Obama Citizenship Rumor Peddlers Buy Ad Space In The Tribune

So, if you've been following the many tin foil hat wearing crack-a-lacks that the election season brought out of the woodwork, with their Whitey tapes and their stern warnings of Vietnam gulag deprogramming, you'd know that one of the more persistent claims made against President-Elect Barack Obama is that he's not an American citizen. Nowadays, you'll hear the yammerings over Obama's birth certificate put in terms of a looming "Constitutional crisis," though, as Unattributable.com aptly states, "there would have to be actual proof that Obama wasn't a natural born US citizen to spark any kind of crisis." It's complete madness -- sour grapes serving as the fuel to rampant paranoid lunacy. But it's also sadly persistent. One fool has appealed a case based solely on "Rumors On The Interwebs" all the way to the Supreme Court, and some other nimrod bought ads in the Chicago Tribune this week.

The Tribune, naturally, forged a response of their own to the matter, and for the most part, it accords Obama the credibility he's entitled to, noting: "Cases challenging Obama's citizenship have been tossed out of courts in several states, and Hawaiian officials have vouched for the authenticity of Obama's birth certificate, which is locked in a state vault. The Obama campaign likewise has always dismissed the accusations." But one sentence later, I caught the Tribune going all mealy-mouthed. Well, at least at first blush:

Nevertheless, some critics remain dubious.

Naturally, my senses snapped at what looked to be a traditional deployment of the tired "some say" device, where straw men become foundational sources to claims that reside squarely within the borders of the Breakaway Republic of Unsubstan(tiated). But when I read the sentence again, I realized that it had actually captured these crackpots perfectly. Indeed! These critics do, in fact, "remain dubious." They are in a constant and ongoing state of pure, unadulterated dubiousness. Well, played, Chicago Tribune! Just remember: sometimes the best satire goes unnoticed.

Comments

[Cil]

What is really, really CONFUSING ME IS THIS....

If it is AS MOST OF US SEE IT, THAT BARACK IS
IN FACT A TRUE NATURAL BORN AMERICAN,
Why in the name of all LOGIC, ARE THESE
LAWYERS TAKING THESE CASES TO THE
COURTS?

MAYBE, EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW THAT
THEIR CASE WILL COME TO NAUGHT THEY
WILL BE ABLE TO COLLECT THEIR FEE?
Really this is QUITE TROUBLING!

[kcnativnla]

Funny, it seems that our friends at "Free Republic" don't allow dissenting opinions that may cloud their rants with inconvenient facts. I've been waiting for my comment to appear for two days, and I notice not very many other dissenting opinions have made it to the pages. Now, that means either EVERYBODY who is on the Free Republic site thinks likewise, or there's a little non-free republican censorship going on.

[kcnativnla]

Oh...just found out my account was suspended. The only thing I wrote was the section of the CONSTITUTION that describes what a natural citizen is, and the qualifications to run for president.

I guess truth hurts.

[picato]

Ok. Continue to waste your scarce funds to show why we should never again allow those that believe in your ideology to occupy the White House again.

[AprilPA]

Keep these lies about Obama up, GOP. Your behavior towards Obama and the Dems is the reason why the Dems will occupy the White House and hold majorities at Congress for at least the next two decades.

[Marie62866]

According to the Constitution if something happens to the President Elect prior to Inaguration the VP Elect becomes president! All the woman at work hypothecitally asked if McCain won after being elected and he died would Palin be president? The thought of Palin being president changed many people to be Obama supporters! This is a stupid lawsuit and I hope this is not costing the American tax payer any money! I am soooooooo excited to have the first Hawaiin run our country! Surf's up Baby!

[castleberry]

His mother, being American, could have borne him in Saudi Arabia to an Arab father--even Osama Bin Laden, and HE WOULD STILL BE AN AMERICAN CITIZEN!

When did the conservatives give in so much to the wingnuts on the religious right that we actually have to hear about their wackjob delusions as if they have some relationship to reality?

[SpaghettyIrish]

Because the wingers think that if he was really an American he'd be lily-white with a 2 lb cross around his neck. Pity them. They're going to be confused and foolish looking for a very long time, perhaps the rest of their lives if things work out right.

[MyAudacity]

PER CASTLEBERRY: His mother, being American, could have borne him in Saudi Arabia to an Arab father--even Osama Bin Laden, and HE WOULD STILL BE AN AMERICAN CITIZEN!

The above scenario would make him ineligible to be POTUS. Being an American Citizen is not enough, you have to be born on American soil, or under American Territory.


Actually, it's amazing to me that these people have such a problem with Obama's birth.....when McCain's is one who was reasonably questioned and resolved. Amazing they could accept that, but are angry because President Obama's situation does not align with their warped ideas.

[diamoonda2u]

McCain looks like them... Obama does not... simple as that. And um... a person does not have to be born on American soil or territory...for example if a military family in Germany has a child and they are born in the German hospital, they would still be considered a natural born US citizen once the correct paperwork is filled out with the emabassy.

[Cil]

If that is the case, we should be soon GETTING A BARAGE
OF COURT CASES AGAINST JOHN McCAIN, claiming that
he is NOT AN AMERICAN, as HE WAS BORN IN PANAMA
BEFORE PANAMA WAS RECOGNIZED AS PART OF THE US.

