Obama scoffs at Republican birth-place claims
Source: Agencies |
April 16, 2011, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
UNITED States President Barack Obama claims that Republicans who are sowing doubts about whether he is American-born may gain politically in the short term by playing to their constituencies but will have trouble when the general election rolls around.
In an interview with ABC News on Thursday, Obama said that's because most people are confident that he was born where he says he was - in Hawaii - and are more worried about gasoline prices and unemployment than conspiracy theories or birth certificates.
State officials long have certified that Obama was born in Hawaii. But Donald Trump, the real estate tycoon and possible Republican presidential candidate, has revived questions about Obama's place of birth.
So-called "birthers" have argued since the last presidential election that Obama is ineligible for the nation's highest elected office because he was actually born in Kenya, his father's homeland.
Hawaii officials have repeatedly confirmed Obama's citizenship, and his Hawaiian birth certificates have been made public.
Obama said Republican efforts to go after him in a politically expedient way may create problems for them. The president joked about the "birther" issue at a fundraiser on Thursday night in his hometown of Chicago.
As he described his deep roots in the city, he noted, "I wasn't born here" - referring to Chicago. Then he paused and chuckled as the crowd at Navy Pier broke into knowing laughter. "Just want to be clear - I was born in Hawaii."
Meanwhile, the Arizona Legislature gave final approval on Thursday to a proposal that would require Obama and other presidential candidates to prove they are US citizens before their names can appear on the state's ballot. Thirteen other states have considered similar proposals.
In an interview with ABC News on Thursday, Obama said that's because most people are confident that he was born where he says he was - in Hawaii - and are more worried about gasoline prices and unemployment than conspiracy theories or birth certificates.
State officials long have certified that Obama was born in Hawaii. But Donald Trump, the real estate tycoon and possible Republican presidential candidate, has revived questions about Obama's place of birth.
So-called "birthers" have argued since the last presidential election that Obama is ineligible for the nation's highest elected office because he was actually born in Kenya, his father's homeland.
Hawaii officials have repeatedly confirmed Obama's citizenship, and his Hawaiian birth certificates have been made public.
Obama said Republican efforts to go after him in a politically expedient way may create problems for them. The president joked about the "birther" issue at a fundraiser on Thursday night in his hometown of Chicago.
As he described his deep roots in the city, he noted, "I wasn't born here" - referring to Chicago. Then he paused and chuckled as the crowd at Navy Pier broke into knowing laughter. "Just want to be clear - I was born in Hawaii."
Meanwhile, the Arizona Legislature gave final approval on Thursday to a proposal that would require Obama and other presidential candidates to prove they are US citizens before their names can appear on the state's ballot. Thirteen other states have considered similar proposals.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
