Rick, I have worked on the border for so many years. You wouldn't believe how easy it is to get birth certificates and social security cards. i've seen perfectly crisp new documents to ones that are made to look old. So, how do you know his is legitimate? Even the fake ones I have seen have the seals.

Rick – Re Birther segment today – You got the story wrong on how Obama’s birth announcement ended up in the Hawaii newspaper, it was not put in the paper by his parents.

In 1961 when Obama was born, each hospital had to put a listing of all live births at their hospital in the paper each Friday of the births from the previous week. It was some law related to the census. This was all explained by the hospital registrar whom some news organization found (and covered) about a year ago – google is your friend. This factoid makes the birthers story even more ludicrous.

The answer, Rick, is no, I cannot believe we're still talking about this.
The only people who are still "doubting" President Obama's birth certificate are conspiracy-happy, racist RETARDS.

President Obama should not DIGNIFY these people with any comment. Its a shame that this discussion is still going on in America of today, its like questioning the INTEGRITY of your president

I can't believe this non issue is still an issue! There are real issues that demand attention and this is not one of them. My thought is perhaps whomever is drudging up this matter is trying to divert our attention from something more pressing or either they simply have too much time on their hands. Either way, it is a waste of time that can and should be spent elsewhere dealing with real problems!

So are these people also saying that his mother wasn't actually his mother? Barack Obama could have been born on the moon – if his mother was a US citizen, then so is he.

Some people just refuse to believe that they can't have their way 100% of the time, and so they clutch at straws, looking for ways to nullify a democratic election. And if it requires branding an honorable man as a liar and a fraud, then they're willing to do just that.

It's also clear that some of these deniers are equating citizenship with being white, which may explain why it's so hard to quash this nonsense. I mean, you can tell just looking at Obama that he is..."foreign."

It may seem funny to you and your panel, but I find it depressing. This is sore-loserism mixed with subliminal racism, being stoked by opportunists who don't care about how they are hurting the country. Either way, why in God's name should President Obama validate this hatefulness by appeasing them?

What was the Senator/Congressman that was on your program today that had all of the answers to Health Cre Reform?

I saw the video about Obamas BC. But, I have heard that in order to validate a true birth within the US there must be a long form birth cert with all of the details all americans receive when born in a hospital or by a physician in the US. Does He have a long form proof of birth within the US borders by a US doctor on record?

I can't believe there are people around who still believe this. I am sure there is a little padded room with their name on the door.

The issue that won't go away is the most notorious (MURDERER) that will ever be on planet earth, (RACISM). What has been clearly said, is that (PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA) is supposed to be held to a different standard because he is only half white. Further, Osama Bin Laden was (right), that (RACISM) was at the bottom(the motivating factor, the culprit), of the (9/11 ATTACKS). RE:Osama Bin Laden tape ("our oppression") aired (October 29,2004).

Dear Mr. Sanchez,
Perhaps you CAN put this to rest. Please produce the long-form of his birth certificate? Not the short-form you presented on your show. This will END this whole story. Obama has spent several hundred thousands in legal fees to NOT produce the long-form birth certificate. Why?

Please get the original long-form, present it on your show, and you will end this whole story.
Thanks,

There is only one way to put this drama to rest. Let Obama show the long form and get this out of the way, once and for all. This is getting entirely too much air time and is distracting from important stuff that needs to be done in this country.

Obama should just pony up his long form birth certificate or his adoption papers or his baptism certificate or Punahou School records or Occidental records or his Harvard School records or his Law Review papers or his medical records or his Columbia records or his passport application ... any of them.

Obama should just release any of those records and shut those birthers up once and for all.

And according to the State Department and Hawaii officials, that short-form certificate of birth is not sufficient documentation
((edited))

Hi Rick: The anti healthcare groups throwing huge amounts of money into "red herring" type mis-info ads at the public. Can anyone prove where the money is coming from? It looks like a lot of insurance premiums are being used (again) to block vital healthcare reform!
The R's attacks designed solely to thwart President Obama. They have NO intention of cooperating for the good of our people, just to bring down the President. Fascism on the attack! Looks like Limbaugh tactics to me. What say you?

To Rick Sanchez,
Thank you for taking on this birther issue.
Disgracefully, CNN allowed Lou Dobbs to state that the President may have a document problem, be undocumented.
CNN should apologize and require Lou Dobbs to do the same and to refute his remarks on his show.
Until that happens I will no longer watch CNN and will advise everyone to do the same.
It's reckless of CNN to allow these inflammatory remarks on the air by a host. To delegitimize the President and imply he has stolen the office may incite violent acts by members of the population.

Dear Mr. Sanchez,
Could you also explan why Obama is willing to release classified CIA documentation but won't release the long-form of his birth certificate?
Thank you.

Rick, Let's say the birth certificate was bogus (though I'm sure it's NOT). Even if he was born in Kenya, as the birthers want to believe, he was born to an American mother which makes him an American citizen. The birthers are saying that if he were born in Kenya, his mother was "too young" to qualify her baby for citizenship which is, according to what I've read, a total mis-reading and misunderstanding of the laws that prevailed at the time. There's no law that says how old a mother has to be when she has a baby to make her citizenship carry over to that baby. Thanks for your balanced coverage of this. Please speak to Lou D. and let him know that I stopped watching him a long, long time ago. He's just putting the nail in the coffin for many viewers who see him as neither "fair" nor "balanced."

Great Program Rick! Facts mean NOTHING to the right wing! Reminiscent of Joseph Goebbels Nazi propaganda. President Obama's birth records from Hawaii are as valid as anyone in this country, period. Thx for the searching factual report on the subject.

P>S. LOVE your shows! New Cronkite? Could be.

Yet wasn't it the intolerant hypocritical left who ranted and raved like drunken lunatics about John McCain not being a "natural born citizen".

The Senate was even forced to hold a special session to vote on a resolution declaring McCain Constitutionally eligible to run for POTUS but only AFTER he presented his OFFICIAL long form "Birth Certificate". But when it comes to 0bama he gets a pass, no OFFICIAL documentation required.

Rick, again some Americans are gripped by the fear and ignorance that for decades now has been been used to promote political bias and to gain power. The sad thing is those vulnerable Americans somehow confuse their fear and ignorance as being patriotic.

In life people do things and say things that they may regret. The President is no different. Is there a possibility that he is lying or misrepresenting himself as a citizen of the United States of America. He should address this because we need to feel secure about our leader and President...he can not plead "no contest" to this one. There is too much at stake to just ignore....have you ever made a mistake that affected other peoples lives.....was it important for all the facts to come out....

When the president is spending so much time on health care when most americans spend little time caring for their own health...maybe we should fix the housing or auto companies first...

Oh, we are a Christian nation, jewish nation, mormon nation, protestant nation and a muslim nation....for the president to only identify us as citizens we the same ideals you might as well call us ants!!! just along for the ride...we all have passions and dreams and our religous beliefs really make up a large part of who we are.....thanks you

You and Ms. Novak got it wrong. The state of Hawaii has never stated that Obama was born in Hawaii. They said they have his birth records on file. You can make this issue go away. Yesterday you presented Obama's meaningless 'Certification of Live Birth'. Show us his 'Certificate of Live Birth' which would be on file with the state of Hawaii. That would be his long form birth records giving us details such as the hospital of birth, attending physician, etc.

RIck – don't know where to post this -sorry.

Re: your spot yesterday regarding Canadian and American health care. I don't know which is better, but here's an example. Years ago, I received a serious facial wound that required 3 hours of surgery, 2 weeks in the hospital and, later, a cornea transplant. The hospital bill was $21.00 to help cover the ambulance transport cost. I realize that our system has its flaws (ie – wait times for some treatments that are not "life or death") but it is available to everyone coast to coast. In my view, the fact that 40-some million Americans don't have health insurance in this day and age is unacceptable.

Republicans give it up already.. Your party has lost.. It is over.. how many more months of this are we going to go through? This came up when he was running for president. It was not valid then and it is not valid now. Anything to give this man a hard time. No other president has ever shown there birth certificate before. Why is this even and issue we ask? Because our open and honest president decided when he was running to become president he would show his birth certificate to clearly show what his middle name was because that was the original debate. When he did this all it did was make people find something else to try to attach him on. He is a US citizen and no matter how many of you say he is not it will not change. So shout it from the roof if you want to he will still be the president of the USA. Get over it!

I hope I am not the only one who thinks that Lou Dobbs seems a better fit for fox tv which is unfair and unbalance. His contention that President Obama should produce a birth certificate which has been produced countless times reflects his obvious right wing conservative leaning.
Lou, sign on with Glen Beck and the other hate mongers.

I've always said I "had no use for Dobbs." Now I know why. For him to make comments relative to what the "birthers" believe (and to place doubts in the minds of his views)...is beyond the pale. CNN should definitely reprimand him and demand he offer retractions for his comments.

I astonished to see so many "inappropriate" statements, comments coming from many of the CNN anchors, lately. Methinks I may have to discontinue watching your news channel, should this continue!

Disgruntled Senior Citizen

Why is Obamas colledge records,kindergarten records,ss#? Why is his legal defence team going all out to hide these things? Also,where is the footprint? Where did go to elementary school?That "copy"you have is garbge!

Why don't we get to see the original birth certificate? I can produce my birth certificate which is a HAND-WRITTEN birth certificate. It's not a printed copy from a computer that doesn't at all resemble my birth certificate. People deserve to see the original – not simply to be told that the original does exist. People in power make things happen and a lot of Americans believe there was tampering so Obama could be president. There are only 3 requirements for president – looks like we should be sure all three are met. Polygraph his family members like grandparents, etc. It doesn't help your credibility to essentially make fun of people with legitimate concerns. I thought journalists were supposed to be objective – oops, I forgot you are the liberal media! It's so cute the way the liberal media change things to suit their political/social positions. I call foreigners who sneak into our country "illegals." You refer to them as "migrants" and "undocumented workers." That's BS. I don't have much use for you and your obvious biases which shouldn't be on tv nor online. You're not a journalist – you're someone who does little "fluffy interest stories." You should have a talk show rather than sit for CNN.

Mr Sanchez

First off, you are wrong. The COLB that was posted on "Fight the Smears" has been proven to be a forgery. There has been 'three' different documents refered to. The graphic image on 'FTS' and two different ones on 'FactCheck" one without a SEAL and the other with a non-official SEAL. Attempting to use forged documents is a crime. Aiding and abetting the crime by passing off these documents to the American public makes CNN just as guilty.
Review my videos and blog and learn that the COLB is forged and even as a 'NATIVE' citizen, that still does NOT qualify Barack Obama to hold the Presidency per the US Constitution. A Natural Born Citizen is one born in country to parents who are citizens. Note the plural- parents. Obama has a foreign father, and the fact that he can NOT prove that he was even born in Hawaii, and refuses to release any documents about his past.
((EDITED))

Hey Rick,
Please tell us the difference between a Natural Born Citizen and a US citizen.

"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; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States."

What are the requirements to be a US Senator?
No Person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty Years, and been nine Years a Citizen of the United States, and who shall not, when elected, be an Inhabitant of that State for which he shall be chosen.

Why the difference?

oh as far as the document you showed what say you to this?
:
http://polarik.blogtownhall.com/

I hate to tell you Mr. Sanchez, but a photo of a birth certificate won't even get you a passport. Ask Obama what hospital he was born in? So far NO hospital has record of him being born in Hawaii and Kenya Grandma says he was BORN HERE IN KENYA!
We have a phony for a Prez!

Rick,

I saw clips from your statements yesterday on this whole "Birther" nonsense- and was glad to see someone finally point out the rediculousness of these accusations! But then at 7pm Lou Dobbs sat on TV and practically called our President an Undocumented Worker and it is DISGRACEFUL. This is the type of thing I would expect to hear on Fox News when they do not base their reporting on Facts- but on CNN... I found it very troubling. Please continue to point out on TV and maybe to Mr. Dobbs should you pass in the hallway at some point- the Birth Certificate has been produced- over a year ago- and if Mr. Dobbs is that concerned he can call Hawaii as all these other wacko's have done- and thus ignored when told YES he was born here- for God sake there is even his birth announcement in the paper the day following his birth.
I am extremely dissapointed that CNN would allow for Lou Dobbs to represent such baseless and unfounded information- knowing full well its just not true.
Last I checked he is the President of the US and respect should be had!

Rick, I don't think the birth certificate is the only issue. The constitution states that a person to be a native born which is one of the requirements to become president he must be born from two american citizens. His mother was, but not his father. It makes him a citizen, but not a native born. Which that should disqualify him to become president. And, besides who suppose to investigate the person that would become president?. I though the FBI does that kind of work, the secret service or the CIA. He should have been investigated.,

I would hope that the american people are smarter than the Republicans think they are. The Republicans that I hear on TV are so jealous of the fact that Obama won the presidency and not McCain that common sense doesn't even enter their pathetic minds. They are losers and they can't accept it. Whatever they can do to create havoc for the President, they will do it. These people are nut cases and we shouldn't pay any attention to anything they say. If Sarah Palin is the best they can do they need to go back to the drawing board.

++++++++++++

New Rule for "birthers:"

they must produce and show their "long form" birth certificate for citizenship prior to speaking or demanding anyone else produce their "long form" birth certificate for proof of citizenship for any matter

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The birth document provided by the Obama campaign—whether valid or a forgery—is the short form. But having a Hawaiian certification of birth proves only that the birth was registered in Hawaii, it does not prove that the named individual was born in Hawaii. The place of birth is recorded on the vault copy document, but that is precisely the document that Obama refuses to produce. Some suggest that Obama has people preparing a forged long form birth certificate in order to quash rumors and end lawsuits. If a long form document is eventually released to the public (whether original or forged) the question of why it took so long for Obama to release it will be raised—especially since he has been paying attorneys to fight the release of documents. (Further, most observers would assume that skeptics will not be allowed to subject the document to exhaustive forensic tests.)
To those who argue, “That’s all nonsense, if you have a Hawaiian birth certificate you must have been born in Hawaii,” they need to account for the fact that Obama’s half-sister Maya Soetoro-Ng also has a Hawaiian short form certification of birth yet readily admits she was born in Indonesia in 1970.

They also need to consider Chinese leader Sun Yat-Sen. Sun Yat-Sen (1866–1925) was born in China but was granted a Hawaiian registration of birth showing he was born in the Kingdom of Hawaii on November 24, 1870, four years after his actual 1866 birth in the Guangdong province of China. Sun Yat-Sen lived in Hawaii for a time, studying at the Iolani School where he mastered the English language. He eventually became a naturalized citizen of the United States and was issued a U.S. passport. Although Sun Yat-Sen had a Hawaiian birth certificate and was an American citizen, he was born in China and would therefore not have been eligible to serve as president of the United States because he was not a natural born citizen.

To become president of the United States, you have to a person born in the U.S. A person who is a naturalized citizen cannot become president of the U.S. That is why the Governor of California cannot be president.

Rick, dear Cubano please don't get upset when people question the citizenship of Barak Obama. The solution is simple, all he has to do is produce his BIRTH CERTIFICATE. I know some cubans and some people from Dominican Republic buying the USA Birth Certificates and Puerto Rico as well. Don't get upset. Find the truth instead. Put your Cuban temper in your pocket for better use. If you take sides you will never be IMPARTIAL.Remember when you take sides you become part of a coverup.

rick,
no one will address the problem of americans
that are unemployed and no chances of working, that
have no health care, they go th er. get discharges with
pres. and no way to fill them and to go to a doctor, they have no money at all!!!!!!!
thanks

To the Blog comment that states both parents have to be born in the US to be a citizen I just have to say THAT IS NOT TRUE! If that was the case then I too would not be a citizen of the USA. The correct rule is you must be born her. It does not matter if your parents are not from here. My fauther is Dominican and my mom is American. I was born in NYC so guess what. I am and American Citizen with a US birthcertificate from NYC. As long as you were born here you are a citizen. Further more this man was born in Hawaii and that is part of the USA. Just like Purto Rico and St. Thomas. Lets get it right!

Hi Rick
President Obama don't have to prove nothing to no one about his birth certificate. Out of all the presidents that this country has had why is it that President Obama have prove anything.
Rick there is a sleeping giant in America and it's starting to wake up and it is called RACISM and it is getting dangerous. There are some crazy people in this world especially in the United States. There is nothing that goes on anymore that surprises me.
The female that I saw on tv yesterday speaking about her grandfather fought in WWII for this country,I thought SO DID MINE and come back to America to be denied freedom and got hung. Who is suffering more?

Mr. Sanchez,
I know you are a patriotic American, and you don't have a problem with citizens asking that people show their patriotism at town hall meetings, but it is Pledge of Allegiance, not Pledge of Allegion! Maybe you have never felt the need to say it yourself.
Ken Bowers

I am a healthcare professional in NYC and am astounded at the abuse in the Medicaid/Medicare system. It's unfair for people to receive benefits when they've never worked a day here or paid taxes. Time and time again, I watch our elderly be denied services and subsidy for which they are more than entitled . How are our representatives in Washington going to draft a fair health care program, when they can't even get the abuses in Medicare/Medicaid system fixed.

Obama's birth certificate?Why again this issue?Shows how stupid are some American.Get over it.

Conspiracy? I'll say there's a conspiracy: a Republican one to try to distract everyone from concentrating on the important issues in this country!!

