# Donald Trump is now a birther **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 17, 2011, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044 "2011-03-17T17:38:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 43
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/841 "2011-04-27T08:34:48Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Not a bit of it. I’m merely relaying information from a _CNN News_ article which reveals Obama could indeed view and make copies of his original certificate. This is not new information. As has been explained to you many times earlier in the thread Obama is the only one who is allowed to authorise the release of his original certificate. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/842 "2011-04-27T09:02:51Z")
And it’s also been explained to me many times in these threads that Obama couldn’t override Hawaiian law and get it released even if he wanted to. It’s also been explained to me that there is no such thing as a “long form” birth certificate. Yet _ABC News_ reports there is a long form certificate and _CNN_ reports that Obama can get it released. So assuming that these experienced major news outlets are correct and that a passel of angry, politically-biased message board posters aren’t, it appears that one can’t always take to the bank things that one has explained to them around here. ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/843 "2011-04-27T09:27:45Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > And it’s also been explained to me many times in these threads that Obama couldn’t override Hawaiian law and get it released even if he wanted to. I’ve never said that and I don’t recall this ever being said in the thread. Could you cite some examples? I’ve always stated that the certificate can be released if Obama authorises it. It would however be illegal for the governor or any other state official to do so of their own accord. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/844 "2011-04-27T10:12:01Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Well, it looks like _CNN_ is inadvertently throwing fuel on the fire regarding Obama’s birth. In [this article](http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/04/25/birthers.obama.hawaii/index.html?hpt=C1) entitled “ **CNN investigation: Obama born in U.S.** ”, _CNN_ reveals that, contrary to strenuous assertions made by some on this board, Obama could indeed view and make copies of his original birth certificate (the one his legal certificate is based upon) through the Freedom of Information Act. > > This of course is merely going to fan the flames of those who question why he doesn’t do just that. You’re a fucking idiot. Keep making those excuses. Still waiting on that cite on Obama’s grades by the way. Got a time table for that, or is this one of those things that you just know. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/845 "2011-04-27T11:07:32Z")
Wow, here’s an interesting [poll from _USA Today_](http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2011-04-25-trump-president-poll.htm). It states that only 38% of Americans say that Obama was definitely born in the U.S., with another 18% saying he “probably was”. I’m serious here. You would think that with numbers like these the White House would be taking positive steps to prove the legitimacy of Obama’s birth rather than merely issuing weak statements to the effect that proof wouldn’t mean anything to the doubters. I really don’t think that 62% of the American public constitutes unswayable doubters. Again, I mean this sincerely, Mr. Obama needs to address this situation. It’s considerably much more out of hand than I thought. He needs to partner up with someone acceptable to the Republican side (Someone like John Boehner or Newt Gingrich ,or hell, even Rush Limbaugh) and then the two of them should fly to Hawaii and locate Obama’s long form record, each takes pictures of it, and each reports back word for word what he saw that it said, with the understanding being that both men will reprort the same information to both constituencies, i.e., Obama and Boehner or whoever stand together and state unequivocally what information is contained on the original document. It is my opinion that in this was at least 90%+ of this issue could be put to bed, and everyone, doubters and undoubters alike, can set the issue aside and get on with other business free from having this albatross hanging over the necks of both the Obama and Republican camps and influencing future congressional and presidential votes. ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/846 "2011-04-27T11:14:58Z")
> [@](#): > > This of course is merely going to fan the flames of those who question why he doesn’t do just that. For the nth time. The certificate released by the state meets all legal requirements and state officials from both parties have verified it’s authenticity. Just because Joe Mouthbreather overhears some right wing nutjob on Fox/ABC/CNN spouting lies and can’t do an additional 5 minutes of research does not somehow compel Obama to go over and above the legal requirements set, rush off to Honolulu and release his original certificate The case is closed. Obama was born in the USA and there is no evidence to counter it. Fictional Joe Sixpack can carry on believing whatever the fuck he wants. He’s either a completely ignorant idiot who should (if it were constitutionally allowed) not be allowed to vote or a crypto-racist who still can’t believe that a black person could ever graduate from Harvard or become President. But at least he can count on you to defend him. ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/847 "2011-04-27T11:19:27Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > Wow, here’s an interesting [poll from _USA Today_](http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/2011-04-25-trump-president-poll.htm). It states that only 38% of Americans say that Obama was definitely born in the U.S., with another 18% saying he “probably was”. From your cite: > [@](#): > > For what it’s worth, not everyone is convinced Trump was born in the USA either: 43% say he definitely was born here, and 20% say he probably was; 7% say he definitely or probably was born in another country. Nearly three in 10 say they don’t know enough to say. That should tell you all you need to know about these polls. ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/848 "2011-04-27T11:29:43Z")
