The ABCs of eligibility

WND ^ | 7/23/09 | Joe Farah

[pissant]

Every day I get countless e-mails from people who are just beginning to become aware of the questions surrounding Barack Obama's eligibility for office.

Because I can't answer thousands of individual questions, this column is designed to provide a basic backgrounder on the most frequent questions – questions that could all be answered in far greater detail if readers had the patience to wade through the voluminous collection of stories on the issue we offer the public free in our archives.

You can find the hundreds of news stories WND has written on this subject here.

You can also find a thorough exploration of this subject in publication form here.

Question: What about the claims by some other news organizations, public officials and websites to have seen and inspected the original birth certificate?

Answer: I don't believe them. The statements they have made are ambiguous. They have offered no information to verify their claims – such as the hospital in which Obama was born. I think they have all inspected the same document we have all seen on various websites – the certification of live birth, which, as WND reported recently, is not even considered by the U.S. State Department to be a document with which you can obtain a passport, let alone establish a constitutional standard of "natural born citizenship" and qualify to serve in the White House.

Where's the proof Barack Obama was born in the U.S. or that he fulfills the "natural-born citizen" clause in the Constitution? If you still want to see it, join over 400,000 others and sign up now!

Question: What about those newspaper birth announcements?

Answer: Newspaper birth announcements are generated by public health authorities when a birth certificate or certification of live birth is issued. Therefore, the birth announcements only

[pissant]

Mostly correct. He forgot to mention a few things. SUCH AS THE COLB BEING A FAKE DOCUMENT!

[Star Traveler]

Well, the problem here is that there is not any legal requirement to produce the “real thing”.... LOL...

That’s been the “bottom line problem” all along...

[conservativegramma]

Well there is also a 2nd ‘bottom line problem’ which is we have a bunch of treasonous nitwits in Congress who demanded proof from John McCain but gave Obama a free pass. This whole thing would have been resolved last summer if Obama had been put through the same investigation as McCain was.

[astyanax]

...there is not any legal requirement...
There is a Constitutional requirement for him to prove he is a natural born citizen.
Quit arguing semantics.

[Star Traveler]

I’m actually not arguing semantics, but merely stating what all the prior candidates for President of the United States have done...

Obviously they weren’t arguing semantics either and yet, they were never legally compelled to produce a birth certificate... :-)

[Star Traveler]

I thought that they passed a resolution in Congress saying that McCain was eligible... didn’t that happen?

[astyanax]

...they were never legally compelled to produce a birth certificate..
That's nice. It's also completely irrelevant.

[nufsed]

ST is of the opinion that if past presidents didn't show their BC then when there are questions about a presidential candidate he doesn't have to either. This is known as if you have no reasonable cause and let people pass, you can't stop one when there is reasonable cause.

I tried to explain this in several ways last night, but was unsuccessful. Just want to let the more persistent among you know, you're wasting your time.

[Star Traveler]

Very relevant if there is no law requiring a candidate to show his birth certificate... :-)

Hence, that’s why I say that state laws need to be enacted to change what all the prior candidates have done in the past. From now on we need a law that requires, legally, the candidate to produce a birth certificate, or else they cannot get on the ballot.

[astyanax]

So when he gets pulled over by the cops for speeding and they want to see his license and registration, he just points out all the other cars on the road and says “THEY don’t have to show their license and registration!”?
Good luck with that. I hope they taser his a$$... ;o)

[Star Traveler]

Well, that’s pretty clear as to what I’ve said — and — as to what the situation is. The problem with many who post on the subject, is that they don’t *recognize reality*...

The reality is, that while you or I do want to see the birth certificate, there is no law requiring a candidate to produce it or show it to anyone. So, we’re stuck in an “endless loop” — we all say “Show your birth certificate”... nothing happens, there is no law compelling it to happen, and we once again, say “Show your birth certificate...”

Repeat the cycle about five thousand times and do it over again... LOL...

Nope, that’s not a “rational response”... :-)

The rational response is to make some state laws so that a candidate is *required legally* to produce their birth certificate...

[Star Traveler]

The thing about the cop and the driver and showing the driver’s license is that the driver is compelled by law to do so... LOL...

