Aa
Arizona Goes Birther:
Secretary Of State Says It’s ‘Possible’ Obama Won’t Be On Ballot
The man in charge of running Arizona’s elections has gone to the birthers. Secretary of State Ken Bennett now says he’s not convinced Barack Obama was really born in the United States and so he is threatening to keep the president off the ballot in November.
Bennett’s comments came in an interview late Thursday with conservative radio talk show host Mike Broomhead on Phoenix station KFYI.
Bennett said he was following the lead of the state’s eccentric Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a fellow Republican who ordered an investigation into the president’s birth certificate last year and concluded the document released by the White House is a forgery. Bennett said he is now trying to get verification from state officials in Hawaii that the certificate is authentic.
In doing so, Bennett caved to a fringe group of activists and writers who believe in a conspiracy theory that just never seems to die no matter how much proof they get. Hawaiian officials have said time and again that Obama was born there in 1961, yet the theory persists.
Bennett, the state’s No. 2 elected official just below Gov. Jan Brewer (R), said his investigation isn’t personal. He said the reason he started looking into it is because he got more than 1,200 emails asking him to do so after Arpaio’s investigation came out.
“I’m not a birther. I believe the president was born in Hawaii — or at least I hope he was,” Bennett said on the show. “But my responsibility as secretary of state is to make sure the ballots in Arizona are correct and that those people whose names are on the ballot have met the qualifications for the office they are seeking.”
SLIDESHOW: There’s The Birth Certificate: TPM’s Best Of The Birthers
Bennett’s newfound birtherism also breaks with Brewer, who led the secretary of state’s office in 2008 when Obama last appeared on the Arizona ballot. Brewer said last year that despite her disagreements with Obama, she is fully convinced the president is eligible for office and believes the birth certificate issue is a “huge distraction.”
“It’s just something I believe is leading our country down a path of destruction and it just is not serving any good purpose,” she told CNN’s John King.
Meanwhile, Bennett is hoping to take Brewer’s job when she becomes term limited in two years. The Arizona Capitol Times reported (paywall) earlier this week that he is already collecting signatures to get on the 2014 ballot for governor.
On Thursday, Bennett said he sent his request to Hawaii officials eight weeks ago but has yet to get the proof he was hoping for. He said he didn’t want another copy of the birth certificate. He wants Hawaii to give him what he described as “a verification in lieu of a certified copy of a birth certificate.”
In the weeks since then, Bennett said, Hawaii officials have forced him to provide proof that he is who he says he is. They asked him to send them copies of the Arizona laws that prove the secretary of state really is the person in charge of handling the ballots. Admittedly, Bennett said they told him they were “tired of all the requests.” But he is continuing anyway.
Broomhead, the radio host, pressed Bennett on what he would do if he didn’t get the right response back from Hawaii.
“If they won’t comply, if they refuse to comply with this, will you remove the president from the ballot?” Broomhead asked. “Will you exclude him from the ballot?”
“That’s possible,” Bennett said. “Or the other option would be I would ask all of candidates, including the president, maybe to submit a certified copy of their birth certificate. But I don’t want to do that.”
Listen to the whole interview from KFYI:
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/05/arizona_ken_bennett_obama_birth_certificate_birther.php
The man in charge of running Arizona’s elections has gone to the birthers. Secretary of State Ken Bennett now says he’s not convinced Barack Obama was really born in the United States and so he is threatening to keep the president off the ballot in November.
Bennett’s comments came in an interview late Thursday with conservative radio talk show host Mike Broomhead on Phoenix station KFYI.
Bennett said he was following the lead of the state’s eccentric Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a fellow Republican who ordered an investigation into the president’s birth certificate last year and concluded the document released by the White House is a forgery. Bennett said he is now trying to get verification from state officials in Hawaii that the certificate is authentic.
In doing so, Bennett caved to a fringe group of activists and writers who believe in a conspiracy theory that just never seems to die no matter how much proof they get. Hawaiian officials have said time and again that Obama was born there in 1961, yet the theory persists.
