Politico: Whisper campaign persists despite election

[Thrill]

Even with the election decided, the widely debunked whisper campaign claiming that Barack Obama is secretly not an American, and thus not qualified to be president, is going strong.

The Supreme Court is expected to announce on Monday whether or not it will consider two cases contending that Barack Obama is not a "natural born citizen," as the president is required to be under Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution. One case, referred to the court by Justice Clarence Thomas after Justice David Souter had rejected it, argues that because Obama's father was a citizen of Kenya, at the time a British colony, the president-elect was born with dual citizenship. The other, filed by Attorney Phillip J. Berg, effectively contends that Obama has outright lied about having been born on American soil.

At least four of the court's nine judges must approve before a case is heard, and the great majority of the petitions brought before the Court are dismissed without comment. Still, it's further grist for what's been an active conspiracy mill.

"I think there are just a lot of people who just want to believe it," said Paul Waldman, who has studied the conspiracy theories over Obama's citizenship for Media Matters.

Waldman said that like with the claims that the Clintons killed White House Counsel Vince Foster, a certain segment of the population will continue to believe Obama won on illegitimate grounds no matter how often the claim is disproved.

"When something gets refuted there a certain number of people that just won't believe it," he said. "If they are predisposed to believe it, refuting it will have no impact."

For those who believe the story, Obama's electoral victory is a constitutional and legal crisis of epic proportions that is not being given its fair due in the press or in the courts.

"This is the biggest attempted hoax in the history of our country," insists Berg, whose suit aimed to compel Obama and the Democratic National Committee to produce the candidate's birth certificate and other documents - which he does not believe exist.

Berg, who served as both counsel and plantiff, had his suit dismissed in U.S. district court in October. He then filed a writ of certiorari asking the Supreme Court to take on the case.

The attorney, who identifies himself as a "solid Democrat," believes that "they really have to take a look at it."

"Obama and Howard Dean should all be criminally indicted, tried and criminally jailed," he added.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1208/16257.html

Will the Supreme Court finally put an end to this nonsense?

[Cha]

1. Yeah well, bush lost the election in 2000

and because of the extreme court got to go on and royally fuck our country up.

They can do what they want but Obama's the Prez elect and he will serve his term.

[stevedeshazer]

2. This is just some crazy bullshit.

Come on now.

[babylonsister]

3. politico, wasting everyone's time with a stoopid story to waste

band width. What a surprise.

[ellacott]

4. Maybe the Supreme Court should hear this case

Just to put it to rest.

[AllentownJake]

8. doesn't matter

They will insist the judges got gotten to or were afraid of riots by the "blacks"

There is no win with these fucktards...they are doing this out of racism.

Best thing is to ignore them and if anyone brings it up to you show them the truth...if they don't believe it call them a racist.

[ellacott]

13. That's true

Some will never believe it.

[Alcibiades]

35. Nooooo!

Don't give this court any reason to select a Republican president again, because they will do it!

[BrklynLiberal]

5. What about the Constitutional crisis of stealing the election from the

candidate who got the most votes, and letting the SCOTUS, filled with his father's appointees, handing it over to prez shit-for-brains??
Why weren't these pointy-headed numbskulls willing to let the Supreme Court of Florida's ruling stand???

For those who believe the story, Obama's electoral victory is a constitutional and legal crisis of epic proportions that is not being given its fair due in the press or in the courts.

This makes me even more angry that Gore did not vote with the Congressional Black Caucus. The repukes keep fighting no matter how ridiculous it looks. The Dems give up even when they have a valid battle.

I guess the difference is priorities. The Dems tend to put the REAL Constitution and the country first...the repukes will do anything to win no matter what the cost.

[rvablue]

6. This reminds me of something funny that Stephen Colbert said last week

"I'm not making this up, folks. I'm just imagining it."

[Pirate Smile]

17. That was great and truly fits this crap.

[AllentownJake]

7. No matter how much evidence is shown showing Obama born in Hawaii

The birth certificate nuts will still insist he wasn't born in Hawaii. The reason is racism. Pure and simple.

[janx]

14. You're right. The notion that Obama is "not one of us" was

pervasive during the McPalin campaign and continues now, only now it's not the politicians pushing it--it's the lunatic fringe. And they are out of control.

