President Obama’s birth certificate continues to make headlines in ways he doesn’t want.
The latest: Arizona’s top elections official is trying to explain why he’s seeking to verify the document before placing Obama on the November ballot.
Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett, a Republican exploring a 2014 race for governor, issued a statement insisting he is not a “birther,” the word he and others use for those who believe Obama was not born in the United States and is not legitimately president.
Bennett told a radio interviewer yesterday it was “possible” he would keep Obama off the ballot if the issue isn’t resolved.
Apparently Hawaii doesn’t release a birth certificate without a strong need to know. What is it about Arizona? Is it the water? The over-all educational level? Too close to Area 51? (Area 51 is in Nevada for Pete’s sake!) Is there any way we can just insist that Arizona secede and go on off about their own business? Maybe we could just give the Grand Canyon to Utah before they go.
Bennet continued:
“First, I have been on the record since 2009 that I believe the president was born in Hawaii. I am not a birther,” Bennett said in his statement.
“At the request of a constituent, I asked the state of Hawaii for a verification in lieu of certified copy,” he said. “We’re merely asking them to officially confirm they have the president’s birth certificate in their possession and are awaiting their response.”
Arizona has been pegged by some political observers to be a possible battleground state in November. Tensions between state officials such as Republican Gov. Jan Brewer and the Obama administration over issues such as immigration have spilled over into the federal courts, putting Arizona under an even hotter spotlight in an election year.
This is just political theater at its worst. Has any state ever left an incumbent off the ballot? Bennett needs to tell the constituent to pound sand and just get on with the program. More redneck anarchist behavior out of Arizona. They aren’t an island. Arizona must get along with the remaining 49 states. What on earth do people who have sense and live in Arizona do?
Or….just maybe….. Obama has acted suspicious and is known to …….create composites of his history.
Since I know I will be asked some other time down the road, let’s say this is an example of hating Obama. You don’t say this stuff about people you don’t hate.
Bullcrap.
No, it’s not the the water. It’s the LACK of water.
Brain draught!
Last I heard he was born in Kenya, raised in Indonesia and Hawaii
@SlowpokeRodriguez
I don’t know what you consider “raised” but FYI,
Obama came to Indonesia in 1967 and went back to Hawaii in 1971;
consequently he was there between age 6 – 10; four years.
I’d hardly called that being raised in Indonesia.
It will be interesting to see how this issue is resolved. A federal judge declined to intervene for Republican candidates who did not have enough signatures to get on the ballot for the Virginia primary. If Obama chooses not to supply his official birth certificate, there is now a precedent to not interfere with a state’s internal ballot procedures.
http://now.msn.com/now/0322-romney-vs-birthers.aspx
Note that Romney has not escaped the tin-foil hat brigade.
I am getting mighty tired of these butt-munches. George Washington wasn’t a natural born USA citizen, nor was Adams, Jefferson, Adams, Monroe Harrison or Jackson. There are probably more.
@kelly_3406
There is a huge difference in a primary and a presidential race where the person being left off the ballot is the incumbent.
As for Virginia, those people knew the rules ahead of time. They just didn’t follow them. There would not have been the same outcome if Virginia had changed the rules midstream.
You and AZ would have the tail wag the dog, it seems. AZ made up a rule. Sorry. Feds trump state. What should happen if AZ continues to play games is….AZ just becomes disenfranchised.
Sucks to be them. the rest of the national numbers would be adjusted as thought AZ didn’t exist and the president would be elected without any input from AZ. That is what we call tough love.
it sounds like election tampering to me.
This is what happens when you let the inmates run the asylum!
Arizona simply looks ridiculous. That people in charge are allowed to behave this way is embarrasment to our Democracy.
How many different ways does the man have to prove he is an American, born and raised, except for 4 measely years he spent in Indonesia. Will we start penalizing children who grew in the military because their parents served our country. Arizona already looks racist due to its SB1070, this stupidity fits right in!
Don’t forget their very restrictive contraception law. I can’t even remember all the details. I think your boss has to be told or something.
Whatever it was, it makes me sick to see a picture of that ignoramous jan Brewer.
Shhhhhh Moon, maybe these nuts will want to go back in time and erase the entire constitution if NON citizens were responsible for its creation!
Obama HAS shown his original, the State of Hawaii has verifed he was born there, DUH, how ignorant and crazy are people willing to look by questioning his legitimacy! These people remind of those nut cases who swear that either George Bush planned 9-11 or the Israeli’s were behind it! All of it is CRAZY!
My point about military children if it wasn’t obvious was the probability that they could be living in foreign countries for much of their childhood.