The comment was that in order to be President of The United States you have to be born in the U.S. A naturalized citizen cannot become the president. That is why the governator cannot become president. A naturalized citizen can become most anything else but not president.

And I have inspected so many fake documents over the years that they can stump even people who make a living identifying the fakes. These people who make fake documents are extremely good at it. Why do you think we have to create new passports with new anti fraud methods so often?

Senator Colburn is ridiculous! I have never heard of such a situation, I can't believe what this crazy group is even attempting to do. I realized today I am tired of watching this country give in to this fringe group.

How about you pay attention to Health Care Reform rather than try to distract us. That dumb law DOES NOT build more confidence in the government, it makes me feel like we have several seriously disturbed people getting paid and receiving health care who are unable to distinguish fact from reality.

What a shame. Is Colburn suggesting someone would get passed every check and balance and somehow we'd have a presidential candidate that is not a citizen? Insanity. Must stop.

Rick....
This is just another one of those insane wastes of time. I worked for the US Government for over 25 years. During that time I held a security clearance that required IN-DEPTH background investigations once every 5 years. You'd be surprised at the level of investigation that one must endure to qualify for a security clearance.

I just can't believe that the President of the United States doesn't have to endure this same level of security investigation. This idiots who propagate this kind of lies are the worst kind of fear mongerers.

Amen Rick, Amen Roland! The President also has a passport. I remember having to provide a birth certificate to get mine. Have these conspiracy theorists nothing better to do? How about trying to help come up with a solution to some of our country's problems?

I believe that Barack Obama was born in Honolulu,Hawaii on August 4, 1961. Even if that were not true , Title 8 of the U.S. Code, Section 1401 defines the following as people who are "citizens of the United States at birth

:"Any one born outside the United States, if one parent is an alien and as long as the other parent is a citizen of the U.S. who lived in the U.S. for at least five years (with military and diplomatic service included in this time)

Rick,
Why do you invite guests on your show if you're going to talk over them? I thought you were very rude to Sen. Coburn in your intervew with him about Obama's birth certificate. I heard your opinion yesterday, now let's hear someone else's.

It's time for me to "renew" my drivers license in OR. In order to do so I have to have a birth certificate or passport and my social security card.
Not as important as becoming president.

Rick -
A person can be a natural born citizen of the United States if one of the person's parents is a U.S. citizen, no matter where in the world the person is born. So even IF Obama's birth certificate isn't real (which I doubt) if his mother was a U.S. citizen he is a citizen, no matter where he was born! Check the U.S. Constitution.

From the US Immigration website

A child born abroad, to one U.S. citizen parent and one alien parent, acquires USA citizenship at birth provided the U.S. citizen parent was physically present in the U.S. for the period required by the law applicable at the time of the child's birth.

For birth on or after November 14, 1986, a period of five years physical presence, two after the age of fourteen is required. For birth between December 24, 1952 and November 13, 1986, a period of ten years, five after the age of 14 are required for physical presence in the U.S. to transmit USA citizenship to the child.

So from the law itself HE IS A CITIZEN> COULD YOU BRING UP THIS PLEASE RICK????

Rick, you can't appease these birthers. I read posts from the IPNY (Independance Party of NY) & they have it stuck in their mind that because the President's father was an African he can not be "a natural born citizen." They also believe because of President Obama's mother was 18 she couldn't have conveyed citizenship to him because she was "underage." They also believe that because the President attended school overseas he was adopted by his mother's 2nd husband & therefore became a citizen of that country. If the birth certificate quarrel is put to rest they'll raise these other issues.

Roland Martin is a joke, Whats wrong with making sure this doesnt happen again? Typical liberal. He says these people trying to straighten it out are "wackos"??? What about his views that all his "brothers" dont have to work, just let the government give them everything. Guess who pays.

The Bither issue – First let me say that I appreciate CNN allowing us the viewer to provide input. I just want people to know that I did not fight for this country for us to be having this kind of debate years later. Lou Dobbs should be remove from his position. He supposed to inform, not mislead us. President Obama is the President and deserves our respect, just like every white man that has held that office.

Thanks,

Will

Whats the big deal just show a birth cirtificate for Obama John Mc Cain isnt the president Obama is are the democrates trying to hide the facts just show a certificate with the date of birth signed by his mother and father at time of birth.

OMG!!! Are you serious?? You mean to tell me that with all the issues going on in America and other countries, this is all we can find to focus on! Talk about being Black in America!!!! Hey Senators, grow up!!!

Yes he is an Black man who was elected to run our country. Build a bridge and get over it! He won his election the right way, Now hail to the Chief!

here we go again on the BC issue...THANK YOU, ROLAND MARTIN FOR YOUR COMMENTS!

I just wonder who would be screaming over McCain if he had been elected – consicering that he was born in Panama!

I have met these people who won't get off this topic and I can assure you, this is a case of racism–plain and simple. They wouldn't believe President Obama is an American if you could go back in time and put them in the delivery room. They can't stand the idea that a black man is President. Ignore Them. The End.

If Pres. Obama was born in another country, he would still be an American citizen because his mother was an American citizen.

Case closed.

Building 7 of the World Trade Center is the REAL Conspiracy. Why did it fall (a 47 story steel structured building) when it was not hit by a plane.

Rick, thank you for defending our president. He needs you Rick.

How utterly stupid of that "Birther" to state she has a legitimate birth certificate because it has the doctors name and signature on the hospital issued document. These are so easily forged they are not even recognized by the US Government. You cannot get a Passport with that documentation. You MUST obtain a “Certified” birth certificate from a legitimate government agency. The exact document that has proven Obama was born in the USA. This from the US Department of State:

A certified birth certificate has a registrar's raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal, registrar's signature, and the date the certificate was filed with the registrar's office, which must be within 1 year of your birth.

This is not the “souvenir” version given by your hospital…

Hi Rick!
Please convey this message to Mister Roland: "why get so defensive about a bill 1508?" – are you running for president in the near future,too?
Sticks and stones, Roland...

Just checked my daughter's Birth Certificate from California from 2005...also says "Certificate of Live Birth"...does this mean she's not a US citizen?

The Georiga congressman cnn had on earlier said everyone should be able to recieve the same coverage he has. " HE PAYS NOTHING":.

Why can't congress read the 1000 pages of the proposed health care bill and not fritter away time with this "is he a citizen or not". If any other employee was wasting company time on this they would be written or worst for not doing their job.

the same thing happened in phil gingrey's (R Ga) town hall meeting a few weeks ago and he did not deny it.

"Get over it. The election is over." Roland Martin, CNN Political Analyst kept saying.

I agree. President Obama is legitimate.

But what were you saying back on July 22, 2001. I bet you were saying that President Bush was not legitimate. GORE LOST TOO. Lefty loons were out for eight years questioning the legitimacy of President Bush.

Rick, this dialogue about Obama is what I call ignorance in action. Proof positive that there is a shallow gene pool out there and more money is needed for education.

Birth certificate? Get over it?! Get real! The libs still aren't over the 2000 election. Get over it? How about a birth certificate; then I'll get over it!

Sarah Palin was born in Canada! It's true! She has never denied it.

Rick,
This birth authenticity hoopla is silly. Any yahoo with a third grade education should know the three REQUIREMENTS to become the president. 1) Natural Born citizen, 2) 35 years of age or older, 3) In addition to being natural born you must live in the country for X number of years. The fact that the "birthers" are raising this shows we have lots of people that need to learn their constitution.

The fact that congress passed a bill whose contents are essentially already explicitly mandated in the Constitution is outrageous and now the senator from OK tells us it is to raise the standard...what is this man talking about...

what if Barack Obama really is not a U.S.citizen?

Thanks for standing up to the Republicans Rick.

Rick,
The "nuts" that you want to show the birth certificate to are not watching your show. They are watching Fox, listening to Talk Radio and surfing right wing websites. The conservative Republicans in office are not really trying to deter their crazy followers either.
Enough of showcasing these wackos!

Rick,

Why are all Obama records a secret–his college transcripts, cases he's tried, his medical records, and his birth certificate? These all just add fuel to the fire. Just show them all, and be done with it!!!

George July 21st, 2009 8:15 pm ET

Rick, I have worked on the border for so many years. You wouldn’t believe how easy it is to get birth certificates and social security cards. i’ve seen perfectly crisp new documents to ones that are made to look old. So, how do you know his is legitimate? Even the fake ones I have seen have the seals.
____________________________________

George, then tell me, you would also be able to go back to a 1961 newspaper that is in the archives and put the birth announcement in it?!!!! Pleeeezzee!!!

Have any of these "birthers" ever looked at their own birth certificates? I just pulled mine and my kids' (all certified certificates from California) and they all say "Certificate of Live Birth" on them instead of "Birth Certificate".

Please, Rick. Don't give another moment to this topic. There must be more pressing, legitimate stories for discussion.

Rick: Obama is a far more legitimate president than Bush was! our US Constitution specifically states that the President and Vice President shall not be from the same state. Bush and Cheney were BOTH residents of Texas when Bush chose Cheney for VP! Where were those protesters then?????

Its symtomatic of the disadent behavior of a large amount of certain citizen in our country, like those who ranted they wanted their country back to the senator who replied "I assure you he is a citizen"they just booed him this is what they want I choose to ignore them .

Good grief: Some Americans don't want a dictatorship, or socialism, or democracy – there is no form of government that can be all things to all people. Neither of these is a perfect government. If nothing else, this election has caused a lot more people to get involved in the government of this country. Voting averages have skyrocketed. I can hardly wait for 2012.

I voted for the President. If the President is, and I think he is, a citizen let him produce the full certificate. He has an Auntie in Kenya who says he was born there. So this question should be answered.

Rick, his birth certificate (PREZ) is real because that is the same kind my daughter recieved when she was born in Hawaii when I was stationed there 10 years ago. Just like it just was said on your program, get over it. That can not get any clearer than that. Why don't those who are still crying over spilled milk just switch there energy to helping there girl Sara Pallin cause she looks like she's going to need it.
A Soldier Who Voted For Change!

Just to add to that:

The law says his mother had to a period of 10 years residence in the US (5 before age 14) to have her child be a US Citizen.

His mother was born in Kansas in 1942 and through 1955 lived with her parents in Kansas and Texas. In 1955 the family moved to Washington state where she lived until she graduated from High School in 1960. She moved to Hawaii when she gave birth to our president in 1961.She moved to Indonesia with Barrack in 1967.

So she lived HER WHOLE LIFE IN THE US until the age of 25. MORE than meeting the requirements of making her son a citizen.

So next they will be saying that his mother is not his mother...watch...

This is all based purely on racism. Yes Obama won the election but there are those in this country who have been raised by family and friends and continue to raise their kids to hate based on color. They will never accept that a black man can be president of this country. So when a birther stands up and says, " I want my country back", and brings up the fact that her father was a world war two veteran and that was the best generation ever, its purely racial. Its sad to say that race relations has not gotten better in this country. The Obama election hasnt made it better either. The underlying reality of race in America is just now truly being seen not only by citizens but also politicains. There is no black race, there is no white race, there is only the human race. And until we accept that.......

I saw your story the other day about your mother and how you owe all your success to her and her hard work. But how long has she been in the United States? She still cannot speak English? You said that she does not need to speak English because you do. Are you always with her?

Anyone who wants to be considered a contributor to our American society should make an effort to speak English. I am tired of people getting special treatment or pretending not to understand and wasting time requesting translators. I do not think anyone in the US should be granted a driver's license if they cannot read English.

I am a hispanic female and I speak English, Spanish and French. As an American citizen, I speak English. I use the other languages for travel and work.

The governer of california needs to get one of Obamas certicates without the parents sginatures so he can be our next illeagle president.

The "Birther" situation can be translated into one word and it will never
end... RACISM.
How can He (BHO) be born in America and not being an angry black man for all that has being dealt to them? How come he did not have a stain on his record despite our agenda? That is a concern!

These are dangerous people. We need to start focusing on right wing extremism in America rather than pandering to them with a bill that wastes the time of Congress and our tax dollars

Rick: How about discussing the difference in a 'Certificate of Live Birth' and a Long form Birth certificate and what is needed to receive both, and why this is an issue for the birthers?

I agree with Roland. Obama won-get over it. It scares me how someone can start something and people start believing it.

Hey Rick,
This whole business about Obama's Birth certificate has blown over into the military. A major in the army has questioned the commander in chief's nationality and refused to go to Afghanistan because he says Obama is not his president. This soldier filed legal action and won

It's amazing that people still insist that Pres. Obama was not born is the U.S.! Wha more proof can be offered? He has just as much documentation as any of the rest of us. I guess some people just can't believe an African-American man was elected president. Hmmm..let's see..if they don't want him to be president, it must follow then that they would have preferred John McCain, who was not born in the U.S....makes you wonder about people's logic and/or sanity!

Hi Rick,
Please correct me if I am wrong, but as I remember from education, as person is a citizen if they are born in the US OR if they are born to parents or A PARENT who is a US citizen. If someone delivers their baby in another country and they are a US citizen, the child is automatically a US citizen. Is this not correct?? So this question of the legitimacy of President Obama is moot. He was born to a US citizen (his MOTHER) and he was born in a US state.

Let's move off this debate regarding the President's birth certificate. You are feeding the distraction away from more important discussions by feeding into the nonsense. If your role as a journalist is to expose what is "not true", how about giving airtime to the healthcare debacle and the blatant untruths told by the insurance industry designed to misinform the public away from a "single payer system." p.s. as a native Delawarean I can tell you that there are racists downstate that are a throwback to the mentality of uglier days....don't pay them any mind.

What a lie on behalf of CNN. 19 of the alleged terrorists of 9/11 were Saudis and not Afghanis. Please provide good and authentic news to US citizens.
Thanks

I don't understand why "Certificate of Live Birth" is confusing to some people!! My birth certificate says the same thing-I was born in Tennessee. These people are-for lack of a better word-bigots. They are ready to jump on President Obama's every word and/or move, because he is a black man. If they could, or would turn their energies toward something positive, this country would be a lot better off!

The citizens of United States of America have the right to ask questions regarding the president. It is the best interest of the president to prove that these alleged claims are incorrect. Why isn't Obama trying to prove that he was born here? People are suspicious. Obama has to give an answer to these claims. In my opinion, if Obama doesn't make any statement regarding this then he is not the citizen of the United States but is a citizen of Kenya.

Rick, just want to inform you that her in Arkansas, I wake up to the anti-Obama drum beat everyday. There are a number of Republicans who have decided that Obama is the Anti-Christ, and no matter what he does it will not maker them any happier. They are asking their constituents to phone Washington daily to protest anything that the likes of Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck or whoever has a complaint against the Govt.. This is what is being perpetrated everyday in Little Rock on the airwaves- KARN Station

We cannot ask for proof of citizenship for a presidential candidate. We cannot ask for English to be named our official language. We cannot ask for proof of citizenship before they cast a ballot for our officials. Come on, enough is definitely enough. Quit trying to give our country away in the name of "trusting people" As we all know, anything can be done through the internet now, true or false. Is anything real anymore? I am not saying Obama is not a citizen, I am saying that we have people coming in to our country to do us damage, it is up to us to check and see who they are. Thank you.

It is bad enough when people do not support their elected officials, but to hope that the President of the United States FAILS to "prove a point" is the biggest embarassment on our country.

I agree with the individuals who have said that the issue can be put to rest if you could convince the president to provide the long form and allow you to display it to the public. I don't understand what is so difficult about this request.....unless the long form showing birth in Hawaii doesn't exist. Why would the president think he is above all the citizens he represents? I think he and you and many other people have forgotten that he works for us. He received the votes to represent us because we had faith in him. If he refuses to produce such a document, I for one must say I have no more faith in him.

Hey, Rick got one for you. So we have some many peoples concern about President Obama's birth certificate, why don't they produce theirs online for everyone can see if they are a US citizen and not just call him Obama are Senator have some respect.

Thanks, Lis

I got it, all people who don't like we have this Pres. Start walking, don't stop until you reach Germany around 1939 should suit you well.

California's Republican Governor , Arnold Schwarzenegger, was not born or raised in America. Yet people voted him in to office without much concern over his citizenship. Why then is this such a big issue for Obama?
Of course he is an American Citizen. I'm sure he had to prove it to some committee somewhere before he could even begin to run for President.

Rick this is nothing but blatant racism! Call it for what it is. Previous presidents were never called to produce a birth certificate. The truth is that many people of this country still cannot accept its diversity. I witnessed this same mentality during the Republican rallies last year.

You know, it looks just like the one I was issued when I needed a copy for my marriage license. Does that mean that I am not a Natural Born Citizen? That's a shock to me. Too bad that we've been here since before the US existed.

Hi Rick,
I am so tired of all those folks that still live in the past
and cannot except the loss of the last elections.they need to move foreword, our President is doing a wonderful job for all Americans. AND WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE HEM as our President , he is an American and of story, the Republicans should move to another Country if they do not like it. this is crazy The President have my vote for 2012

Last I knew any child born in the United States is a citizen of the United States no matter what the status of their parents happen..so..If Mr Obama was indeed born in the United States then what is the question???

If I am required to provide a Birth Certificate to the DMV or any other Public Office, those offices created by our elected officials, then they should at least be required to provide the same to RUN OUR COUNTRY.

I am disappointed in this. Makes me question the type of people that taxpayers have elected (and paying significant salaries) to do the work of the people. The focus should be on health care and fixing the economy. This issue is a red herring and they should focus on important issues or we should remove them. The American taxpayers deserve better results in return for their hard earned money!

