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[[File:Brainreboot20110429.jpg|right|thumb]]

The '''Obama birth certificate controversy''' concerns the birth certificate and place of birth of President Barack Obama.<ref>Obama's [[African]] grandmother Sarah Hussein Obama says Barack was born in her presence in Kenya. [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2104131/posts Obama Born In Kenya? His Grandmother Says Yes, Israeli News, October 12, 2008]<br />[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=78931 Democrat: Obama's grandma confirms Kenyan birth, WND, October 23, 2008]<br />[http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b58_1225645143 Audio Conversation Link]</ref> A 1991 publisher's biography used to promote the memoir ''Dreams From My Father'' states that Obama was born in Kenya.<ref>The bio says he was, "Born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii”. [https://web.archive.org/web/20120705115803/http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/05/17/The-Vetting-Barack-Obama-Literary-Agent-1991-Born-in-Kenya-Raised-Indonesia-Hawaii Here] is an image.<br/ > Literary agent Miriam Goderich took responsibility for the "mistake," but such bios are normally written by the author himself.[https://web.archive.org/web/20120706093227/http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/born-kenya-obamas-literary-agent-misidentified-birthplace-1991/story?id=16372566#.Vj6h4r9mqjc]</ref> The bio was not corrected until 2007.<ref>Joondeph, Brian, "[http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2016/09/obama_was_the_original_birther.html Obama Was the Original Birther]", ''American Thinker'', September 18, 2016.</ref> During the 2008 presidential campaign, [[Sidney Blumenthal]], an advisor to U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton, visited various media offices and asked them to investigate the Kenyan birth story.<ref>"[http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article102354777.html 2 Clinton supporters in ’08 reportedly shared Obama ‘birther’ story]"</ref>

The '''Obama birth certificate controversy''' concerns the birth certificate and place of birth of President Barack Obama.<ref>Obama's [[African]] grandmother Sarah Hussein Obama says Barack was born in her presence in Kenya. [http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2104131/posts Obama Born In Kenya? His Grandmother Says Yes, Israeli News, October 12, 2008]<br />[http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=78931 Democrat: Obama's grandma confirms Kenyan birth, WND, October 23, 2008]<br />[http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=b58_1225645143 Audio Conversation Link]</ref> A 1991 publisher's biography used to promote the memoir ''Dreams From My Father'' states that Obama was born in Kenya.<ref>The biographical note says that Obama was, "Born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii”. [https://web.archive.org/web/20120705115803/http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/05/17/The-Vetting-Barack-Obama-Literary-Agent-1991-Born-in-Kenya-Raised-Indonesia-Hawaii Here] is an image.<br/ > Literary agent Miriam Goderich took responsibility for the "mistake," but such bios are normally written by the author himself.[https://web.archive.org/web/20120706093227/http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/OTUS/born-kenya-obamas-literary-agent-misidentified-birthplace-1991/story?id=16372566#.Vj6h4r9mqjc]</ref> The bio was not corrected until 2007.<ref>Joondeph, Brian, "[http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2016/09/obama_was_the_original_birther.html Obama Was the Original Birther]", ''American Thinker'', September 18, 2016.</ref> During the 2008 presidential campaign, [[Sidney Blumenthal]], an advisor to U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton, visited various media offices and asked them to investigate the Kenyan birth story.<ref>"[http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/election/article102354777.html 2 Clinton supporters in ’08 reportedly shared Obama ‘birther’ story]," ''McClatchyDC'', Sept. 16, 2016</ref>

Obama was born in [[Honolulu]] on Aug. 4, 1961, according to his birth certificate. A low-resolution image of Obama's short-form certificate was released in June 2008, but met with great skepticism. The skeptics soon developed into a "birther movement." Although a higher-resolution image was released on November 1,<ref>[http://www.factcheck.org/UploadedFiles/birth_certificate_5.jpg Large, high-resolution picture of his birth certificate].</ref> the movement remained active, demanding that Obama release his long-form certificate. The White House finally released this document on April 27, 2011.<ref>[https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/birth-certificate-long-form.pdf Obama's long form birth certificate].</ref>

Obama was born in [[Honolulu]] on Aug. 4, 1961, according to his birth certificate. A low-resolution image of Obama's short-form certificate was released in June 2008, but met with great skepticism. The skeptics soon developed into a "birther movement." Although a higher-resolution image was released on August 21,<ref>Henig, Jess, "[http://www.factcheck.org/2008/08/born-in-the-usa/ Born in the U.S.A.]", ''Factcheck'', August 21, 2008. [http://www.factcheck.org/UploadedFiles/birth_certificate_5.jpg Here] is the image itself.</ref> the movement remained active, demanding that Obama release his long-form certificate. The White House finally released this document on April 27, 2011.<ref>[https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/rss_viewer/birth-certificate-long-form.pdf Obama's long form birth certificate].</ref>

The birther movement contended that documentary evidence indicated that he may have been born in [[Kenya]], Obama is ineligible to serve as president according to [[United States Constitution:Article II|Article II]] of the [[United States Constitution]]. Others maintained otherwise.

The birther movement contended that documentary evidence indicated that he may have been born in [[Kenya]], Obama is ineligible to serve as president according to [[United States Constitution:Article II|Article II]] of the [[United States Constitution]]. Others maintained otherwise.

==What is "Natural Born"==

==What is "Natural Born"==

In the Naturalization Act of 1790, the first Congress explained phase "natural born citizen" as follows:  

In the Naturalization Act of 1790, the first Congress explained phase "natural born citizen" as follows:  

{{cquote|The children of citizens of the United States, that may be born beyond sea, or out of the limits of the United States, shall be considered natural born citizens: Provided, That the right of citizenship shall not descend to persons whose fathers have never been resident in the United States''<ref>see [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=001/llsl001.db&recNum=227 Naturalization Act of 1790]</ref>}}

{{cquote|The children of citizens of the United States, that may be born beyond sea, or out of the limits of the United States, shall be considered natural born citizens: Provided, That the right of citizenship shall not descend to persons whose fathers have never been resident in the United States''<ref>See [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=001/llsl001.db&recNum=227 Naturalization Act of 1790]</ref>}}

Although the 1790 law has been repealed, it remains the only place in federal statute where the term "natural-born citizen" is defined.

Although the 1790 law has been repealed, it remains the only place in federal statute where the term "natural-born citizen" is defined.