A Georgia bill requiring birth certificates for presidential candidates might soon be passed in the southern state. Headed by Rep. Mark Hatfield, the legislation would bring the number of states with this kind of law on the books up to 11. Get the full story with photos and video below!
Even while fringe candidates such as Sarah Palin distance themselves from the seemingly ludicrous accusation that President Obama is not a natural-born U.S. citizen, some states press on in passing legislation that would force future presidential candidates to produce a stringent list of documentation. Even 2008 hopeful Mike Huckabee flip-flopped to the Birther movement this past week.
Despite Hawaii confirming his citizenship, courts throwing out cases challenging Obama, and the President even providing a live-birth form, “Birthers” have proven insatiable in their quest to discredit the President’s qualifications to serve in the Oval office.
“Most people feel it’s an issue to a significant enough portion of our population that it needs to be addressed by the state,” Hatfield said. “It is, in a sense, a response to … the sitting president and his inability or unwillingness to release his original birth certificate.”
But, aside from the recent pandering by Mike Huckabee, it’s clear that some leaders in both parties view the Georgia bill requiring birth certificates for presidential candidates as tactless and detrimental to the Republican party.
“It is unfortunate that some people continue to fight the Civil War,” said Senate Minority Leader Brown. “We should learn from history that this kind of behavior is bad for business. It’s bad for the image of the state and at the end of the day, it doesn’t accomplish anything.”
If passed, the Presidential Eligibility Assurance Act would require each presidential candidate to submit a long-form certificate of birth, a sworn statement confirming that the candidate has never been a citizen of another country, and some sort of confirmation of U.S. residency for the past 14 years.
Most agree that court-admissible proof of birth will undoubtedly be enough to satisfy most Americans. In the end, Republican candidates supporting such legislation may only damage themselves and their party. Like conservative Sarah Palin says, “It’s distracting. It gets annoying and let’s just stick with what really matters.”
What do you think of the Georgia bill? Birth certificates are officially held by the state where a person is born, and only certified copies are given out to a person on request. So even if Obama did distribute a certified copy of his long-form document, it’s possible “Birthers” would call it a fake anyway. Do you think state legislatures should be spending time on this issue? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section after you check out pictures and video on the story below!
Photos: www.wenn.com/HRC, Tina Paul, Carrie Devorah, News Pictures
March 3rd, 2011 at 5:11 am
I believe that “natural born citizen” should be clearly defined – and I also believe that any potential candidate for the highest office in the land should be properly vetted to ensure eligibility.
And yes, that would mean that a long-form hospital birth record, complete with name of attending physician and place of birth, be submitted as proof of citizenship.
Whether Obama can or cannot produce this form he has been elected President and there’s nothing that can be done about it. At least, not till 2012. But in order to avoid similar issues in the future, the law should be plainly written and uniformly observed before the next election.
And if Mr. Obama chooses to run again in 2012 he should be required to submit the same documentation as any other candidate – since he hasn’t already done so.
March 3rd, 2011 at 5:23 am
It’s amazing that this is an issue after all the years that this country has existed.
Of course the candidate should be required to produce a Birth Certificate. Not a Certificate of Live Birth which does not prove where the person was born.
Before my son could play Little League Baseball, I had to produce his Birth Certificate. Apparently some of our politicians feel that rule should not apply if my son wished to run for POTUS.
Obama is not above the law, why doesn’t he simply produce the proper certificate if one exists? Does anyonoe really know who our president is?
March 3rd, 2011 at 5:26 am
As the first President of the United States of America, I would willingly come back from the grave to submit this documentation, and therefore feel that any person who wishes to hold my prior office as President should also feel a moral obligation to provide their own documentation going forward. Those unwilling to reveal their heritage are unfit for this Office.
March 3rd, 2011 at 6:47 am
Haven’t we already wasted enough time on this? Anyone with an IQ above 80, a computer and an internet connection can see a copy of Obama’s birth certificate in about 30 seconds. And as for that purported Kenyan birth certificate that’s floating around the internet, some right-wing fanatic forger needs to check his facts: Obama was born on 8/4/61; the Republic of Kenya was formed 12/12/64. Kenya didn’t even exist when Obama was born!