[AllentownJake]

15. They were never in control

so it's nothing new...these are the people that were convinced Hillary shot Vince Foster personally.

8 years and the only thing they ever got on President Clinton was a cigar and a stained dress.

[FrenchieCat]

9. Politico is good at stiring the bullshit pot, ain't they?

They write.....For those who believe the story, Obama's electoral victory is a constitutional and legal crisis of epic proportions that is not being given its fair due in the press or in the courts.

Yep, the same handful of nuts that still support Bush less one or two nutcrackers! :eyes:

[DevonRex]

10. That's all the folks over

on HCF and CHF have to talk about, poor things.

[Clio the Leo]

11. I wonder if considering cases this stupid is a normal thing for them?

If so, we are SOOOO wasting time and money.

[WeDidIt]

16. IT's standard p[rocedure

A claimant files a writ of certiorari and it is denied by a justice (Souter in this case). The claimant then re-files with another justice. Because the claimant can just go to every justice down the line, the second justice will almost always take it to conference where it is denied. Because ti is denied in conference, there can be no more re-filing. It's dead at this point.

Taking it to conference speeds the process fo killing it and saves everybody's time.

It'll be denied without comment.

[backscatter712]

36. Yep. It was explained in an earlier thread.

The SCOTUS is almost certainly going to slam the door in the face of the birth certificate conspiracy theorists with a one-sentence judgment refusing to hear the case. Game over.

[WeDidIt]

38. It won't be over.

there are about another dozen cases pending, and new ones being brought daily.

[janx]

41. You know, we laugh at these people, but they're really

messing around with the system. That part pisses me off.

[WeDidIt]

44. In the past eight years, there were over 800 writs of certiorari brought to conference

Just over 60 were accepted.

The load they are adding to the system is minimal, and it'll stop within six months of the inauguration. There have been threats of litigating anything Obama signs, but the first smackdown of that will stop all future attempts.

[backscatter712]

58. All it takes is for the SCOTUS to shoot down one case...

Then precedent is set, and every other wingnut lawsuit about Obama's birth certificate will be shot down in flames using that precedent.

[tigereye]

20. they have to look at things that are filed for consideration and then

decide whether to consider them or not. They have hundreds of cases to look at. It's common SCOTUS practice.

[bluestateguy]

12. Is even Fox News bothering with this story?

And can the Court issue some kind of a decree to stop these nutballs from filing more lawsuits?

[Hokie]

18. Gee, let's recycle this story every time some rag runs it

It will be over soon enough I guess.

[tigereye]

19. I don't why people persist in hyping this

it's simply absurd, beyond absurdity. :shrug:

[BeyondGeography]

21. Whiny-assed titty babies of the right

[spanone]

22. it's 'going strong' ???...oh really?

[DCBob]

23. I know this is non-sense but I wonder why Obama does not just release his official certificate?

Seems that would put an end to it all. Why let this thing fester?

[backscatter712]

25. He did!

Granted, he did want to protect his privacy - there's enough information to steal his identity. But he broadcasted a redacted image of his birth certificate on the net, and he allowed members of the press, and factcheck.org to examine the real thing. They concluded it's authentic.

The birth certificate myth has been debunked over and over and over again. The real truth is that no amount of proof, no matter how airtight, will satisfy these righttards - they're too badly stuck on stupid.

[DCBob]

28. I mean the actual original.

Some think the copy is forged. I know it's stupid but releasing the original would help satisfy most.

[WeDidIt]

51. What he presented is what Hawaii gave him

HE cannot present anything else. If he made a new request of Hawaii, he'd et another copy just like what he alreayd has but with a different date stamp.

[janx]

26. Here:

http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/born_in_the_usa.html

[DCBob]

29. Yeah, I know. I have seen that. I am satisfied but why not release the original and

end this nonsense.

[backscatter712]

30. The original has personal information on it.

It could conceivably be used to steal Obama's identity or otherwise do something nefarious. I can't blame Obama for not releasing pictures without redacting them.

[janx]

31. The original belongs to the Hawaii Division of Health.

My original birth certificate is in St. Louis County. I couldn't go there and trot out with it if I wanted to. That's why, when I need a copy for a passport, etc., I pay to get a certified copy--like Obama's as seen at the link.

