More Nuttiness on the Obama Birth Certificate Non-Issue

The Supreme Court has finally put to rest the nutty Obama birth certificate non-issue. Or has it? When the court rejected the lawsuit brought by a retired New Jersey attorney to have Obama declared ineligible to hold the presidency, the issue was seemingly rendered as forgotten as the Dodo Bird. The suit was so farcical that the Court didn't bother to dignify it by giving a reason for rejecting it.

But when it comes to nuttiness there's no limit to it. Turns out there are two other cases contesting Obama's citizenship that could well wind up back at the Court. One was brought in Connecticut and essentially makes the same bogus argument that Obama is not a natural born citizen. The Obama hounders will continue to raise cash, rev up the Obama conspiracy flock on the internet, and maybe even run another ad or two in a mainstream paper about his birth.

The cases won't go anywhere but that's less important than the attention, publicity, and mischief making that the frivolous Obama hounders can cause. And that seems to be the real point of all this. It wouldn't make any difference what the Supreme Court said or did, or any other court for that matter about his birth certificate since the certificate is only a pawn in the viral, stealth and at times very public campaign to personally muddy Obama. The dirt campaign against him can and should not in anyway be confused with legitimate political criticism. Obama is a public official, the top public official, and as any public official his policies, pronouncements, and public acts are certainly fair game for scrutiny and where warranted criticism. That comes with the political turf.

The personal attacks are a different matter. The online mill that's cranked away about the certificate has been good business for the outfit We The People, the pack of conspiracy cranks, and the gaggle of right wing talk show gabbers who have fanned the pseudo controversy over the birth certificate.

Obama is almost textbook perfect for their paranoia and bile. He is a moderate Democrat. He did what Democrats haven't done in nearly a decade and that's take back the White House. And he's African-American. He simply does not fit the civics book notion of what a president should look and act like. His statements about dialogue with Iranian, Cuban, and Palestinian leaders early in the campaign game sent ultra conservatives into a frenzy. That was more than enough proof for them that Obama was a fellow radical traveler, and a threat. The new diplomacy pitch shattered the idyllic, fairy tale, 1950's neo Cold War, American military might first world for many conservatives. For that he could never be forgiven.

Obama doused more fuel on the flames during a campaign stop in late July when he quipped that he did not look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills. Obama got torched for saying the obvious and that is that his candidacy was different. Obama later admitted that it was a racial reference. The off-the-cuff remark simply reinforced the point that he and his candidacy marked a turning point in U.S. presidential politics and by extension race relations.

Obama for his part has said little about the birth certificate controversy. He will not give any ammunition to his nutty tormenters. However, that won't make them go away. Today it's the birth certificate issue tomorrow it will be something else. The hope is that if they peck and scratch away at any personal dig or rumor against him no matter how outlandish and silly there will be just enough Obama personal mudslingers out there to join in their attacks.

The Supreme Court will quickly and summarily again dump the last two lawsuits to challenge Obama's citizenship legitimacy, but that decision as the other court decisions against them won't make them go away. There are just too many of them and there's only one Obama. As long as that's the case the nuttiness will always have an outlet.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His new book is "How Obama Won," (Middle Passage Press, January 2009).

Comments

[WoodyGrant]

Wasn't John McCain born in the Panama Canal zone? Don't these people have any sense of irony that if Hawaii isn't part of the US then what does that make the Panama Canal zone?

[DanDeirdorf]

Hawaii Revised Statutes §338-18 Disclosure of records. (a) To protect the integrity of vital statistics records, to ensure their proper use, and to ensure the efficient and proper administration of the vital statistics system, it shall be unlawful for any person to permit inspection of, or to disclose information contained in vital statistics records, or to copy or issue a copy of all or part of any such record, except as authorized by this part or by rules adopted by the department of health.
(b) The department shall not permit inspection of public health statistics records, or issue a certified copy of any such record or part thereof, unless it is satisfied that the applicant has a direct and tangible interest in the record. The following persons shall be considered to have a direct and tangible interest in a public health statistics record:
(1) The registrant;
(2) The spouse of the registrant;
(3) A parent of the registrant;
(4) A descendant of the registrant;
(5) A person having a common ancestor with the registrant;
(6) A legal guardian of the registrant;
(7) A person or agency acting on behalf of the registrant;
(8) A personal representative of the registrant’s estate;
(9) A person whose right to inspect or obtain a certified copy of the record is established by an order of a court of competent jurisdiction;
http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/hrscurrent/Vol06_Ch0321-0344/HRS0338/HRS_0338-0018.htm

[enigmaforever]

no more smoke about which republican did what in the past, just show the true birth certificate so we can except him as president. Please, I want this country to move forward, so please just produce it.

[wreckinball]

How about just submitting the actual birth certificate and once and for all putting this to bed? I know this hasn't happened before but it would be a good tinme to start. You have to produce a copy of your birth certificate to get a driver's license in PA. I don't think it's asking too much to ask for one when you check into work as prez of the US. Just to make sure you are actaully cosntitutionally eligibel. What's the BIG deal?