I cannot believe how CNN has been fanning the flames of racism in the last few months! I think racism is now more alive than it has been in a long time. Why can we not just be called Americans? I am from Kentucky and as such, should I be called Bluegrass American? Stop the divisive talk already! It is fanning the flames of hatred on all sides!

Mr. Martin calling people "nut jobs" shows his ignorance. Do you need to call anyone a name to make a point? If U.S. citizens question the President's birth, why shouldn't they ask for a long-form birth certificate? If he refuses to provide, why? Red flag... This document is easily furnished to/by a U.S. Citizen. Also, why has the President given thousands of dollar to the hospital that provided the short form? I have many questions concerning that could be simply addressed by providing documentation. However, nothing has been properly addressed. Just condensing remarks. When this happens, it makes me question even more.

It's real simple just show the long form Birth certificate like the rest of us. When I got SECRET CLEARANCE at Douglas Aircraft I had to present my birth certificate and my background investigated,

To hold the highest position in our country and Roland Martin does not think it's NECESSARY to prove he's eligible. He would probably commit treason to keep Obama in the White House.

Why would Obama spend 900K to hide his birth certificate, school records etc from the public if he did not have something to hide. SHOW IT and put an end to this OTHERWISE WE'VE ONLY JUST BEGUN.

I think this birth certificate is extremely stupid.. the republicans are not going to tell the truth. they are why this conspiracy is now being reconized and there using this conspiracy to pass this new bill. Because now if the bill is not passed there will be a political battle. When we should actually be working to better this economy and not get bothered by this stupid conspiracies

Rick,

I heard that when asked if he and his family were going to come under the health care program he is pushing, Obama didn't answer the question. Also heard that several congressmen when asked the same question either didn't answer or said they would be exempt from that program..in fact heard that Kennedy's plan would exempt congress for joing this plan. If this plan is so great for us, why isn't it good enough for them? If the president and congress aren't going to participate in this great plan, why should the American people?

Can You find out why medical care is so expensive, and why is going up in price yes I know that one of the pieces is people without insurance
but a pill for 100.00 dollars or 10 minutes in an emergency room after
waiting for 3 hours 2000.00 dollars jeee! nobody says why?

Stop beating a dead horse! You are doing the very thing you're complaining about–driving the rumor that the President is not an American citizen. If you will drop it, it will go away–(except, of course, in the minds of those who will believe anything–and there is nothing you can do about them.

Please note that those who are against healthcare reform are simply repeating talking points layed out by the insurance industry. RNC Chair, Mr. Steele used the word experiment 32 times in his speach the other day. The goal is to maintain the 20 cents on the dollar that the industry gains on every policy. Get the retired exec from Cigna on your show! Get some people on that knows from the inside what they are doing.

THIS is about some racist white people who doesnt want to let go of an MULTI racial president, we seem to forget that his mother is white Not black.

If this is all the idiots in Congress have to do is to worry about the birth place of the President of the United States, then they have way too much time on their hands and should not be able to hold on to their jobs. Tell all those Congressmen who think that we are proceeding too quickly on healthcare, tell most of them they have had about 30yrs. plus to come up with a plan that is equal to theirs, that we the taxpayers foot the bill of, so give me a break. If the Democrats had not won the election, this issue would not even be considered, these congress people could care less about the American people. If they are serious tell them to give up their healthcare until this issue is resolved about healthcare!

I agree the birth certificate thing is overblown, but I think the media has not done the american people right in regards to 911. It has not been investigated properly. The least you can say is that Cheney did order the
Air Force to stand down during an attack. Treason anyone? That's not a secret. That's not a conspiracy. Why did Cheney do that? It makes the average joe suspicious. Why don't you interview some of the Truthers? Ask why they think 911 was an inside job. Frankly I don't care about the birth certificate weirdos. 911 is a different story.

On the “Birther” movement in America…. I am a U.S. Born Citizen who works for the US Military overseas. My daughter was born in Germany while assigned there on orders. Upon her birth, she received a Birth Certificate that states: (United States of America, Department of State, Consular Report of Birth Abroad of a Citizen of the United States of America). Because she was born overseas while I worked for the U.S. Government, she can not run for President in the future based on the current constitution?

My point is regardless where Barack Obama was born and lived; his mother was an American Citizen which makes him a US Citizen period!

Funny thing, I received a Birth Certificated from the German Authorities. When I asked if she could receive German benefits or a passport because of birth, they stated that because my wife and I was not citizen of the Republic of Germany, the she was not eligible to receive any benefits as a German Citizen!

However, they noted that because my daughter was born in Germany, if on her 18th birthday she decides to declare herself a Germany Citizen, she can because of birth only. I said what a novel idea….. Why hasn’t America adopted this concept! Immigrants who have kids in this country who are not citizens or who have not undergone the Visa/Immigration process should not receive any benefits. Notwithstanding, like Germany, can not declare citizenship until there 18th birthday, unless the child parent utilize the immigration process.

The lady that said ” I want my country back” was not remotely making a racist statement as some on this thread have said. She was talking about Obama's Socialist agenda. Remember what Lenin said: "the objective of socialism is communism."

Plutocrats ripped the rest of us off- tax them for healthcare private health insuance. They made enough off of us, now it's their turn.
looking for payback girl

All these theorist need to do is go pick up the Immigration Nationality Act nationality chart to get the answer they are looking for. These people are discrediting the US State Department, the Goverment of Hawaii, and the credibility of the veting system of the election body that vets candidate on the grounds of the US Constitution. America is falling apart, because the hidden racism is slowly pocking its head out in a new world.

stop re building racism, next geners wont put up with it!

Rick I am sick and tired of the negative ads about Canadian medical system. I would like to know who paid these so called Canadians that are lying about our medical system. It is not true. We have a good system. I chose my own family doctor. For an example : I started to have chest pains and went to a heart surgen. With in a week I had a triple by pass. Any person that is 65 plus older don't even pay for any medications until their death. Stop with the negative comments because they aren't true.

Lynda

Coburn needs a life too! Never before has any president been told to prove his birth place. It is public record! He needs to tell his callers to do something productive with their life and stop bothering him.

Why is the cost of "health" such an issue, doesnt a sick country adventually go broke anyway...isnt that exactly whats happening?

I rather have the Govenment between me and my doctor. When ever you have a group of people out to make money, they will sacrifice you well being for greater profit which mean eliminate cases that could be insured, but too expensive and too common within the population to make a 1000% profit. Insurance companies are always a fraud. When it is time to pay, they run. Look at property insurance...they will take your money for years, but once that natural desaster hits, they pack up and leave you empty handed. I rather have the government, because you have representative in Washington to get your voice heard; obbyist do not listen to the people.

Rick, President Clinton pushed hard for health care reform. Was that about twenty years ago? The republicans did not want it then and they don't want it now. It's not a priority. These representatives and senators don't have to worry about it because they already have it and we are paying for it. Something has to be done or a lot of businesses that give health care to their employees won't be able to much longer. Maybe we should stop paying for the representatives and senators health care and they will know what the American citizen is up against.

Call the "birthers" what they are, racists and bigots. Having them sing the national anthem is a disgrace to our flag. They remind me of the nazi brown shirts shouting Heil Hitler. As Roland Martin said, they can't accept the fact that President Obama is black. I would like to see one of the Republican politicians who are doing double speak about this actually call it what it is, bigotry, instead of introducing bills in the House to pacify them.

My favorite aphorism is: stupidity is a sexually transmitted disease, and the Republicans seems to be having an epidemic between the birthers, Judge Sotomyor, and the health care issue.

The senator from Ohio clearly stated that the Republican party supports HCR for MOST Americans, not ALL Americans. Where is the Republican counter plan if they do not like what is on the table?
Frosty (MI)

I cannot believe how guillable SOME Americans are! To believe that Obama is not American–really! You people don't appreciate a really good leader. Then there are common folk and your representatives in high office who have some weird ideas about health care in Canada and they don't have all the facts. This one really makes me annoyed. Your Homeland Security Minister thinks that the 9-11 bombers came from Canada–wrong again.

No wonder the representatives in office can tell their constituents a whole bunch of lies and get away with it. My friend in N Carolina was surprised to hear that Christmas is celebrated on Dec 25 in other parts of the world!! Get educated people!!

When will someone discuss the real story on health care which is how much the insurance companies and connected special interests are in the pockets of the politicians? How much do they contribute to their campaigns? How many perks have they given them over the years? How have they been involved in every stall and derailing of the debate since the beginning? And how desperate does the Republican Party have to be about losing that special interest support to now include abortion as one of their talking points? A tired, old scare tactic. Very desperate, I'd say.

I think it is absurd to still be questioning Obama's birth. Petty arguments like this distract us from the important issues like bringing the troops home and health care reform.

Nobody questions the governator's citizenship because we are afraid of him. Plus he wears pants that are more macho than the President.

Why doesn't Obama obey American laws and support the constitution?

Rick as a Cuban, i am going to call the Birthers out. Did they ask Sarah Palin for her birth cert or JohnMccain they were all born on islands as well. This is cloaked in racism Rick plain and simple. There is even a group of US soldiers who took an oath to defend the const against all enemies foreign and domestic who clain they do not have to take orders from a man who is not an american Pres? What a bomber ..Anything to get out of serving..They are worse than Cheney and Bush Dodgers. My opinion, we should build a special place for that knid of nutcase and call it the birthing house in hopes that maybe someone will give birth to a new idea

just for future reference, "HATE SPEECH" is ok, providing it's coming from the right people and directed at the right people. but a simple jackass or bitch is too offensive to your sensibilities. you're pathetic!!

This discussion wouldn't happen if Obama would just show a certified
copy, like the one you have to show when you get a drivers license, start school for the first time. The copy with the raised seal on it. The
copy that was shown was a copy not an original if Obama has nothing
to hide then he would of shown this certificate in the first place.When
you are born in theUSA you get a certified copy, with a seal.

if he was born in hawaii; what passport did he use to travel on in his younger years? that is the tell all.
greg
pensacola

Someone asked why the president would not be using the publicly funded healthcare system. Um..Since FDR, presidents have used a military hospital close to Washington, D.C. (either Bethesda or Walter Reed AMC) as the primary facility for them and their immediate family to receive medical care. The president pays for any of his medical expenses personally. For security reasons, the Navy provides this care to the President, his family and other leaders. HE PAYS for it himself.

Asking the president of the US to go to any other facility is a HUGE security risk.

Some of these comments are absolutely crazy. When have we asked a President to provide proof of birth? Never! What has the President done that is against the constitution? Nothing! This stuff is truly amazing. Why cover up your hatred under the cloud of citizenship? I am a black man who fought in Vietnam and layed my life on the line for this country. Can you say the same? Just stop it!

Maybe the Republicans would rather have "The Naked Cowboy" in place of Sarah. He makes as much sense.

Birthers want there country back....i have to issue with re leasing texas from the union!

The people who think Obama is not a legal president are ignorant (ignorant and nuts).

Why are we not talking about the thousand of young American who have lost their lives and came back with severe life altering injuries by a government who lied to us and led us into a war that was not necessary or the thousand of innocent people who were killed in our name? These are the real issues to me. These are issues and others are ruining our credibility across the world.

QUINN: "Why would Obama spend 900K to hide his birth certificate, school records etc from the public if he did not have something to hide. SHOW IT and put an end to this OTHERWISE WE’VE ONLY JUST BEGUN."

GAYLE-ME: To read some of y'all birthers remarks it seems a criminal in the United States has more rights than the president. At least they're considered innocent till proven guilty in a court of law. So what governmental agency has shown irrefutable evidence the president has paid $900,00 to hide the documentation you specified?

See what I was talking about Rick? Even if the birth certificate issue is laid to rest these BIGOTS will NOT STOP!

BTW BIRTHERS: My name is Gayle Elizabeth Davis. I was born April 19, 1953. My parents were Eileen Helen Cilbrith (because in NYS they always request the mother's maiden name) & Gerald Donald Davis. I was born in what was then Oneida County Hospital on Mohawk Street, Utica, NY. Whenever I went to the Health Department to get a copy of my birth certificate I was ALWAYS given what I guess some would consider a "short form" birth certificate. My parent's names were nowhere on that birth certificate. It simply stated the name that was given to me, the date I was born, the date the new one was issued to me & the registrar's signature along with the seal that was stamped on it.

Rick,
You refer to Fact Check, an Annenburg supported group as verifying the COLB,, why not point out the Chicago Annenburg Challenge connection to Obama and his poor work in Chicago which is being prevented from being revealed in public? CONSIDER THE SOURCE, FIRST RULE OF REPORTING! The issue and others won't go away until everything is transparent.

((edited))

Rick I love your show. i tape it every day cuz i am at work Help. i am old school and dont know twitter or face book. can you do twitter 101 for your older viewers?

The question is, not if he was a citizen of the US. The question is, is Obama a natural born citizen to qualify him to become president?. The answer is no. Both parents have to be citizen at the time of birth. His father is not a citizen, he is from Kenya, his mother is. He is as much a citizen as a baby born from two illegal persons in the US. But he is not a narural born citizen. As far as when he was a senator, a naturalized citizen can qualify for a senatorial job.

What is CNN getting out of trying to cover up the real birth certificate, if there is nothing to hide then why not show the original long form birth certificate that has seals, signatures, etc. the paper you show and obama show are clearly fake and unimpressive. I am sick and tired of jerks like you guys calling anyone a racist that questions this, this has nothing to do with racism, it has everything to do with the integrity of our great country. ((edited)) this is a site offering $25 million dollars for proof, how come nobody has come forward with the real birth certificate, why, why. There is no other reason other than the powers that be want to destroy this country from within with its socialistic agenda. It is very sad the way your station tries to put down and make fun of those of us that question anything, especially something as important as this.
As for some of you uneducated people here on the forum, you need to be born on American soil or American occupied territory, to be an America citizen, not just have a parent or both parents born here. If Obama was born in Kenya as we all suspect he is, then he will never be a natural born citizen. This goes against the fundamentals of the constitution. Also why can’t obama ever look into the camera when he speaks, is it because he himself really isn’t as smart as everyone thinks. He cannot talk on his own without looking into a teleprompter, without saying ahh ahhh ahhhh ahhhh ahhhhh, this is not a sign of intelligence, it is a sign of someone trying so hard to pick words as to not offend his loyal followers, he can never just speak from the heart and he can never be honest. He hates small business owners and loves welfare recipients, especially the millions who voted for him and are waiting for more free handouts.
You so called reporters were so afraid of doing your jobs last year and so afraid of being called racist for questioning this birth certificate and hated Bush so much that you guys and apparently a lot of people on this forum don’t care about truth, justice and the American way. You guys also don’t care about the way ACORN intimidated voters and stole the election in a form of reverse discrimination. This country is great, but the majority of its citizens are mindless robots looking for a false messiah and found one in obama. This is very sad. He is not perfect and as reporters why don’t you try to find things wrong with him as much as you did for Bush and Clinton.

The reason it continues to be a story is because the Cert of Live Birth is not a birth certificate. A true 1964 birth certificate is long and very detailed. My 1976 birth certificate has much more detail than this.

If the is no story why does Obama send lawyers to Hawaii to make sure no one gets to his original long form birth certificate? Why does he spend so much effort in keeping it locked up?

Why wont he just show the long form and end it now? Do some real research before you air a story. FactCheck.org is as liberal as it gets.and is not a good resource.

"Blacklash" is the word....... The new GOP rally cry is “We got to get our country back"!
Snap, I didn't know it went anywhere. Our GOP folks among others still have a 300 year head start on most minorities in America. Because of a half black Presidents this should make everything all right. It’s just a start!
Snap…..There goes the neighborhood. 40+ years of civil rights and affirmative action (one generation) is suppose to correct 300 hundred plus years of discrimination established by the founding fathers, and at least 150 years since the influx of European that Immigrated to this country after the Civil Wars and early 1900’s. Although they arrived after slavery, they quickly adopted the American customs of the time; Racism and Segregation!
Mexican Americans are on the rise and rightfully so given most of the Southwest States once belonged to Mexico before the Mexican War in the 1800’s. By learning the American system through education, empowerment and the political system, they have recapture that which was once there’s legally! Now they are a power block and a future political force.
Now that Europe i.e. (European Union) has caught up, and in some cases passed America in (Infrastructure, Finances, Industry, Quality of Life etc;) in many ways, there have no need to come to America but to vacation...
The immigration flood gates has finally open to the people listed once before shut out or in most cases…..Limited!
It's not the minorities most GOPer’s and there types are scare of; it's what’s written on the Statue of Liberty "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door." .... However, it implied; “for Europeans only”! That’s why the Statue of Liberty is on the East Coast facing Europe and not the West or South Coast of America!
Oh Snap!

detroit michiganJuly 22nd, 20095:59 pmOnce again the Senate has dropped the ball. Here was the chance to create a revenue enhancement that would have filled some of the budget holes that are present. A charge of 50 dollars per national permit would have been a reasonable charge to each ccw gun holder. This would have been on top of the state cost. Easily giving some revenue to each state and the federal government. Poor near sighted Senators.

