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April 28, 2011

Birtherism Dies an Easy Death

Justin Katz

At the end of a long post describing the ease with which President Obama could have ended the birther controversy long ago, Andrew McCarthy concludes as follows:

So, assuming as we should the legitimacy of the long-form birth certificate produced yesterday, the only thing that makes sense is that Obama knows the mainstream media is in his hip pocket. That is, he knew that he would not be held to the same standard as other politicians, and that if he acted in an unreasonable manner by withholding basic, easily available information that any other person seeking the presidency would be expected — be compelled — to produce, the media would portray as weirdos those demanding the information, not Obama and his stonewalling accomplices. And he also knows that, having now finally produced the document only because the game was starting to hurt him politically, the media will not focus on how easy it would have been to produce the birth certificate three years ago, or on how much time and money has been wasted by his gamesmanship; they'll instead portray him as beleaguered and the people who have been seeking the basic information (i.e., doing the media's job) as discredited whackos.

It's hard to say what's more depressing, Obama's cynicism or the zeal with which the media does his bidding.

One can imagine the media presentation had any given Republican drawn out the saga for so long, let alone a media-loathed figure like Sarah Palin. But when entire segments of society (news media, academia, Hollywood, and so on) are so slanted, politics is a different game depending whether one aligns with them or not.

Comments

One word: ARROGANCE

Posted by: Max Diesel at April 28, 2011 2:21 PM

Oh it's far from over. Now they're claiming the certificate released is a fake. Oh boy.

Be careful of what you wish for people. The alternative is "President Biden".

Posted by: Patrick at April 28, 2011 4:18 PM

Andrew McCarthy is wrong. It is not up to the president to supply this information. John McCain conceded the election. Chief Justice Roberts performed the swearing-in. The president is legitimate.
As Justice Scalia says GET OVER IT

Posted by: David S at April 28, 2011 5:55 PM

Of course it was up to him to have supplied it when it was first requested. We have a right to know given it's a constitutional requirement to become president. Instead he refused. He then encouraged and used the media to label anyone who dared to ask about it as a racist, bigot, crackpot. He played the race card early and often and he's still playing it, or rather the media is playing it for him. When he loses in 2012, you can be sure he'll be playing the race card then too. His perfect excuse (it's not me, it's them) for non-performance.


Posted by: riborn at April 28, 2011 6:34 PM

It was kind of fun to hear Trump and DePetro both flail about yesterday like some 20-year-old who can't handle his liquor on Saturday night on Westminster Street.
This whole birther thing has been repudiated to the satisfaction of any rational voter in the American electorate (well, Trump's a non-voter, if you saw his record).

Posted by: bella at April 28, 2011 8:29 PM

David S writes:

"John McCain conceded the election."

Why does everyone forget McCain was put through a "birther" problem by the Democrats. As everyone knows, McCain's father was in the military and McCain was not born in the continental U.S. At McCain's birth, his mother was with his father who was then stationed in the Canal Zone. Not good enough for the opposition. A lawsuit was filed regarding his "natural born citizen" status and claiming he was born in Colon City. If this suit had been filed in the year of his birth, it would probably have succeeded. A later law retroactively conferred citizenship on those born in the Canal Zone of American parents. The U.S. senate passed a resolution that McCain was a "natural born citizen". In the decision on the lawsuit, the possibility was acknowledged that retroactive action might not meet the standard of "natural born". Their claims that he was not a "natural born citizen" did not adhere. To the best of my knowledge "natural born", as used in the eligibility clause, has never been fully defined. There have only been decisions on who is not "natural born".

What little is known of "natural born" would seem to indicate that since Obama's father was not a citizen, he is only saved by the 14th amendment and its "anchor baby" provision. However, that seems subject to reasonable challenge.

There are numerous other presidents, and contenders, who have had to grapple with the "natural born" provision. Google it. Why are we led to believe that Obama has been singled out by crazies?

Posted by: Warrington Faust at April 28, 2011 9:59 PM

Barry Goldwater's "natural born" status was questioned in 1964 because he was born in the Arizona Territory before it became a state.
It never has been defined by ant court.there are three ways to become a US citizen:
(1)Acquisition at birth,whether in the US or abroad(I had to memorize six charts in the Border Patrol Academy explaining all this,so I'll skip the details)
(2)Naturalization
(3)Derivative citizenship,which is a byproduct of the naturalization of one or both parents,depending on the circumstances
The Constitution mentions "naturalization of aliens"as a federal function.
Personally,I believe that anyone who acquires citizenship at birth is a "natural born citizen".
Of course I'm no judge or lawyer,but there's also nothing that particularly
negates this interpretation.
I hpe this is the last of this bS and Obama can come under attack for being an inept President.
Or is that racist too?

Posted by: joe bernstein at April 28, 2011 10:28 PM

So now we can finally start to talk about Obozo's disastrous policies that are destroying this country?

