White House releases Obama's birth certificate
(CNN) - President Obama released his original birth certificate Wednesday, saying the controversy surrounding the issue had become a "sideshow."
“We do not have time for this kind of silliness. We’ve got better stuff to do," said Obama.
The surprise release follows recent and sustained remarks by businessman Donald Trump, among others, that raised doubts as to whether the president was born in the United States.
“Over the last two and half years, I have watched with amusement. I have been puzzled with the degree with which this thing just kept going,” Obama told reporters Wednesday.
Responding to the development, Trump said, "I have accomplished something nobody else has accomplished."
"I want to look at it, but I hope it’s true," he told reporters in New Hampshire. "He should have done it a long time ago. I am really honored to have played such a big role in hopefully getting rid of this issue."
Earlier Wednesday, White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said the debate has been "really bad for the Republican Party."
The so-called "birther" debate is "good politics" but "bad for the country," said Pfeiffer.
In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper Monday, Trump repeated his doubts and said he had been told the certificate was "missing."
A new CNN investigation revealed earlier this week what most analysts have been saying since the "birther" controversy erupted during the 2008 presidential campaign: Obama was born in Hawaii on August 4, 1961.
While the president has made light of the controversy, the question remained political red meat for some of his critics. A recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll showed that nearly 75% of Americans believe Obama was definitely or probably born in the United States. More than four in 10 Republicans, however, believe he probably or definitely was not born in America.
See Obama's Certification of Live Birth
The U.S. Constitution says only "natural born" citizens can become president - a vague clause that some members of the birther movement contend disqualifies Obama because, they insist, he was born outside the United States.
Skeptics contend, among other things, that Obama was born in his father's home country of Kenya.
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thats cool. now ill be able to sleep at night.
Yea, let's vote Sarah Palin for pres in 2012. She can see russia from her window ye know.
Won't matter....now all the idiot birthers are gonna say it's a fake certificate anyways.....
America just seems to be getting stupider by the day....no wonder it seems like we're swirling down the drain.....
I wouldn't have done it. No other President in history had to do it so why should he have?
The reason so many people are confused and saying that President Obama is not a citizen is because many people are ignorant of the fact that Hawaii is part of the United States.
This will not convince those ignorant birthers. They don't care for facts they would rather believe fantasies.
This won't shut up these morons they will move to another method of pushing their racist agenda. The stupidity of the right is astounding.
And now the next round of lies and BS from the Birther crowd can start.
And Joe, we went from a shrinking economy to a growing one, from losing 1/2 million jobs a month to gaining some
You have a really screwed up idea of 'slide'
Hopefully now, the extreme examination of President Obama will stop. He WAS born in the United States . . . next we know, Trump will say the President is an alien and this is a forged document. Now, ALL Presidents should be put through this mess . . .what accusations, just because we have a black President. Let him do his job instead of being distracted by stupidity. I am not a person of color, I am a white person in the North; can't wait to hear Trump's rantings as soon as he gets off the helicopter in New Hampshire.
Sarah says, "who cares if the president was born in the US GET OVER!!!"
umm...i would think that all ppl that care about the Constitution of the United States care. just a hunch though
The WH did release the long form? Where is it? Also about time I mean Obama has the CIA it his call if they (CIA) cant forge a birth certificate then what good are they.
Donald Trump gets results. We can thank him for this.
SO where is it I see no picture of it here is this more gov.coverup?
FAKE! There is no way I believe this now after 3 or 4 years. This gave them all the time they needed to further set up this Obama FRAUD.
Another controversy laid to rest. Maybe now we can unite to do something positive for our country and put aside our differences. This constant need to finger point and cast blame is counterproductive and a waste of time and energy.
This won't shut them up. Now it's going to be labeled a forgery by the birthers. They refuse to accept his citizenship because it shatters their image of America. In their America, a liberal dark skinned man with a funny name could not possibly become their President, succeeding in ways they never will.
I'm sure they'll say something else if "fake." But at least he can stop everyone getting all of this free press.
... and the world keeps on spinning.
This will change nothing. 99% of the birthers will swear the birth certificate is a fake.
DEFEAT BO IN 2012. Get this guy OUT OF OFFICE!!! Time for some ACTUAL CHANGE. Remove the HOPELESS party out of office!
Couldn't they have just done this from the beginning and saved everyone all the wasted time spent on this??? The issue could've been resolved on day one. Seriously.
Wonderful! Proves his father was NOT a U.S. Citizen, therefore Obama Jr has DUAL Citizenship, and therefore by definition is NOT a Natural Born Citizen. Obama, being a Constitutional Laywer KNEW this a priori and thus has committed intentional criminal fraud. Time for an arrest!
Joe Vermilya:
What I like about your post, even though I disagree with it (I am a supporter of this administration) is that you respect the office and address President Obama by his title. Thank you for reminding us that we can disagree but still be civil and respectful!
If 4/10 of Republicans don't believe he was born in the US after countless newspaper clippings from that day or several different birth certificates then I fear what they would do should they win the presidency in 2012. Things would continue to slide, they'd fall off the side of the mountain.
Honey Badger don't care!