[blaksocal]

The far right nut bags non-logic cannot even dent the "right leaning" Supreme Court. If you use their logic then, George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson also weren't born in the United States. They were British citizens at birth. Hence Jefferson is disqualified from being President. Thus his Louisiana Purchase was illegal. Which means Louisiana, Arkansas and Missouri are not part of the United States. Therefore neither Harry Truman nor Bill Clinton were US-born. Truman signed the treaties ending World War 2, which means that is invalid and the USA is officially still at war with Germany and Japan.

[Loufah]

> If you use their logic then, George Washington, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson also weren't born in the United States. They were British citizens at birth.

True. This was the logic used in the Donofrio lawsuit.

> Hence Jefferson is disqualified from being President.

No. The Constitution also allows "a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution" to serve as President.

[jrockbg]

At least now you liberals know what it is like when the other side starts attacking a president from the very beginning without even giving them a chance to govern...

I'm a conservative, and as good as it feels to say that last sentence, I don't really mean it. I do feel that liberals started attacking W's legacy the day after the election was decided and that has been a big part of what has perpetuated this polarized political atmosphere. But I will not justify bad behavior on the part of right-wingers with the bad behavior of left-wingers 8 years ago.

I think this citizenship thing is a non-issue. It's been authenticated and we should accept that. I don't think conservatives should amend their principles, but getting back to favor with a mostly traditional America starts with and end to the divisive politics of the last 8 years.

[pottery]

It started before W, But that's water under the bridge. You can't keep the Clinton's down, can you?

[Sumocat]

Bad behavior? The election was "decided" by the Supreme Court, not the voters. Bush lost the popular vote, both across the nation and in Florida. That's not conspiracy theory. That's recorded history.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_election_recount

Bush's legacy began by entering office against the vote of the people. Left-wing, right-wing, everyone should have been upset by that.

Furthermore, Cheney circumvented the U.S. Constitution by changing his place of residence to a state where he hasn't lived in years. He changed his legal residence to Wyoming in July 2000, mere months before the election, so he and Bush would be considered as being from different states, enabling both of them to receive Texas's votes. Regardless of whether Bush rightfully won the election, Cheney loopholed his way into the vice-presidency. Again, recorded history. Bush/Cheney entered office by working around the U.S. Constitution, not by upholding it. That's what I call "bad behavior".

By contrast, the claims against Obama are based on a belief that Ann Dunham flew from Hawaii to Kenya, gave birth, then flew back to certify the birth, despite there being no indication that this ever happened. Or that his father's citizenship overrides his own, despite being born in the states to an American mother. Or that attending a school in Indonesia negates his U.S. citizenship (because Indonesian school records override U.S. law). Yeah, that's really comparable to complaints over what Bush/Cheney actually did.

[jrockbg]

Since you want to re-hash the 2000 election let's...

The Supreme Court did not decide the election. To say they did is a cute phrase used by bitter liberals so they can justify being blindly partisan and unfair to a president who isn't in their party. The Supreme Court prevented settled the quagmire going on in Florida. There wasn't a single branch or level of Florida government not putting its own influence into the decision. So the same Supreme Court that gives us Roe vs. Wade is now inept because they don't decide the way you want them to? That's weak sauce and sour grapes and you know it.

Further more, no where in the link you provide does it say that Bush lost the popular vote! This is why I come to Huffingtonpost. I'm not settled to just have my like-minded friends give me unsusbstantiated assertions. So I refer you to the final results of the NY Times and the Washington Post, both which did their own count and found in favor of Bush. But most liberals were too busy plotting Bush's demise and couldn't be bothered by the fact that a decidedly left leaning news outlet like the NY Times couldn't say that Gore won.

So looking at the facts we must give a new president a chance to govern.

[deebell]

Honestly, I think liberals just had amazing forethought when they started criticizing W before he started governing.

I myself was worried right from the beginning, mostly because I watched a Biography special on him, and it seems like every thing he touched turned to lead, and when he was running for Governor of Texas he had to have 2 aides explain to him how government worked.

Not a good omen.

[jrockbg]

I remember that special. W definitely didn't fair well in the private sector. But he did some good things in Texas while governor. I really hoped he would've cultivated a conservative relationship with Latino voters. But one of my criticisms of Bush was his tunnel-vision in addressing terror.

Only solid liberals think his first term was as bad as you make it. Bouncing back from an inherited recession, tax cuts that led to the massive economic growth in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and prescription drugs for seniors.

[LiberalBuzz]

You are absolutely correct.

There is NOTHING that will satisfy the rightwing nutters. Some of the comments on the rightwing sites are beyond belief. They are absolutely convinced that Obama is the Anti Christ,a commie, a socialist, a pinko symp, and on and on and on.

Then of course there is the "We have to defend ourselves against the Obama" nonsense as well.

You have to read some of these comments to believe them.

They are absolutely convinced that if they can just get to the right people/jud­ges/SCOTUS to agree with them, then they can prosecute Obama, send him to prison and then deport him to his REAL homeland Kenya. THEN Palin can become president.

I gotta admit though. They ARE fun to go and read though.