Mr. Sanchez,

I am a Caucasian, Christian, conservative, veteran, small business owner (please resist the urge to delete…I shall explain). I have lived and traveled all over the world. I have many close friends that happen to be from different ethnic backgrounds and experiences. My family is a mix of those who can trace their ancestry to the Mayflower, to those who are legal immigrants and recently became US citizens. It is simply incredulous to me that CNN gently skews any opposition or disagreement with President Obama as something latent in racism, jingoistic xenophobia, intolerance, and fear mongering. I categorically reject your incipient sprinkling, and that of your present and former colleagues at MSNBC, that if you oppose President Obama, you must be a racist, right wing "nut job". I, and thousands of my fellow hard working, small business owners, on the economic "precipice”, maliciously maligned by "reporters" on your network, are becoming fed up and taxed, both figuratively, and literally, by this President and this Administration's clear policies cloaked in needed drastic "change". While all along it is abundantly clear it is a fundamental shift in the socio-economic success and history of the free market economy, rule of law, and Republic that is the greatest single achievement in the human endeavor. Mr. Obama’s own words leading up to the election were, “We are 5 days away from fundamentally changing the course of America.” Yet, those of us, from all ethnic backgrounds, struggling to achieve the American dream, and share that with our employees, and B2B partners, will be irreversibly stunted economically as "health care" "stimulus" and "cap and trade" will eviscerate the already razor thin margins we balance on as the "distribution" agenda leviathan masked in "change" proceeds. As we become strapped by the Presidents policies that are fervently supported by your network, what do you think millions of small business owners will do as they are taxed beyond the margins, and forced to slim their expenses as cap & trade, health care and more bail outs for large organizations, such as yours, require? That's right, lay off workers...

I am filled with conviction, Mr. Sanchez, not intolerance as your network, and others like yours insidiously, yet desperately, attempt to paint me and millions of my fellow Americans as bigoted, latently xenophobic, and down right racist. I attended a Tea Party, Mr. Sanchez, despite Anderson Cooper's "dirty jokes for little folks" attempt to marginalize and demonize the Tea Party participants as they expressed their 1st Amendment rights. Your network minimized and ridiculed these protesters, but gave ample wide spread coverage of the anti "AIG" paid participants and their orchestrated "rage" against "The Man"...abominable that your network can be so biased and pretend to be impartial. I’ll give it to Fox; they at least say it up front with their commentators. You know where their “entertainers” are coming from, and you know who their real journalists are. CNN has blurred that line…

Case in point…your “Black in America” series…who exactly is that targeted to? I can tell you as a small business owner, former government official, and public school education recipient, I, like millions of my fellow Americans, was “afforded” with diversity training, EEO discussions and panels ad nosium. I learned more about Asian Pacific Month, Hispanic Heritage Week, and Gay Lesbian Awareness than I ever would have imagined (most of it inaccurate and blatantly ethnocentric/ideologically biasd) and bit over the top and not very productive. Since I, and nearly every single friend and acquaintance of mine throughout the years hadn’t nor would they act in an inappropriate way regarding the proud and rich heritages of their respective multi-ethnic friends and colleagues, the whole “diversity” training appears to be some kind of re-education, where the Three Cs (Caucasian, Christian, and Conservative) can and are attacked with impunity and all the ills of every single difficulty America experienced in its proud and tumultuous history can be traced to the “evil white man”. Truth be known, Mr. Sanchez, I have 5-7 real mentors and positive role models as a lower middle class kid from the SF Bay Area…one was Mexican, one was Filipino, and one, Black. My proudest letter of recommendation for a military officer program was written by a Japanese American who was an occupant of the Interment Camps in California as a child. I had a rich, and wonderfully diverse upbringing, and all of us were proud Americans… with NO-hyphens…So, perhaps CNN can stop the race baiting and concentrate on those issues that effect ALL Americans...Here’s an idea…since small businesses employ more people in the US than any other, why don’t you do a series on Minority Small Business Owners, and how they might be affected by the Administrations liberal socialist policies. If you did that, I might actually tune into CNN again on a regular basis and not forced to watch it as I languish in an airport to make my monthly budget to pay for the taxes you and your network seem to have no problem with me paying.

Respectfully,
FD
Soon to be Former Small Business Owner

You are sounding defensive again, Ricky. You need to chill out! Why not join Kyra Phillips, Elizabeth Cohen, and Obama for a "mental illness day off?" I apologize for bringing your mother into this again, and I mean no disrespect, so you do not have to shoot off a letter just for me. How proud your mother must be of you, again! She must be proud that her son is so one-sided in his beliefs that he cannot report the issues and hide his "little boy" disappointments at the same time, because your face and your voice give you away every time. Maybe acting classes could help you in this area. So many of those Hollywood types voted for Obama (and by your reporting style, you did to, and the majority of the CNN staff), so I bet you could get these classes free. At the sake of upsetting you again, can you tell me, does that birth certificate show any signs of "Wite Out" on it? I guess you have surmised that I am not part of your "adoring public". Adios for now. Did I get that right, adios means goodbye? My Spanish is not as good as my English, because English is my first language and, therefore, I am a SSL (you know, Spanish as a second language, but you knew what SSL meant, didn't you?) Oh, and I know that a little "squiggly" thing should be above the "o" in adios, I just could not get in to stay in there.

In the old Soviet Union the government and the state-run media used the "Big Lie" to convince people something was true simply by repeating a falsehood so often that it was believed. Yesterday, you had a United States Senator on your show who pointed out to you in great detail that the "47 million uninsured" figure used by the Obama administration and their allies in the media is another example of the "Big Lie."

Now that you are aware of this deception will you point out the fact that this is a lie to the next proponent of socialized medicine who repeats this falsehood on your show? An objective, professional journalist would. Are you a journalist or another shill for Obama?

Who gives a rip anymore? I don't care if he's black, white, green, or purple with pink polka dots and was born on Mars, he is not the person we need as president of our country. We are rapidly losing what our men and women have fought so hard to protect: freedom. Just wait and see.

I agree with "mr small business owner" and also mr "stevie williams, this whole situation could be put to rest if the long version birth certificate is brought forth into the spot light. That being said i wonder how much freedom we have left in this counrty? It is slowly being eroded away, bit by bit, and people do not even notice. If this "health care" bill is allowed to pass, the people of America will start to understand what is really the agenda president Obama and his bill writers. With this bill, Americans will no longer be allowed to think for themselves when it comes to their choice of health care plans, instead you will be "allowed" to keep the coverage you have now. But as soon as you decide to leave the job you currently have the insurance through, that policy becomes null and void, and therefore will have no other choice but to choose his "public" option.

How is it that we are blind to this dilema? Why isn't anyone reporting on this subject? THIS IS BASICALLY SAYING THAT ALL INSURANCE POLICY'S, CREATED AFTER THE BILL, WILL NO LONGER BE VALID AND THEREFORE PERSONAL INSURANCE WILL BE ILLEGAL!! THINK ABOUT THAT FOR A SECOND.

I can only do my part to inform my fellow citizens of this danger to our liberties and freedom's. We as American people can live life as we see fit, pursue the job we want, or do nothing if that is our wish. We have so much power but do nothing with it, sometimes it just makes my head hurt. Thank you Rick for allowing me this space to get my thoughts out.

Saw the Prez. 2nite He just has not sold the plan yet. Education still needed but not thru speeches & press conferences. How do we get poor/& uneducated to use minor medical vs. ER? TV/Radio ads? How about a t.v. show?

"Both parents have to be citizen at the time of birth. His father is not a citizen, he is from Kenya, his mother is."

See what I mean? You'll never satisfy the birthers.

You know Steve, there are plenty of stutterers. Does that make them unintelligent? The criteria that you use to pass judgment on someone else is sickening. If you had a child who had dislexia (sp?) & struggled to learn but beat the odds & got a college degree, would you like it if others called that child unintelligant? So you think our president hates small business & loves welfare recipients. Considering what Bush did to this country, I'm surprized there aren't more people on the welfare rolls. Be careful, your biases are showing. Reminds me of Reagan's "trickle down economics" (or as one prominent Republican called it "Voodoo economics." Where I came from the rich didn't care one bit about the poor, let alone their income trickling down to help them. Trust me, I know as my mother cleaned their houses to support me & my two sisters. We saw 2 new dresses each year (one to start school with & one for Easter) plus 2 pair of shoes & one pair of sneakers (gotten just prior to school which had to last thru the next summer).

Am I complaining because I was raised poor? NO WAY–we learned there were "skeighty-eight million" ways to cook chicken so mealtime wasn't boring. We had potatoes every night on our supper plate. Until I was 16 years old & had black-eye peas with ham hocks over rice at a black friend's house I thought that rice was used for rice pudding ONLY. When millionaires lost their fortunes in the stock market debacle of the 1980s & committed suicide I was thanking God for having been raised poor. Reason being, we learned the "art of making due" during our childhood & weren't ashamed to eat what I called "poor man's stew" (since beef was something I couldn't afford to feed my family). It was made with a smoked picnic shoulder ham, potatoes, wax beans & a can of evaporated milk. I planned large pot meals cuz leftovers meant we could eat for many days out of that pot.

Steve Williams said "As for some of you uneducated people here on the forum, you need to be born on American soil or American occupied territory, to be an America citizen, not just have a parent or both parents born here. If Obama was born in Kenya as we all suspect he is, then he will never be a natural born citizen. This goes against the fundamentals of the constitution"

Well it appears that YOU sir are uneducated. American Citizens (according to the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 which is the law of US Immigration and Citzenship) include those that fit the below guidelines:

(g) a person born outside the geographical limits of the United States and its outlying possessions of parents one of whom is an alien, and the other a citizen of the United States who, prior to the birth of such person, was physically present in the United States or its outlying possessions for a period or periods totaling not less than five years, at least two of which were after attaining the age of fourteen years.

Since Obama's mother NEVER left the US until age 25 she fits this section perfectly and so HE IS A CITIZEN. Even if she had been in Fiji or on the moon, he'd STILL be a citizen.

Unless you think that somehow Obama and his family went back in a time machine and changed the laws created in 1952 (which have been upheld in several Supreme Court Cases), THIS is the law in America. All the Constitution says is that the president has to be a natural born citizen and the LAW (including the Supreme Court) considers people born in this manner to be NATURAL BORN CITIZENS.

Of course you "birthers" will ignore this information taken DIRECTLY from the LAW of the US and continue to yell about this and lyhow men never landed on the moon and that the earth is on a few thousand years old.

Patrick, tell me what company allows you to carry the insurance they offer their employees to another job? Every job I've ever worked didn't allow it. You leave your job, you lose the insurance thru that job–plain & simple. So you take exception to President Obama's words about if you like your present insurance, you can keep it?

I guess it's a good thing I am receiving Social Security because if it were left up to the powers that be in the insurance industry I wouldn't be able to get coverage since I suffer with asthma plus mental health problems that have hospitalized me 3 times in the past 5 years.

Rick, You're an idiot and a liberal biased schmuck. It's a certificate of birth...not a birth certificate. How did you get a copy of the document that Obama has sealed up? You're a liberal biased schmuck...go back to your hole in eliteville.

Your ignorance of the many facets in this issue is appalling. The interview was extremely shallow and both you and Novak misrepresented what the Hawaii officials said. They never said that a CertifiCATE of Live Birth exists or that it shows that he was born in Hawaii. The CertifiCATION of Live Birth that you showed is issued by any state simply by filling out a form and swearing to it. It is not the form being demanded for proof. The form being requested is completed by the Hospital, shows the names of the Hospital, Doctor and witnesses, and is stored in a vault. It is released only upon request of authorized persons such as the one named on the certificate. The version you showed is a public record, available to anyone for a fee.

>>>>>>>>>

According to the State Department (http://travel.state.gov/law/info/info_609.html)

"Birth Abroad to One Citizen and One Alien Parent in Wedlock: A child born abroad to one U.S. citizen parent and one alien parent acquires U.S. citizenship at birth under Section 301(g) INA provided the citizen parent was physically present in the U.S. for the time period required by the law applicable at the time of the child's birth. (For birth on or after November 14, 1986, a period of five years physical presence, two after the age of fourteen is required. For birth between December 24, 1952 and November 13, 1986, a period of ten years, five after the age of fourteen are required for physical presence in the U.S. to transmit U.S. citizenship to the child."

If Obama was born outside the US, then he would not be a citizen because his Mother could not satisfy the physical presence requirement.

>>>>>>>>>>>

Neither Hawaiian hospital has a record of Obama’s birth. His paternal grandmother and two step-siblings state they were present when Obama was born in Kenya. Three people claim seeing documents that state that Obama was born at 7:24 p.m., on August 4, 1961, at Coast Provincial General Hospital, in Mombasa, Kenya.

According to Section 301 INA Ann Durham was not eligible to pass on her US citizenship. As Kenya was a British colony, he acquired British citizenship at birth. When adopted by Durham’s second Muslim husband, he was declared an Indonesian, Muslim citizen with the name Barry Hussein Soetoro. He never applied for US citizenship by age 23 and never changed his name back to Obama.

>>>>>>>>>>>

Therefore Barry Hussein Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama is an Indonesian illegal resident alien.

>>>>>>>>>>>

This is a very important issue and should be followed up. There is a both lack of information and a lot of misinformation on both sides as you can see from the comments. The quantity of information does show that it is an interesting topic. Your producer, staff and you need to do some in depth research and update the record.

The biographical sketch draws on over 300 references.
http://colony14.net/id41.html

Brief list:
http://www.godvsobama.com/obamacrimes/?cat=199

History of issue. The following link should have been researched before you even aired the first story.
http://www.wnd.com/

Rick, two points. First, Obama has not only had his birth certificate sealed from public view by the Hawaii governor but spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight legal efforts to have it unsealed. He could make this all go away in a minute by simply having it unsealed for public display but he hasn't. To ask WHY is a natural reaction, especially of a President who promised the utmost in transparency. If John McCain had done this you'd be all over him and you darn well know it. He may well be a 'natural born' citizen but then what's the point of hiding his birth certificate, or moreover, his academic and medical records? Anyone with a brain would question why that is.

Secondly, you're a shameless race-baiter. Congress has a right to question Sonya Sotomeyer's record if any bias is suspected, as in the case of the New Haven firefighters. And her "wise latina" comments are disturbing if applied in the broad context though not if referring to a specific circumstance. A white nominee could never utter such a remark and make it through confirmation. Her membership in the National Council Of La Raza is also deeply disturbing; a racially biased organization that would be called on the carpet as racist if it were Caucasian based. Something you political correctness steeped minions gloss over along with the TRUTH that most folks opposed to illegal immigration aren't racists, as screaming open-borders advocates rant but just want to see the Rule Of Law upheld. Most of us would welcome ALL of these immigrants if they simply came here LEGALLY, showing us they TRULY want to be American citizens. The hippocracy and demagogery you and your ilk spew are breathtaking.

Absurd debate–unbelievable that this is what people are focused on. And here I thought that the economy, health care, and our decaying infrastructure were really the important issues to give our energy...

I am a conservative, however I didn't have an opinion either way regarding the birth certificate issue until recently. I have to provide a notarized copy of my children's birth certificate to enroll them in school and other activities, to get a passport, etc...All long form certificates have a notarized seal, register number, signatures, etc....I do have short forms, but they are photocopy and are not considered authentic for certain actions. Here is my problem with the story:
1. CNN you have no credibility with most republicans and especially conservatives. You compromised your credibility when you stopped being objective and reporting the news, not propaganda. Other than your faithful viewers, very few will believe you.
2. Anyone with automation, scanner, and software can reproduce a fake birth certificate.
3. The President has spent massive amounts of money to keep his birth certificate away from the public...why? It is a logical question for critical thinkers...
4. It is right and appropriate for any US citizen to question the birth of someone running for president when birth is an issue. It is constitutionally sound and relevant. It is the responsibility of the person running for office to provide the facts to settle the issue at hand, not the other way around. He works for the American people, not the other way around.
5. I would love for the President to say "You're all idiots, jokes on you. Here is my birth certificate, please validate it for me, and then apologize." I would do this in a heartbeat. But he hasn't and his efforts have been counter to eliminating this issue.
6. I work with many liberals. We agree to disagree on many issues. I respect their point of view and fully acknowledge that they have the right to believe what they believe. I do not insult them or degrade them, but I must say that even they are beginning to wonder about this issue.
If I applied for a job with CNN and it required me to submit a valid Birth Certificate, I would. If not, CNN would rightfully wonder what I have to hide. That is the proper thought process and anyone saying differently is disingenuous.

Rick, I do not watch CNN, but I did see your video on FOX. There are two very important things that you left off. You did not mention the name of the hospital OR the name of the delivering doctor. I looked at your document and I did not see any footprints. I got out my son's birth certificate and not only are his footprints on it, but my fingerprints are on it too. I don't know if you read this website or not. If you do, can you answer these questions????
Thank you

What an incredible mishmash of ignorance and gullibility birthers are.

Nobody is showing Obama's "long-form" birth certificate, because the State of Hawaii no longer issues copies of it. They computerized all those records in 2001. Now all you can get from them is the Certification of Live Birth, which is simply a certification that the information on it comes from the official files of the State of Hawaii. So, if the Certification says he was born in Honolulu, that's what the original document says.

If it has the appropriate signature and the embossed seal, it qualifies as an official birth certificate for any legitimate purpose.

As for "natural-born", there is no explicit definition of the term in the Constitution, or in the writings of the Founders. Based on U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark, all it means is that you were born here.

