Obama releases birth certificate, decries 'silliness' of debate
WASHINGTON (AP) - By coming before the press in a national statement, Obama sought to stake himself out as a voice of reason amid a loud, lingering debate...
WASHINGTON (AP) — Defending his own legality to lead the U.S., President Barack Obama on Wednesday produced a more extensive Hawaii birth certificate in an extraordinary attempt to bury the issue of where he was born. He declared: “We do not have time for this kind of silliness.”
By coming before the press in a national statement, Obama sought to stake himself out as a voice of reason amid a loud, lingering debate on his birth status. Yet his personal attention to the issue also elevated it like never before — and now, Obama said to his critics and the media, it is time to move on to bigger issues.
Citing huge budget decisions in Washington, Obama said: “I am confident that the American people and America’s political leaders can come together in a bipartisan way and solve these problems. We always have. But we’re not going to be able to do it if we are distracted.”
Obama spoke shortly after the White House released the long form of his birth certificate, which contains extensive data.
The certificate says Obama was born in Hawaii, which makes him constitutionally eligible to hold the office of president. Obama released a standard short form before he was elected in 2008, but requested copies of his original birth certificate from Hawaii officials this week in hopes of quieting the lingering controversy.
White House officials have said the issue was settled long ago. But so-called “birthers” opposed to Obama have kept the issue alive. Potential Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump recently began questioning why Obama hadn’t ensured the long form was released.
“We’re not going to be able to solve our problems if we get distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers,” the president said.
Obama never named names in addressing his critics.
Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
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