Washington (CNN) — The White House released copies of President Barack Obama’s original long-form birth certificate Wednesday, seeking to put an end to persistent rumors that he was not born in the United States.
“We do not have time for this kind of silliness,” Obama told reporters at the White House.
“Normally I would not comment on something like this,” the president said. But the country has “enormous challenges” that it will not be able to effectively meet “if we’re distracted.”
The president ripped what he characterized as a recent focus on “side shows” and “carnival barkers.”
Obama released a shorter, legally binding “certificate of live birth” in 2008, but many opponents of the president continued to assert he was born overseas.
The administration had to make a special request from the state of Hawaii to get the long-form birth certificate released, White House legal counsel Bob Bauer said. Typically, the state only releases what’s called a certificate of live birth when people request a birth certificate.
While the president has tried to make light of the controversy, the question has 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.
NOW THEY CAN SHUT UP AND GO SIT DOWN ! Or BETTER YET , CHECK ALL Politicians BIRTH CERTIFICATES & RECORDS &PAST PRESIDENTS..JUST TO BE FAIR.
