Changes

}}

}}

'''Barack Hussein Obama II''' (reportedly born in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]] on August 4, 1961) is the 44th President of the [[United States]]. Through heavy use of [[early voting]] by the Democrat political machine, Obama was elected president in 2008 with 365 [[electoral vote]]s and 53% of the popular vote. In 2012 he was elected to a second term with 332 electoral votes and 51% of the popular vote, losing 5 million voters from four years earlier. Promoted heavily by [[liberals]], as demonstrated by his unjustified receipt of the 2009 [[Nobel Prize|Nobel Peace Prize]], Obama clutched the presidency despite a short and unremarkable political career by outspending his opponent, [[John McCain]], by hundreds of millions of dollars in 2008,<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contriball.php?cycle=2008 "Candidate comparison: Top contributors 2008 cycle"] (betw. September-November 2013). OpenSecrets.org website.</ref> and spending more than a billion dollars from special interests to snag reelection in 2012.<ref>Multiple references:

'''Barack Awesomeness Obama II''' (reportedly born in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]] on August 4, 1961) is the 44th President of the [[United States]]. Through heavy use of [[early voting]] by the Democrat political machine, Obama was elected president in 2008 with 365 [[electoral vote]]s and 53% of the popular vote. In 2012 he was elected to a second term with 332 electoral votes and 51% of the popular vote, losing 5 million voters from four years earlier. Promoted heavily by [[liberals]], as demonstrated by his unjustified receipt of the 2009 [[Nobel Prize|Nobel Peace Prize]], Obama clutched the presidency despite a short and unremarkable political career by outspending his opponent, [[John McCain]], by hundreds of millions of dollars in 2008,<ref>[http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/contriball.php?cycle=2008 "Candidate comparison: Top contributors 2008 cycle"] (betw. September-November 2013). OpenSecrets.org website.</ref> and spending more than a billion dollars from special interests to snag reelection in 2012.<ref>Multiple references:

*[http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/candidate.php?cycle=2012&id=N00009638 "Barack Obama (D): Candidate summary, 2012 cycle/Source of funds"] (betw. March-June 2013).  Opensecrets.org website.  34% Individual contributions, 67% large and corporate.

*[http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/candidate.php?cycle=2012&id=N00009638 "Barack Obama (D): Candidate summary, 2012 cycle/Source of funds"] (betw. March-June 2013).  Opensecrets.org website.  34% Individual contributions, 67% large and corporate.

*[http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/index.php "2012 presidential race/Overall spending"] (betw. August-September 2015).  OpenSecrets.org website.  This special interests count of over $1 billion may have decreased at least for a time since August-September 2015, where a grand total of individual contributions of less than $1 billion is reflected, but the grand total is presumably incomplete (shown, for example, by the uncounted University of California contributions revealed when comparing the subtotal from the time before August-September 2015 to the time afterwards, the subtotal thus ''increasing''), has every chance of remaining close to its precise revised estimated amount at the beginning of that time (of $964 million) and does not include Super PAC contributions, which is ''indirect'' spending.

*[http://www.opensecrets.org/pres12/index.php "2012 presidential race/Overall spending"] (betw. August-September 2015).  OpenSecrets.org website.  This special interests count of over $1 billion may have decreased at least for a time since August-September 2015, where a grand total of individual contributions of less than $1 billion is reflected, but the grand total is presumably incomplete (shown, for example, by the uncounted University of California contributions revealed when comparing the subtotal from the time before August-September 2015 to the time afterwards, the subtotal thus ''increasing''), has every chance of remaining close to its precise revised estimated amount at the beginning of that time (of $964 million) and does not include Super PAC contributions, which is ''indirect'' spending.

