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News & ArtsWednesday, April 27, 2011
2012 White House Releases Obama Birth Certificate, For Some Reason
Posted by Anthony Hecht on Wed, Apr 27, 2011 at 6:52 AM
The White House released Obama's birth certificate this morning.
Why they did this is completely beyond me. The birther debate was nothing but an advantage for Obama. Most Americans believe he was born here and/or don't give a shit, and every time Trump and his ilk opened their mouths about it, they looked more and more crazy, irrelevant and/or racist. Sure, it was "a distraction," but politics is all distractions. By releasing this version of the birth certificate, they've legitimized these nutjobs in one fell swoop. They've made Donald Fucking Trump look like he put the screws to the president and forced his hand.
In a news conference Wednesday morning, Mr. Trump claimed credit for forcing Mr. Obama’s hand, saying that “I feel I’ve accomplished something really, really important.” But he said the document released Wednesday would have to be examined for authenticity.
"I hope it’s the right deal,” he said. “We have to look at it. A lot of people have to look at it. I hope it’s true, and the reason I hope its true is because we have real problems in this country."
Now this moron is the guy who gets to declare if the president is legitimate. Ugh.
Listen to this CNN reporter describe the "controversy":
"...Everyone asking why the president had not produced this... There had been so many questions about whether or not the president was actually born in the United States."
No, everyone was not asking that, there were not "so many questions." Only stupid, crazy, and racist people were asking these questions. And now they all look sane. Well played.
1
John Kerry didn't respond to the swiftboat controversy...not in time to do effective damage control, anyway. Lesson learned? I agree with you that this was making these guys look crazy, but maybe the Obama team decided to play it safe.
2
His press conference I think was perfect politically. Pointing out that there is nothing that will assuage his detractors, but, more importantly, there are so many more important things to deal with, and this "issue" is a distraction.
This won't harm the President, but, if anything, will help him in the long run.
This won't harm the President, but, if anything, will help him in the long run.
3
@1 - Yeah, it's possible that the 24-hour media will pick this up as Obama being the adult, finally putting a stop once and for all to this silly sideshow so he can do some important work, but I could easily see it going the other way, as demonstrated by that horrible CNN clip.
I sure hope I'm wrong.
I sure hope I'm wrong.
4
@2 - I agree his comments were good. The problem is that his comments won't be the lead story. Again, I hope I'm wrong.
5
@4 - the other thing - with this "settled", I would venture a guess that folks will go after him for some other petty reason (I heard grades at college), which, to the center of America, will come off making detractors look like assholes.
6
"We are not going to be able to solve are problems if we get distracted by side shows." he added.
CNN, ladies and gentlemen. CNN.
The right often does things that make them seem crazy to me. That has never been any kind of indicator that it won't be an effective political strategy. In fact, my knee jerk reaction is usually something like, "Oh my goodness! That's the looniest, most retarded thing I've ever heard. I bet it works like a dream."
CNN, ladies and gentlemen. CNN.
The right often does things that make them seem crazy to me. That has never been any kind of indicator that it won't be an effective political strategy. In fact, my knee jerk reaction is usually something like, "Oh my goodness! That's the looniest, most retarded thing I've ever heard. I bet it works like a dream."
7
Anything that makes Donald Trump look like the GOP's best option for 2012 is good news for the Obama campaign.
9
He's still black, and racist crazies are still racist crazies. It's not going to make much difference, and it legitimises Trump's posturing.
Still; this does suggest that Trump is the best the GOP can do, which is kind of a joy.
Still; this does suggest that Trump is the best the GOP can do, which is kind of a joy.
10
I'm glad he did it. It probably won't shut the birthers up, but it makes them look even more stupid.
Plus, from where I'm sitting, it males Trump look like a fool - particulary since he's crowing about how proud he is of himself.
