii allowing him to obtain a copy of his long certificate.
Look right above your comment, it's already starting.
Now they'll ask for the placenta, and hire a medium to channel President Obama's mother and grandmother. They will never be appeased, they will never go away, until his skin color changes and his name is Joe Smith.
HAHAHA!!... Donald Trump is taking credit for the President releasing his Birth Certificate. CLASSIC!
Well, he does have a really big ego...
Now, of course, The Donald will harp about the President's grades.. but no one seemed to care about Ws lack of a stellar academic record. He got into Yale because his SAT scores were... oh, wait.. that wasn't it.. lol
You have got to be kidding.... I am soooooooo OVER Donald Trump. I almost spit out my coffee with laughter when I first heard of his 'run' for President. Can people truly be this dumb?
yes, they can. one of my favorite quotes:
-- Terry Goodkind
Yes Donald thinks that it's his doings that got the birth certificate released. This says everything there is to know about Donald Trump's mentality. He is the center of the universe and wants policies to be passed that heighten his universe. If you're a South Park fan I'm beginning to believe the difference between Democrats and Republicans is that Democrats are all Kyles/Stans and Republicans are all Eric Cartmans. Remember the Cthulhu episode? Kenny tried to tell Eric he wasn't making the world better for everyone, just for himself. Cartman was completely perplexed as to why this was a bad thing. That sums it up right there.
LOL, the trump creature is taking full credit for this. He says he is proud and honored.
I can only hope that someone reads it out loud to Michele Bachmann. She can't read it. Ain't got no pictures.
She doesn't need that... already acknowledged the other day that Obama's natural. The ones who need it read won't believe it anyway.
This is a big mistake.
The will just move the goalpost onto another sub-issue and it will be perpetual catchup.
If Obama is not careful, any more he gives into these idiots will actually go against him.
Agree!
Actually, I think it was brilliant political strategy. Let the birthers and the GOP's paint themselves into a corner, especially Trump with all his nonsense about how his "investigators" found "stuff" on Obama.....then call their bluff. He just made them and everyone who indulged them in the slightest degree, look like huge ass fools. He comes out looking like the adult who took the high road. Masterful!
Don't get your hopes up, Elizabeth. For people who use the word "uppity" regularly, this will not change a thing.
I never believed he was born anywhere but within US, but why now? This isn't a new issue, what was the motivation?
Politics?
Because the traction on the issue had gained momentum, with over 50% of Republican voters believing he wasn't born in America. Now he puts his trump card on the table, showing the crazies to be crazy. It will be interesting to see all the GOP Presidential candidates try to walk back some of their statements from the past couple of months during the birther fervor.
the sad thing about it is that they ARE so CRAZY they will never back down. They live in glass houses and love to throw stones!
The President actually said why he felt all of this was necessary in his press conference this morning. He was very clear that our nation needs to be focused on the very real problems that we face and not wasting time and energy on bull-crap, perpetrated by bull-crappers. And he did not leave the press out of that equation.
I find it incredible that it's gotten to this stage. The President should've just ignored the whole kerfuffle, and kept the birthers reveling in their ignorance. It feel like a cave in, instead of what should have been a upper clip to the jaw. I guess the President felt he needed to appease the dummies.
Yes with the teabagger in the house.
Why is it that no white president has had to provide a birth certificate?
Because this is America and racism still lives here. This whole Tea Party/Birther crap is motivated by nothing more than racism. Anyone that claims otherwise has been living on another planet for far too long.
Because this is America and racism still lives here. This whole Tea Party/Birther crap is motivated by nothing more than racism. Anyone that claims otherwise has been living on another planet for far too long.
Tea Party: When you can't think of anything scarier than an black man taking your money.
The Donald is a fake!
YUP! It's gotten that one can't tell the difference between The Donald himself and Madame Trousseau's version. See for yourself.
http://new-york-pictures.com/v/madame-tussauds/Ted+Turner+and+Donald+Trump+at+Madame+Tussaud_s+New+York+Wax+Museum.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1
Well, maybe Madam T's wax figure is a little prettier..oops..AD HOMINEM.. sorry folks.
Right on time.
Now the idiots will move the goal post and the few clowns that really beLIEved this will slowly drop off or face ever deafening criticism and ridicule.
Once the core birthers are exposed from their cover of somewhat more sensible fools they will be isolated, surrounded, and silenced.
The document is obviously fake. I could not feel a raised seal when I touched the document on the computer monitor.
LOL!!!! If this were not so ridiculous and malicious, the entire situation would be hilarious.... Sadly, there are people who really believe the President of the United States is illegitimate; not because he had the election handed to him by the Supreme Court but by virtue of who he is. Those people will never be satisfied. And, your comment gave their stance just the degree of levity it needed.... Love it!
Why didn't Bush have to provide military record (AWOL), or his arrest record (cocaine possesion). Because he is a "Fortunate Son"...
Ha! Look at the crazies on the left! "AWOL-ers" are so funny.