I just want to add that Obama who has had a OMGNOTBORNHERE smear campaign against him for close on 3 years now only trails Trump by 5% when it comes to people saying he was definitely born in the USA and only 7% for definitely/probably. That’s all you need to know that the Birther movement is heading for a very hard brick wall. No wonder the Republicans (Brewer, Bachman) are dropping it like a hot potato. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/849 "2011-04-27T11:54:41Z")
Obama already has proven he was born in the US, **SA**. The state of Hawaii has also confirmed it. And for the record, we have never seen the “long form,” original, archived birth certificate for ANY other POTUS or candidate. You’ve never seen your own, for that matter. Also, Obama does not have the ability or authority to force the state of Hawaii to show anybody that archived document. It doesn’t belong to him, it belongs to the state of Hawaii. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/850 "2011-04-27T12:27:59Z")
It’s pretty hard to look at Trump and see anything but a political loon now. It’s a shame. He might have had some good economic strategy in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/851 "2011-04-27T12:31:53Z")
For those invoking the almighty FOIA. If one were to be made, and it were to succeed, all you would get is a uncertified copy of the so-called ‘long-form’. Without certification, you might as well have made it in Photoshop. The White House is doing the right thing in not pursuing this path to appease the nutcrabs by FOIA’ing an uncertified copy. Regarding Trump: apparently his investigators haven’t even bothered to go look at the original form. Seems that you just have to wait in line and sign in. The number of viewers in the last month has been two. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Miskatonic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.miskatonic/32/310_2.png) [@Mr.Miskatonic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Miskatonic)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/852 "2011-04-27T12:32:56Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > It’s pretty hard to look at Trump and see anything but a political loon now. It’s a shame. He might have had some good economic strategy in there somewhere. Bankruptcy boy? I have my doubts. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/853 "2011-04-27T12:37:18Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > It’s pretty hard to look at Trump and see anything but a political loon now. It’s a shame. He might have had some good economic strategy in there somewhere. Based on what he has said recently, I can only conclude Trump is profoundly ignorant of economic theory. He has no clue how oil markets work, suggesting we should [just take Libyan oil](http://www.newsmax.com/InsideCover/donaldtrump-karlrove-gop-birther/2011/04/22/id/393742). Then what? Who gets the oil after you take it, and who reaps the profits when it is ultimately sold at the market value anyway. Trump is an economic cretin. ---
**Author:** ![misshannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3e96dc/32.png) [@misshannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misshannah)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/854 "2011-04-27T13:15:39Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > For those invoking the almighty FOIA. > > If one were to be made, and it were to succeed, all you would get is a uncertified copy of the so-called ‘long-form’. Without certification, you might as well have made it in Photoshop. The White House is doing the right thing in not pursuing this path to appease the nutcrabs by FOIA’ing an uncertified copy. [One would think…](http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/04/27/president-obamas-long-form-birth-certificate) ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/855 "2011-04-27T13:22:00Z")
Well then… ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/856 "2011-04-27T13:40:08Z")
> [@Mr.Miskatonic](#): > > Regarding Trump: apparently his investigators haven’t even bothered to go look at the original form. Seems that you just have to wait in line and sign in. The number of viewers in the last month has been two. If the Investigators even exist. CNN has not been able to find them. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/857 "2011-04-27T13:44:20Z")
To: Donald Trump. From: the rest of us. Shut the fuck up, Donnie. You’re out of your depth. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/858 "2011-04-27T13:46:05Z")
At first I thought Obama made a mistake releasing the long form, but now that I think about it, it may have been a great move. We all know the birthers don’t care about evidence, so this will be dismissed as well, and they’ll look even nuttier. ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/859 "2011-04-27T13:51:51Z")
One birther who really isn’t happy to see this is that Lt Col up for court martial. I think all he can do now is plead insanity. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044/860 "2011-04-27T14:12:29Z")
Well, certainly \*\*SA \*\*has demonstrated that this crowd will look very strenuously for reasons to go on doubting, even in the face of good solid evidence. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044.md?page=42) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/donald-trump-is-now-a-birther/575044.md?page=44)