[astyanax]

He DOESN’T HAVE TO show his birth certificate.
He DOES have to prove he’s qualified.
The easiest way to prove that would be a birth certificate.
If you have any other ways he could do that, let’s hear them.

[Star Traveler]

The only methodology that has been done, all along, with all candidates, present and past — is — a candidate swearing that he is qualified for office.

And absent a specific law — legally requiring — the showing of a birth certificate... that’s all you’re ever going to get...

[astyanax]

Who doesn’t recognize reality?!
This is about the President having to meet the requirements of the Constitution.
YOU are trying to pretend it’s about a law requiring someone to show a birth certificate.
I guess semantics was the wrong word, how about obfuscation?

[Star Traveler]

If you want a different method for a candidate verifying and proving that he should be on the ballot, than what all candidates presently do — right now — then you are going to have to make a specific law, such as the one I said needs to be done — in that states legally require the birth certificate or else a candidate cannot be put on the ballot.

Short of that, you change nothing...

[conservativegramma]

I thought that they passed a resolution in Congress saying that McCain was eligible... didn’t that happen?

Yeah they did - S.R. 511 as I recall. Did absolutely NOTHING regarding Obama. But interestingly Obama did sign S.R. 511 that stated McCain was eligible having been born to TWO citizen parents on a military base. In other words they reaffirmed country + parents (plural).

[astyanax]

No need for a law, the Constitution is quite clear.
And if someone lies about their eligibility, there are existing laws for that.
The problem is that the law (and Constitution) are not being enforced.

[nufsed]

IIRC McCain was not born on a military base. He was born at a hospital in the city of Colon, Panama.

[Star Traveler]

You said — And if someone lies about their eligibility, there are existing laws for that.

—

I would agree that there are laws regarding swearing falsely and the resulting fraud. Now all you have to do is provide the proof for it and you’ll have a case...

[Star Traveler]

Well, to tell you the truth, from what I’ve seen posted on Free Republic about the McCain birth certificate — I’ve seen those who say that is a fraud, online, to those who say he never showed it to the public, to those who say it was part of some public court documents to those who say that it was shown only to one reporter... LOL...

Anymore I have no idea if McCain has a birth certificate, from all the posts I’ve seen here...

Heck! Even Leo Donofrio says that McCain is not eligible to be President of the United States, along with Obama not being eligible... :-)

[curiosity]

There is a Constitutional requirement for him to prove he is a natural born citizen.

Really? Please enlighten me as to exactly where in the Constitution this requirement is to be found.

And no, I'm not asking for the requirment that he be a natural born citizen. I know where that is. What I'd like to know is where it is written that he must prove it. While you're at, please tell me to whom the constitution says he must prove it.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Tagline is nuff said.

[curiosity]

I’ve seen those who say that is a fraud, online, to those who say he never showed it to the public, to those who say it was part of some public court documents to those who say that it was shown only to one reporter

John McCain showed his birth certificate privately to a Washington Post reporter after some articles appeard in the MSM questioning his eligibility. He never made any images of it publicly available, and it was never part of any court proceedings.

In a lawsuit, Hollander v. McCain, someone challanging McCain's eligibility submitted a fake birth certificate into evidence that proported to show that McCain was born in a Panama hospital that was outside the canal zone, and hence not on US soil. That is the same fake McCain birth certificate that has been posted online.

The case was dismissed for lack of standing without McCain ever showing his authentic birth certificate to anyone.

Read more about it here:

http://www.obamaconspiracy.org/2009/02/the-birth-certificate-is-a-forgery/

[astyanax]

You are correct.
I should have said a “Constitutional requirement for him to be a natural born citizen.”

[astyanax]

Interesting. I hadn’t heard that.

[conservativegramma]

IIRC McCain was not born on a military base. He was born at a hospital in the city of Colon, Panama.

I know that. I was merely reporting the conclusion of the Senate Resolution who did not believe that the children of those serving overseas in our military should be penalized. The point of my reporting on this resolution was not to focus on a panama military base or city -- but rather to focus upon the fact that McCain was ALSO declared eligible based upon have TWO CITIZENS AS PARENTS. And the Democrats and Obama signed this thing.

