Saturday, November 21, 2009

Opinion

Robert Schlesinger

Poll on Birthers: Most Southerners, Republicans Question Obama Citizenship

July 31, 2009 12:12 PM ET | Robert Schlesinger | Permanent Link | Print

By Robert Schlesinger, Thomas Jefferson Street blog

Dixie may once have been the so-called land of cotton, but it has become the cradle of creeping Birtherism. According to a new poll from Research 2000 (commissioned by Daily Kos), a majority of Southerners either believe that Barack Obama was not born in the United States (23 percent) or are not sure (30 percent). Only 47 percent of Southern respondents believe Obama was born in the USA. By contrast, 93 percent of Northeasterns said yes, he was born here, 90 percent of Midwesterners did and 87 percent of Westerners.

Wow.

And while 93 percent of Democrats say he was born in the country and 83 percent of Independents, the figure is only 42 percent for Republicans. A majority of Republicans either believe he was born abroad (28 percent) or don't know (30 percent).

If you don't know, Birthers are the people who argue either that Obama was not born in the United States or that credible questions remain surrounding his birth place. There has been a recent uptick in media interest in birthers, apparently spurred by a youtube video showing moderate GOP Rep. Mike Castle getting shrieked at by a near-hysterical birther and then booed when he asserted that yes, the president is a U.S. citizen.

I had assumed that the Birthers were a loud, bemusing hyper-minority in the GOP, so the poll numbers are startling both for the region and for the party.

 

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Reader Comments

Civics Class

I have two cousins. They were born in Egypt. Their father is an American Citizen by birth and their mother is not. They have never lived in the United States, yet the circumstances of their birth would not disqualify them from running for president. They are Obama's situation in reverse, and they are American citizens by birth.

For the sake of argument lets pretend that President Obama's mother was not an American citizen, which she was. Then Obama would still be a citizen because any child born on American soil or found on American soil under the age of 5 is considered an American citizen by birth (although I do not believe this applies to visitors).

Obama's mother was a citizen, lets pretend he was born abroad. It wouldn't matter, despite the fact that his father was not a citizen, because his mother WAS and that is indisputable.

I learned this all in middle school civics class.

If the "Birthers" Republicans or John McCain deny Obama's citizenship they should not run our country because they obviously did not pay attention in Civics class.

I personally think that Obama has run a very mature, clean campaign. He personally declared that family was "off-limits" and as far as I am aware made no comment as to Bristol Palin's pregnancy, or Sarah Palin's for that matter.

I find it shocking that the GOP has so reduced itself to petty arguments in hope of destabilizing our Presidents term instead of helping him build up this country.

I also find it shocking that they have so little confidence in their own cantidates to be able to convince people to vote for them that they are reduced to slander and lies.

I respect John McCain's time in the war and I recognise him as a great hero, but lets face it, he's old and is likely to pass away while in office.

I am ashamed that there is even a party like the GOP. When I saw the Virginia legislature the GOP side looked all the same. White males. There were two women and no African Americans. Many of the supporters of the GOP obviously did not recognise the seperation of church and state, in fact while there I was told by one girl "I don't see how you can be a Democrat and Christian."

I find the GOP platform ridiculosly uncaring in the form of providing help to those who need it, but rigoursly controlling of people's PERSONAL lives. Yet they allow free rein when it came to economics, part of the reason the economy is in ruins.

I admire President Obama for admitting he is not perfect, who is? He is taking responsibility for his mistakes, yet the GOP seems only to blame others. Example "Oh, Bush never got anything good passed because the Congress was Democratic"

Well, the people voted the Democrats into office and people were ready to vote George W. Bush out. Congress was representing the people and Bush was not.

Another stupidity: Who cares if President Obama can bowl.

Check Your facts

Marymary of In

I apoligize but I must call you out on your statement. I have before me my Original birth Certificate given to my mother in 1973 approx 30 days after my birth. and a copy issued to myself in 1997.

They both contain my Name, D.O.B., time of birth, sex, length, and weight at birth. City, State, and County of birth and Hospital

Followed by my Mothers information then my Fathers information along with the signatures of my Father, the Physician or Attendant, the Hospital Registrar, and the "Ordinary & Custodian of Vital Records" and both have a raised seal. the difference from the one issued in 1973 and the copy I received is the following statement:

'This is to certify that this is a true and correct copy of the certificate filed with the Vital Records service Georgia Department of Human Resources. This certified copy is issued under the authority of chapter 1-10, Vital Records, Code of Georgia.'

signed by the County Custodian

and also has a raised seal.

and just in case you wish to make a statement in relation to the state in which I was born I was born on a U.S. Army military base.

Please one shouldn't make unfounded statements without fully researching the facts first.

Are you Kidding

As with most polls The Daily Kos Poll which is designed to provide information favorable to there Political alignment. This particular poll(wishfully but not factually) presents or attempts to imply that Americans from the southern states have held onto that Good Ol' Confederate spirit and deep seeded racism. That is laughable The south is a beautifully blended region whose population is full of many different colors. Sure in the South and in other parts of the country their are still ignorant racists. But lets not make ignorant claims likes this I don't support Obama and I have a very colorful family made up of African, Hispanic, Polish, and Australian Americans. I am not aligned with either party I know how to read and that's what I did I downloaded the HR3200 document and read it. As for Obama's Birth well there are several issues that bring question was he born in Kenya? His Relatives Claim "Yes" was he born in Hawaii Obama's Birth announcement says it is possible.

Obama was adopted by Lolo Soetoro an Indonesian Citizen and under our own laws the name appearing on the adoption Birth certificate should show Barrack Obama's adopted name Barry Soetoro. being adopted by an Indonesian Citizen and allowed to be schooled in Indonesia (check Indonesian Law) Barrak Obama or Barry Soetoro had to be a Citizen of Indonesia which would mean that Barrack Obama aka Barry Soetoro's mother would have had to renounce Barrack Obama's U.S. Citizenship as Indonesia did not have a Dual Citizenship program during the Period in which Obama was schooled there. Which means Obama would have had to reapply for U.S. Citizenship through INS. Which would remove his eligibility as a Natural Born Citizen. Meaning it wouldn't matter if Obama was born in Hawaii or not. It just means that Obama never surrendered his U.S. passport upon becoming an Indonesian Citizen and his Birth announcement if real was not data match between The U.S. State Department and the Country of Indonesia as those types of facilities were not available at that time. Which in Fact would imply that Barrack Obama or Should I say Barry Soetoro has committed Fraud.

I have my Original Birth Certificate and I must say every time when I requested a copy of my Birth Certificate I received the exact same document with the exception that the copy Stated Certified Copy and ermm it was issued by the County Health Department.

People make accusations and sling mud and hateful words when they are passionate about their cause. That doesn't make it right. But how can The Democrats and their supporters call those who Oppose Obama unAmerican for exercising their First Amendment Rights as American Citizens. Are you saying that when Democrats and their supporters Slander those who oppose Obama's reform by calling them racists, hate mongers, or birthers is American and that only they have the right under the First Ammendment to have an opinion.

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Robert Schlesinger is a deputy editor at U.S. News and World Report and oversees all opinion editorial content. He is the author of White House Ghosts: Presidents and Their Speechwriters.

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