Craig: "I have heard that in order to validate a true birth within the US there must be a long form birth cert with all of the details all americans receive when born in a hospital or by a physician in the US." You heard wrong.

unnecessary1: "Obama should just pony up his long form birth certificate or his adoption papers or his baptism certificate or Punahou School records or Occidental records or his Harvard School records or his Law Review papers or his medical records or his Columbia records or his passport application … any of them." Yeah, right. Why do you want to treat Obama differently than any other Presidential or Vice-Presidential candidate in our history?

Norma: "The birthers are saying that if he were born in Kenya, his mother was “too young” to qualify her baby for citizenship which is, according to what I’ve read, a total mis-reading and misunderstanding of the laws that prevailed at the time. There’s no law that says how old a mother has to be when she has a baby to make her citizenship carry over to that baby." This may be one of the few times the birthers are telling the truth, though they often leave out the "if he were born in Kenya" part. According to the law at the time, if only one parent was a U.S. citizen when you were born, that parent must have resided in the U.S. for at least 10 years and at least 5 of those years had to have been after your parent turned 14. That means that, if you were born OUTSIDE the U.S., your mother had to be at least 19 to pass on citizenship. Obama's mom was only 18 when he was born.

John D. Kendall: "Facts mean NOTHING to the right wing!" Actually, facts mean nothing to fringe fanatics, no matter what side they're on.

Claire: There was actually a controversy about McCain, but it had nothing to do with the validity of his birth certificate. And what Obama has presented is an official birth certificate.

jeff: "Is there a possibility that he is lying or misrepresenting himself as a citizen of the United States of America." Yes, there's a possibility. There's also a possibility that the sun won't come up tomorrow morning. No reasonable doubt, though.

syc1959: If your blog is like your post here, then it is certified fact-tree.

Jake: Last August WND, certainly no friend to Obama, as much as called Polarik a fraud.

polly: Hospitals are prevented by law (HIPAA) from revealing Protected Medical Information. Also, my local hospital only keeps birth records for 20 years. I would bet that Hawaiian hospitals don't keep them for 48 years. And his paternal stepgrandmother did not say that he was born in Kenya. That's another birther fraud.

DS: "To those who argue, 'That’s all nonsense, if you have a Hawaiian birth certificate you must have been born in Hawaii,' they need to account for the fact that Obama’s half-sister Maya Soetoro-Ng also has a Hawaiian short form certification of birth yet readily admits she was born in Indonesia in 1970." That appears to be another birther lie.

Kendor Martinez: "A major in the army has questioned the commander in chief’s nationality and refused to go to Afghanistan because he says Obama is not his president. This soldier filed legal action and won". Major Cook did not 'win'. He was a reservist and a volunteer for duty in Afghanistan. He engaged Orly Taitz in February and volunteered in May. Then he filed for a restraining order to stop him from going to Afghanistan as an attack on Obama, when he had the right to have his orders revoked simply by asking for them to be revoked. The Army took the request for a restraining order as a request to have his orders revoked and revoked them. His fraudulent attempt to discredit Obama failed.

Message to birthers: Stop bearing false witness. You're going to hell for that.

Jake: Annenburg is run by a Republican who supported McCain.

FactCheck.org is hated by fringers on both sides. Fringers hate facts that don't agree with their dogma.

However, there are legitimate questions that could be asked of the Hawaii Department of Health that I haven't seen answers to. They don't reply to emails, so I'll post them here.

1. When did Hawaii send out the last copy of a Certificate of Live Birth (CoLB)?

2. Are the original CoLBs still physically in storage, or were they destroyed after being entered into your database?

3. Does the Department of Health (DoH) keep records of fulfilled requests for copies of birth certificates?
a. If yes, then does the DoH have a record of issuing a copy of Certification of Live Birth # 151 1961-010641 to Barack Hussein Obama on June 6, 2007?

4. Does the information on the Certification displayed at factcheck.org agree with the DoH's records?

5. How long do Honolulu hospitals maintain birth records? My local hospital only keeps them for 20 years. I suspect that may be a standard.

None of the above should be a privacy concern, since it simply confirms publicly released information.

Mr. Sanchez,

A local talk show host here in Delaware recognized the woman in the Mike Castle video as his regular caller. WGMD. He released a audio tape of one of her call ins. She has been called a nut job by a lot of people. If you listen to this, after he reviews the famous town hall tape, about 1 minute 47 sec, you will see she has a lot more to say!. Here is the YouTube link to his post:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmIxWRsuwbA
This proves your assessment of her was spot on!

Ok, Obama was not born in America. This has been proven, however, he was lucky when his mother brought him to Hawaii. The US GAVE all residence nationality free of charge when we took it as a state. So with this said, he was given citizenship as a boy by great timing on his mothers part.

Rick,

What you have there is a certificate of live birth not a birth certificate. There is a huge difference. I was born in Oklahoma but I also have a certificate of live birth issued by the state of Hawaii. Anyone gan get one. All that you have to do is apply to the state and one will be issued regardless of where you were born.

Why don't you apply for one of your own. Then you'll see that it proves nothing.

Don

The "Cert. of Birth" you tout does not indicate the hospital or the attending physician. No actual person working in the maternity dept at that time is evident. It is not unusual for there to be a report of a live birth post event to local officials. In addition, Obama's grandmother in Kenya reports that he was born there and that she helped and witnessed his birth. She says that the airline would not allow his mother to fly at the time due to her stage of pregnancy and their rules at the time. Is his grandmother a liar? Also, why not check flight and passport records from Kenya to Honolulu for August of that year? Either she gave birth in Kenya and flew to Honolulu or she flew to Honolulu and then gave birth. Either way that Certificate proves only that someone in Hawaii reported his birth. How did he get to occiidental college on a foreign student visa? Riddle me that!

If Obama's sister, born in Indonesia, has a Certificate of Live Birth issued by the State of Hawaii, . . .?
then how is Obama's Certificate of Live Birth proof he was born there?

((edited))

I take the time to read everyone's comments. It points to a disburbing fact that we don't know our history. All of this has ben done in the past. Reagan distroyed the Airtraffic Controller. Clinton implemented International trade agreements. All of this has distroyed our ability to produce anything. We lost our steel, texttile, and other bases. We don't make anything anymore. In the process we are loosing our middleclass. Countries use to buy our products, now it is almost impossible to find American made products in Walmart. We are constantly being misled by our leaders and we blame each other for not getting the "facts" right. We don't know the facts. Britain implemented healthcare reform in1948 after WWII, the worst disaster in history. Yet, we complain about additional spending to cover our citizens. It seems that we don't understand that a country without a manfacturing base has never survived. I swear, I don't get it.

Dear Rick:

I watch your show on cnn every afternoon from 3:00 P.M. I am a senior citizen who lives in Daytona Beach, Florida. I am a member of an HMO. I was referred twice by my Dr. to see a urologist who diagnosed that I have a dropped bladder. The urologist would not perform surgery for my condition because he said that I am 75 years of age. The reason that I am writing you is that I listened to a debate in regards to the insurance Canada has. One of the senators said that in Canada seniors are not taken care of as they would be if they lived in the USA I just want to tell you that I am not being taken care of right here in the USA because I am a senior citizen. I still work part-time and my job entails me lifting boxes I told this to the urologist but he still did not consider doing the surgery for me. Of course, this causes me to be incontinent so I am going to the bathroom most of the time. We do need reform in our health care system and I hope that the powers in congress will realize this to pass proper health care. From my Social Security check of $948 a month the government takes out $93.00 for Mecdicare and I have to pay the HMO $48.00 a month and yet I cannot have the surgery I need to take care of my condition. I dont know if you will post this but I needed you to know my feelings on the health care controversy. Thank you and keep up the good works. I become so annoyed with the representatives and the senators because it seems that they are lviing in another world.

Rich, regarding Obama's citizenship, remember, "A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still". Sometimes anymore discussion is useless and a waste of breath.

How soon we forget. President Bush had his military record sealed. VP Cheney and President Clinton chose not to serve in a time of War. None of this is new. Kerry was distroyed for opposing the War, but Walter Cronkite was phased for correctly saying that the war was unwinable. The American people are being controlled by people who seek profit over the people. Take a real look at every issues and you will see that what decides it is profit, not the benefit to the people.

It's true about our health care system and the fee base system. My brother works in the industry. He audits in medical information technology. He recovered 700,000 in false billing back to Blue Cross

our president comment on the police weather you agree or not is freedom of speech!

Rick-
I am concerned about two things: 1) Louis Gates is an older person which in itself commands a certain amount of respect. He was probably very imbarrassed and shocked to be confronted by policemen because he needed to get into his own home. Policemen are supposed to be trained to understand this and know when to give a person a little lattitude. The captain should make the arresting officer apologize. I'm sure that Mr. Gates will appreciate this gesture. Note that in my opinion this would not have happened to a white person of his same stature, regardless of circumstances. Mr. Gates did not look like a hoodlum, gangster and was not robbing the place.

2) No where in the world could a President be bombarded with such reluctance and defiance as Barack Obama. He is first president who is pushing Congress to do more for the people, and to get off of their arrogant and criticizing butts to help make a difference in the economy and health care. If they spent more time doing their jobs and less time talking to the media the job would get done. Also, why can't each Congressman and Senator take the initiative to have town meetings to discuss the various plans that could possibly be part of health reform. They write the laws, not the President. It seems that every news station is trying to see how many citizens they can turn against the President instead of getting anything done. All of you make good money and can afford insurance. Give the average person a break. Tell us about the good things that will be derived from health care and economy reform.

No I dont think he was wrong because the prof was in his house and the cop walked into his home with his permision

Rick your staff is making a huge mistake! Gates gave his full account last night while being interviewed by Soledad Obrien. Gotta go back and check. It was earlier in the interview.

Hey that cop is maybe just a bad cop. If he would have been called for two kids breaking into thier own house and one of the kids lipped off to him, like maybe the professer did, they too would have went to jail. Why is it always the race game??? Because if I wasn't black you wouldn't have done that.

Rick, would you please give your copy of President Obama's birth certificate and newspaper clipping to Lou Dobbs? He still doesn't believe the President is a citizen of the U.S. Maybe you can wake him up.

It seems like Lou Dobbs has taken up the tactics of the GOP, to keep all lies alive.

The president should not have called Sgt. Crowley stupid under any circumstances (bad choice of word) and he should not express his opinion until a complete investigation has taken place and the facts determined.

I cannot help but wonder if Prof. Gates neighbors are not all Caucasian & donot like the fact there is a black man living among them. Why else would they report the owner of the house is breaking into his own home ?????
They should know what he looks like. Or another way to look at it- I guess it could have been
someones housecleaner who did not know the neighbors! I heard nothing wrong with Pres.Obama's saying "stupidly", no other way to say it.!

Jeffrey Hastings,

"Obama has not only had his birth certificate sealed from public view by the Hawaii governor but spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to fight legal efforts to have it unsealed."

Complete BS. Nobody can see his BC because of Hawaiian law, not because it's been sealed by anyone. And I have yet to see any proof that he has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on this issue.

DEAR RICK
IS VERY EASY TO JUDGE AND POINT FINGERS AT THE PRESIDENT I THINK WE SOULD LEAVE HIM ALONE ,SO HE CONTINUES FIXING THE HEALTH CARE REFORM .HI IS AND WIIL BE ONE OF THE BEST PRESIDENTS EVER .

Pres Obama spoke in haste re is old friend. I and those I would gladly show id and thank the officer for his protection. memories of a congresswoman from florida who slapped a guard for asking for id. she felt she was so important that everyone should recognize her. please moderate more fprcefully. Mr Martin must think that arguing and shouting over another means "I won" I would have liked to hear from the gentleman opposite Martin. I missed his name because of Martin's shouting. PS I do not continue to listen to those news programs where everyone shouts at once.

Bridgett,

"You did not mention the name of the hospital OR the name of the delivering doctor. I looked at your document and I did not see any footprints. I got out my son's birth certificate and not only are his footprints on it, but my fingerprints are on it too. I don't know if you read this website or not. If you do, can you answer these questions????"

Your son's birth certificate appears to be the souvenir version that hospitals give to the parents, not an official birth certificate. Neither my official BC, nor my kids' official BCs, have footprints.

And what Rick was reading was the short Certification of Live Birth, which typically does not include the name of the hospital or the delivering doctor. However, the Certification, if it has the state seal and the appropriate signature, is just as valid as a certified copy of the original birth certificate.

francie, someone's been telling you a whole lot of lies.

Don Barnett,

"What you have there is a certificate of live birth not a birth certificate. There is a huge difference. I was born in Oklahoma but I also have a certificate of live birth issued by the state of Hawaii. Anyone gan get one. All that you have to do is apply to the state and one will be issued regardless of where you were born."

The Certificate of Live Birth is the long-form birth certificate. The short-form is the Certification of Live Birth.

And if anyone could get one, the internet would be full of images of Certifications obtained by people not born in Hawaii. Try again.

Steve F,

"If Obama's sister, born in Indonesia, has a Certificate of Live Birth issued by the State of Hawaii, . . .?
then how is Obama's Certificate of Live Birth proof he was born there?"

Do you have any proof that his sister has a Certificate of Live Birth from Hawaii? And you probably meant Certification, but proof is still needed.

Today you asked if the President should have given his opinion on the incident of the black man in his home being arrested and yes, I am up to date on this and watch news to keep up to date.
What I ask is, why you ask such stupid questions? The president was asked this question and answered to the 'best of his ability.' He prelimmed his answer because he was giving an opinion. (wish I could bold the word opinion) Therefore, since he was giving an opinion he answered stating that he did not know all of the details. He always talks to the people in a way we can understand. He didn't want people thinking that he was giving his opinion based on more than he knew. Period. Please, ask your questions only if they have anything to do with what is necessary instead of putting questions in peoples heads that are, again, stupid.
That all said, it is true that the black people in our country are still treated differently and/or with prejudice. On the other hand, some black people are racist against white people. It is an unfortunate human condition to find reasons to put others below them be it race, creed, color or income.
My opinion on what President Obama said is that he put it perfectly according to the information he had, his experiences as a black man and how he feels about it. If he had not said that he didn't have all the information he would not have been acting with intelligence, something maybe you should start doing. Yes, you get all the information and facts but you spin and say things to get the fire burning, so to say. As a relatively intelligent 53 yr. old white woman, I get tired of your 'stupid' questions. I would love it if you had these discussions without creating idiocity on your show. It frustrates me and angers me. The best part is that at least I'm not just yelling or talking to my TV. The worst part is that you put things in people's minds that, for those who are not as informed or intelligent or lack common sense and/or schooling that shouldn't be there. It just ticks me off how you do this over and over again.
Please, from now on, keep your questions intelligent (and that does not mean speaking in a way that people wouldn't understand). Quit trying to keep the ratings up with scandal or what you make into what you think could create an exciting story and give us what we need. Truth and balanced arguments without stupid questions that suggest things that are not fact by far.
Sincerely,
R. Jane Gagner

Wow!!
What"s wrong with you guys????
All that fuss about where your President was born!!!
Funny....I thought Iran had a problem with Democratic Elections!!!!
Seems to me some GOOD Americans have the same problem!!!
Elections are democratics as long as the results suit them!!!!
Being run by a ................. and by the LEFT is UNBEARABLE!!!
That's DEMOCRATY folks!!!
You know what...the more I think about it the more I think that the comments made by that retired KGB analyst were wright
Either you accept the voices of democraty or your country will disintegrate!
Sadly..I think it as already started to do so.

Rick I only have one word for Lou Dobbs "RACIST" and also please lets ask if he can provided his birth certificate, and spend a week convencing the american people that he is american. He for sure does not act like one and he calls himself a independent, He is a fundamentalist fanatic republican.

I think the only sane intelligent person left in the US is Obama. I hope he can pull America together.
Your country is in a shambles in almost every aspect..give the man a break .
Bush left him with a huge stinking overflowing toilet to clean up and fix.
I swear to god Jesus Christ could come down and be president and even the holy rollers would find fault with him .
When you do these stories or when Lou Dobbs spouts off about illegal aliens ..do you ever have a thought on how this appears to the rest of the world ? You appear as racists.(if people did not hire illegal aliens for $2 an hour you would not have this problem.. you create all your own problems constantly)
By the way thank you for deleting my previous post ..I guess the truth hurts.

White Canadian Mom

A copy of my legal birth certificate looks just like the one that President Obama's. If NYC provides this type of Birth Certificate for its citizens, then why now is it an issue? The Birth record has the medical information, medical information is covered by HIPPA laws. Why do we need to know the medical information of his mother? The document shown on the screen clearly says "Certificate No."; not "Announcement No". Health care and right to health care is more important.

We must confront the "birthers". Please demand that they show us evidence that Pres. OBama's mother traveled to Kenya in the month of July or August 1961. We don't want the deposition of the Step Grandmother from Kenya who might have been paid, or confused by the language barrier. The birthers think it's a lie therefore they have the burden of proof. Show us the President's mother's passport or shut up and go home.

July 23rd, 2009 8:09 pm ET
Your comment is awaiting moderation.

What I witness on Lou Dobbs 's show tonight regarding President Obama's birth certificate, was probably a duplicate reaction that Sgt. Crowley had when Prof. Gates stood up for his rights. The conversation between Roland Martin( a Black man) and (Lou Dobbs) a White man, mirrored exactly how White men react to a Black man who speaks with authority. (Lou Dobbs) reacting to Roland Martin's statements as being disrespectful to himself and the Congressman was uncalled for. At no time was Roland disrespectful. Roland Martin stood his ground about the live birth certificate as being a legal document. What I saw was probably the same reaction from Sgt. Crowley when Prof. Gates defended his rights and questioned the officer's persistent inquiries over and over again after verifying his residency.