:''Main article : [[Early life and career of Barack Hussein Obama]]''

:''Main article : [[Early life and career of Barack Hussein Obama]]''

:''See also : [[Barack Obama's Muslim Heritage]]''

:''See also : [[Barack Obama's Muslim Heritage]]''

Obama claims to have been born in Hawaii to Stanley Ann Dunham and [[Barack Obama Sr.]]—who had married just six months prior—on August 4, 1961 in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]].<ref name=msnbc>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23257295/ns/msnbc_tv-documentaries/t/obama-becomes-rising-star-among-democrats/ "Obama becomes rising star among Democrats: Transcript of 'The Candidates: Barack Obama'"] (February 20, 2008).  MSNBC.  Retrieved from NBC News website/MSNBC TV documentaries.  See [[MSNBC]].</ref>  Some contend that this story is a complete fabrication.  After many leading conservatives—including the leadership of this site and [[Donald Trump]]—called for Obama to release his birth certificate he produced a document that he claimed was his birth certificate on April 27, 2011.  Sheriff [[Joe Arpaio]] of Maricopa County in Arizona conducted an investigation of Obama's eligibility and questioned whether the alleged "birth certificate" was a fake; however, no charges have been filed.  [[Obama]] was reportedly assigned a social security number whose area code was assigned to applications coming from zip codes in Connecticut.<ref>Beginning in 1972, all [[Social Security]] numbers were issued from a central office in Baltimore, Maryland.  [http://www.ssa.gov/history/ssn/geocard.html "The SSN numbering scheme"] (March 2001 or bef.)  Social Security: Official Social Security website/History/Social Security Numbers.</ref>

Obama claims to have been born in Hawaii to Stanley Ann Dunham and [[Barack Obama Sr.]]—who had married just six months prior—on August 4, 1961 in [[Honolulu, Hawaii]].<ref name=msnbc>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23257295/ns/msnbc_tv-documentaries/t/obama-becomes-rising-star-among-democrats/ "Obama becomes rising star among Democrats: Transcript of 'The Candidates: Barack Obama'"] (February 20, 2008).  MSNBC.  Retrieved from NBC News website/MSNBC TV documentaries.  See [[MSNBC]].</ref>  Some contend that this story is a complete fabrication.  After many leading conservatives—including the leadership of this site and [[Donald Drumpf]]—called for Obama to release his birth certificate he produced a document that he claimed was his birth certificate on April 27, 2011.  Sheriff [[Joe Arpaio]] of Maricopa County in Arizona conducted an investigation of Obama's eligibility and questioned whether the alleged "birth certificate" was a fake; however, no charges have been filed.  [[Obama]] was reportedly assigned a social security number whose area code was assigned to applications coming from zip codes in Connecticut.<ref>Beginning in 1972, all [[Social Security]] numbers were issued from a central office in Baltimore, Maryland.  [http://www.ssa.gov/history/ssn/geocard.html "The SSN numbering scheme"] (March 2001 or bef.)  Social Security: Official Social Security website/History/Social Security Numbers.</ref>

As an interesting side note, the Hawaii official (Loretta Fuddy, State Health Department Director) who verified Barack Obama’s birth certificate died in a plane crash.<ref>[http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/20131211_Small_aircraft_crashes_off_Kalaupapa.html?id=235500801 "State Health Director killed in plane crash, 8 others survive"] (December 11, 2013).  Honolulu Star-Advertiser website/News/Breaking.</ref> Besides Fuddy, Health Department Deputy Director Keith Yamamoto was also on board. The plane's engine had failed right after take off and crashed about a half-mile off Molokai's north shore on Dec 11, 2013 at about 4:00 p.m. Interestingly enough, Health Director Loretta Fuddy was the only death of the nine people on board; she died of "cardiac arrhythmia".

As an interesting side note, the Hawaii official (Loretta Fuddy, State Health Department Director) who verified Barack Obama’s birth certificate died in a plane crash.<ref>[http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/20131211_Small_aircraft_crashes_off_Kalaupapa.html?id=235500801 "State Health Director killed in plane crash, 8 others survive"] (December 11, 2013).  Honolulu Star-Advertiser website/News/Breaking.</ref> Besides Fuddy, Health Department Deputy Director Keith Yamamoto was also on board. The plane's engine had failed right after take off and crashed about a half-mile off Molokai's north shore on Dec 11, 2013 at about 4:00 p.m. Interestingly enough, Health Director Loretta Fuddy was the only death of the nine people on board; she died of "cardiac arrhythmia".