But here's the main thing: when you work in government, you have to spend a lot of time and money paying attention to stupid people. When stupid people get worked up about stupid and/or incorrect things, you have to drop whatever productive thing you are doing and correct the record, before it spreads to the apathetic people and becomes a general assumption. That may or may not be good campaign politics, but it's good government.
Plus, from where I'm sitting, it males Trump look like a fool - particulary since he's crowing about how proud he is of himself.
But here's the main thing: when you work in government, you have to spend a lot of time and money paying attention to stupid people. When stupid people get worked up about stupid and/or incorrect things, you have to drop whatever productive thing you are doing and correct the record, before it spreads to the apathetic people and becomes a general assumption. That may or may not be good campaign politics, but it's good government.
11
What is awesome is that it doesn't matter what ye trumppe says, most of the birthers are such wacky mcnutjobs that they will CONTINUE to deny that this is real (it's a conspiracy man).
12
i do appreciate obama saying that "We've got some enormous challenges out there" and the nation won't be able to confront them if it gets distracted by "sideshows and carnival barkers."
13
@11 Sadly, I think you're absolutely right. Rationality doesn't come into it; I am sure that there's a significant proportion of birthers who will be announcing right off the bat that this one's fake, just like they did with the short-form one.
14
Now please explain why Obama uses a Connecticut Social Security number that never appeared on any official document until it appeared on his Selective Service document in 1980.
16
This won't settle it. This was never about the birth certificate. This was always about people who deeply hate Obama (because he's black, because he's liberal, whatever). The birth certificate was merely a projection of their anxiety, and their symbol of his illegitimacy to be president.
Birthers will not now suddenly agree that he is legitimate as president. Most of them will likely believe the long-form to be a fraud, and continue to think Obama isn't legitimately president. Their worldview now hinges on this belief, and nothing will change that.
Birthers will not now suddenly agree that he is legitimate as president. Most of them will likely believe the long-form to be a fraud, and continue to think Obama isn't legitimately president. Their worldview now hinges on this belief, and nothing will change that.
17
maybe now the teabaglicans will embrace bipartisanship and obama will balance the budget by raising taxes on the wealthy, ending wars, and cutting the military. all by 2012.
18
@16 Seconded. Trump's now talking about Obama releasing his Occidental transcripts. The official narrative is "the president is a disingenuous, manipulative freak who can't be allowed a to serve second term", are Republicans going to suddenly embrace the president just because he proved he was born here?
20
@19 Arguably, he did. There's nothing on this new certificate that wasn't on the certificate of live birth that was released years ago. But honestly, I don't think a lot of these eedjits are going to believe he was born in Hawaii until they can personally confirm that his BO smells of pina colada.
22
"By releasing this version of the birth certificate, they've legitimized these nutjobs in one fell swoop."
EXACTLY. It's beautiful. Obama has the instincts and timing of a chess master. Now Trump is elevated to frontrunner, a dickhead fool who could not come within a mile of Obama in the general election. When's the last time Mit Romney got any press?
EXACTLY. It's beautiful. Obama has the instincts and timing of a chess master. Now Trump is elevated to frontrunner, a dickhead fool who could not come within a mile of Obama in the general election. When's the last time Mit Romney got any press?
23
@20: I will officially volunteer to be the one that confirms this. I might not always agree with his politics, but he is still a yummy, yummy man.
24
I'm glad he put off doing it so long - no American should have to present more than the legally required proof of citizenship, as he did immediately, and his refusal to do more than that sent a wonderful message that was sorely needed in our "fuck-the-wetbacks" culture.
He knows that, just as with the vaccine-autism fools (see last Sunday's piece on the bad doctor, anyone?), the birthers kept moving the goalposts every time the voices of reason made an effort to respond. As Catalina noted above, people with public jobs have to spend a certain amount of energy trying to be courteous with citizens whose joy is to sit on their high horses and refuse to be satisfied with anything you say or do. When they're not fooling with the goalposts, they're running whack-a-mole on you all day long. Plenty of local examples will come to mind to anyone who's been paying attention.