Bennett, the state’s No. 2 elected official just below Gov. Jan Brewer (R), said his investigation isn’t personal. He said the reason he started looking into it is because he got more than 1,200 emails asking him to do so after Arpaio’s investigation came out.
“I’m not a birther. I believe the president was born in Hawaii — or at least I hope he was,” Bennett said on the show. “But my responsibility as secretary of state is to make sure the ballots in Arizona are correct and that those people whose names are on the ballot have met the qualifications for the office they are seeking.”
SLIDESHOW: There’s The Birth Certificate: TPM’s Best Of The Birthers
Bennett’s newfound birtherism also breaks with Brewer, who led the secretary of state’s office in 2008 when Obama last appeared on the Arizona ballot. Brewer said last year that despite her disagreements with Obama, she is fully convinced the president is eligible for office and believes the birth certificate issue is a “huge distraction.”
“It’s just something I believe is leading our country down a path of destruction and it just is not serving any good purpose,” she told CNN’s John King.
Meanwhile, Bennett is hoping to take Brewer’s job when she becomes term limited in two years. The Arizona Capitol Times reported (paywall) earlier this week that he is already collecting signatures to get on the 2014 ballot for governor.
On Thursday, Bennett said he sent his request to Hawaii officials eight weeks ago but has yet to get the proof he was hoping for. He said he didn’t want another copy of the birth certificate. He wants Hawaii to give him what he described as “a verification in lieu of a certified copy of a birth certificate.”
In the weeks since then, Bennett said, Hawaii officials have forced him to provide proof that he is who he says he is. They asked him to send them copies of the Arizona laws that prove the secretary of state really is the person in charge of handling the ballots. Admittedly, Bennett said they told him they were “tired of all the requests.” But he is continuing anyway.
Broomhead, the radio host, pressed Bennett on what he would do if he didn’t get the right response back from Hawaii.
“If they won’t comply, if they refuse to comply with this, will you remove the president from the ballot?” Broomhead asked. “Will you exclude him from the ballot?”
“That’s possible,” Bennett said. “Or the other option would be I would ask all of candidates, including the president, maybe to submit a certified copy of their birth certificate. But I don’t want to do that.”
Listen to the whole interview from KFYI:
http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/05/arizona_ken_bennett_obama_birth_certificate_birther.php
Of course I'd never vote for him if he were proved to be anything other than what he claims he is, and I don't think anyone else would either. You give your fellow citizens, Democrat or Republican too little credit.
But I don't think the issue should be allowed to "go bye-bye" (as much as a lot of Republicans wish it would) until it's been revealed who's been stirring the pot and to what purpose. The whole birther movement stinks of racism and a distraction tactic.
But I don't think the issue should be allowed to "go bye-bye" (as much as a lot of Republicans wish it would) until it's been revealed who's been stirring the pot and to what purpose. The whole birther movement stinks of racism and a distraction tactic.
I would not support him.... plenty of our country men would. Honestly, what would we really do to this guy if he weren't legal? Impeach him, run him off? OOOOH, that'll teach him.
Tell me about it... I wish it would just go away. I bet Hillary had NO idea that this would become as divisive an issue as it's become.
I'm actually surprised, and was surprised, when the Democratic Party allowed her to raise the issue in the first place.
Out of the gate, IMO, the Democratic Party put its egg's in the Obama basket and knew they were going to nominate and run B.O. against whomever the Right ran, so it's a bit surprising that they even let the issue see the light of day.
All of that said, I really wish the issue would go bye-bye. Many, many bigger & better fish to fry than the silly "birther" issue.
I'm actually surprised, and was surprised, when the Democratic Party allowed her to raise the issue in the first place.
Out of the gate, IMO, the Democratic Party put its egg's in the Obama basket and knew they were going to nominate and run B.O. against whomever the Right ran, so it's a bit surprising that they even let the issue see the light of day.