I find it amazing that we have taken what the president said out of context so quickly. He said that it was stupid to arrest a person after he has shown evidence that he was in fact the owner of the home and not a criminal. I agree. We have too many criminals on the streets to arrest people when the case can be settled otherwise. My son is a police officer, so I have respect for the difficult work they do. However the actions of this officer were uncalled for.

Rick Sanchez I love your newscast- ur awesome!

I don't understand why O'bama just doesn't produce the birth certificate, or is there a reason? Millions of americans are required throughout their life to produce legal doc's he is no different,

President Obama should not be making comments about the police like he did because: 1.) he doesn't have all the facts. 2.) it only causes division in our country.
Keep up the good work, Rick. I enjoy your CNN show very much. - -Charlene

Follow: A mother who was too young at the time of Obama's birth to confer U.S Citizenship and a Father who was a Citizen of Kenya (yes, an African, not African-American) at best confering dual-citizenship or worse, Kenyan citizenship in a state that in 1961 you didn't have to be born in to register a birth after the fact, with a residential address that didn't even exist in 1961, and you're claiming that that the modern day computer printout (which didn't exist in '61, that has a LEGAL MEANING designation of "Certification" versus "Certificate" is indeed a "Certificate of Birth"?, thus misrepresenting the legal meaning? So did you mis-speak or just lie like a journalist drunk on Obama's Kool-aid? And why is Obama spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a full team of lawyers to keep anyone from looking at what should cost nothing to release? What's the deal with traveling on his Kenyan passport? What about his student loans provided as a foreign student? Want to check into that? You seem to know all the answers, Ricky, so answer! Or would you rather sit back and have another glass of Kool-aid? Put up or shut up!

Rick, I love this format. It allows your viewers to share their thoughts. My simple comment is this. Those who have never experience mistreatment because they conform to the majority can not posssibly understand the humiliation and indignate of the treatment. I guess it would be helpful if everyone could experience it first hand. Only then can you understand the outrage when confronted with it.

The prez works for US. We as a nation have the right to see the long form birth certificate. I can't understand why anyone would NOT want to know. Someone questioned whether John McCain was a natural born citizen. What did he do??? Immediately showed his birth certificate. Who vetted Sarah Palin???? The FBI did at the request of John McCain. Who vetted Obama??? NOBODY!!!!! WHY?????Why has he worked so hard and paid so much money to keep his college records sealed and his passport???? There has to be a reason. I can't wait for it all to unfold before he destroys OUR country completely. God Bless the USA

So a homeowner, has trouble getting into his own home. A neighbor who obviously doesn't have the capacity to recognize one of their neighbors calls police thinking there's a break-in in progress by 2 black males. One older, who uses a cain.
Sgt Crowley says he's trained on handling matters of race in doing his job. But despite what he sees, an older man who has been legally indentified as the homeowner and as a staff member of Harvard. Sgt Crowley still arrests him rather than handling the matter differently. Obviously Sgt Crowley is not trained in using constraint or common sense in handling a situation where a homeowner, a citizen of a community might be agitated .
If not racial profiling it is indeed, poor police work.

Would Professor Gates have reacted the same way if the responding officer had been black and done exactly what the white officer did? I doubt it.

Netizen Kane

Where is YOUR proof that Obama's mother left the country to have him? Can you show that YOUR claims are facts? After all your WHOLE argument hinges on his mother leaving the country to have her child. Do your have ANY proof of your claims? ANY? You are making the claims please back them up.

Because if NO ONE HAS ANY PROOF THAT HIS MOTHER LEFT THE COUNTRY then there is no one's word other than a poor woman in Kenya trying to get fame and fortune based on her grandson's position.

Sgt Crowley acted completely appropriately. Prof. Gates would probably feel differently if his home was being broken into. A break-in was reported and Prof. Gates was observed attempting to force the front door of the house open. Then, he refused to identify himself which elevated the situation. After he finally did identify himself, he began disrespecting an officer of the law. Who does this guy think he is? Is he above the law? The officer was doing his job, and Prof. Gates had to bring race into it! If a couple of black cops came to my house under similar circumstances, would I accuse them of racism? No, I'd show them my I.D. and cooperate. My house was broken into a few years back and I was happy when the police arrived. They weren't black officers but when they asked me for my ID, I showed it to them. Why wouldn't you?!? It almost seems as though this guy wanted to cause problems. Now in contrast to that incident, I was very upset with the officer who was choking the black Paramedic. Paramedics have the occasion to speed. We know they aren't supposed to, but we don't complain because it could save a life. The officer was completely out of line.

I'm not sure I would take the word of a police office defending his collegue whether black or white. Isn't there a code of 'Blue' within the police departments.

Why did noone in the media, government, or any american demand an apology from president Bush for katrina catastrophe.

Rick, the cop might be right but can you imagine if the black cop took the side of the professor. He would have to ask for a transfer. He would be black balled. No play of words intended.

Rick,

I think Gates and his ego bated the officer for his own agenda, The public forgets that when a police officer gives you a command you obey. No comentary, no argument.

This is not about race.

Cambridge Police Officer arrested a man (no matter what the color of his skin) for "disorderly conduct" because the man "insulted" him in his own house. What an ego trip. Then no one in the Cambridge police station has the commonsense to release the man immediately, but the Cambridge Police went ahead and actually file charges against him! I did not know that is it a crime in the City of Cambridge to insult a Police Officer in your own home. I don’t see this as a color issue at all; I see this as POLICEMEN ON EGO TRIP. Yes, the President of the United States was right. Cambridge Police acted stupidly.

In the Gates situation, the officer should have asked if he (Gates) was the homeowner. If he had said yes, then the officer should have explained why he was there. Gates would have told him that he and his driver were the ones trying to get into his house. That should have been the end of it, period...!

about the Harvard professor/arrest case Is it illegal to be verbally

about the Harvard professor arrest incident. Is it illegal to be verbally belligerent in your own home if you haven't done anything wrong?

It seems so unfortunate that people don't understand what is happening in our communities. There is a case right here in Houston where the son of a retired professional baseball player, who himself had goals of becoming a baseball player was shot in his own yard by a policeman who thought he had stolen his own car.

My son is a police officer. So I don't blame all police officers, but this officer is an expert on this subject and does not know a leader on this subject. To me its like saying I am expert carpenter but I don't know a hammer when I see one.

I got a couple of legal questions regarding the issue with Dr. Gates and the Police Officier: 1) As an Adult and U.S. Citizen; doesn't Dr. Gates have "Freedom Of Speech" in his own home? 2) If Dr. Gates did not physically assault the Officer; what was the Officer's complaint ? That Dr. Gates spoke to him too loudly or what... in my opinion that Offier was "acting stupidly" whether he was White, Black, Green or Blue!

The Cambridge District Attorney dismissed the charges which can only mean that Professor Gates did nothing wrong. This would be the meaning if a white person was arrested. The only thing Professor Gates did wrong was to show the white policeman that he was an intelligent Black man. This is a crime in a lot of mainstreamers mind.

Rick, I think that whole incident involving Sgt.Crowley and Professor Gates could have been avoided if both sides of the story had been originally reported. However, it was reported as if only the policeman was wrong. This kind of confrontational reporting causes many unnecessary confrontations.

As a former airline employee, let's not forget that Dr. Gates had probably been traveling for about 20+ hours AND had a cold so you can only imagine how exhausted he must have been and eager to go to bed when this incident began.

Hi Rick, Please explain, why when a policeman arrives at a home of a suspected burglary and finds that it was the owner trying to get into his own home. The story should not end with the homeowner getting arrested but with a thank you from the home owner and a glad you are ok from the policeman.pkw

my comment is on gates arrest. the president should not be reacting to every news tidbit out there. he undermines the law enforcement. i have never in my years of viewing tv have seen a president who loves to be on the tube. the officer does need an appology.

Discrimination, Racism? I'm a Jewish Latina Woman and had to work 3 times harder than any man to make it to an Executive level. Once I was on a business trip to WI, believe it or not, people asked to meet me to see what I look like (Fortunately, I left my "horns" at the hotel. Are we still in 2009?

I notice you have people posting here who are not aware of the facts. All presidents have had to prove their citizenship in order to become president. Each has had to provide his birth certificate. The reason it is suddenly an issue is that President Obama is the first one who refuses to produce it. We're not talking about the short form certificate that you were fapping around on your show, we're talking about the actual long for document that should be on file in the court where he was born. His reluctance to produe that document is what is causing the problem. Why don't you do some true investigative reporting and find out why he won't just simply produce it?

One of the previous posters was correct. There is a sleeping giant in this country and it is called racism. White people in this country have less rights than anyone else. Let us have a White Entertainment Television and see what happens, and yet, we have Black Entertainment Television. Is that not racist? We have college sholarship programs that are based on race. The United Negro College fund is clearly discriminating against whites. Let's talk about affirmative action! How are you going to hand a job to someone who is not the most qualified, because they're black? Maybe if black people in this country would quit feeling like the world owes them something, we could forget about the racism. here's another important fact. The North won the Civil War! The confederation was defeated and slavery, which was already illegal in the northern states, was abolished once and for all. America won, so quit acting like America owes the blacks anything. If anything, they should think about all the white people who gave their lives during that war, so blacks could have their freedom! if you are a black person, and you don't have a college degree, it's your own fault. You have all these organizations who will give you money to go to school, based on your race. What does a white person get?

Rick;
I recently ordered a copy of my birth certificate from a certain state (I won't mention its name). Instead of the 'long form' which stated which hospital, who my parents were, etc. I was sent the 'short form'. I've seen the 'long form' once; my mother has the copy. To top that off, I have a 'long form' copy of my daughter's birth certificate; it's under lock and key so that it doesn't get lost. That doesn't mean that I don't have the 'gussied up' version of a birth certificate with the footprint, etc. on my daughter but it's not considered 'official', strangely enough. I would suggest, if these people are so concerned about Obama's birth certificate being 'wrong', they should produce one from Kenya with his name on it. Nobody I know has seen one from there yet saying that Obama was born in Kenya or Indonesia; this is another attempt to take everyone's mind from efforts to straighten out this country's problems.

Debbie Palko – I don't get your point. No one had any issues when the president and congress got involved with the right to life case in Florida. How soon we forget when the shoe is on the other foot.

I would like to say that CNN is the only news network that allows us to communicate with each other and the only news network that reflects the diversity of this great nation. I like some people more than others, but I try to appreciate or at least listen to all point of view.

the situation with dr. gates shows how not to react so quickly on a news story. even though it is a friend of the president he should not react and comment on the tv. shouldn't people try to move forward and not keep playing the race card when it is a white policeman and a black man. we have come a long way now it should be in the past and stay.there are many colours in the united states from different countries. can we all just get along, life is very short.

Rick;
I just had another thought. It should be possible to find the article that lists 'live births' in an old copy of a Hawaiian newspaper since my birth was listed in a local newspaper that my mother clipped from it. Why has no one approached this controversy from that angle? Newspapers are public record, aren't they?

My comment is relative to the Gates-Crowley incident. I believe Professor Gates has an over inflated ego with a bad case of the importance and also carries a chip on his shoulder. Even though he is a professor, he demonstrated a lack of culture and class and indicated a high degree of rudness. Because of what and who he is, he believed he could be as disorderly and inslsting as he wanted to be and get awy with it. It's a case of thinking he's able to behave in a rowdy manner and make derogatory remarks; no one is supposed to talk down to him, but he thinks he has the right to insult whomever he wishes. His lack of culture and class truly was demonstrated. He should have respect for the law. They police were there to protect him and/or his property. He was arrested for disorderly conduct – not because he was "in his own home". No one should be able to degrade another person without consequences and without being challenged for it. It would be difficult to be a law office trying to be of service and help to someone and have them be so belligerent. HIs behavior did not speak for a learned professor. Just my opinion.

Rick, Would you please inform Lou Dobbs and Larry King the facts on President OBama's Birth Certificate and Birth Announcement. They apparently do not watch your show.
Thank You
Alvy Lucas

We fell the press has first started (thru a question to the President) and then perpetuated even more racism than was illustrated by the police officer's actions with Prof. Gates. All we have heard from the press for 2 days is how Obama "inserted" himself into the controversy, when he was responding to a question from the press, which he qualified by saying that all the facts weren't known and that he was a friend of the Professor. Now the President has become the "problem" according to the press, and everything the police officer says is taken as factual, without any interviews for verification with Professor Gates. The only fair person has been Soledad O"Brien, who said she would not attempt to judge the President's statement, who challenged the officer's training in race relations and racial profiling, and stated that this occurrence was NOT a mere local event, as the officer claimed, but one that is happening daily to Black and other people of color across the nation. Professor Gates claimed that the officer's written statements contained false information. Why isn't anyone checking THAT out. Why is the officer all of a sudden the "good guy." Because he says he is???? It is interesting that you Mr. Sanchez found that because a Black fellow police officer backs his fellow officer that that makes Gates in the wrong and the officer who carried out the acfion right. Are you so naive as to believe that another police officer wouldn't more likely than not back another officer, if only to get ahead and remain in good standing on the force. This incident is a good example of why racial profiling is so common, how officers and their bosses stick together, and why corruption and "bad" officers often take over an entire force as has happened in some of our large cities. The way this officer is so vocal, not hesitating to challenge even our President, and his disrespect for an elderly man who uses a cane, when there was NO apparent need for this arrest tells us a whole lot.

What the Hell is wrong with you people. Give me a break.

NetizenKane,

Follow: A mother who was too young at the time of Obama's birth to confer U.S Citizenship"

True. If, and only if, he wasn't born in the U.S..

"and a Father who was a Citizen of Kenya (yes, an African, not African-American) at best confering dual-citizenship or worse, Kenyan citizenship"

False. There was no such thing as "Kenyan" citizenship in 1961. Sr. was a British citizen. And the CoLB says "African", not "African-American". Obama was a dual U.S./British citizen until 1963, then he was a dual U.S./Kenyan citizen until 1982, when he automatically lost his Kenyan citizenship.

"in a state that in 1961 you didn't have to be born in to register a birth after the fact,"

Partly true, but doesn't mean what you think. If Obama had been born elsewhere, the Certification wouldn't say he was born in Honolulu.

"with a residential address that didn't even exist in 1961,"

Proof?

"and you're claiming that that the modern day computer printout (which didn't exist in '61, that has a LEGAL MEANING designation of "Certification" versus "Certificate" is indeed a "Certificate of Birth"?, thus misrepresenting the legal meaning?"

False. The Certification of Live Birth is not a source document. It is printed off on request, and certifies that the information on it comes from the State of Hawaii's official records, meaning a Certificate.

"So did you mis-speak or just lie like a journalist drunk on Obama's Kool-aid?"

So far it's quite evident that you're the one drunk on Kool-Aid.

"And why is Obama spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on a full team of lawyers to keep anyone from looking at what should cost nothing to release?"

Again, proof? How much does any Presidential campaign spend on legal fees after the campaign is over? Bush? Gore? Kerry? McCain?

"What's the deal with traveling on his Kenyan passport?"

What are you talking about? What "Kenyan passport"?

"What about his student loans provided as a foreign student?"

And, again, what are you talking about? You have some interesting fantasies.

"Put up or shut up!"

Try presenting some facts, instead of ignorance, disinformation and outright frauds.

As far as the Gates issue, I wonder how much of it was based on class, instead of race. Perhaps a bit of arrogance at being "America's preeminent black scholar" and a professor at Harvard? How dare a mere police officer speak to him that way.

ALL,

The paternal step-grand,other in Kenya NEVER said that Obama was born in Kenya. That's ANOTHER fraud perpetrated by birthers. She has always claimed that BO was born in Hawaii.

Thank you for doing your best to put the birther absurdity to rest. Yet even Jon Stewart can't make it go away. Some folks don't want to be confused with the facts.

I do wish you'd slide on over to Dobbs's desk a tell him to talk to Ms. Pilgrim about how she debunked the birthers when she subbed for him not long ago.

I'd tell him myself, but I'm not going to watch him or correspond with him ever. Not ever. Dobbs is a disgrace and is making CNN look less like a serious news outlet and more like, well, a cable joke so ratings driven they'll let him spew out anything for a boost–fact checked, accurate or not.

Somebody needs to stand in the corner at CNN and pledge allegiance to the wall...sheesh.

Having chimed in on the birthers argument the past few days I feel it necessary to do so again. Since what I said yesterday didn't make it to the message board I hafta repeat myself.

Twitchy, thank you for setting Bridgett straight. Being the mother of 5 children who were born in 2 different regions of New York state I know hospital policies & souvenirs are different. Also, the official birth certificate I received from the municipalities NEVER contained my children's footprints. The footprints came home with me as sort of a souvenir from the greater Utica area. My youngest son who was born in Auburn Memorial Hospital had his footprints on the souvenir birth certificate that was given to me.

I hear these birthers time & time again ranting to produce this & produce that. If this were a court of law they would be the prosecuting attorney(s) & unless things have changed recently in order for a person to be found guilty of a crime the prosecution had to PROVE THEY WERE GUILTY. Since y'all have made the charges "in the court of public opinion" it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to prove your case. Since our president was a lawyer he knows very well these rules of juris prudence. Since you birthers live all over the country there are going to be different types of birth certificates issued to you & your families. To use your community standards for this document to say the president isn't a citizen of the United States is ludicrous.