[DCBob]

32. I have my original BC from Illinois

Wonder why some states keep them locked up and others don't.

[janx]

33. And what does Illinois have?

If you have the original, where is their record of it?

[DCBob]

34. I have no idea. I have the original with little inky foot prints and all.

It old and yellowed but clearly an original.

[backscatter712]

39. I thought I did myself...

but it turns out that what I had was a ceremonial birth certificate the hospital gives to new parents - nifty-looking, but not legally worth squat.

In Colorado, you go down to the state record's office, and they give you a certified copy with the raised seal.

[DCBob]

42. Does you ceremonial one have inky feet prints?

[backscatter712]

56. It does, as a matter of fact. n/t

[janx]

40. You can bet they have another original then.

;-) But it's really beside the point, because whatever Obama produces isn't good enough for the conspiracy theorists.

Even if he showed them a 47-year-old piece of paper, they'd declare it forged.

[DCBob]

43. Some wackos would never be satisfied but a judge would.

[janx]

48. A judge would be satisfied with a certified copy, believe me.

But I don't even think that'll be necessary. They'll just keep throwing these cases out.

Also, regarding your question to another poster about the inky footprint document--yes, that is generally a ceremonial piece of paper given to parents in the hospital after the birth of a child. It's not an official birth certificate. You'll understand this better when you have to get a copy of one for a passport, etc.

[DCBob]

49. You may be right. I can't find it now to verify.

It's too bad this stupid story has drug on so long. I know it's all bogus but I won't feel comfortable until Obama is sworn in.

[Hokie]

45. I think those were issued by hospitals and are not "official"

I have one of those but I remember when I went to college I had to order a copy of my official one from my birth state. It was actually a photocopy meaning a photograph.

[DCBob]

47. Yeah, you may be right. I was just now trying to find it but I can't seem to locate it.

It's been a few years and few moves since I last looked at it. Oh well. I am sure this nonsense is going nowhere. It is just surprising how long this stupid story has hung on. I even heard them talking about on c-span this morning.

[ima_sinnic]

59. obama doesn't have to do anything. the burden of proof is on his "accusers."

They are the ones charging him with something, now they need to prove it.
Those who had a valid reason to see his birth certificate, along with everything else to confirm his eligibility to be president, have seen what they needed to see. Who gives a flying fuck what some little whiny-baby ignoramus racist a-holes think anyway? They are little gnats who should be swatted away.

[Tutonic]

24. Berg has sued every president for the last 25 years! He needs to

be put down.

[camera obscura]

27. Michelle Malkin has said the birth certificate story is Truther crap - that should wake them up

People, you're CRAZIER THAN MICHELLE MALKIN!

I wish everyone would just stop paying attention to them.

[WeDidIt]

37. Nope, the Birth Certificate Cultists have thrown Michelle Malkin under the bus

She's a liberal now.

:crazy:

[Ikonoklast]

54. I guess being an 'anchor baby', it hit too close to home for Malkin

She should know what the laws are about being a citizen.

[csziggy]

46. Obama should claim that this suit is causing "irreparable harm" to him

Shades of the claims that actually counting the votes in Florida would cause "irreparable harm" to candidate Bush, according to the Supreme Court.

OTOH, maybe the Supremes will decide that they all need to fly to Hawaii to personally examine Obama's birth certificate. I know if I had to live and work in Washington DC in December, I would look for an excuse to go to Hawaii, or the Virgin Islands or some other warm place. :eyes:

[opihimoimoi]

50. When ya got nothing...use Buffalo Chips...thats the GOP Way

[political_Dem]

52. This is another reason why bi-partisanism never works.

Most Republicans are never fair. And while they charm the Dems into including the GOP into some policy making, their shock troops are stirring crap like this up.

It's better to be around allies than being immersed in a toxic stew of rivals.

[ShadowLiberal]

53. Most pathetic part about all this, you can view it by typing 'Obama birth certificate' into google

Over half the results on the first page of google image searches a picture of Obama's birth certificate that these fanatics claim he refuses to release.

[mkultra]

55. we have a few "solid democrats" here as well.

[Erin Elizabeth]

57. Where your parents were born makes no difference.

And the Supreme Court will throw this out without a word. It's not worth anyone's time, much less theirs.

Patently ridiculous.