You need to realize that The real purpose of this S.R. 511 was to change the article II, section 1, clause 5 of the Constitution of the United States with reference to the requirements of being a "natural born citizen" by the Democratic Party leadership -- paving the way for an Obama run.

Both Leahy and Chertoff avoid addressing the "in the US mainland" (jus solis) element of the eligibility requirement and focus solely on parentage (Jus sanguinis) in making their arguments and by doing so bring focus to the fundamental reason Obama is not qualified. He had one American parent and one foreign parent. Barack Obama is not a natural born citizen -- it doesn't matter where he was born.

In other words, leave it to a Democrat to try and circumnavigate and destroy the constitution and end up slitting the throat of their own candidate!!!

[nufsed]

Save your energy. I realize all of that.

It is importtant however to get as many facts right as we have on hand.

[curiosity]

IIRC McCain was not born on a military base. He was born at a hospital in the city of Colon, Panama.

Nope. He was born on a military base. The birth certificate that proports to show him being born in Colon is a fake.

[real_patriotic_american]

Congressional hearings were held and determined that McCain is a natural born citizen. McCain freely provided all documents as requested.

Why not also check Obama’s birth certificate and he is much more questionable? And Obama’s COLB doesn’t count.

Your defense will not discourage us from asking our government to enforce the Constitution and require Obama to prove that he is a natural born citizen. He has NOT proven it yet.

[ckilmer]

Here is Gov (commerce secretary elect)Bill Richardson saying in Spanish that Obama is an "immigrant." (So he understands understands "immigrant" issues.)The context suggests that by "immigrant" bill richardson means "illegal immigrant"



Here in plain English is the Kenyan Ambassador saying that Obama is born in Kenya.



Obama's own flacks deny that obama was born in Kenya but do acknowledge that he had a dual citizenship up until 1982

from obama's own site factcheck.org(this is cached as the original was taken down) by way of fightthesmears on his dual citizenship at birth

“When Barack Obama Jr. was born on Aug. 4,1961, in Honolulu, Kenya was a British colony, still part of the United Kingdom’s dwindling empire. As a Kenyan native, Barack Obama Sr. was a British subject whose citizenship status was governed by The British Nationality Act of 1948. That same act governed the status of Obama Sr.‘s children.

Since Sen. Obama has neither renounced his U.S. citizenship nor sworn an oath of allegiance to Kenya, his Kenyan citizenship automatically expired on Aug. 4,1982.”(Someone will want to cache the above web page because it will be taken down eventually. Ah here is the cached version.) Here is a better cached versionHere's a third Kindly cache these too.

Here is the problem with fighthesmears narrative: We already have recorded that Obama's wife michellle said Obama's mother was "very young and very single" when obama was born. British law at the time of obama's birth only gave citizenship from the father to the son in the case that the father is married to the mother:ie the son is legitimate. See wikipedia 2.4.3Since obama's parents were NOT married -- how did obama get his British/Kenyancitizenship? Its not unreasonable to think that he got his British/Kenyan because he was born there--and not because of his parentage. As to the famous newsclipping in Hawaii that states that bama was born there in 1961--there is evidence to suggest that the house named as the place where Obama was born -- was lived in by someone else besides his parents. Once again, Just one piece of evidence could easily be dismissed. It is the accumulation of evidence that is troubling.
It is well established that Obama did travel to Indonesia and Pakistan in 1981. In a tape of his speech at this April 6, 2008 San Francisco Fundraiser, Obama discloses his trip to Pakistan (40:17) when he was in college. On what passport did he travel?

A last arguement for baraks people might be that of course the Kenyans would have an interest in claiming that obama was a "son of the soil" both as a matter of pride and as a matter of bucks coming their way. However, if Obama was not born in Kenya -- then why wouldn't Obama release his original long form birth certificate. Instead of just releasing his long form birth certificate he has paid his lawyers 1 million dollars from campaign contributions since Sept 08 to squash the suits brought on the issue. On top of that according to the LA Times since the election -- the Kenyans feel that Obama has gone out of his way to snub/ignore/distance-himself them. The Kenyans are putting up reasons like perhaps they are insufficiently perfected for him to notice them--but here in the USA we have seen Obama throw a number of embarrasing people from his past under the bus. Obama is going to Africa. Will he visit Kenya? Nope. Exactly What IS a Natural Born Citizen?