Thank you Rick for allowing us the opportunity to voice our opinions. I am thankful to be living in a country where we can speak out without fear of incarceration and/or torture. Wasn't it Patrick Henry who said "I may not believe in what you say BUT I will defend to the death your right to say it."

My father worked in the US State Department (AID). I have a brother born In Cairo and another born in Equador. Amazingly, both are unquestioned American citizens. One for 56 years. Please someone ask Lou Dobbs to take his medication and refocus on a real issue.

Allow me to correct something about Prof. Gates. He has worked with a number of celebs, including Oprah to help them learn their roots. He has always been someone who works with celebs., not average people. So I feel that he probably thinks more of himself than he should. However as I understand it, you can not arrest a person in their home without appropriate documentation. The only way the officer could have arrested him was to get him to come out of his house.

Now for the comment about blacks in american. Does anyone know who invented the Traffic Light, the Refrigeration, the lightbulb, the Personal Computer and many other modern marvels. Black people. Who performed the first open heart surgery. A black man. We have contributed mightly to this country, inspite of slavery, jim crow and many other forms condone by government to keep us down. These methods have cost generations. If you took away everything that we have contributed to this country, you would not have an america as you know it.

Let's face it, more than a racial issue, this is your typical "man to man" issue. You have two men with testosterone flying! It was, in my opinion, more of a case of "mine is bigger than y ours!"

Is (AMERICA) a (LEGITIMATE) nation? Where in scripture is (AMERICA) located in the (HOLY BIBLE)? Will the (RED MAN) be mentioned in the bill regarding (BIRTH CERTIFICATES) for the presidency? Further, will the (ENSLAVEMENT) of (MY) ancestors be documented in this bill?

Rick,

I just listened to the two officers defend their co-worker. Remember that the professor and the officer were there for a while before all the other police arrived. I don't think they can comment on the main part of the discussion. Let's be fair here! It looks like both men handled this poorly.

I encourage you all to watch Bill Moyers on line. It is truly amazing.

Karl,

You seem to be the one who isn't aware of the facts. For most of our history there was no such thing as a birth certificate. Therefore, it is impossible that "Each has had to provide his birth certificate."

As for "short form" vs. "long form", Hawaii no longer issues copies of the "long form". All you can get any more is the "short form". This is because they computerized all their records, and all you get now is the printout (Certification) of what is in their database. And that only contains the information necessary to prove citizenship. This appears to be true of several other states, as well.

Rick, I could a change when tweer stated you would of thought you had just been called on to be KING. your not, don't cry but your just a older man, that color his hais. i have a piture of the President bith ceritificates. It's my screen saver. i am sorry sick of going over the same thing, move on rick. I have a black ceritificates. you going to say my is fake, there that will give you so news. you guy go over the same thing a new's person come on IT'S THE SAME

Of course he is a citizen – his mother was a citizen. But to be President you have to be a 'natural' born citizen as required by the Constitution and as codified and defined under Title 18, section 1401 of the US code. If he were born in Kenya, as implied by his grandmother's statements, he would not qualify as a natural born citizen under then existing law and like Gov. Schwartzenager, who is also a US citizen, is not qualified to be President. Why Sanchez failed to mention the existence of the long form birth certificate is beyond me – no wait – that's exactly the type of crap journalism you get on CNN. As for us having to prove him GUILITY, that's just ignorance. If he wanted to practice law OBAMA has to prove he is qualified to be a lawyer; if he wants to be President, OBAMA has to prove he qualifies to be President – this is not some criminal/court proceeding – it's a simple case of proving that you meet the minimum qualifications for the job being applied for.

You are COMPLETELY MISSING what is behind the birth certifiicate brouhaha. People like me are SICK OF THIS GUY and don't like what he is doing to our republic and WANT HIM OUT!! And if this is the only way to get him out, then they are going to go for it, straw that it may be. Conversely, if the majority of peoplein this country thought he was doing a good job with our nation, it wouldn't matter to them if he had been born on MARS!!!! Where he was born would not even be on the table!!!! Got it now???

Hi Rick,

This morning in European Newspaper : President Obama not born in the USA.

Wauw news travels fast.

None of this is about Obama. Remember the kids in school who picked on the smaller students because they could gang up on them when the guy was by himself? Then about high school age, one of the bullies tried it again by himself, and the guy who they had been bullying broke their nose. These guys are the type who never had the guts to throw a punch at the bully and end the whole debate.
They are always in the back of their mind going to be a wimp unless they can bully someone else. Eventually bullies get their asses whipped and they are forced to realise that they aren't the king of third grade anymore. People like that have to attack in packs and they all get their stories straight as if saying the same lie repeatedly makes it more believable. It is designed to lessen the credibility of the person they attack. You will notice if Rush says something on the air, the next day Shawn and Bill are repeating it. And conservatives on the street repeat is as if they made it up themselves. Take Bill O'Reilly, if he interrupted someone and started yelling all that "OH, Knock it Off", to someone in a bar he would get his head knocked off. I have watched some people tell him to shut up. He is a wimp who got a show that allows him to act like the people who used to bully him when he was little so he is now trying to come to closure of his issues. He used to get beat up by nuns.

I have researched all the supposed experts with positive proof that his birth cerificate is fake. They are delusional. The lead contributor calls herself Lame Cherry and says that (get this) the one who knows will be the knowing one. I guess that is her proof positive she knows it all. That sounds like something a four year old would make up. Really, I mean it. That is if it is a woman and not an internet drag queen. I want to see all of their birth certificates and their children's birth certificates. Put their money where their mouth is. I haven't ever seen Rush Limbaughs or Bill O'Reilly's or Shawn Hannity's birth certificate either and I demand they all publish their birth certificates online for us to see. Also. I think the reason they are trying to put this on him is because none of them could pass an extreme background check. Why don't you suggest that to them?

Do you really not understand what they are hoping will happen? Maybe we can lie and say he wasn't really president. This is proof positive that the 2000 and 2004 elections were a fraud. These people will lie about something like that since they are actually crazy enough to believe that even though Al Gore was originally by all news stations besides Fox News Declared the winner of the 2000 election but they lied and cheated their way into office and got away with it. By the time we were ready to hang them, 9/11 conveniently happened. If there was ever a reason to believe a conspiracy theory, that would be it. 9/11 took the heat off of them. Now they once again are trying to lie their way into office but the undecided voters didn't buy the Okie Doke this time.Do you really think any of those people believe that crap? Hell no, they just want to say the election of a black man wasn't real. They said they would leave America if that ever happened and it did. Now they must either undo it or actually move out. You know they won't do that. Some of these people have treated black people so badly over the years that to them, this is like Affirmative Action came to Washington, D.C. instead of them making us live with it. John McCain,during the soft money controversy said that we would NEVER elect a minority of female as president as long as Soft Money Contributions allowed the special interests to be in control. As soon as that ended it leveled the playing field. They are afraid of having to share the actual success and opportunities that the elite had kept to themselves for so many years. As of this election, saying that anyone could grow up to be president at least looks like it is true. And then when he got elected and the GOP took heat for not having any black members, they ran out and got themselves Mr. Richard (the token) Steele to look like they aren't prejudiced as hell and eliteists. Now what we get from them for candidates are Rednecks with money.

Can anyone, anyone at all with even a small amount of knowlegde about Law; explain to us why Dr. Gates, or anyone in this country, does not have the "freedom of Speech" to say what they want in protest of being falsely accused of breaking into their own home? Does anyone even know exactly what Dr. Gates said, after producing a picture identification, that warranted an arrest? Was the policeman blind; could he not see that the man on the picture was the man standing in front of him? Would any of you with selective amnesia regarding the actual facts of this case care to clarify? You're the same group of folks hollering for our judges to follow the letter of the law correct? Let's see if any of you can drop your biases long enough to render an honest assessment of the law.

CN, I appreciate the fact that you are among the few that honest about their feeling toward the President. However, if you believe in our system, you have to accept the fact that he won the election. Even though I supported Reagan and Bush I, I did not support Bush II. We seem to blame Obama, after six months of his term. I don't know that I would support him if he ran again, but the state of this nation has nothing to do with what has happened in six months and more to do with what had happened over the previous eight years. If we are to have honest debate, we should try to stick to the facts and be honest. Our future depends on us being mature about the current state.

Pcrudy

Two problems with your post:

1) There is NO legally accepted definition of Natural Born Citizen. The Constitution does not define it. The Supreme Court has NEVER defined it as only someone born on US Soil. What the ONLY ruling from the Supreme Court says is that (in the case United States v. Wong Kim Ark):

"The constitution nowhere defines the meaning of these words [citizen and natural born citizen], either by way of inclusion or of exclusion, except in so far as this is done by the affirmative declaration that 'all persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States."

Notice the word naturalized? That means, for example, someone that is born to a US Citizen OUTSIDE the US. You are dead wrong.

2)While you are right to say that if Obama had to practice law he had to prove he was qualified to be a lawyer. But guess what...to get a license to practice law you have PROVE your background and birth...and he HAS a license. Now of course the birthers will say he lied to get on the bar.

And that is the real problem here...NO MATTER what the birthers will NEVER believe anything except that Obama is not a citizen. He is President of the US and if he wanted he could produce ANY form in any format. If he need to cover up something he could produce a birth certificate that NO ONE could tell is false. Have you ever thought that maybe THAT is why he has not responded to any of this crap....no matter what HE does it will be looked on as lies and fakes by this fringe group. He has spent his whole life proving who he is through school admissions, bar admissions, vetting by the Secret Service, even producing a birth certificate when all this madness started. Yet the birthers ignore all this and scream "I want my country back."

Guess what....it is HIS country and MY country too. Stop you tearing down and try to work towards building UP.

The birthers are a buch of Republican-zealots that are insane and have no grasp of what a US citizen is. It is racially motivated and this is just an excuse to challenge President Obama. The rest of the world is watching this ignorance.

Here is a question. Why are we as a country so ashamed to admit it when we make mistakes? Although I agree what President Obama said orginally, he was forced to soften what he said. President Bush, when asked, said he could not recall a single thing you would do differently. That is sad statement when so many innocent young people have been harmed by his actions. Fareed argued over the weekend that the US was not invovled in the Iraq/Iran war, when there were pictures of Rumbsfeld with Saddam. We attack other countries for their acts regarding human rights, but we don't accept the fact that we do things in other countries and our own that are much worse. Only when we accept these things and discuss them openly will get the respect of the rest of the world.

It seems to me that people have managed to make the victim the perpetrator. Most white people have no Idea who mr Lewis Gates is nor are they interested because to them he is just another black man crying wolf. The officer did not see Mr. Gates as a respected elderly dissabled man he saw him as a BLACK MAN disrespecting him. People have come from the woodworks to speak for this officer; even his black collegues. Now really what did you people expect the small amount of african american police officers to say? Does anyone understand the ramifications of them speaking unfavorbably about their white collegue. Work would have been hell for those officers. I see a smug white officer with his racist union behind him. Now had this incident happened with one of president Bush's friends he would have said what ever he wanted and white people and the media would have swept it under the rug and would not have thought twice about it. (Sort of like Chaney Shooting his friend)! But because the president is Black he must apologize to the officers and even have this person at the whitehouse. Because if not whites would call for his impeachment! President Obama and Mr Gates are just trying to calm the angry scared mobs that have been fomed which is typical of white america. Did anyone see the signs left in front of his house or is he crying wolf about that too!

We have a somewhat more explicit statement from the Hawaiian Dept of health now:
In an attempt to quash persistent rumors that President Obama was not born in Honolulu on Aug. 4, 1961, Hawaii's health director reiterated this afternoon that she has personally seen Obama's birth certificate in the Health Department's archives.
"I, Dr. Chiyome Fukino, director of the Hawaii State Department of Health, have seen the original vital records maintained on file by the Hawai'i State Department of Health verifying Barrack Hussein Obama was born in Hawaii and is a natural-born American citizen. I have nothing further to add to this statement or my original statement issued in October 2008 over eight months ago...."
Not that I expect that to make much difference.

Why can't people just be sensible? First of all, if you read Pres. Obama's book you would know that his 'paternal grandmother' is actually his paternal step-grandmother. Now one of the confusions, I believe, stems from the names. Barack Hussein Obama WAS born in Kenya in 1936. It is possible that this is the birth his step-grandmother reportedly witnessed. (Plural wives were common.) Barack Hussein Obama JUNIOR was born in Hawaii, as his birth certificate states and the Honolulu newspaper reported.

My mother had a photocopy of my original birth certificate from 1948 and it was black with white type and about 5"x7". When I ordered a 'certified copy of live birth' from the state of Idaho, I received a full page certificate that looked nothing like my original BUT a note was enclosed that the records were now computerized and printed on a different form, but it had the seal and all the necessary information. It did not have the doctor who delivered me and all the other info that the 'birthers' are squawking about. They need to give this up and realize that their basis for this particular whine is probably based on misunderstanding of – well – everything! A person CANNOT get their original birth certificate as it belongs to the records department in the state of birth.

How dare these "birthers" challenge the legitimacy of America's commander-in-chief at a time of war! Doing so only gives aid and comfort to the enemy. Why do they hate America?

This is exactly the kind of response those same right-wingers would give to anyone who dared criticize President Bush.

Sorry, right-wingers, but that's how a democracy works: sometimes your guy loses. If a one-party right-wing theocracy is what you want, then head on over to the Iranian embassy for a visa.

And don't forget to bring your birth certificate.

Talk about stupid? The Birthers are a distraction and a people with too much time on their hands. They certainly don't make the right-wing position attractive to us voters. With all that is going on in the world, why does the press even give a minute of time to "nuts" who hide behind our precious freedom of the speech. Unfortunately, the press of Walter Cronkite is beginning to act like the grocery store tabloids who report that Elvis is alive. Get a life, Birthers! There are a number of legitimate issues to protest and charities to support. This is not an issue. The truth is known.

No long form birth certificate presentation to the public+translation of grandmother's statements+ridiculous sums of money paid to lawyers to prevent release of long form birth certificate=reasonable doubt indefinitely. All of these people here who keep repeating that he didn't release the long form one because you can't get a copy of it anymore since 2001, electronic records, blah, blah, blah...are completely missing the point. HE IS PAYING PEOPLE TO HIDE THE DAMN THING/BLOCK ITS RELEASE!!! If he was not doing this, then fine-he lost the original can't get a copy of the long form one anymore, etc. But again, to repeat: HE IS PAYING LAWYERS TO KEEP THE ORIGINAL FROM GOING PUBLIC. Get it? That's why there is still doubt. If you do not understand that then you probably work at Taco Bell or something.

To continue, so far in Q1 of 2009, he has PAID 688,000 dollars to lawyers to block the release of the long form, among other academic records. Imagine how many healthcare policies that is for poor people? Seriously, why would anyone literally WASTE 688K on this supposed conspiracy non-story if that is all it really is? It makes no sense to a rational person. Can't wait to see how much these lawyer scumbags are going to make in Q2. By the way, all of these figures and the legal rulings in each case are available and part of the PUBLIC record, unlike the long form certificate. I guess that's a testament to the quality of his VERY HIGHLY PAID legal team.

Question for Lou Dobbs: The Governor of Hawaii is a Republican. She was a big supporter of John McCain and Sarah Palin. It is her administration, her Director of Health, who has vouched for President Obama's birth certificate. If there were the slightest doubt as to the legitimacy of this birth certificate, don't you thing she, Governor Linda Lingle of the State of Hawaii, member of the Republican Party, would be all over it???

What is this nonsense we are talking about now. What proof do you have that he is paying all of these sums of money to keep his past sealed? This country is going to hell in a hand basket.

The latest is now health care reform is a ploy by democrats to cover illegal aliens and that over weight people are the cause of our health care crisis. This is all too much.

I pray that God will forgive us for what we are doing.

Twitchy, If Barrack Obama was not actually born in the U.S., he's not legally a U.S. natural born citizen because according to the law on the books at the time of his birth, which falls between the effective period of the law: "December 24, 1952 to November 13, 1986," The Presidential office requires a natural born citizen if the child was not born to two U.S. Citizen parents, If the child was not born to two U.S. Citizen parents, the law clearly stipulates: "If only one parent was a U.S. Citizen at the time of the birth, that parent must have resided in the United States for at least ten years, at least five of which had to be after the age of 16." Barrack Obama's father weas not a U.S. Citizen and his mother was only 18 when he was born, shich means though she had been a U.S. citizen for ten years, (or citizen because of Hawaii being a territory) she was not a citizen for five years (after age 16) prior to Barack Obama's birth. She was not old enough to qualify her son for automatic citizenship because at the time of his birth, at most, only two years had elapsed since she had turned 16. She would have needed to be 21 years of age in order for Barack obama to be a natural-born citizen, this being due to only his mother being a U.S. Citizen.

I will concede that experts have said they believe his birth certificate to be authentic and it looks real enough to me. If that's the case, what is the document he is paying lawyers to keep hidden? Why won't someone just bust the rumors?

I don't personally care if he is a U.S. Citizen. I'm waiting to see someone show me that the guy has done one good thing for our country. Cutting missle defense in the dawn of N. Korea developing ICBMs is idiocy.