March 3rd, 2011 at 6:56 am
“No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President”
If an individual registers in each of the states as a candidate, they must furnish proof of natural citizenship at that time. This would mean that any candidate that were to win the election to this office would have already proven their citizenship 50 times over. That is sufficient proof to me, and anyone who says otherwise should kindly leave this great nation and stop dragging down the average IQ.
March 3rd, 2011 at 6:59 am
I’m sorry, Mr. Washington, but under the Georgia bill you would be disqualified for the presidential office. You were born in Virginia while it was still a British colony, making you a British citizen by birth. In fact, our first seven Presidents would all be disqualified since they were also born “in the Colonies”, not the United States, which didn’t exist as an independent entity until 1775.
March 3rd, 2011 at 7:13 am
This is a monumental, ego and power driven waste of time and resources. If the Georgia Legislature, with huge budget deficits to deal with, the highest unemployment in the country, School scandals, Traffic problems, water issues, etc. has nothing else to do with their time, then they should go home and leave the State of Georgia in peace. Too much time and not enough smarts-except the smarts to pander for votes.
March 3rd, 2011 at 7:47 am
Of course it’s a waste of time, because it should have been done from the beginning. It’s insane. What other country in the world would allow a candidate without proof of being a natural born citizen. So now, since one slipped through the crack, it needs to be addressed. So yes, every candidate, by law, should have to be required to prove their citizenship.
March 3rd, 2011 at 7:58 am
What I find interesting when conversation regarding presidential birth certicates has just conveniently become such a big issue to some when we elected our first black president. He is number 44 and not once was another presidents birth questioned, inquired or disputed on this level. I agree, before he ran or anyone ran, all the i’s had to be dotted and the p’s crossed. I lknow it is said it isn’t because of his race but come on. It’s is time to let it go.
March 3rd, 2011 at 8:18 am
Hey new-comers! Welcome to RightPundits. To your right you’ll find a box of tin-foil hats, go ahead and put one on. All the wing-nuts are doing it!
March 3rd, 2011 at 8:34 am
Nice try Snow but most of the staffers and regulars here dont buy into the BC bullsht.
We dont think hes a non citizen. Some of us do question the dancing and confusion around the issue.
Most on the right feel its embarrassing and puts us in the ranks of 911 truthers and global warming alarmists.
Theres plenty of sht outside his BC that disqualifies him
March 3rd, 2011 at 8:39 am
Most on the right feel its embarrassing and puts us in the ranks of 911 truthers and global warming alarmists.
I thought it was slightly over 50% of the right who believes in the birther crap.
http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/poll-obama-birth-certificate/2011/02/15/id/386181
So actually, a majority of you are in the ranks of 911 truthers and global warming alarmists.
March 3rd, 2011 at 8:46 am
Snow, how the fck can you refer me to such an absurd source with a straight face ?
“Among voters who don’t believe Obama was born in the United States, Mike Huckabee is the No. 1 choice for president, followed by Sarah Palin, Newt Gingrich, and then Mitt Romney.”
That statement is patently false and everyone knows it.
The spectrum is incredibly varied depending on what the demographics are of which of many polls are takin.
HERE AT RP IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT and as far as the rest of the right goes the majority of us, if you average out all the polls, dont give a fck.
http://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=640&q=birther+polls&btnG=Google+Search
March 3rd, 2011 at 8:48 am
Oh for Krist sakes Snow, the next thing you’re gonna say is the Easter Bunny doesn’t exist.
March 3rd, 2011 at 8:55 am
Micky, it comes from a politico poll.
Most on the right feel its embarrassing and puts us in the ranks of 911 truthers and global warming alarmists.
Does not suggest only the staff here, but nice try wriggling out of that one.
Oh for Krist sakes Snow, the next thing you’re gonna say is the Easter Bunny doesn’t exist.
THEN WHO THE FCK HIDES ALL THE EGGS?
March 3rd, 2011 at 8:57 am
Here Mick, try this search. These are more recent polls – the wing-nut megaphone is working, which is why you see the numbers climb over the years.
http://www.google.com/search?q=birther+poll&hl=en&safe=off&biw=1280&bih=963&prmd=ivns&source=lnt&tbs=qdr:m&sa=X&ei=Ms9vTfXOI4KBlAeIktmIAQ&ved=0CAsQpwUoBQ
March 3rd, 2011 at 8:59 am
There are even wing-nut websites that say this very thing, even on the front page of that search ie:
http://www.conservativerefocus.com/blog5.php/2011/02/16/birther-poll-suggests-a-slight-majority-of-republicans-doubt-obama-s-birthplace
Nice try tho Mick, but a majority of you are at ranks with 911 truthers and global warming alarmists.