All of that said, I really wish the issue would go bye-bye. Many, many bigger & better fish to fry than the silly "birther" issue.
I can't even believe this is still an issue...Good Grief!
No.
You may be right about Bush, but I have no idea. Again, it's not something that I was really ever on board with.
Even if it comes out that he WASN'T born in the U.S. or on U.S. soil (an embassy or a base or something), it's not like anything will be done about it.
I'd be willing to bet you, that if it came out tomorrow that he lied and that he's truly not a U.S. citizen, he'd still be supported and he'd find a way to stay in office.
That's actually a question I should pose to the group: If Obama was found to be a non-US citizen, would you continue to support him? Would you want him to continue being President?
Thoughts?
Even if it comes out that he WASN'T born in the U.S. or on U.S. soil (an embassy or a base or something), it's not like anything will be done about it.
I'd be willing to bet you, that if it came out tomorrow that he lied and that he's truly not a U.S. citizen, he'd still be supported and he'd find a way to stay in office.
That's actually a question I should pose to the group: If Obama was found to be a non-US citizen, would you continue to support him? Would you want him to continue being President?
Thoughts?
Besides all of that stuff... he holds a PUBLIC office, and it's the "people's" right to know everything about him, especially if the constitutionality of the office he holds, is in question.
If I was him, straight out of the gate, I'd have released both (birth-cert & transcripts), as soon as Hillary Clinton asked for the information.
But, instead of making it easy and having it just blow over and go away, he turned it into a game, so she'd waste time, effort, campaign-funds, etc, trying to disparage him.
Poor ole' Hillary opened up a can of worms that was a lot bigger than she, or anyone else for that matter, though it was going to be.
If I was him, straight out of the gate, I'd have released both (birth-cert & transcripts), as soon as Hillary Clinton asked for the information.
But, instead of making it easy and having it just blow over and go away, he turned it into a game, so she'd waste time, effort, campaign-funds, etc, trying to disparage him.
Poor ole' Hillary opened up a can of worms that was a lot bigger than she, or anyone else for that matter, though it was going to be.
I read somewhere that Bush refused to release his college transcripts. Is that not true? And as for the Birth Certificate, has there actually been a President asked to show it? I mean, it's a reasonable assumption that anyone running for President has probably been fairly thoroughly vetted and I would think that making sure they were an actual US citizen would be a big deal. So I still question why he was even asked to produce it. Seems kind of silly to me. He did produce it, and still that's not enough for some.
Who knows, maybe he is hiding something. But I seriously doubt it's this. Wanting him out of the White House I get. I like him, but hey, I know lots don't and that's the way things go. But I do think that the Birthers are totally ridiculous, and this is a silly thing for them to focus on. Just my opinion.
Who knows, maybe he is hiding something. But I seriously doubt it's this. Wanting him out of the White House I get. I like him, but hey, I know lots don't and that's the way things go. But I do think that the Birthers are totally ridiculous, and this is a silly thing for them to focus on. Just my opinion.
Past Presidents, when asked for their birth certificates, college transcripts, etc, have been forthcoming and presented the requested information without even batting an eyelid.
B.O. was asked for both his birth certificate and college transcripts, and everyone/anyone that asked was basically told to get bent.
His college transcripts were placed under lock & key, so no one was allowed to get at them, and the same thing was basically done with his birth certificate.
I'm not 100% sure of the EXACT details, as I've never really cared to much about where he was born or where he went to school and what degree he received, so i might be a tiny bit off in what I said, but for the most part, when asked, he TOLD people where he was born and what the details of his schooling were.
He's never SHOWED the information (paper copies). The paperwork was left for people to dig up, rather than just presenting it, as has everyone before him (if they've been asked for their information).
I've always said and lived by, "If you've got nothing to hid, then why hide?" That's a big part of why I have no problem with "Big Brother" reading my emails and listening to my phone calls, etc. I've got nothing to hide, so read & listen to me all you want.
ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, I think Obama is hiding SOMETHING. I'm not sure exactly WHAT he's hiding, but he's hiding something. No one is as secretive as he is, unless they're hiding something. No idea what, and frankly, I don't care.
I just want him out of the White House. When that happens, everything changes for the better.
B.O. was asked for both his birth certificate and college transcripts, and everyone/anyone that asked was basically told to get bent.
His college transcripts were placed under lock & key, so no one was allowed to get at them, and the same thing was basically done with his birth certificate.
I'm not 100% sure of the EXACT details, as I've never really cared to much about where he was born or where he went to school and what degree he received, so i might be a tiny bit off in what I said, but for the most part, when asked, he TOLD people where he was born and what the details of his schooling were.
He's never SHOWED the information (paper copies). The paperwork was left for people to dig up, rather than just presenting it, as has everyone before him (if they've been asked for their information).
I've always said and lived by, "If you've got nothing to hid, then why hide?" That's a big part of why I have no problem with "Big Brother" reading my emails and listening to my phone calls, etc. I've got nothing to hide, so read & listen to me all you want.
ALL OF THAT BEING SAID, I think Obama is hiding SOMETHING. I'm not sure exactly WHAT he's hiding, but he's hiding something. No one is as secretive as he is, unless they're hiding something. No idea what, and frankly, I don't care.
I just want him out of the White House. When that happens, everything changes for the better.
Hmm....I think the truth is out. The man was born in Hawaii. I mean, how much more do folks need to prove that. And why do they continue to harp on this. Has this ever happened with other President's? I have to wonder why this one.
Who cares whether he was born in the U.S. or not. The Democratic party is too smart to let the truth out, so the Right needs to let this go.
Any and all evidence of where he was ACTUALLY born has long been erased and/or swept under the rug.
Everyone needs to let this go, because B.O. and his handlers are WAY too smart to let the truth out.
Let it go!
Any and all evidence of where he was ACTUALLY born has long been erased and/or swept under the rug.
Everyone needs to let this go, because B.O. and his handlers are WAY too smart to let the truth out.
Let it go!
Arizona elections chief says satisfied Obama a citizen
http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/23/11834099-arizona-elections-chief-says-satisfied-obama-a-citizen?lite
At what point do those bankrolling the 'birther movement' stop being the punch line to a joke and start being an actual hinderance to the efficient functioning of our government? As a nominal Libertarian I defend people's right to hold any wacky belief or engage in any type of behaviour they want, as long as it doesn't harm anyone else. But enough is enough.
What sort of consequence (if any) should there be for knowingly disseminating disinformation? I detest the likes of Limbaugh and Beck, but I fear the cure worse than the disease.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.".
http://nbcpolitics.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/23/11834099-arizona-elections-chief-says-satisfied-obama-a-citizen?lite
At what point do those bankrolling the 'birther movement' stop being the punch line to a joke and start being an actual hinderance to the efficient functioning of our government? As a nominal Libertarian I defend people's right to hold any wacky belief or engage in any type of behaviour they want, as long as it doesn't harm anyone else. But enough is enough.
What sort of consequence (if any) should there be for knowingly disseminating disinformation? I detest the likes of Limbaugh and Beck, but I fear the cure worse than the disease.
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.".
Based on 1200 e-mails? Betcha they could get 1200 e-mails from Arizona citizens to rescind the Gadsden Purchase. After all, it was originally only signed by the ambassador to Mexico. Maybe we could throw in the rest of the state while we're at it.
McCain was born outside the US.
Even I am sick of hearing about this. It's just so incredibly ridiculous and honestly, Obama shouldn't even respond. I mean seriously.....enough. If you ask me, raising this issue is a sure way to turn off the Independents. Intelligent arguments against your President only please. Lol.
ROFL, Is THIS it? After 4 years this is all they got? Can we say "out of touch?"
You must join this user group in order to participate in this discussion.
You are reading content posted in the Current Events . . . Group
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and STDs.
PrEP is used by people with high risk to prevent HIV infection.