Karl,

I know it difficult to accept, but all 50 states have indicated that he was a legal candidate. The Houst voted 100% with no deciding votes that he is a natural citizen. Can someone show some proof that he is paying lawyers to conceal his records. I have not seen anything to support that. Finally, if you can' t appreciate what he has been left to deal with by the previous adminstration, I really don't understand it. Everywhere you look this country is in trouble. Somehow we expect anything to be fixed in six months.

Please, lets not wrap ourself in the flag and pretend to be something that we are not. This is about who we are as a nation. Lets be honest for a change.

Karl,
It's age 14, not 16, but, still, you're right, she wouldn't have been old enough. However, as far as I can tell, the only indications anyone's got that Obama might have been born anywhere except Hawaii have turned out to be deliberate frauds.

No idea what document he's trying to keep hidden, because nobody's proven that he's trying to keep anything hidden, much less that he's spending huge sums of money doing so. If I had a bunch of wackos after me, I'd probably make it as difficult as possible for them, just on the principle that you don't give in to wackos.

OTOH, it wouldn't surprise me one bit if it turned out that Obama isn't really doing anything that would make things better. It's pretty much what we've grown to expect from both parties over the 50 years or so.

I'll bet the CNN website has never had so many non-Liberals visit it before, they must be uncomfortable. And Obama won't produce his real birth certificate (long form with Hostpital and Doctor's names) – Hawaii gave the one he has to any Residents who asked for one, much like his Kenyan born sister) – because he doesn't have one. He won't produce his school records or passport because they reveal him to be a foreign citizen at the time.

If Obama were Republican the media would be all over this, instead of defending him by misrepresenting the story (by showing his short form "birth certificate" that even Hawaii won't accept for most serious things) and as always casting dispersions on those who disagree with their Dear Liberal Leader.

Mr. Sanchez,
I agree this story has went on a year too long. If you want to see it end then you should demand President Obama release the long form of his birth certificate. I am not saying he is not a US Citiizen but until he continues to refuse to show the long form the issue is not going to go away.

I find it funny about that Lawyer with the Russian accent spear heading this crap who was on Colbert once. I didn't know that both parents had too be born in the united states even though its not in the constitution. Maybe the parents have to be able to fly and have super powers. Which too is an invisible law secretly written in the constitution.

Frank,
You believe in an amazing number of lies.

Hawaii did not give the Certification of Live Birth to any resident who wanted one. The Certification of Live Birth certifies that Hawaii has, in its official files, a Certificate of Live Birth with the same information on it. It is an official birth certificate for all official purposes. Any government agency will accept a Certificate of Live Birth, if it has the official seal and signature.

His sister was born in Indonesia, and I've seen no evidence that she has a Certification of Live Birth that says she was born in Hawaii.

If nobody's seen the school records or passport, how do you know what they reveal?

Birthers are a bunch of wackos, engaged in a witch hunt, with no facts and no evidence to support them, just a whole bunch of ignorance, lies and frauds. All they have done, since day one, is "misrepresent the story". One has to wonder why they want this president, in particular, treated differently than any other Presidential of Vice-Presidential candidate in our entire history.

These people cannot accept the fact that President Obama was elected by a MAJORITY of the American populace. By their continual rantings I believe their aim is to cast doubt that he is one of US. It is driving them bonkers that a BLACK MAN is sitting in the White House & heading the greatest country in the world. They know their "white dominated world" is coming to an end. Why else did Repubs pitch a fit over Sonia Sotomayor?

Rick, when I think about it these people are downright frightening. I believe they will do ANYTHING to get things their way. Including inciting violence like that white supremacist did in the Holocaust Museum. We all heard the lunatic fringe at the Palin rallies calling then-candidate Obama a terrorist among other things. I hope Sarah Palin is proud of the demon she unleashed.

who cares about the birth certificate.what i have a problem with is him making it harder to tell our kids not to drink alcohol or do drugs when he set the example that it is ok.Like alcoholism doesn't affect enough especially the families.our youth are tought that this is how you relax,have fun, be social and now solve conflict.thanks a lot for spending my tax dollars on the one thing that too many americans waste thier entire lives on.alcohol.no wonder we have such a crappy future in this country.too many things are drowned out with beer.

I don't believe that we are still letting crazies keep this story alive. If you want the American people to see real problems and dangers, why don't you report what's going on in the house on C Street.

I just wanted us to be clear on something. As I have shared with many friends, President Obama is truly African-American. It is not the same as being Black American. I choose to refer to myself as Native American Black. Unlike President Obama, I can not and choose not to trace my roots back to Africa. He on the other hand does not have a family heritage that had to deal with slavery, institutional racism that most black american experienced. These institutional policy have left a lagacy in the black communities that are distrustful of the system and its institutions. People of my age gorup experinced first hand discrimination. We went to all black schools before the sixties and inferior educational opportunities. Somehow through all of this, some of us managed to go on to college and succeed. No other race in this country have this legacy. Black American are the only race who are here unvoluntarily. We water down the black experience by including others in this discussion. As a country, we have not been able to address this issue, therefore it will continue to divide us.

I am not a fan of the president. I don't support a lot of what he does, but these people who say that he is not a citizen of the United States should be sued for slander or libel.

U.S. Constitution – Article 2 Section 1
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; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty-five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.

U.S. Constitution – Amendment 14
All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.

President Obama has shown he was born in the US so he is a citizen.

You can't intelligently, and logically talk to birthers, many Repugs for that matter. You could produce God and they would call Him a fake, but Joe the Plumber was a real guy, and Palin's got it together. I go round and round about global warming with these guys all the time. Sources from ScienceDaily mean nothing. Entries to scientific peer reviewed journals mean nothing. The NOAA means nothing. Only what Rush, or Beck or Faux News says is true. Not all that amazing. The average IQ in the U.S. is 98. We're just dumb anymore.

Oh My, where to begin, When it comes to birth certificates SO WHAT he made it didn't he, do you actually think congress would allow him to get so far in his presidency if he wasn't or didn't qualify, let the man do his job, support him so what if you didn't Vote him there.
OK, now to my turn my story I’m 18 years old well if this is read before Aug. 9th I’m still 18.....another year passes, just trying to go out on my own, got accepted to some great universities....AMERICAN universities only problem....I can't go ....nope, not because I can't afford it or that I’m asking for grants and scholarships I just can't get a visa, not enough ties to my home country.
Yes, I lived in the united states for 16years, but was it my decision, No one asked me..... it was a decision my parents made for me, but I don't wish they hadn’t I had a great life in the states so what if it was the only life I knew, they wanted what was best, tried to do everything by the book. OK so they didn't get all the laws right so they did what every normal person would do, hired help, lawyers 5 of them, to help where they didn't understand......did they help? nope just dug the hole deeper telling my parents "we can do this" "pay me" yes I’m not confused get the whole law is ‘black and white’ thing and ‘lawyers just want money’ BUT COME ON where do you draw the line....I was fully educated in the states, I barely learned Spanish when I had to take it as a requirement to graduate. like most of the American youth I had no interest in what my parents where up to, no interest in real ‘gritty’ of politics.....but if the law is SO black and white why do we even need assistance to understand it, shouldn’t it be like any subject, you should be able to take a Corse or two, read a few books and get it? .....ha ha even just watch the news… but no it’s not as cut and dry as they say. there is always a loop a precedence, in a book ,in an office, SOMEWHERE, there is hope.
My parents entered on a visitor’s visa.....and got work permits.....HUMMMMM how is that....according to my readings someone Can't get a work permit on a Visitor’s visa, they applied political asylum, lost......were told to leave, but did the lawyer tell them they had to? No, so what did they do..... Tried again.... they got work permits again....HOW? I don't know they never lied about anything, real cut and dry huh! OH I remember what happened next our new lawyer said "your daughter doesn’t REALLY need a work permit, does she work?" ha umm no ok so he had a point but only I turned 16 then and I couldn't drive , at the time I didn't get why, I mean all my friends could but nope not me I then knew things were a bit different I read up a bit tried to ask more questions ....but back to the time line ok so we had interviews first I was called to mine which confused us but I went, we drove all the way to Texas for a residency interview. so when my number was called, this was funny ,they said we don't know what happened but your files got separated and ya da ya da ya, next appeal I think this time we got deportation letters which was a total surprise to us, total scare, WHY because through the web of legal cases and lawyers we never knew we were illegal, we paid taxes every year, owned a home, my parents had no idea, so we panicked began to sell everything we owned ready to leave the country like we were told to do. we called our lawyers and apparently they lied when they convinced us that as long as you have files pending your FINE ......right? only not, but if u fast forward I graduated we left I came to Suriname for the first time, I began volunteering at the American school I competed as a Miss Suriname 2009 contestant I pretty much fell in love with my country yes it has its kinks and its third world but it is me. the hitch is they don't speak English here so in the year I have spent here I managed to learn Dutch, I can speak it fluently now I follow conversations and can watch TV but unfortunately that isn't enough to get into med school here. but ok I understand….I spell almost every word I write or try to write in Dutch wrong so I get that they aren't jumping up and down to let me in with my fancy American schooling so next logic thing to do is apply back in the states but this time on my own I don't want my parents history to haunt me I was a minor that was them, this is me.
I got in to nursing school, excited because I had a plan get my degree then help better the management in the hospital here, in Suriname there are just three for the whole country and when it come to medical help no one waits until there is a free hospital bed to get sick, I want to make a change here this country has so much potential I can help I know it’s in me but I need the right tool before I can begin....but nope denied on the spot no questions asked just DENIED, ok yes I get they want to keep all "the bad people" out but you know….. those bad people…. they lie, they check those pretty little yes no boxes with all the right answers, but I didn't, I read the questions, I admitted to my parents mistakes I mean isn't that what the interview is for? to do the final weeding out process, the final who is who, the officer felt my ties weren't strong enough.....yes most my life was lived in the states ok sure I didn't hate but my home is here with my family, my parents, they have no intention of going back (yet my father is still paying off his credit card statements in the US.....WHY? because it’s the right thing to do...)they tried in the states build up a good life, but lost it, they aren't sour took some time to lick their wounds and got back up at 40 they are starting over, my dad has started a mechanic shop R/R Automotive doing honest work, as always, and my mom is still teaching......but now it’s me, my turn to try I just want to get my nursing degree.
sure I’m upset how can "the land of opportunity" do this but I have no doubt in my mind that to get the best you have to go to the best.......ok ever murders and drug dealers get to make agreements if they turn in their friends, where is my deal ? Where are my acceptations? my interviewer told me I have to wait ten years I will be 29 wow......I guess you do the crime pay the time but why now is I really “MY” crime? why can someone not look at our files, see what I see when I try to stumble through them, most of the mistakes were just misrepresentation but something did go wrong WAY wrong so wrong that my father got a letter to report for jury duty .....Really black and white, HUH? I guess I’m just venting and yes it can be written off as just another case I mean I am just one person and I will find my way I keep living eating breathing......life goes on ....but I’m SURE I’m not the only one, something needs to change….yes the ideal is for someone to read this to see what “they” can do to help but I won’t hold my breath but media should know the average American should know what is happening I mean with all the red tape ant paperwork that me as an applicant fills who are they really keeping out……the honest ones…?

Rick:

The reason the Birth Certficiate on President Obama will not stop is: Republicans are not happy with the Current Leaders in party and also...They are simply acting in a retarded way, to get more support for their ridiculous scams in running a country....

Rick,

It was reported on another network that the founder of the group Blackwater is somehow connected to the C street group called the Family. It was reported that his father was a major contributor and founder of this organization. It was also reported that Blackwater's mention was to kill muslim in Iraq. I would love more reporting on this troubling connection. Two of the insiders of Blackwater has sworn under oath to these facts. Let's get some real journalism going, if we have the courage.

Some of us are Independents who try to find out the truth in the stories put out by the media. Most of the time it can't be found without reviewing all of the stories from all of the media and deciding for myself.

I like to watch Lou Dobbs and I like to watch you. I do not watch anything else on CNN on a regular basis. I only check in to see what the "opinions" not the truth are.

It is getting much harder these days. I wish we still had the likes of Walter Cronkite. He has strong opinions but he reported the truth not his opinions. That is why he was so great!

I do not understand why Klein is permitting Dobbs to destroy CNN (the most trusted name in news). Get real, Klein is allowing a racist, paranoid conspiracy theorist to run loose. We can't trust CNN as long as Dobbs works there. The only reason I can figure that Klein is protecting Dobbs and permitting him to destroy the network, is Dobbs is blackmailing Klein. Klein is trying to save his own skin. I can figure no other reason the man would throw the network under the bus. I know why Dobbs is doing it. He's a paranoid, right wing, racist, conspiracy theorist and tey will thrown anything and anybody under the bus to continue to spew their craziness.

Yesterday, Aug. 4, a gentlemen contacted MSNBC to report that he could prove
that Pres. Obama's Kenyan birth certificate was a fraud. It had been stolen
from his personal website. That's illegal: it violates U.S. copyright laws
and appears to be theft of personal property.

The document he sent MSNBC was identical to the "Kenyan birth certificate"
being circulated on the internet and at town hall meetings. The original name
had been replaced with Pres. Obama's name, as well as his birth date.
That's illegal: it's called fraud.

If this was done by an organization, PAC, or far right conservatives,
that's conspiracy.

What is the big deal about showing it? Why not show it? Makes me think he has something to hide. Show it and settle it. That easy.

this is for rick sanchez
rick ilove you what you did for people with mental illness.to even
talk about it, was agreat relief for me.the people all over the world
needs to understand and inquire about people with mental illness
my son is a traumatic brain injury person.who one night tried to stop
a fight and was hit in his head.rick help me we need to make aware
people with head injury later develope mental illness.and they need help sooner than later speak more about it on your show let's get it
out there my son needs help and there is a head injury foundation
we go to their meeting with our love ones and discuss problem.and
how to better the lives of the person which the caregiver and family
are forever gratefuland bless but we need this illness to be talk about
more and heard the person trust no one and feel everyone is not on their side in matters they care about, rick there are devastating result
to their action,thank you pat
pat

C street "Family" is like Charles Manson "family"and mafia "family".
Brainwashed then sent to due their bidding. C street family is a danger to the United States in that they misused Christianity, promote what would amount to this country becoming a dictatorial militant state.
Could this be why other countries have also become more militant?

Fred,

Why would he show it? The birthers are making all conservatives look like wackos. He's getting more benefit by not showing it.

thank you! I really liked this post!

True, there has been a lot done and said over Barrack Obama's birth records. Personally, I believe, its such a big issue because its THE President that we are talking of!

As far as I know, getting birth records is now very easy, and just a matter of few mouse clicks. Some government agencies like the Hawaiian Govt maintains an online database of their birth records, and can be retrieved extremely easily!

One such website that I know about is birthdetails.com. Try it, it works!

Yeah, it works real well. It says that "BARACK OBAMA" was born on "1961-08-04" in "Somerville MA". 7;-]

Where the HELL is it?

The only question that really exists is: Is obama a Natural Born Citizen as required by the Constitution. Two American parents born on American soil. No he is not a Natural Born Citizen. He was born a British Subject through his father who was a British subject. Obama is not qualified to be President.

Don,

That's a good question, but your answer is incorrect. The Constitution does not define "Natural Born Citizen" as "Two American parents born on American soil". In fact, it doesn't define "Natural Born Citizen" at all. And, as stated in U.S. v. Wong Kim Ark, "Natural Born", as long used in English common law, the language of the Constitution, simply means "born on U.S. soil".

And Obama was born with dual U.S./British citizenship, though he's since lost his British citizenship. Nonetheless, that still makes him a U.S. citizen at birth, which makes him, according to all relevant precedent, a natural born citizen.

Rick,

I heard on a local news report that some states are diverting stimulas money from the government targeted intention to other state funds to cover government shortfall, thereby reducing the effectiveness of the stimulas. The example I heard was the state of LA. who received stimulas money for public education. They in turned reduced the state budget by the amount of the stimulas fund and used the money for government general funds. Why is this not being addressed in the national media?

BALLOON WORLD is a biz down here. Times R really bad for this lady. I called the City, they knew "nothing" about TARP money and advised me the new road on Main St. was indeed made of TAR! Duh! Then I called the County of Wabash, they also knew nothing of the TARP money, even when I told them they had signs at the beginning and ending of Main St. acknowledging the road was being re-paved by TARP money! The ONLY thing that shows up under HUD money (not TARP money) was $204,+++ for new, replacement windows at the senior building.
So how do I get this lady some of this TARP money that is supposed to help small biz's so they don't go 'out of biz'???? There are numerous "empty buildings" down here but no one seems to care! I even contacted the state Rep Tim Johnson, spoke to his asst. Larry Reynolds and he said "he could do some checking and find out" if there is any money left for this lady.
Word down here is that the money goes to Chicago and what ever is left goes to Springfield, then it stops there. This biz is in a "rural district", in an "impoverished district" and a "woman-owned biz". She wants to expand and hire more people but the banks down here will NOT loan her any money, even though she could make it then.
Since Obama is from the State of Illinois, perhaps he can advise HOW does this woman obtain any TARP money and WHAT does she have to do to get it?
Please answer because this is good news: shows how struggle can be futile even with all kinds of promises being made. Especially, in a small town where everyone knows everyone else and they "pretend" they never heard of TARP money. If that's the case – WHERE IS THE MONEY AND WHO IS IN CHARGE OF IT??????????
Need to know ASAP! Thank you Rick, if anyone can find out, it's YOU!