If I am not mistaken the only reason that JOHN McCAIN
GOT PAST THIS "FACT" was because of HIS SERVICE IN
THE MILLITARY! The COURTS FELT THAT YOU COULD
NOT EXCLUDE SOMEONE WHO HAD SERVED "THEIR
COUNTRY" FROM BECOMING PRESIDENT OF THE U.S.A

[KarateKid]

What a non issue. Hawaii attained statehood two years before PE Obama was born. Even those born prior to statehood were given citizenship. And where McCain was born is equally irrelevant. The law allows children of two nationalities dual citizenship until that person turns 18. My kids fall into that category since their mother is a Japanese citizen. Donofrio and Berg are two particularly narrow minded Republican cretins, and wasting their time, but it's their money. The Supreme Court won't hear the case; think of the riots that would ensue if they tried anything. This is silliness and sour grapes; another example of how low Republicans will stoop to.

[Freedomscap]

I think Berg is a Democrat -- was for Clinton, during the primary.

[StillIRise]

I think Berg is a white man whose fear of a black man as President overshadows his party affiliation, whether Democrat or Republican. There are as many Democratic racists as there are Republican racists! Racism is party-neutral.

[taddles]

Their point is that the requirements for the office of President require that he/she be "natural born citizen" which means he/she was born in the US.

There is no question that Obama is a US citizen, his mother was/is a US citizen so therefore he is by default a US citizen. The nutjob contention is that he was not born in Hawaii but somewhere else and that his birth certificate was either fabricated or it said Hawaii because that's where they filed for it. However, there is no evidence that Obama's mother was anywhere other than in Hawaii at the time of his birth and there is no evidence that his birth certificate is anything but the original. There is evidence other than his birth certificate that he was in fact born in Hawaii, namely the birth announcement in the Honolulu newspaper. At the time of his birth, Hawaii was a US state so unless someone can prove that he was not born there, he is in fact a natural born US citizen and our next President (just like to hear that so I had to add it.)

[HeDeedIt]

You should probably familiarize yourself with the definition of the term "natural born" citizen. His mother being a US citizen living in the US bestows the status natural born on Obama no matter where he was born.

Knowledge is a beautiful thing.

[Aabby]

Did they scrutinize in this manner the birth certificates of the last 43 Presidents? No? In this case, this smear is racially motivated. Sore losers….No matter what you do, the black guy is still YOUR President!!! Take that!!!!

[MilesTone]

What if he isn't? DOES IT MATTER AT THIS POINT? Who would they replace him with? Incompetent McCain?

[IkeChicago]

Not McCain, these toothless Republicans want Sarah Palin, a woman that could hardly spell her name.

[ldavis24]

Mccain wouldn't get it anyway. It would go to Biden although I don't think crazy right wingers think that far ahead.

[MyAudacity]

MILESSTONE: What if he isn't?

I understand your question, but if I may take that question and apply it to our constitutional law. What if instead of a person being presumed innocent until proven guilty....instead was considred guilty until proven innocent. In fact, that is the situation which is occuring in this situation. They are saying President Obama does not have the Consititional Right to hold the office of POTUS, and then want to compel him to provide proof they they are correct.

If anyone or either of those who are challenging him have law degree's then they should be disbarred.

[NealHib]

Let em keep up the argument. Nothing makes the idiots look so extreme than this stupid argument.
Momma always said "Ain't no fool, like a republican fool."

[Aabby]

Moma is wise. very wise.

[Totto]

I "remain dubious" about George W. Bush's DUI arrest record and his Air National Guard service.

[propitiousmoment]

Actually, I think this phenomenon can be used as an educational tool. See, if you study philosophy, law, or science, you know that there is no such thing as "proof" - there is only evidence. These people are living that principle - they want proof, and all they get is evidence :)

[NealHib]

Proof is for liquor, and they apparently have enough.

[Freedomscap]

Very good.

[sean6886]

Yeah, 'cause I'm sure the government didn't check into this when he filed/registered with the government to run for the office of the President.

What's this I hear about no frivolous lawsuits? Seems the GOPouters forgot about that!

[imjustawitchywoman]

They need to get over it.Obama was born in the USA and was elected President by the people of the USA.

[AnAmericanWoman]

This smear has gotten WAY out of line. WHY are they are still trying to smear him?! I am outraged at the ludicrous stupidity of these BIG idiOTS. We KNOW why they are doing this - to raise doubts and keep saying it over and over until people believe this garbage. If Obama had any "normal" name and he had white looking skin this wouldn't be an issue.

What a shame!

He was born in Hawaii - USA! ANY child born in America is AMERICAN regardless of who his parents are and ANY child born to an AMERICAN citizen is AMERICAN if they report the birth to a US consulate! His mother had him in HAWAII and his mother is AMERICAN. Barack Obama is AMERICAN. IDIOTS - just plain and simple IDIOTS.

[IkeChicago]

These must be people who are real secure in their jobs and have good one too, otherwise that are real idiots. Most of us have lost our 401k and are struggling to take care of our families and whether we are Republicans or Democrats, we should be pulling for this president to succeed.

The country is about to sink into a depression and these nut-case Republicans are doing their best to get us there and fast.