O.K…. before everyone who reads this jumps up and screams "birther" let me put all my cards on the table. I believe President Obama was born in Hawaii. With apologies to Jerome Corsi, I believe the birth announcements recorded in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin and the Honolulu Advertiser are compelling evidence of a stateside birth. There would simply have to be too many people involved in falsifying the birth announcements to make that a plausible argument against their authenticity. To suggest the two newspapers printed the announcements in 1961 to falsely support a native birth for President Obama doesn't make sense. Jerome Corsi suggests the newspapers would have accepted the Hawaii Department of Health and Vital Statistics System of reporting a birth, which, at the time, was based on the "Certificate of Live Birth," not on the long form hospital generated birth certificate.
While that may be a point well made it doesn't explain why Obama's mother, Ann Durham would have gone to such lengths, with the cooperation of the hospital, to make sure her son was listed in two papers as having been born in Hawaii. Ann Durham was only 18 years old when she gave birth to the president. Would an 18- year-old single mother really be focused on trying to make sure her newborn son was considered to be a natural born citizen? If so, why?
So while I believe President Obama was born in Hawaii I am curious as to why the President hasn't simply allowed the release of his birth records and put an end to any question about his citizenship. That question was apparently recently on the mind of Neil Abercrombie, the newly elected Governor of Hawaii. In a December interview with the Los Angeles Times, Governor Abercrombie said, "What bothers me is that some people who should know better are trying to use this for political reasons." He vowed to use his influence as Governor to lay the controversy to rest once and for all. He promised the New York Times that when it comes to the "birther controversy" he was "going to take care of that."
But just last week, the Governor opened a brand new conspiracy can of worms when he announced to the Honolulu Star Advertiser that, "our investigation" indicates there is a recording of his birth. The Governor went on to say, "it actually exists in the archives, written down." Those are not the confident, proof offering words of someone who has seen the President's birth certificate. Any investigation of President Obama's birth records by the Governor of the Hawaii should have revealed more than a vague reference to something "written down" in the archives. What many are looking for is the actual long form birth certificate issued by the hospital. It either exists or it doesn't and if it does, I am frankly amazed that the Governor can neither receive nor offer a definitive word on the subject.
Now the Governor's office has announced it is ending its quest to prove President Obama was born in Hawaii. The reason? State Attorney General David Louie has informed the Governor he cannot disclose an individual's birth documentation without that person's consent. Donalyn Dela Cruz, spokesperson for the Governor Abercrombie said, "There is nothing more that Governor Abercrombie can do within the law to produce a document. Unfortunately, there are conspirators who will continue to question the citizenship of our president."
You bet they will. And now, thanks to Governor Abercrombie's failed attempt to quash the controversy it may spread from so-called "birthers" to the general population much like a virus. In fact, it appears Chris Matthews has already been infected. On a recent "Hardball" program Matthews asked, "Why doesn't the president just say, ‘Send me a copy right now?' If it exists, why not put it out?"
That is the question I have been asking since the day the controversy began. All the president has to do is call for the document and allow it to be photographed. Or, how about just holding it up at a press conference on live TV? It seems to me it would be easy enough to permanently lay this whole mess to rest. The fact President Obama allows it to continue fascinates me and leaves me to wonder why. Is there something on the document that would embarrass the president?
Rather than shedding light on the question Governor Abercrombie's efforts have simply deepened the darkness and raised more suspicion in people's minds. I honestly believe President Obama was born in Hawaii and I honestly cannot understand why he chooses to let this controversy continue. If it is for political reasons I believe he is making a serious mistake by allowing questions to linger. If it is because of some embarrassing information on the document I still believe President Obama would be better served to produce the document, deal with the issue, whatever it may be, and dispel the doubt that will just not go away.
There is only one person who can end this in a moment. Until he does the questions will remain and they are likely to grow.