It's good for all of us that the president decided it was time to take this out, especially if he was getting distracted from his work. We've seen his limitations as a politician and a leader - it does none of us a lick of good having him diverted from trying to still do the best he can.
He knows that, just as with the vaccine-autism fools (see last Sunday's piece on the bad doctor, anyone?), the birthers kept moving the goalposts every time the voices of reason made an effort to respond. As Catalina noted above, people with public jobs have to spend a certain amount of energy trying to be courteous with citizens whose joy is to sit on their high horses and refuse to be satisfied with anything you say or do. When they're not fooling with the goalposts, they're running whack-a-mole on you all day long. Plenty of local examples will come to mind to anyone who's been paying attention.
It's good for all of us that the president decided it was time to take this out, especially if he was getting distracted from his work. We've seen his limitations as a politician and a leader - it does none of us a lick of good having him diverted from trying to still do the best he can.
25
This is BRILLIANT!
See Danny, Obama finally came clean and it didn't hurt a bit....
Dan, Do you support marriage rights for polygamists?
See Danny, Obama finally came clean and it didn't hurt a bit....
Dan, Do you support marriage rights for polygamists?
26
And fucktards like @14 show us all just how pointless it is to attempt engaging in rational, factual debate with the birthers.
27
@ #14: It's a conspiracy, I'm kinda surprised you don't know about it, It involves; The President, bigfoot, black helicopters, the New World Order, Satan and aliens from Area 52 (and you though area 51 aliens were bad!)
29
FWIW, here's an interesting coincidence: Outlook's spell-check suggestion for "Birthers" is "Birchers". Hah!
30
I think it's smart politics. It further marginalizes the birthers, since they will never be satisfied.
And we can only hope that this solidifes Trump as a GOP front-runner. Not only would he get his ass kicked the whole process would be endlessly humiliating for him.
Unfortunately I really doubt he'll even run. He has so much more fun being a blowhard.
And we can only hope that this solidifes Trump as a GOP front-runner. Not only would he get his ass kicked the whole process would be endlessly humiliating for him.
Unfortunately I really doubt he'll even run. He has so much more fun being a blowhard.
31
It wasn't useful to him anymore. Most of the republicons were getting over it because Trump had taken it up. This way he strengthens Trump and after the holy grail had become the long form he shuts up part of the noise. Most importantly it makes the most recent Wikileaks drop disappear into the noise so people don't ask questions about Bradley Manning and Gauntanamo.
32
It's just another Obama capitulation and another kick in the crotch to those who supported him in his bait and switch campaign in '08. Another sad reminder of how he'll keep crying uncle. Another example of his lack of spine, and/or his true colors; that of a moderate Republican.
34
@32: Oh, we all hold to our narratives and apply them to every possible scenario, don't we? *sniff*
35
@32 quitcherbitchin and think strategically.
This move has elevated a blathering, clueless pretender to frontrunner status in the Republican field. If, as is suspected, he's not serious and eventually declines to run, Trump's breathless supporters will look as stupid as him. If he does run he'll quickly prove himself even stupider than he looks. In any case, now the GOP establishment has to kowtow to an imbecile while Romney (their only serious contender in the general election) cries in the wilderness. At some point the remaining serious GOP pols (and there are some) will face a come-to-Jesus moment with respect to the Teabaggers: do they surrender to them or tell them to fuck off and go form their own whackjob white pride party? Either way, they face catastrophe in 2012.
This move has elevated a blathering, clueless pretender to frontrunner status in the Republican field. If, as is suspected, he's not serious and eventually declines to run, Trump's breathless supporters will look as stupid as him. If he does run he'll quickly prove himself even stupider than he looks. In any case, now the GOP establishment has to kowtow to an imbecile while Romney (their only serious contender in the general election) cries in the wilderness. At some point the remaining serious GOP pols (and there are some) will face a come-to-Jesus moment with respect to the Teabaggers: do they surrender to them or tell them to fuck off and go form their own whackjob white pride party? Either way, they face catastrophe in 2012.