I certainly don’t have my birth certificate. If someone wanted me to prove where I was born by providing it, I’d be SOL. I have an old photocopy, but not the original. Why would Obama have his?
@Moon-howler
Again, attributing things to me because you disagree. Sad, really.
He has acted suspiciously. He has spent millions to keep his school records secret. His birth certificate actions, or lack thereof, were ludicrous. And he’s a known liar.
That’s not hate. That’s describing actions.
Your comments are coming across as hate. Maybe you should make certain that you don’t say things that make people think you hate. I am surely not the only person reading hate into your comments. I can’t imagine those who didn’t hate putting up comments like that.
Bush, Cheney, Gonzalez, my old boss Haynes, Rumsfeld, Yoo, and others were found guilty of war crimes by an international tribunal in Malaysia this week.
http://open.salon.com/blog/steven_rockford/2012/05/15/bush_torture_team_found_guilty
@Morris Davis
So what power do any of them have?
Are they going to send terrorists?
Cargo, at some point, if you continue to make derrogatory remarks about the president, especially about foolish things like his birth place, then people will assume you hate him. You are the one who needs to take ownership of those remarks. You cannot continue to do drive bys and then get all offended when we say you must hate Obama. How about dislike? Do you find that less offensive?
If you don;t believe it, why would you slap it down here? Elena and I don’t want conspiracy theory stuff here because we don’t want to attract the tin foil hat crowd. I doubt if Emma has time to make the hats either.
What a bunch of B.S.! Obama spent millions?! Good lord, change your fillings Cargo, the mercury in your teeth are rotting your brain!
You do realize that birthers sounds as disassociated with reality as those who claim 9-11 was perpetrated by George Bush.
@Moon-howler
Of course, your repeated refusal to accept what else I say, when I directly explain that I am NOT expressing hate… doesn’t mean anything.
Actually, I even stated bluntly that I believe that Obama was born in Hawaii.
I was pointing out that ADDITIONAL material had surfaced that was going to add to the controversy. I only stated that the President had added fuel to the fire by his actions.
In no place did I stated that Obama was not an American. And yes, Obama has spent about 2 million in court fees to lock down his school records.
My derogatory remarks are provable. I only describe his actions. I brought the matter up because, actually, I thought that you would LAUGH at the renewed conspiracy theories that are going to prop up. Nowhere on this blog have I ever stated a belief in a Kenyan birth. I do believe that Obama supported that “Kenyan” story to add exoticism to his bio. In other words, he lied. And if he did attend college under “foriegn student” regulations, he lied again. But the new “bio” that surfaced has added to the controversy.
I mean, if a Republican had done these things, wouldn’t you be angry at the deception? Or does Obama get a pass?
Let me add about college grades here. Granted, I am not the leader of the free world, but apparently you CAN know generally about his grades. He did NOT graduate from Columbia with honors, which means his GPA was less than 3.3.
He was accepted into Harvard, yes, probably as a form of affirmative action, but there, he excelled. He graduated magna cum laude and was elected President of the Law Review which is not based on grades.
However, his grades have NO relevance in relation to being on the ballot in AZ as president. We can’t all be a Bill Clinton Rhodes scholar!
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_were_Barack_Obama's_grades_in_college
Cargo, if this statement does not subscribe to a conspiracy theory then I don’t know what does!
No, they aren’t provable as Morris Davis pointed out. Why is this discussion still going on?
Please don’t start the partisan crap up either. Elena and I have not allowed truther stuff on this blog either and you might be very surprised to learn who got asked to leave because of it.
We don’t do conspiracy theories.
Why would you possibly think I would think any of it funny? It is very obvious what I think of people who say stuff like this.
It’s SOOOO funny how wound up y’all get over this.
Its sooo funny because you respond. Now let’s see who is wound up…..
and if Obama was born in Kenya – would that make him ineligible – his mother’s people still came over on the Mayflower, and fought for this country.
Mitt’s dad, who tried to be come the nominee was born in Mexico.
John McCain was born in Panama.
It must be the heat in AZ.
I don’t think its funny that an entire state, millions of people, will be purposefully disenfranchised because nutcases happen to wield the power in that state. Anyone who believes Obama isn’t eligible to be president, even after all the proof, needs to have their head examined.
“We don’t do conspiracy theories.”
Absolutely right, so I gave you a link to point and laugh at the new controversy.
@Elena
Where’s my conspiracy then?
And yes, it is provable that he lies. Ie…… see his previous claim to be from Kenya. See his fabrications in his “autobiography.” See numerous statements and claims on policies.
But I know that all that doesn’t matter.
