Obama releases long-form birth certificate

President Obama's birth certicificate, as released by the White House.

/ AP

Updated at 11:10 a.m.

In an effort to finally put to rest questions about where he was born, the White House on Wednesday released President Obama's long-form birth certificate. (seen above)

Mr. Obama even made an impromptu appearance in the White House briefing room to urge the press and American citizens to drop the issue and focus on the nation's real problems.

"We're not going to be able to solve our problems if we get distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers," Mr. Obama said. "We've got some enormous challenges out there. There are a lot of folks out there still looking for work... We do not have time for this kind of silliness."

Mr. Obama had in 2008 released on the Internet his "certificate of live birth" -- a short-form birth certificate provided to all Hawaiians as proof of birth in state -- but that failed to quell rumors that the president was born outside of the U.S. (see the "certificate of live birth" posted below)

Those rumors were brought back into the forefront of discussion in recent weeks thanks to questions from Donald Trump, a potential 2012 Republican presidential contender, who has said he is unconvinced of the president's origins. A recent CBS News/ New York Times poll showed that one in four Americans incorrectly believe Mr. Obama was born outside of the United States.

The White House today said it took the effort to release Mr. Obama's long-form birth certificate so that the nation can move on from this "fake issue."

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"At a time of great consequence for this country - when we should be debating how we win the future, reduce our deficit, deal with high gas prices, and bring stability to the Middle East, Washington, DC, was once again distracted by a fake issue," White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer wrote on the White House blog. "The President's hope is that with this step, we can move on to debating the bigger issues that matter to the American people and the future of the country."

Mr. Obama said in the briefing room today that he normally wouldn't comment on an issue like this. Yet he noted that in the past few weeks, "the Republican house pout forward a budget that will have huge consequences and... I gave a speech about my budget and how we need to invest in education and infrastructure." Yet the dominant news story "was about my birth certificate."

The president said he's confident the nation can come together to solve its problems, but "we're not going to be able to do it if we spend time vilifying each other... if we just make stuff up and pretend facts are not facts."

As the White House continued to receive requests for the president's birth certificate, Mr. Obama finally directed his legal counsel to ask the Hawaii State Department of Health to break their protocol and release his long-form birth certificate. According to the White House, the state granted the exception in part because of the tremendous volume of requests they had been getting.

The White House today also handed out to reporters in the press briefing room copies of Mr. Obama's birth certificate.

"The President believed the distraction over his birth certificate wasn't good for the country," Pfeiffer wrote. "It may have been good politics and good TV, but it was bad for the American people and distracting from the many challenges we face as a country."

At a press conference in New Hampshire today, Trump boasted that he was able to compel Mr. Obama to release his long-form birth certificate when no one else could.

"I feel I've accomplished something really, really important, and I'm honored by it," he said. "You have to ask the president, why didn't he do it a long time ago?"

He added that "now we can talk about oil, we can talk about gasoline prices, we can talk about China ripping off this country."

Even so, Trump expressed skepticism about this latest birth certificate.

"It is rather amazing that it all of a sudden materializes," he said. "A lot of people have to look at it, experts will look at it."

At left: CBS News' Bob Schieffer, Chip Reid and Bill Plante discuss the timing and reasoning behind the White House's decision to release President Obama's birth certificate

As Pfeiffer explained on the White House blog, the matter should have been put to rest back in 2008, when Mr. Obama released his short-form "certificate of birth" because it is the standard Hawaiian birth certificate.

"The document posted on the campaign website is what Hawaiians use to get a driver's license from the state and the document recognized by the Federal Government and the courts for all legal purposes," he wrote. "That's because it is the birth certificate. This is not and should not be an open question."

Along with Trump, a couple other potential 2012 GOP presidential candidates reacted to the White House release via Twitter.

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin tweeted, "Media: admit it, Trump forced the issue. Now, don't let the WH distract you w/the birth crt from what Bernanke says today. Stay focused, eh?"

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney tweeted, "What President Obama should really be releasing is a jobs plan."

This handout image provided by the White House shows a copy of President Barack Obama's certificate of live birth from Hawaii. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

[IGotBupkis]

I really don't give a rat's patootie about this thing itself.

My own belief in his natural birth doesn't come from the BC itself, but from the announcement of his birth in the HI newspaper, the existence of which can't be justified.

The REAL QUESTION HERE is what's the big freaking deal?

No, not the birthers -- why the eph has he fought so much over just showing the damned thing? I'm sorry, this shouldn't be an issue for ANY president to show in order to be eligible for election.

Period. Not Obama, not ANYONE. Because it's a Constitutional requirement. And if people aren't happy with the "short form", then there's no real argument to be made against displaying the long form one, either.

THIS is the REAL question. WHY would he fight this for so long? It makes no rational sense at all.

[sfw010]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504943_162-20057819-10391715.html
I got here from the link above. You will find the link above shows a white LFBC- the one handed out at the PC. But this page shows the Green Certificate paper version. Why doesn't CBS news find out why the BC changed from white to green in a matter of hours? This is why the controversy remains. Which version was actually supplied by HI DOH?
Who handled the documents from HI to the Whitehouse web site?
I will not be satisfied until I have these answers.

[joebanana222]

It would be wise to retract this blatantly false story. It's been reported around the world from Germany, to China experts can't believe what a bad job of forgery was brought forth as a true document. Which if anything is a felony. The US media better wake up. You don't have to believe every "conspiracy", but, you look pretty stupid believing everything obama say's.