March 3rd, 2011 at 9:11 am
THEN WHO THE FCK HIDES ALL THE EGGS?
Paul Bunyan and Johnny Appleseed do. Everybody knows that.
March 3rd, 2011 at 9:17 am
“Nice try tho Mick, but a majority of you are at ranks with 911 truthers and global warming alarmists.”
Who at this site besides a couple strays believes Obama is not a citizen.
Also, your searches and many of your BS polls dont discern between birth place and citizenship.
There is no box of tin foil hats laying around at this site, as you implied. Maybe one hanging here or there.
===============================================
Snow;
“Does not suggest only the staff here, but nice try wriggling out of that one.”
Really ?
Then why’d you say this ?
“Hey new-comers! Welcome to RightPundits. To your right you’ll find a box of tin-foil hats,”
Have a seat ass-hole
March 3rd, 2011 at 9:22 am
Good grief, even the Kos proves me right.
http://www.obamaconspiracy.org/2009/07/obama-birth-poll-shows-striking-regional-divide/
March 3rd, 2011 at 9:24 am
Who at this site besides a couple strays believes Obama is not a citizen.
Also, your searches and many of your BS polls dont discern between birth place and citizenship.
I don’t know, I haven’t seen the opinions of most on this site, or I don’t remember. At any rate, I’m talking about the opinions of the majority of Republicans, not just this site.
Then why’d you say this ?
Because I was being snarky.
Hey, look at the search. You were about averaging numbers out before, how about averaging out the numbers of the more RECENT polls.
I even pointed you to a Republican website that follows this claim.
Look, you lose this one. Get over it. Have a seat, you’re done.
March 3rd, 2011 at 9:25 am
Good grief, even the Kos proves me right
Nice, except that was from July of 2009.
Idiot.
March 3rd, 2011 at 9:33 am
Snow, wise up.
Your #17 link uses the same asinine disingenuous quote;
“The survey looked at whom these “birthers” prefer in the 2012 Republican presidential primary contest. Among the 51 percent of Republicans who think Obama was born outside of America, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was preferred by 24 percent, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin by 19 percent, former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.) by 14 percent and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney by 11 percent.”
the freaking author goes directly from “birther” to order of preferance for presidential nomination as if those pewrcentages apply to their beliefs as to where he was born.
It looks like something FCKING BRIAN WROTE !!!
The reason most of us want to see his full form BC is because it would list his religion as Muslim.
Traditionaly, any boy (Hussein) born to a Muslim is automatically considered by all Muslims to be a Muslim.
This could be something he really doesnt want folks to see for a host of reasons stemming from national security to his christian lefties.
March 3rd, 2011 at 9:37 am
Snow, wise up.
Your #17 link uses the same asinine disingenuous quote;
Which is why I went ahead and gave you a search, filtered on more recent polls. You were about averaging before, why aren’t you all about averaging the recent polls? You can see my search, all I did was the same search as you, but filtered it on recency.
Because, let’s face it, when you’re talking about polls you can’t use data from 2009 when it’s 2011, amIrite?
March 3rd, 2011 at 9:37 am
“Because I was being snarky.”
bullsht, you made a statement you’ll never be able to back up.
Go ahead, cruz the archives and find a regular or staff member that buys the birther BS.
You’ll find one, maybe two oddballs.
Even the Huffy post put out this along with CNN in 2010.
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Obama Birthers Poll
A recent CNN poll on beliefs of President Obama’s birthplace shows a large “birther” cohort in the United States.
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A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll timed for release during President Obama’s birthweek shows that more than a quarter of people don’t believe Obama was born in the United States.
According to the poll, 11 percent of respondents said they believed that the President was “definitely not” born in the United States, while 16 percent said that Obama was “probably not” born in the country.
Meanwhile, 29 percent responded that the President was “probably” born in the U.S. and 42 percent of those surveyed said they “have absolutely no doubts” about Obama’s American birthplace.
From CNN’s report:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/05/birther-poll-shows-that-m_n_670435.html