Everything he has touched is now a failure.

Expanding two wars.
1,000 more dead Americans.
No enery policy with $5 gas.
The most corrupt & secretive WH ever.
ObamaCARE.
Failed Stimulus.
Most divisive president in history.
Falling Dollar.
Inflation.
Vacation and Golf game.
Inflaming The Middle East with no plan.
The imposter-in-chief's women problem.
Wall Street connections.
George Soros connection.
Campaigner-in-chief.
on..and on..

Posted by: dave at April 29, 2011 7:39 AM

Spending like a drunken sailor.
Not defending DOMA.
ATF Gunrunning Scandal.
Eric Holder and Big Sis.
TSA molesters.
Debt Ceiling.
Killing NASA to now pay Russia Space.
9% unemloyment.
Millions of people who are collecting unemployment for his ENTIRE presidency. Nearly 3 years now.
No plan for SS, Medicare, Medicaid.

Posted by: dave at April 29, 2011 7:47 AM

Government Motors.
Beer Summit.
Ground Zero Mosque support.
NYC Civilian Trials.
Guantanamo Bay.
Tax Cuts for the rich.

All without touching his personal problems:
Islamaphobia.
Fredo: "I'm smart, I just have no records to back it up"
Doesn't go to Church.
Doesn't ready any books.
Only knows one side of history.

Posted by: dave at April 29, 2011 8:06 AM

Can't talk without teleprompter.
Time for another Oprah, View & MTV tour.
No press conferences.
American Exceptionalism. Nah..

Posted by: dave at April 29, 2011 8:13 AM

"This whole birther thing has been repudiated to the satisfaction of any rational voter in the American electorate "

It will never be repudiated and is sure to be included in what will be Obama's short and dismal legacy - the indecent refusal to answer the legitimate question immediately, instead choosing to drag it out for years so he can manipulate and divide America with his labeling of those who don't agree with his socialist goals as crazies and racists.

But we must take the field back, move away from Obama's red herrings and on to shine the spotlight on Obama's hoped for legacy: socialism and redistribution of wealth; total destruction of the economy; the deaths of many more American service men and women in the morass of the middle east; driving the U.S. into unrecoverable debt; and the overall weakening of the U.S. on the world stage - to the detriment and increased vulnerability of U.S. citizens. It is a many-pronged approach to socialism and he is determined.

Posted by: riborn at April 29, 2011 9:54 AM

The document released by the White House, if authentic, should cause the immediate removal of Obama, as it proves he is ineligible to be president, as he is not a Natural Born Citizen.

His father being a British Subject conferred British citizenship upon his son. His mother was not of the age of majority, so she did not confer citizenship to her son. He has the anchor baby status as a citizen, but does not meet the Natural Born Citizenship requirement.

However, real forensic experts, such as Karl Denninger, (market ticker)have determined the document was not authentic. I challenge anyone to debate Mr Denninger on his analysis.

So, either the President is not eligible, or he is a felon for committing fraud upon the electorate, or both.

In any case he should be impeached and removed immediately.

This is about the Rule of Law. Either we have it, or we have no Republic, but a lawless Oligarchy.

Posted by: Gary at May 1, 2011 9:34 AM

Oh yes, there are legitimate questions about Obama's birth.
In other news, the WWE is entirely on the level.

Posted by: bella at May 1, 2011 11:23 AM

bella-my little radical friend-there have never been questions about Obama's birth,citizenship,etc.in my mind.
Just his political philosophy and job performance.
BTW I actually think he's never going to ahve to worry about a John Edwards moment-he seems to be a committed family man.Plus his wife can probably kick his butt.

Posted by: joe bernstein at May 1, 2011 2:19 PM

Gary-at the time Obama was born,his parents were married so even if,for the sake of argument, he was born abrod,he'd still be a US citizen at birth.
Furthermore,acquisiton of foreign citizenship at birth through a parent or by birth in a country that has birthright citizenship does not affect a person's US citizenship since the acquisition of such citizenship was not voluntary.
Naturalizing in a foreign country of one's own volition is a means of losing US citizenship.
BTW I'm sick of hearing how Jews have dual US/Israeli citizenship.
Jews can become legal residents in Israel which is equivalent to a green card here.One must go through naturalization in Israel to become an Israeli citizen.
I also believe Kenya was independent when Obama was born.
I have no idea what Kenyan nationality laws at that time were so maybe Obama acquired Kenyan citizenship at birth and maybe not.
Maybe when he was adopted by an Indonesian father he acquired Indonesian citizenship.It's possible.
Not like it would make a difference in Obama being a natural born US citizen.
remember,"natural born"isn't further defined by the Constitution.
The only thing that is clear is that a naturalized or derivative citizen isn't "natural born".
The locale of a US citizen's birth is never addressed anywhere.

Posted by: joe bernstein at May 1, 2011 8:39 PM