The White House released President Barack Obama's Hawaii long-form birth certificate Wednesday in an attempt to silence the so-called "birthers" who say he is foreign-born.
"Yes, I was born in Hawaii," Obama said at a White House briefing, confirming that he was, in fact, born in the United States and is therefore constitutionally able to hold the highest office in that country.
The U.S. constitution requires that presidents be "natural-born" Americans.
For years, Obama has been dogged by unfounded rumours — fanned by such potential Republican presidential candidates as Donald Trump — that he may have been born in Kenya.
Obama said Americans were being "distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers."
"We do not have time for this kind of silliness."
In New Hampshire, Trump said he was "proud" to have played a role in getting Obama to release the document. But he was clearly still not willing to give the president the benefit of the doubt.
"We have to look at it. We have to see, is it real, is it proper?" he asked. "What's on it? I hope it checks out beautifully."
Rumours of Obama's foreign birth have persisted despite Obama's earlier release of his standard short-form birth certificate. This week, he requested his original birth certificate from Hawaiian officials.
Polls have suggested that a significant minority of Americans — especially Republican party supporters — doubt that Obama was born in the U.S.
"Yes, I was born in Hawaii," Obama said at a White House briefing, confirming that he was, in fact, born in the United States and is therefore constitutionally able to hold the highest office in that country.
The U.S. constitution requires that presidents be "natural-born" Americans.
For years, Obama has been dogged by unfounded rumours — fanned by such potential Republican presidential candidates as Donald Trump — that he may have been born in Kenya.
Obama said Americans were being "distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers."
"We do not have time for this kind of silliness."
In New Hampshire, Trump said he was "proud" to have played a role in getting Obama to release the document. But he was clearly still not willing to give the president the benefit of the doubt.
"We have to look at it. We have to see, is it real, is it proper?" he asked. "What's on it? I hope it checks out beautifully."
Polls have suggested that a significant minority of Americans — especially Republican party supporters — doubt that Obama was born in the U.S.