The thing has become a joke in washington. Joe Biden Joked at the Gridiron Dinner in March 09.

After mentioning one of the Republican speakers for the evening, Arnold Schwarzenegger, was born in Austria and that one of the Democratic speakers, Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, was born in Canada, Biden chortled: "Folks, this is going to be Lou Dobbs' worst nightmare. "

From there, Biden transitioned to the birth certificate controversy.

Les Kinsolving asked the Presidential Press Secretary Gibbs to release the long form birth certificate. The press secretary suggested mockingly that the copy of the short form birth certificate supplied online is Obama's long form birth certificate. Not so.(However, as of july 2009--eight months after the election-- Hawaii changed their rules so as to make the short form legal.There is even evidence to suggest the online "certification of live birth"--ie not a birth certificate--obama presented... was a forgery. See the press conference out take here.

The White House 'dialogue' site has to be scrubbed regularly because of long form birth certificate eligibility posts.

Rush Limbaugh joked several times on his radio show on 6/10/09: "What do God and Obama have in commen? (Answer) Neither have birth certificates."

Even the liberal LA Times on June 30, 2009 in an article dripping with contempt--conceded that the thing Obama's people posted online was "technically... not a birth certificate".

A bill in the US congress with 10 backers currently -- calls for future presidential candidates to be required to show a birth certificate. The library of congress has recently started including the Obama File in its historic collections of Internet materials related to the Presidential Transition during a Time of Crises. The Obama File holds that Obama's birth certificate as presented online is bogus.

Now this story is starting to change. Some liberals in an open acknowledgement of Obama's problems are starting to call for a change in the constitution.Liberal defenders of Obama in full retreat on Birth CertificateNow The LA Times Wants To Amend the Constitution Rather Than Have Obama Show His Birth Certificate. (Translation: Yeah he’s not a Natural Born Citizen — As the Constitution Requires.)

[ckilmer]

A detroit radio station called the Kenyan embassy after the election of Obama. After a a few minutes they get through to the ambassador of Kenya.

The ambassador of Kenya says that obama was born in Kenya and that his birth place has become a national shrine.

Listen to the recording here. (Please save & cache the recording)

The quote is around 12:35, so if you don’t have time to listen to the whole thing, you can jump ahead.
Don't click through the link to utube on WND but rather listen to the recording on site. The transcript reads:

Radio Jockey: President elect Obama's birth place over in Kenya -- is that going to be a national spot where he was born

Ambassador Peter Ogego: its already an attraction. his paternal grandmother is still alive

Radio Jockey:But his birth place...they'll put up a marker there

Ambassdor Peter Ogego: It would depend on the government. Its already well known.

Here is an abridged Utube version of the the radio interview. So you can hear just the relevant parts. (be sure to save & cache this if you know how--because obama's people are actively hunting this stuff down)

It can be reasonably pointed out that the DJ was trying to entrap the Ambassador and that the Ambassador fell into his trap.
However, if you listen to the long version of the radio interview --you’ll notice he used the same strategy on two different occasions and the ambassador gently brushed him off.

First, he tried to force the ambassador to sing the Kenyan national anthem. The ambassador referred him to the kenyan website.

Second he tried to push the ambassador into saying something about maybe Kenya becoming the 51st state. Again the ambassador said that Kenya was a sovereign country. ie No.

He used the same technique on the question of Obama’s birth place. This time the ambassador did not brush him off. Rather in answer to the question as to whether Obama was born in Kenya --he says "It is well known."

Because the ambassador answered no in the two previous examples -- you can't say that the ambassdor was either a fool or ill advised.

Finally, you might ask well doesn't he know that saying Obama is born in Kenya would make trouble for Obama? The answer there is why should he be concerned? He has heard no suggestion in the mainstream media that there might be a problem there. So to say what is already well known--as he says--would be no problem.