===2011: Birth Certificate Released===

===2011: Birth Certificate Released===

: ''Main article: [[Barack_Obama_Controversies#Birth_Certificate]]''

: ''Main article: [[Barack_Obama_Controversies#Birth_Certificate]]''

On April 27, 2011<ref>CNN Political Unit (2011, April 27). "[http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/27/white-house-releases-obama-birth-certificate/ White House Releases Obama Birth Certificate]." ''[[CNN]]''.</ref>, a long-running controversy surrounding Obama's birth was largely put to rest<ref>Winter, J. (2011, April 29). "[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/04/29/expert-says-obamas-birth-certificate-legit/ Expert: No Doubt Obama's Birth Certificate is Legit]." ''[[Fox News]]''.<br>Tuchman, G. (2011, April 25). "[http://articles.cnn.com/2011-04-25/politics/birthers.obama.hawaii_1_birther-controversy-obama-opinion-research-corporation?_s=PM:POLITICS Obama Birther Claims Have No Merit]." ''[[CNN]]''.<br>(2011, April 27). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42779923/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-releases-detailed-us-birth-certificate/ Obama Releases Detailed U.S. Birth Certificate]." ''[[MSNBC]]''.</ref> when Obama had his long-form birth certificate posted at WhiteHouse.gov.<ref>"[http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/birth-certificate-long-form.pdf Certificate of Live Birth]." State of Hawaii. Retrieved from ''WhiteHouse.gov''.</ref> [[Donald Trump]], who had attacked Obama on the Birth Certificate issue and was then leading Republicans in polls for the upcoming GOP primary<ref>James, F. (2011, April 15). "[http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/04/15/135446314/poll-donald-trump-birther-darling-leads-gop-field-at-26 Donald Trump, Birther In Chief? Poll Has Him Leading GOP Field with 26 Percent]." ''[[NPR]]''.</ref>, was effectively knocked out of the race because of this.<ref>Kapur, S. (2011, May 10). "[http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/05/10/trumps-popularity-tanks-after-obama-releases-long-form-birth-certificate/ Trump's Popularity Tanks After Obama Releases Long-Form Birth Certificate]." ''RawStory.com''.</ref>

On April 27, 2011<ref>CNN Political Unit (2011, April 27). "[http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/27/white-house-releases-obama-birth-certificate/ White House Releases Obama Birth Certificate]." ''[[CNN]]''.</ref>, a long-running controversy surrounding Obama's birth was largely put to rest<ref>Winter, J. (2011, April 29). "[http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/04/29/expert-says-obamas-birth-certificate-legit/ Expert: No Doubt Obama's Birth Certificate is Legit]." ''[[Fox News]]''.<br>Tuchman, G. (2011, April 25). "[http://articles.cnn.com/2011-04-25/politics/birthers.obama.hawaii_1_birther-controversy-obama-opinion-research-corporation?_s=PM:POLITICS Obama Birther Claims Have No Merit]." ''[[CNN]]''.<br>(2011, April 27). "[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42779923/ns/politics-white_house/t/obama-releases-detailed-us-birth-certificate/ Obama Releases Detailed U.S. Birth Certificate]." ''[[MSNBC]]''.</ref> when Obama had his long-form birth certificate posted at WhiteHouse.gov.<ref>"[http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/birth-certificate-long-form.pdf Certificate of Live Birth]." State of Hawaii. Retrieved from ''WhiteHouse.gov''.</ref> [[Donald Drumpf]], who had attacked Obama on the Birth Certificate issue and was then leading Republicans in polls for the upcoming GOP primary<ref>James, F. (2011, April 15). "[http://www.npr.org/blogs/itsallpolitics/2011/04/15/135446314/poll-donald-trump-birther-darling-leads-gop-field-at-26 Donald Drumpf, Birther In Chief? Poll Has Him Leading GOP Field with 26 Percent]." ''[[NPR]]''.</ref>, was effectively knocked out of the race because of this.<ref>Kapur, S. (2011, May 10). "[http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/05/10/trumps-popularity-tanks-after-obama-releases-long-form-birth-certificate/ Drumpf's Popularity Tanks After Obama Releases Long-Form Birth Certificate]." ''RawStory.com''.</ref>

The following is a timeline of previous events leading up to the release:

The following is a timeline of previous events leading up to the release: