Obama Admits Kenya Birth

One of the most plausible wacko/conspiracy theories about Barack Obama holds that he is not a Natural Born US citizen, and therefore is not Constitutionally qualified for the office of President. A former Pennsylvania Deputy Attorney General, a Democrat, filed a suit challenging Obama to prove his qualifications.

The Democrat National Committee filed motions to dismiss the case. The case was not dismissed. The DNC did not respond to the several claims asserted in the suit. The DNC only moved for dismissal, without challenging or refuting the claims. By court rule, this means those claims have been “admitted”. It is a technical point, not an admission in the plain-language sense.

Among the claims Obama has legally admitted are:

• I was born in Kenya.
• I am a Kenya “natural born” citizen.
• My foreign birth was registered in the State of Hawaii.
• My father, Barrack Hussein Obama, Sr. admitted Paternity of me.
• My mother gave birth to me in Mombosa, Kenya.
• My mother’s maiden name is Stanley Ann Dunham a/k/a Ann Dunham.
• The COLB [Certification of Live Birth] posted on the website “Fightthesmears.com” is a forgery.
• I was adopted by a Foreign Citizen.
• I was adopted by Lolo Soetoro, M.A. a citizen of Indonesia.
• I was not born in Hawaii.
• I was not born at the Queens Medical Center in Hawaii.
• I was not born at Kapi’olani Medical Center for Women and Children in Hawaii.
• I was not born in a Hospital in Hawaii.
• I am a citizen of Indonesia.
• I never took the “Oath of Allegiance” to regain my U.S. Citizenship status.
• I am not a “natural born” United States citizen.

Since the case was not dismissed, the next step in the legal process is what is called “discovery”. Each side presents their evidence for the opponent to examine. The essential document which could defeat the suit and prove Obama’s qualification is his long-form “vault” birth certificate issued in Hawaii. Barry has offered only copies of a substitute document, known as a Certificate of Live Birth. Hawaii does not make public its original birth certificates.

The conspiracy theory is kept alive because it seems it would be so easy for Obama to reveal his original birth certificate. Why doesn’t he just show the evidence and put these crackpots in their place? And this is an essential fact one might expect a Presidential candidate to be proud to reveal. It is not about military or health records which might damage a candidate’s reputation and electability. It is about being legally qualified to hold office.

To add fuel to the conspiracy theory, Obama is jetting to Hawaii to be with his dying grandmother. Without this personal tragedy, there is no way Barry would be visiting Hawaii ten days before a close election. Hawaii is a solid Democrat stronghold. Further, Barry announced three days in advance he would be taking time out for this emergency. Emergencies, by definition, do not permit advance notice.

Barry’s grandmother will certainly welcome the visit, and Obama will hopefully find the peace and closure he needs on this aspect of his continuing search for identity. But I hope Hawaii’s birth certificate vault has its fire extinguishers filled, and its shredders disabled. Or, that Barry finds time for a small press conference where he displays his original birth certificate and puts the question to rest.