Here is a utube video of Ambassador Peter Ogego speaking at a conference. Ambassador of Kenya H.E. Peter Ogego To verify that the voice on the radio is Ambassador Ogego-- compare the radio voice with the DJ to the voice on the Utube that goes with Ambassador Ogego. Ambassador Peter Ogego is introduced a bit after minute 18..

They are the same.


Subsequently, the Kenyan ambassador said that he meant Obama's father was born in Kenya. However, when pressed about Obama's birth place:

"I don't know," he said with a tone of irritation. "You should ask your government. I know his father is Kenyan."

However, that's not what the original transcript suggests. clear="all" /> Finally, there is a Affidavit of Bishop Ron McRae which is part of the Berg case. The Bishop says pretty much the same thing as the Ambassador.

"Additionally, it is common knowledge throughout both the Christian and Muslim communities in Kenya, that contrary to news media propaganda here in the United States, US Senator Barack Obama is a Muslim and not a Christian, and that he was born in Mombasa, Kenya and not in the State of Hawaii as falsely purported by the Obama campaign for presidency of the United States."

While you cannot impeach the ambassador's character, you can impeach McCrae's character. After all, he's just an itinerant preacher. But McCrae has been to Kenya. Still that makes two people who say that it is common knowledge in Kenya that Obama was born in Kenya.
Then of course there is a video of Obama's grandmother saying that Obama is born in Kenya
There is a case to be made that Obama mother didn't mean Obama was born in Kenya but rather that he is a "son of this village". However, witnesses insist that she said she was present at obama's birth in Kenya. If taken alone, perhaps she could well be ignored. However, her take is in keeping with others both high and low.

Again here is a pdf transcript of Kenyan National Assembly on Nov 5, 2008, the day after Obama was elected. Over and over again there are references to Obama being a "son of the soil" of Kenya and a Kenyan. On page page 3275 there is this passage:

HOUSE SHOULD ADJOURN TO DISCUSS ELECTION OF MR. BARRACK OBAMA

Ms. Odhiambo: On a point of order, Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir. It is not on this issue. I stand on a point of order under Standing Order No.20 to seek leave for adjournment of the House to discuss the American presidential election results.

(Applause)

Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the President-elect, Mr. Obama, is a son of the soil of this country. Every other country in this continent is celebrating the Obama win. It is only proper and fitting that the country which he originates from should show the same excitement, pomp and colour.



Again. It is not the one thing. Rather it is the tide.

In July 2009 a Ghanian newspapersays of Obama that ""For Ghana, Obama's visit will be a celebration of another milestone in African history as it hosts the first-ever African-American president on this presidential visit to the continent of his birth," The American Thinker explains here why Obama's short form released by fightthesmears is not sufficient for Hawaii. There is evidence to suggest that the home named in the newspaper archived article as the place where Obama was born -- was lived in by a couple not Obama's parents. Even the Honalulu Advertiser has a different address of record for Obama's father than the one listed newspaper birth listing. The hospital where Obama claims he was born--refuses to either confirm or deny that he was in fact born there--and that despite the fact that Obama has said he was born there in writing--and presented the hospital a memo to that effect...right after he was elected. What's more newspaper accounts of his birth place him in other hospitals around Hawaii. None of these will comment either.

Again. It is not the one thing. Rather it is the tide.

The Obama administration could put this to rest by releasing his long form birth certificate. But he doesn't. Instead of just releasing his long form birth certificate he has paid his lawyers over 1 million dollars from campaign contributions since Sept 08 to squash the suits brought on the issue. Why bother. The Arnold would have run for president long ago and likely won if he were a "natural born" american. He's not. He's naturalized. So he can't run. And he knows it. (though there were some trial balloons sent up a couple years back about changing the law--that went nowhere.)