No, it doesn’t matter because he didn’t say that. Read what Morris Davis said.
OCD much?
He has a birth certificate that shows he was born in Hawaii. There are contemporaneous birth announcements in the Honolulu newspapers showing that he was born in Hawaii. That really ought to be enough, I would think.
How is it that we know how much Obama spends on legal fees. “Court fees” implies “Court costs”, a sum that is usually quite modest. I can’t imagine how anyone could incur $2 million in court fees for anything. If the term is being used here to mean “legal fees” (i.e., what he has paid lawyers), I’m not sure how that would ever be a reported figure unless it was a campaign expenditure, which, of course, would be illegal and we would have heard about it on the front pages in a far different context.
Thank you Scout, your words of sanity are, as always, refreshing.
Cargo,
You have again, given two completelely contradictory statements. On one hand you say its a joke you are laughing at, but on the other hand you say the complete opposite, suggesting there IS a real effort to cover up the “truth”.
Its all mushugana as my Bubbie loved to say……which in Yiddish means CRAZY!
Furthermore, I find it hard to believe that you believe we would really think this stupidity is funny? When have we EVER indicated that we found this conspiracy theory anything but offensive and racist at heart?
I get a kick anytime the States go at each other. I love it. Only think better would be if Sheriff what’s his name were to assemble a posse and try and take Hawaii by force. 😉
The behavior of the political powers in Arizona is simply anarchy in my opinion. The consequences of such eff u behavior could be incredibly damaging to the entire country. We fought the civil war 150 years ago, the states rights issue is done. I imagine the Justice Dept will not allow such an over reaching voting right denial.
THERE it is. I was very disappointed that the race card didn’t get played sooner, but Elena came through!
A gathering of KKK and white supremists usually indicates ….sniff sniff…it can’t be far away. You can sort of sniff it out like hours-old road kill.
I grew up in the south. I have heard plenty of folks deny racism. Howevaaaaaa…saying it ain’t so don’t make it not so.
@Cato the Elder
..chuckle
Actually, it is amusing given, “That people in charge are allowed to behave this way is embarrasment to our Democracy.”
In our Republic we vote in elected officials to act in our name. If people don’t show up and vote they get exactly the government they deserve.
I would imagine that the Sec. of State of AZ has a constitutional duty to validate information presented to him. If people have an issue with him they need only to vote him out.
I imagine that he is taking on a lot of assumed responsibility, asking for a sitting president’s birth certificate. When was their constitution changed? Oh yea, when Obama was inaugurated.
Apparently AZ is the only state in the union that demands presidents present their birth certificate.
Also, in Virginia, the secretary of state is appointed. I believe the same holds true in AZ. In 2008 the secretary of state of …..tah dah,…Jan Brewer.
@kelly_3406
Kelly–please define “official birth certificate”.
@Cargosquid
Cargo, please provide proof of how much President Obama has spent to hide records.
@Cargosquid
Cargo, again, please provide proof that “ADDITIONAL material has surfaced” and that President Obama has spent 2 million dollars to “lock down his school records”. If your ” derogatory remarks are provable”, please provide proof. Simply saying the sam thing over and over again is not “proof”.
“I imagine that he is taking on a lot of assumed responsibility, asking for a sitting president’s birth certificate. When was their constitution changed? Oh yea, when Obama was inaugurated.”
I would imagine that the job isn’t simply a rubber stamp. Maybe he wants to put in the effort and make sure the job is done right and require valid identifications from the candidates? I don’t see anything wrong in that.
“Also, in Virginia, the secretary of state is appointed. I believe the same holds true in AZ. In 2008 the secretary of state of …..tah dah,…Jan Brewer.”
The appointment is made by elected officials. I don’t vote in an Ambassador to England but if I don’t like him I fire his boss so I know the Ambassador won’t have a job….
Locally, if I don’t like the Police Chief (for example) then I get rid of those in the County Board that support him. Great system if you ask me.
Marin said:
Locally, if I don’t like the Police Chief (for example) then I get rid of those in the County Board that support him. Great system if you ask me.
Moon said: Good effen luck on that one. Let me know how that works out. Many have tried, none have succeeded.
(and for what its worth, I am glad.)
Actually, that is getting a little too indirect for me.
Like I said, the people that don’t denounce this bullcrap are as nutty as a fruitcake! WHAT previous president HAS ever been hounded to prove their citizenship????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? None, hmmm, what makes this President any different?
give me a break and step into reality. If this isn’t about prejudice, then you tell me what it is then? Barack Hussein Obama has an American mother, he’s American….DUH! It doens’t take a rocket scientist to get the implications of his name to gander at why their is such stupidity surrounding his “legal” right to be President.