36
Okay, fine, he was born in Hawaii. But why has no one showed the paperwork that conclusively proves Hawaii was a state then?
37
P.S. Belated tip of the hat to you, Canuck (and good morning!) for connecting the dots to Biden's old trouble with the Swift Boaters.
38
This has nothing to do with the city of his birth and everything to do with the color of his skin.
40
Rather than confer front-runner status on Trump, I think instead this move actually levels the playing field for all the other GOP wannabees who've been dithering about whether or not to jump into the race. Trump has been a one-trick pony on this issue from Day One, it's kept his pasty face in the daily news cycle to his advantage, but now the pony has been shot from underneath him, which in turn leaves a clear opening for a whole bunch of other players to enter the game.
Trump has lost his chance to dominate the news cycles from here on out (as I predict the whole college transcripts fiasco is going to blow up in his face when the hoi polloi realize its simply another variation on the now discredited "show us your papers!" canard), leaving the field wide open, which means more candidates jumping into the fray, with the result being the GOP base will continue to fragment without a strong central figure around which to rally.
In short, another brilliant move on Obama's part; he held that card for as long as he needed to, and used it when it would have the greatest positive outcome for his side.
Trump has lost his chance to dominate the news cycles from here on out (as I predict the whole college transcripts fiasco is going to blow up in his face when the hoi polloi realize its simply another variation on the now discredited "show us your papers!" canard), leaving the field wide open, which means more candidates jumping into the fray, with the result being the GOP base will continue to fragment without a strong central figure around which to rally.
In short, another brilliant move on Obama's part; he held that card for as long as he needed to, and used it when it would have the greatest positive outcome for his side.
41
"Why didn't he do this years ago?"
Because the burden of proof is on the person making the insane claims.
This is the stupidest thing WH has done since the knee-jerk firing of Shirley Sherrod.
Now the crazies control the debate.
Because the burden of proof is on the person making the insane claims.
This is the stupidest thing WH has done since the knee-jerk firing of Shirley Sherrod.
Now the crazies control the debate.
42
Why not do it years ago?
Because not only did he release his birth certificate (the version people have to take home) but he also had reporters and government officials examine this version, which is kept in a bound volume as an archival copy, so having a special copy made was completely pointless. Haters are going to continue to hate. At this point, letting them froth at the mouth does nothing but make the GOP look bad.
Because not only did he release his birth certificate (the version people have to take home) but he also had reporters and government officials examine this version, which is kept in a bound volume as an archival copy, so having a special copy made was completely pointless. Haters are going to continue to hate. At this point, letting them froth at the mouth does nothing but make the GOP look bad.
43
@7 --My thoughts exactly! Please please please put Donald Trump at the forefront. Wanna talk about distractions- that guy is a goddamn circus act. A ringleader in the big tent of crazy.
Run Donald Run. You f'ing moron!
Run Donald Run. You f'ing moron!
44
The only thing worse than looking crazy is looking crazy and being proven crazy. Obama has simultaneously elevated the unelectable Trump in the GOP field (which demeans and handicaps the serious contenders), while permanently saddling him with the birther albatross (just as Trump was trying to get off the birther bus). Obama has thrown a hand grenade into the crowded GOP Presidential waiting room.
45
Well played, President Obama. Wait for it, wait for it, allow them to go crazy with an idea and go overboard with it, then play your, hey, it's his name, "Trump" card. You make them look even dumber. But people believe what they want to and hold onto bigotry and racism no matter what reality flies in the face of their beliefs held onto because of their fear of change. Obama walked into the White House with a debt and bank crashing that Bush knew was coming yet did nothing to stop, he actually made it worse when he knew he would be followed by a Democrat, not a Republican. With what Obama started out with, it is amazing we're not all under water. Now if he could only cut out the means test more Americans could file Chapter 7 and walk away from debt that is killing them. Other than that, he has done a remarkable job.
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