Like the Arnold, Obama looks to be a naturalized citizen--but maybe he's not even that. Here's a footnoted timeline of obama's life 1961-2008. Its especially helpful to look at 1961 and 2008. Of interest is this: Interesting timeline with footnotes of obama's life.

of note

On April 10, 2008 Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) introduces Senate Resolution S. Res. 511 to “recognize that John Sidney McCain is a natural born citizen.” The resolution is allegedly meant to clarify that McCain is eligible to be President even though he was born in Panama. Because McCain’s parents were both Americans and he was born in Panama because his father was stationed there while in the military, existing law already covers McCain and he is eligible to be President. McCaskill’s resolution thus serves no purpose – except that language is included to try and provide a “blanket cover” for other foreign born candidates without military backgrounds, in order to enable Obama to be eligible to be President. This is the language that Obama inserted “Whereas previous presidential candidates were born outside of the United States of America and were understood to be eligible to be President;” This Clause has no particular relevance to McCain [The language is inserted by Obama.][301,303]

301# http://texasdarlin.wordpress.com/2008/10/11/obama-born-in-kenya-new-information/#more-3844

303 # http://watchdog.net/b/us/110/sr511

Obama's Senate efforts to airbrush his past were augmented by his top Intelligence Advisor in March 2008. Obama's Intelligence Adviser Involved in Security Breach. Obama’s top terrorism and intelligence adviser, John O. Brennan, heads a firm that was cited in March [2008] for breaching sensitive files in the State Department’s passport office, according to a State Department Inspector General’s report released this past July. The security breach, first reported by the Washington Times and later confirmed by State Department spokesman Sean McCormack, involved a contract employee of Brennan’s firm, The Analysis Corp., which has earned millions of dollars providing intelligence-related consulting services to federal agencies and private companies. During a State Department briefing on March 21, 2008, McCormack confirmed that the contractor had accessed the passport files of presidential candidates Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and John McCain, and that the inspector general had launched an investigation. Sources who tracked the investigation tell Newsmax that the main target of the breach was the Obama passport file, and that the contractor accessed the file in order to “cauterize” the records of potentially embarrassing information. In this video of Obama's reaction to the break in...he says twice that his reason for being concerned about the matter is not that he is concerned about what the records may reveal about himself...but rather etc. One denial is ok. Two denials in short order is of a piece with the other anomolies in his record. Especially since it seems Obama's people instigated the break in.

[curiosity]

Congressional hearings were held and determined that McCain is a natural born citizen. McCain freely provided all documents as requested.

I don't believe you. Please give me a source.

Why not also check Obama’s birth certificate and he is much more questionable?

Nobody checked McCain's birth certificate. Nobody checked GWB's. Nobody checked Bill Clinton's. Nobody checked Hillary's.

And Obama’s COLB doesn’t count.

Yes it does.

Your defense will not discourage us from asking our government to enforce the Constitution and require Obama to prove that he is a natural born citizen. He has NOT proven it yet.

Which would make him no different than any other president.

I agree with you that we should pass a law that requires all presidential candidates to show their birth certificate (or a COLB that meets the state department requirements) to some Federal offical. Unfortunately, no such law exists today, and until such a law exists, there is no way to compel Obama to do anything.

By posting pictures of his COLB online, he's already done more than he is required to do. I'm not sure what else you would have him do.

You want to see his long-form BC. Okay. To whom should he show it? If he posts a picture of it online, some hack with a fake Ph.D. will claim it's a fake. If he shows it to a reporter, birthers will claim the latter is in the tank and can't be trusted.

You do realize, don't you, what a Catch-22 we have here, without a law in place requiring verification.

[Brytani]

Incorrect now that precedence has been set.

As soon as questions were asked about McCain’s natural born status and responses to these questions were taken up by the Senate, Obama became legally, ethically and morally required to produce his documentation given that his qualifications were also being questioned at the time.

Law or not, that the Senate felt questions brought up by citizens of the US in regards to McCain’s qualifications were important enough to hold session and pass a resolution assuring McCain’s NBC status.

That this same Senate body is refusing to hold hearings and confirm Obama’s eligibility, based on even more questions raised by citizens is a violations of our right of redress an equal protection under the law.

[Star Traveler]

Thank you very much for supplying that information...

[Two Kids' Dad]

All Obama has to do is send a letter (or make a phone call) to the Hawaii Records Office and authorize the release of the long-form BC. It won’t cost him a penny and he can’t be accused of a cover-up. Anyone with a few bucks that can get to Honolulu can see the truth for themselves.