Don’t like the guys policies? Vote him out, stop behaving like paranoid schiztophrenics.
“give me a break and step into reality. If this isn’t about prejudice, then you tell me what it is then? Barack Hussein Obama has an American mother, he’s American….DUH! It doens’t take a rocket scientist to get the implications of his name to gander at why their is such stupidity surrounding his “legal” right to be President.”
Is it not a conspiracy theory to pontificate on this guys motiviations outside of performing the duties of his office? If his office is charged with verifying and citizens are asking him to look into the matter — pardon me but — isn’t that his job?? Is that not why he’s paid?
How do we know what his job is? How come the other states aren’t doing it? How come the certification from when Jan Brewer was in there doesn’t work? Perhaps they didn’t require it.
In other words, perhaps this “test” was created for the current president? hmmmmmm
just as looney as the “truthers”, that’s all I will say on the subject. And no, it is NOT this persons fudiciary duty to look into ridiculous conspiracy theories.
I was JUST as offended when people I knew actually tried to convince me that George Bush was behind 9-11. Kooky is as kooky does!
@George S. Harris
FEC records show that Obama has paid international law firm Perkins Coie exactly $1,352,378.95 since the 2008 election.
Robert Bauer of Perkins Coie – top lawyer for Obama, Obama’s presidential campaign, the Democratic National Committee and Obama’s Organizing for America – is the same Washington, D.C., lawyer defending President Obama in lawsuits challenging his eligibility to be president.” So, oops, I was off by 700K.
That’s where the story comes from. And since he successfully squashed the suits, discovery was not initiated on his college admission records. The reason for looking at those is because of a claim that he attended on a scholarship open only to foreign students.
The ADDITIONAL material is a bio from his literary agent, whose clients provide their own bios, and that lasted until 2007, that stated Obama was born in Kenya and a statement by him in a debate that he wasn’t eligible because of that birth.
I don’t think that he was born in Kenya. I don’t think that there is a conspiracy. I just think that he was dishonest in his claims. And that it should be pointed out. Its only fair, since no Republican would get away with this. It would be front page news until the person left office.
As for Arizona…that’s Arizona’s business. All states can make their own ballot requirements as long as it applies to all candidates.
@Moon-howler
FWIW, he is an elected official and appears to be numero uno if something happens to the Governor.
His job is as defined by AZ law and the Constitution of Arizona.
I again submit that some people are only a rubber stamp. Maybe he’s putting in the minor effort to get the OK from the Hawaii Secretary of State. He’s not even asking for a copy or the original. He’s only asking for them to confirm.
The real story here isn’t that he’s asking for the information (again, his job) but that while overseeing the election in the state he’s taken the partisan position of advocating for Romney. *That* pisses me off.
@marinm
Yep. If he’s advocating for Romney, he should recuse himself.
Has AZ asked for the birth certificate of any other person running for office – or just one?
Since Romney’s dad was born in Mexico, does that disqualify him too?
Who is tasked with vetting a President to see if they qualify to run? The President cannot be expected to tour every State to present his birth certificate – that is nonsense.
Agreed. I don’t know if Mitt Romney has been asked or not. You make an excellent point, Pat.
1200 people put of millions does not constitute a mandate!
“out” of millions, not put
Nor do the thousands for the DREAM Act compared to the tens of millions of AMERICANS that have to pay for it. See how that works?
As an elected official his job is to address the concerns of his constituents. It’s his choice to do so or not on pain of not being elected again or facing recall.
A valid point here is that he’s doing this while maintaining a partisan position. That can be argued is wrong. I don’t think you’ll find many that defend THAT position. But, doing his required duty? I see no issue with it.
Yes, I would say he is being very partisan. @ Marin.
Why is the Dream Act costing anyone anything? Simply removing good students from a DO NOT ADMIT list shouldn’t really cost a dime. The Dream Act isn’t about free college. Its about allowing GOOD students admission to public college and universities.
@Moon-howler
A zero cost program that still requires government regulation and administration. Government employees don’t work for free….and those costs are paid for by taxpayer dollars.
And of course we’re not talking about reporting burdens on schools which then have to be factored in to increased tuition costs….
Lo and Behold – Bennet has not asked Michigan for Romney’s birth certificate – because, get this, no constituent has asked him to. And tell me, that this is for real. We only go to these lengths if asked by constituents, and not because it is needed or right.
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/arizona-secretary-of-state-wants-to-see-proof-of-obamas-citizenship/
And they say there is no partisanship or bias in the request…..hmm.
deflection alert, deflection alert! how did we get sidetracked on the DREAM act?