GOP Senator Says He Backs Birther Lawsuits

Republican Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana says he supports conservative organizations challenging President Barack Obama's citizenship in court.

Vitter, who is running for re-election, made the comments at a town hall-style event in Metairie, La., on Sunday when a constituent asked what he would do about what the questioner said was Obama's "refusal to produce a valid birth certificate."

With the crowd applauding the question, Vitter responded that he doesn't personally have standing to bring litigation. "But I support conservative legal organizations and others who would bring that to court," he said, according to a video of the event. "I think that is the valid and most possibly effective grounds to do it."

He later cautioned that the matter could distract from policy issues.

"I think if we focus on that issue and let our eye off the ball ... I think that's a big mistake," he said. "I'm not dismissing any of this. I think first and foremost, we need to fight the Obama agenda at the ballot box starting this fall."

So-called birthers have challenged Obama's standing as president by arguing that he was not born in the United States.

Hawaii officials have repeatedly confirmed the president's citizenship, and his Hawaiian birth certificate has been made public, along with newspaper birth notices published when he was born in 1961.

Vitter said the only direct information he has about the issue is what he's learned through the news media "filter." His spokesman did not immediately respond to a question about whether the senator doubts Obama's citizenship.

[dfisher6221]

I am confused by the seeming unwillingness of the mainstream press to call the birther movement what it is "thinly veiled bigotry." The birther movement is akin to those who believe that President Obama is secretly a Muslim - in total disregard of the fact that he is a life long Christian and apparently because "Obama" sounds a little too much like "Osama". The birther movement is nothing more than an expression of intolerance, as in "President Obama's not one of us". Do we really believe that the birther faction would exist if a black man had not been elected president? The entire birther argument is based on convoluted logic, misstated and made up facts, and distortions. Just look at the claims of Texas state Rep. Leo Berman, a republican who has called President Obama "God's punishment on us [the white race I presume] today". Everyone knows that Obama is a natural born US Citizen. Yet birthers like Rep. Berman keep advancing a specious and convoluted argument challenging his right to be president. I believe in the principle of "Occam's Razor" which states that the simplest explanation is more likely the correct one (or when faced with a convoluted argument cut through the baloney to get at the simple motivations). Rep. Berman is not a stupid man and he knows full well that he is distorting the facts. He is simply sending a message of intolerance that somehow this black president can't be trusted. Birthers like Rep. Berman are simply upset that a black man was elected president and are looking for any excuse to challenge that fact not matter how specious or convoluted the argument.

[velma179]

If I posted my birth certificate online, many of you would have the same questions about my citizenship.

It is a copy. However it is a CERTIFIED COPY. The county of my birth does not release original documents, they make copies and certify them.

________________

This whole issue is so ridiculous and I am certain it would not be brought up if our current president was a white male named Howard Jones. It is the fear of "the other" that motivates this silly conspiracy theory. And it is silly -- I do have knowledge of Hawaii in the 1960's and I can assure you ... the Barack Obama birth certificate scanned and available on the internet, is nothing unusual.

[steeepe]

The "birther" propaganda is yet another typical and cynical attempt by the right wing to destroy its opponents. They've done this for generations. The tea partier in southern California has already had her suit thrown out by the court and admonished not to waste the court's time with any more filings. People who continue to waste time on this issue ought to find something more productive to do. You're doomed to fail. And by the way, new studies show that obesity impairs reason, so lose some weight and think straight!

[Rhoadsa]

Where are my Comments I add them and never see them Posted, is Obama the one who Screens them? There has never been shown an Official Birth Cirtificate,ony Live Birth Document. If you lookat his History an Illeagal Aunt,an Illeagal Father in several Countries, a Mother who gave Birth to several Children from Two non Americans why would you not question if Obama is a Citizen

[Clouseau2]

The GOP doesn't mind spending or wasting unlimited amounts of time, effort and money as long as it supports their ideology.

[ricktrick]

Wonder why no one was concered about John Mcain not being born in the US?

[edeltraud-2009]

Republican you cant win by making things up .you so Power hungry at makes us Sick .you are the ones that told Americans nothing but lies for 8 years lets get rid of all the war s no tax cut for the rich.you ARE the ones that put us in this Mess .an we dont want you back .President Obama is an American Citizen .case Close .

[threeeagles]

I think the "birthers" are nuts. But you know what? I'm so happy to get rid of Baby Bush that Obama could be an alien for all I care. Oh, wait. I bet I just ruined the next Fox News Special. "Men are from Mars, Obama is from Venus." Then we could have "earthers!"

[msimamaji]

I lost track of my birth certificate a long time ago. However, I have held a valid passport since I was 22 and that serves as my identification.
Yet, no one is going to file a lawsuit against me demanding that I show my birth certificate.
The reason is simple. I'm a white guy.
David Vitter simply proves that the GOP and the Tea Party Movement, for all their pretensions are racist organizations.

[Perish1]

No one asks me either. but, i haven't applied for any jobs that say i needed proof I was a natural born citizen. If they did, I would show them. I got no problems with it. If they said the copy I showed them was fake, I would give them permission to ask the county of record for proof. No problemo!

[billyboyC]

Big Deal! Why isn't he bringing this up in the house or congress? Instead he's taking the easy way out and letting private businesses and citizens do the hard work when he fully well knows that the hospital in Hawaii is under FEd lock and key not to give out any information. Since they do NOT have his birth certificate. OBAMASON is a Muslim and a Nazi and a Socialist and an Islamo Fascist who has told American quite plainly that he and his wife hate America and to that end he is destroying all of America be you black , white , Asian or Hispanic.

[Bisk1]

BillyboyC, billyboyc, billyboyc, billyboyc .... ts got a ring to it. Dumb Repugs !

[areuforreal]

Moronic statement at best.