The truth is what matters and Obama is not letting the truth be known. His efforts lead a great many people to believe that it must be because there’s either no long-form birth certificate in Hawaii or it has information that proves he’s not who he has always claimed he was.

[conservativehistorian]

I have been deluged by the recent torrents of discussion regarding Obama’s birth location. Consequently I may have overlooked the following: hospital records. As a physician I am aware that hospitals retain birth records for very long periods of time. Therefore, how have the Oahu hospitals responded to press inquiries regarding requests for a record of Obama’s birth? This should not be confidential information.

[Non-Sequitur]

There is a Constitutional requirement for him to prove he is a natural born citizen.

There is a Constitutional requirement for him to be a natural-born citizen. Nothing lays out the process for him proving it and to whom.

[Non-Sequitur]

... which is we have a bunch of treasonous nitwits in Congress who demanded proof from John McCain but gave Obama a free pass.

Which Congressional nitwit demanded proof from McCain? With 535 of them it'd be nice if you can narrow it down.

[Non-Sequitur]

But interestingly Obama did sign S.R. 511 that stated McCain was eligible having been born to TWO citizen parents on a military base.

What's even more interesting is that McCain wasn't born on a military base. So not only was it a non-binding resolution, it certified McCain as citizen on incorrect grounds.

[Star Traveler]

You said — As soon as questions were asked about McCain’s natural born status and responses to these questions were taken up by the Senate, Obama became legally, ethically and morally required to produce his documentation given that his qualifications were also being questioned at the time.

—

While I and many others may very well agree with the morally and ethically part — the part that counts in law is the part you call “legally”...

Now, that’s the only part that can *compel* someone to do something (like show a birth certificate). Ethically may be persuasive. Morally may be persuasive. And both may count in elections as far as persuading people and their votes — but only *legally* can one *compel* someone to do something “by law”....

And that’s the one part that has not changed. There is no law on the books which “legally compels* a candidate to show his birth certificate.

[Non-Sequitur]

Nope. He was born on a military base. The birth certificate that proports to show him being born in Colon is a fake.

Just like Obama's? Damn! There's a lot of that going around.

[real_patriotic_american]

Per Article 2, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution, it clearly states that one must be a natural born citizen to hold office as President. Obama is not eligible to serve and whoever heard of a President who didn’t want you to know where he was born. Also, regardless of where he was born, he’s not a natural born citizen simply because his father was not an American citizen...... and I believe that he was born in Kenya.

[astyanax]

Keep reading...
(Post #25 to be exact) ;o)

[MHGinTN]

And, last I looked my old grandmother wasn’t a public health official when she placed a notice in the local paper under the column ‘Births/Deaths’. Farah also has zero comprehension of how easy it is to conterfeit a microfiche and repalce an existing microfiche with the altered one. Sandy Burglar probably knows though, maybe Joe could contact Burglar for an update to his education.

[conservativegramma]

Leahy and McCaskill for starters.

[Non-Sequitur]

Leahy and McCaskill for starters.

How can that be? They were among the two co-sponsors of the non-binding Senate resolution. Why would they do that AND demand proof?

[astyanax]

I was wondering the same thing. This is a good reply.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2297704/posts?page=113#113

[conservativegramma]

That’s why they are nitwits. I would call them stupid but I don’t think they can even rise to that level.

[curiosity]

Damn! There's a lot of that going around.

In this case, it's actually true. Someone sued McCain claiming he was ineligible to be president and submitted as evidence a fake birth certificate proporting to show he was born in Colon, which is not on US soil. The case was dismissed due to lack of standing, and McCain never entered a birth certificate into evidence.

Since then, that fake has been posted online and been accepted by many birthers as if it were real. Many even mistakenly believe McCain himself entered it into evidence, using that as an argument as to why Obama ought to present his. "If McCain did it, so should Obama!" goes the story.

In point of fact, McCain never showed his birth certificate to anyone except a Washington Post reporter, and he never made an image of it available to the public. (Not that he should have to.)

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly people are to believe online rumors without doing anything to check their veracity.