[billybob163]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c93cm17_2C8&feature=related

( forgery: Birth certificate Printing expert. )

[san850]

Hey billybob....let me guess...you believe everything Rush Limbaugh says and anything you hear on FAUX News, right? As long as it expresses hatred towards our President, you believe it, right? I'll bet you even believe that Elvis is still alive and living in Arizona, that Bigfoot is real, that the moon landing was faked, and that the earth is really flat? Give it up. You cannot erase President Obama from history. He is a legitimate citizen. He is a legitimate human being. Get over it.

[JV1970]

So, san, you're finding out I'm not the only who doubts the validity of Obama's "birth certificate" aren't you?

[san850]

The bottom line in all this Trump/birther nonsense is simply their unbridled hatred for the President. They all want to erase him from history. They refuse to accept his legitimacy as a citizen of the United States, his legitimacy as our President, or even as human being.

All this garbage demonstrates just how desperate the GOP has become overall. They KNOW that not ONE of their potential candidates can defeat President Obama, so they will try to have him removed from office by any means, at any cost.

This is what the GOP has become. That's the dirty politics they will play; however, I think the harder they try to defame the President, the harder they are going to fall in 2012. They are so logic challenged apparently they cannot even see their impending implosion.

[billybob163]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c93cm17_2C8&feature=related

Printing expert raises serious doubts over validity of birth certificate

[Lindag10]

JV You are a complete and utter fool. No one could possibly be stupid enough to look at a copy of a copy on a computer screen and determine its authenticity except you. I have a Southern heritage. I am a descentant of the Lightfoot family (ever heard of them?). My ancestor, John Lightfoot was at one time Auditor General of the Virginia colony and was killed in Suriman fighting the real pirates of the Caribbean. However, this being said I'm not a stupid birther like you. Keep it up though and I still think you have 3 or fewer natural teeth due to your behavior.

[Lindag10]

Oops couple of typos: Meant descendant and Surinam. Stuff happens.

[san850]

Better watch out Lindag....JV is also playing "spelling police" tonight.

[dennisall77]

I will no longer listen or respond to birthers... telling them the birth certificate is legit is like answering "how much is two plus two" with "The Empire State Building"... there is a complete disconnect. They do not want the issue to go away because it is all they have to fight this black man they hate. There is no other logic to their continuing disbelief of the birth certificate than their hatred of his race. SO... anyone who expresses birther beliefs is a bigot, just like southerners who try to honor the confederacy by saying the civil war had nothing to with race are also bigots. From now on people, ignore them and they will eventually be talking only to themselves and slowly die away

[JV1970]

That's what YOU think! We Southerners have been around since the 1600's and we aren't going anywhere!

[Lindag10]

JV: No one asked you to go anywhere. You're quite entertaining to say the least. Your document expertise is amazing and shows how badly you suffer from IAADA. LOL

[san850]

by JV1970 April 29, 2011 1:04 PM EDT
..."He hasn't PROVEN anything until the document that he provided is proven to be authentic and legal."
=====================================

JV, JV, JV....God could speak personally to you and say....... "My Child, why doest thou continue to foolishly doubt that which I have examined and proven to be legal, legitimate, authentic, and real? I actually felt the raised State Seal with my divine fingers, my doubting child. Now, child, soften your heart and strengthen your mind, go your way in this world and try to be a better person...stop judging those who are different from you...be truthful and Christian in all your endeavors and you will be rewarded." ...and you STILL wouldn't believe it was REAL!!!

[reruddock]

Is the use of hyperbole the only tactic individuals such as yourself feel they need to resort to instead of arguing based on merit? And, for the record I'M NOT A BIRTHER! I could care less about whether Mr. Obama was born in the U.S. or not, because at this stage of the game he's going to stay the President up until at least January of 2013. I think the way he's mismanaged this crappy economy up until now will be his undoing... he'll be a one-term President. And this is REGARDLESS of whether he INHERITED this mess or not, so don't try to start with the Bush-bashing diatribe (of which I will agree G.W. Bush failed trememdously on economic matters)! B.H.Obama was elected to right the ship, and he's failed. Now it seems he's trying like hell to START doing something, but it's a little too late... I think enough of the American public sees him for who he really is... a do-nothing, constant vacationing, lime-light loving, President.
(and ps. NO I don't want Palin or Trump for the next prez either! I'm not a republican, rather I'm an independant conservative with a brain)
Thank you

[san850]

@reruddock...first of all my comment was not directed at you; however, since you chose to respond, apparently it hit a nerve with you as well.

When JV1970 and those like her make accusations that have NO MERIT, those posts do not even dignify a response that has merit. It's a childish game you are playing, therefore you get childish results. Have you ever heard of mockery? Hyperbole is certainly an acceptable way to point out just how ridiculous these conspiracy theories sound...but even these exaggerations go right over the heads of those who refuse to believe any truth whatsoever.

[mick7744]

AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM BIRTHER CENYRAL...

"Our experts have carefully studied the document and found it to be completely authentic in every detail..."

Which PROVES the existence of a vast conspiricy!

Only the CIA could produce such a perfect birth certificate...right?

[JV1970]

This is from someone who can't even spell central or conspiracy!

[Zann-Zel]

OMG!

Trump wasn't able to produce a Certificate.....Look!

http://www.theonion.com/articles/trump-unable-to-produce-certificate-proving-hes-no,20250/

LOL!